the buzz

Did you know that Hive has 410 acres of property?

That’s almost as big as the entire area of Lake Fairlee itself! There are several beautiful trails that wind through Hive’s forest and not too long ago my friend Ann (and her pup, Tilly) and I went for a walk in them. I love walking through the woods, especially this time of year when the trees are still bare and certain features are clearly visible like a lone wolf tree, one that is much older and larger than the surrounding saplings, and the many kinds of animal tracks and scat in the melting snow like deer, moose, some kind of cat, and perhaps even a bear! I could wax poetic for days about how much I love hiking in the woods, especially at Hive, but I have another point to this story!

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What Will YOUR Days Look Like? 3

Well, Hello There! New Counselors at Hive 4 Ellie’s Queries

While Ann, Tilly, and I were trudging through snowy, soggy mud, and melting ice, we happened across some new logging trails crisscrossing the Hive trails. (Part of responsibly managing wooded property means cutting down or logging the old, unhealthy growth to ensure the overall health of the forest.) We were deep in discussion about favorite Hive memories when we suddenly realized we’d gotten off course and had accidentally followed a logging trail! Whoops! It took us a while to re-orient ourselves, and by the time we found the correct trail again we were covered in mud and Tilly needed a serious nap!

This experience is a wonderful example of our Aloha Foundation-wide summer 2023 theme in action: CHOOSE CURIOSITY. While Ann, Tilly, and I could have panicked, very lost in the woods without a clear path forward, we chose to forge ahead with determination and curiosity. We even enjoyed the process as the woods were peaceful and beautiful even though we were lost. We asked ourselves lots of questions: should we retrace our steps? Or continue in the general direction of Wilson’s Farm Road? What tools do we have on us to help us find our way? If WE were a trail, where would we be? (Just kidding!) And eventually, asking those questions and choosing to be curious helped us find our way back.

At camp we talk a lot about how we choose to respond to situations. How we choose to respond to feeling homesick or how we choose to challenge ourselves. This summer we are also going to explore together what it means to choose curiosity in all kinds of situations. What does choosing curiosity look like when we’re meeting new people? What does choosing curiosity mean when we are having a disagreement with a tentmate? How do we challenge each other to choose curiosity when learning a new skill? What are some examples of NOT choosing curiosity? This is going to be a juicy topic for our community to think about as we play, teach, learn, and grow together on the sunny shores of Lake Fairlee. Camp is a place where we are free to practice becoming the best possible versions of ourselves and this summer our theme will help us to understand what that means for each of us individually and as a community.

So, my curious Hivers, I leave you with one question: How will you choose curiosity at Hive?

I am excited to hear your answers when we’re together at camp SOON!

Aloha,

Ellie Pennell Director of