Crabbing with Caleb

On Sunday, Caleb, myself and many other Echo Ranch Staff went crabbing. This is a regular Sunday activity at Echo Ranch which helps provide the Sunday night food. This was Caleb's first time to actually kill the crab. He was quite the champ.



It has be a blast having my little brother here at camp. He has already hiked Hogsback...and survived, killed a crab, and he even did the trust fall. Counselor Orientation is in full swing. I love this part of the summer because I can really get to know the counslors as I teach them how to be counselors. God has good things in store for this summer. We have an awesome summer staff.

Fun With Friends

What a beautiful day today has been. Warm and sunny!! Today a school group left before lunch and we didn't have another group until Friday night. A break!! What a treat. So the ERBC staff took a boat ride on the Blondia (Echo Ranch's landing craft) and went on a pinic. What a treat. Chillin by the fire roasting some brats. Fun times. Here Nanci Jo, Annie, and I are enjoying the sunshine the Alaskan way...with long sleeves! We had a grand time, saw a few seals along the way and even checked out the road to the mine on Lion's Head Mountain and some waterfalls. After chatting with some of our summer staff on some huge rocks on the beach, we headed back to camp and played some beach volleyball. I am getting really excited about counselor orientation. It begins on Tuesday!! It is one of my favorite things about the summer!! The counselors have begun to arrive. On Saturday my brother, Caleb, arrives in Juneau! He is going to have a great summer here at Echo Ranch! I can just tell that the Lord has some good things in store for the Summer of 2006.

My Office

Yes, look at this beautiful backdrop in my office. Yep I got mountians, the ocean and even the forest. Sweet. It has be beautiful here. So nice in fact, I have been able to email outside on my deck and soak up the sun. It is almost tropical (at least to the typical Alaskan it is at a warm 67 degrees.) Love it, this is why I live here in God's beautiful creation.

The counselors are arriving and Brittany Wheldon sits with me right now. As a returner she has great wisdom to offer first time counselor, "Pray about everything you do and have FUN!" I think this sounds like good advice for life!

Super Flyer!

I was in Juneau on Friday May 12th, and since the gas tank to my car is still broken I must rely on others for ride. Lance and Jess were bringing in the groceries on a Blondia (boat you can drive a car onto) run. Sweet, I will go along. So we get to camp...and drive onto the beach. Since Lance, Jess, and Eli fill up the grocery truck, Lance suggests that I ride on the hood of the grocery truck. RELAX...I was not totally stupid. No I was only slightly smarter. Yep...I seem to think it would be a great idea to ride holding onto the side of the truck. There were some foot hold and a handle on the side. So I climb on with my left hand and left foot on real foot holds/handles. My right hand was holding onto the top of the grocery truck and my right foot was in a round hole in the side of the truck. "Yeah, I can do this!" I think. Lance decides to go to the camp office before he goes to the dining hall to put the mail away. Longer ride. Hmmm...."Hold on tight, I think." Well we are almost there and Lance is doing a great job at going slow and missing toys staff kids have left in the road. But then when I am about 100 yard from the destination...I notice my right hand hold (made of plywood) has started to crumble in my hand due to just being old. "No problem, Bonnie....just move your hand down," I think. I do that....it also crumbles. After three moves...I can't reach any farther. Now I am sure you are thinking, Bonnie, why did you not tell Lance to stop. Well at that point I was fighting for survival....my mind was focused on holding onto the truck. So, you guessed it....my hand lost it's hold and down I went off of a moving vehicle. I hit my right hip hard and my head slammed into the ground. Thank God for the sandy soil of Echo Ranch. I am sore and probably had a concussion, but no open bleeding or such. Now, due to my amazing luck and ability of making a fool of myself...the entire crew of staff kids was playing in the playground (right in front of where I fell) and a good portion of the staff was close by also. Many saw me fall. Sweet...total embarrassment. When Lance heard me sheik as I flew off, he stopped the truck. All I wanted were my glasses, which shot off my head when I fell. Jess found them on the other side of the truck & in front of the truck....who knows! But they also survived...like me a hearty pair of eye-wear! So needless to say I am SORE!! My new best friends are Extra Strength Tylenol and Ibuprofen. Nice mix. I still hurt, but and able to function and do dishes, meal preps and other activities expected here at camp. I went to see my chiropractor on Monday. Overall I think I just whacked out my spine. My chiropractor, Dr. B gave me some sweet lotion that helps reduce the pain!! Love that! I can now function MUCH BETTER! Continued prayers for pain relief would be coveted. God is good and he kept me safe even from my stupidity. Yes, Yes, I am the Super Flyer!

