Prince William Forest - Getting Settled In

WOW, what humidity!!!! Since I arrived the temperatures have been in the 90's and the humidity makes the air feel thick. Ha ha! I was prepared for a couple of months of this but this area definitely exceeds expectations in that respect.

I am working with other Cabin Hosts, John and Cindy who are absolutely marvelous. AND they like to play cards & board games, so even though we are kind of out here on our own we will probably spend many happy hours together. My camp holds 150 people and theirs holds 200. This weekend we have one big group filling both our camps so our time will be filled with keeping the restrooms stocked with toilet paper and helping with any information requests that might arise.

This is a "craft cabin" where visitors can do . . . crafts! The buildings and the park facilities were built during the 1930s to bring extremely impoverished children from the D.C. inner city out to the country. It was a public service in the guise of "fresh air & sunshine." There were many abandoned, homeless, uneducated, starving children. The staff took care of those needs including nursing the children back to health, giving them immunizations, etc. during a normal 2-week stay. If the children were in extremely poor health they stayed for a whole summer - hopefully, ready to return to the city by autumn.

An example of a sleeping cabin in my camp. My camp has been renovated so it has much nicer windows and restroom facilities than the others.

The dining hall fireplace. The park provides enough firewood for 1 fire per day for each group.

I believe these prayers and the picture of Old Faithful below have been posted ever since the place was built!

Typical 1938 flag raising in the camp.

The kitchen reminds me of church back home. Thank God I don't have to cook for 150! Most groups bring in their own cooks for their stay. If not I guess they do hot dogs over an open fire!

Mushrooms, mushrooms and more mushrooms in this humid forest!

Meanwhile back at my camp (which is on the edge of a baseball field) there are always plenty of deer. Yesterday at 1:00 p.m. there were 4 bucks all in velvet about 75 yards from my camper. Every evening there are between 10-20 grazing happily.

Surprise! As I looked out last night I spied a fox among the deer! I will post a video on Facebook if all goes well.

This morning this little squirrel dashed away as I approached a sleeping cabin, never letting go of his treasured mushroom. I'll post video of him, too on FB later.

Many lizards out basking in the sunshine. One of them is especially pretty - neon blue, but he moves too fast and I have not yet gotten a photo of it.

Last, but not least, this little spotted darling was spying on me as I finished my cabin walk-around early this afternoon. The deer are always curious whether it is at the cabins or back at the RV.