(Host) You can usually find commentator Alan Boye rambling around in the woods, but this weekend may different.
(Boye) I am sitting on the beach at Harvey’s Lake in West Barnet, Vermont. It’s a picture-perfect Vermont summer’s day. The honey of golden sunlight sparkles on the water of the lake. White, cotton-ball clouds float across a big, blue sky. I’m thinking about walking the hills around Harvey’s Lake. In fact, I’ve been thinking about it ever since I sat down at the edge of the beach in the cool shade of this lovely pine tree.
There are plenty of places for me to take a walk. Just to the west, across the cool waters of the lake, stands round-toped Harvey’s Mountain. With a half-hour of sweating and effort I could scramble up the steep slope and maybe I could get a nice view of the lake from way up there.
I yawn, and lean back against the trunk of the tree. It is the very essence of summer. Despite the heat of the day, only a handful of my fellow human beings are here today. Like me, most of the adults are immobile. Women and men are stretched out in the sun on beach towels; others sit together in the shade chatting, or reading. The warm afternoon air hums with insects and with the laughter of children playing in the water.
Another place I could walk is the state wildlife preserve clear over there on the far south shore. If I squint just right, I can see across the shimmering blue lake to the dense woods beyond. A soft breeze sweeps off the cooling waters of the lake and brushes against my face. Yeah…I guess I could walk there, but you know right now those woods look pretty stuffy and uninviting compared to the lake.
I’ll just sit here for a little while longer, and then I’ll get up and take a walk Maybe I’ll just take an easy walk along the shady road that follows the shoreline past cozy summer cottages and peaceful, ancient stone walls.
Just in front of me two little girls are constructing an elaborate sand castle at the water’s edge. Over there a couple of young boys wearing baggy swim trunks are catching tadpoles with a net. I close my eyes and let the golden summer air hold me in its arms.
I don’t know, I feel like taking it easy. It’s summer in Vermont. I think I’ll just continue to sit here on the beach for a little while. You know, maybe take a little nap or something. Then I’ll get up and…
This is Alan Boye, just thinking about walking the hills of Vermont.