Bonnie Squared

Check it out!! Check it out!! There are two of us "Bonnies" at Echo Ranch. This is Bonnie Toffness from MN. She is way cool and very creative!!! I love that. She is a great painter and she likes to decorate her home...sound familiar...well at least the decorating part? Her and her husband, Bruce, have come up to Echo Ranch on a work team the last few years. I think both of us enjoy saying hi to each other. It usually goes, "Hi Bonnie." "Hi Bonnie" How often does that happen. (Yeah, I know a ton with Saras or Amys but hardly ever with Bonnies.) It is like one is a million. What a joy to have another friend named Bonnie!! (That is Kay in the background also from MN. Crazy how thats my middle name!)

Tack.Barn.Dock

Mio & Mishele Rhein are the Echo Ranch Bible Camp Wranglers. Here is there story of the night the barn burned down.

"Our move to camp this year was delayed because Kegan was newly diagnosed with diabetes. I was apprehensive about how all the changes would affect him and our family. We packed half of the needed things and planned to go out for the weekend but return on Monday. So last Thursday morning we moved out to camp and our fears were quickly put to rest as the cook and the staff were very welcoming and encouraging knowing our new situation.Earlier this month Mio had gone out to unpack the barn and get everthing up and running as we had a one retreit group use the horses already. The pigs were also in the barn as is was still to cold to put them in their summer pen. We purchased the usual four pigs for eating the slop when camp is in full swing. They had been in the barn for a week already without any trouble. We also had two cats that we had acquired in the Fall and kept all winter in our house as pets and we moved them into their new home in the barn as their job would be to keep the mouse population down.Friday night Claire awoke Mio as she was afraid of the dark and Mio needing to check Kegan's bloodsugar ( regular night checks during the first months of diagnosis) rose from bed and stepping into the boys room he saw the barn ablaze as the boys have no curtain in their room currently. This was 4:00am Sat. After running around the room a few times we both found the front door and halfway down the hill realized that the damage was extensive already and all we could do was watch it burn. The four pigs and two cats were unable to get out and that is still the hardest thing for the kids to deal with. There were no horses or people injured in the fire. Everything pertaining to horse program was in that barn and many personal items. The response has been incredible as Gods people have offered help in many ways and only two days later we are fielding phone calls and setting up point men and women to deal with all the responses and specific plans for rebuilding and prioritizing the gifts. A lot of memories were made in that barn and yet it still feels a little unreal. I have an amazing sense of peace about it all. God has something different in mind for the horse program and now we are priveldged to be a part of its recovery and growth.Mio and Mishele
Our move to camp this year was delayed because Kegan was newly
diagnosed with diabetes. I was apprehensive about how all the
changes would affect him and our family. We packed half of the
needed things and planned to go out for the weekend but return on
Monday. So last Thursday morning we moved out to camp and our fears
were quickly put to rest as the cook and the staff were very
welcoming and encouraging knowing our new situation.
Earlier this month Mio had gone out to unpack the barn and get
everthing up and running as we had a one retreat group use the horses
already. The pigs were also in the barn as is was still to cold to
put them in their summer pen. We purchased the usual four pigs for
eating the slop when camp is in full swing. They had been in the
barn for a week already without any trouble. We also had two cats
that we had acquired in the fall and kept all winter in our house as
pets and we moved them into their new home in the barn as their job
would be to keep the mouse population down.
Friday night Claire awoke Mio as she was afraid of the dark and Mio
needing to check Kegan's bloodsugar ( regular night checks during the
first months of diagnosis) rose from bed and stepping into the boys
room he saw the barn ablaze as the boys have no curtain in their room
currently. This was 4:00am Sat. After running around the room a few
times we both found the front door and halfway down the hill realized
that the damage was extensive already and all we could do was watch
it burn. The four pigs and two cats were unable to get out and that
is still the hardest thing for the kids to deal with. There were no
horses or people injured in the fire. Everything pertaining to horse
program was in that barn and many personal items. The response has
been incredible as Gods people have offered help in many ways and
only two days later we are fielding phone calls and setting up point
men and women to deal with all the responses and specific plans for
rebuilding and prioritizing the gifts. A lot of memories were made
in that barn and yet it still feels a little unreal. I have an
amazing sense of peace about it all. God has something different in
mind for the horse program and now we are priveldged to be a part of
its recovery and growth."

Mio and Mishele Rhein