The Perfect Day
I took a long weekend in Vermont – a place I haven’t visited since I was maybe 12. When I look back at childhood vacations, my 2 to Vermont were the most special. There’s something about it that seems almost magical. I rented a rustic cabin in a rather secluded area and took off with a light agenda. The most perfect day was Friday, the first day of this trip.
I moseyed up the West Coast of Vermont (along the Champlain Canal and then Lake Champlain, which borders NY for the geographically impaired). I took my time savoring the blue skies, the low-seventies temps, and the unmistakable signs of approaching autumn. My mood was light and buoyant – after all, this was basically my summer vacation!
I drove to Shelburne Farms, a magical place that makes an incredibly sharp cheddar cheese and features a most wondrous barn that looks almost Russian in style. They have a circle trail of 4.5 miles that I hiked through meadows, woods, and a stretch along Lake Champlain. The aroma of the sweet grasses and clover and wildflowers was addictive. The Green Mountains framed the eastern sky and the Adirondacks the western sky. A most memorable and pleasant walk.
I slowly made my way to my cabin that was near some small towns in north central Vermont. I settled in and meditated on the deck. I had a light dinner of salad and that great cheddar and at sunset took a walk to the pond that was still and reflective as glass. Crickets chirped and a distant owl hooted. I walked slowly around the pond, the trail taking me into a wooded area. As I emerged from these woods, I found myself at the north end of the pond. Facing south was Mt. Mansfield in the distance and a hazy ¾ moon high above in the navy blue sky. That sight caught my breath. I found a rock to sit upon and ponder the beauty of it all -- the sights, the sounds, that same sweetgrass aroma.
I returned to my small cabin and pulled out a good book. Although the lights weren’t great for reading (all overhead lighting – yuck!), it was great to settle in with no thought of reading email or distracting myself with the innumerable distractions of home and church. It was, indeed, a perfect day that I could not have scripted if I had tried.
I moseyed up the West Coast of Vermont (along the Champlain Canal and then Lake Champlain, which borders NY for the geographically impaired). I took my time savoring the blue skies, the low-seventies temps, and the unmistakable signs of approaching autumn. My mood was light and buoyant – after all, this was basically my summer vacation!
I drove to Shelburne Farms, a magical place that makes an incredibly sharp cheddar cheese and features a most wondrous barn that looks almost Russian in style. They have a circle trail of 4.5 miles that I hiked through meadows, woods, and a stretch along Lake Champlain. The aroma of the sweet grasses and clover and wildflowers was addictive. The Green Mountains framed the eastern sky and the Adirondacks the western sky. A most memorable and pleasant walk.
I slowly made my way to my cabin that was near some small towns in north central Vermont. I settled in and meditated on the deck. I had a light dinner of salad and that great cheddar and at sunset took a walk to the pond that was still and reflective as glass. Crickets chirped and a distant owl hooted. I walked slowly around the pond, the trail taking me into a wooded area. As I emerged from these woods, I found myself at the north end of the pond. Facing south was Mt. Mansfield in the distance and a hazy ¾ moon high above in the navy blue sky. That sight caught my breath. I found a rock to sit upon and ponder the beauty of it all -- the sights, the sounds, that same sweetgrass aroma.
I returned to my small cabin and pulled out a good book. Although the lights weren’t great for reading (all overhead lighting – yuck!), it was great to settle in with no thought of reading email or distracting myself with the innumerable distractions of home and church. It was, indeed, a perfect day that I could not have scripted if I had tried.
posted by seeking sophia at Tuesday, September 05, 2006
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