A perfect summer day?

Do they truly exist? In my memory they do. Many of the happiest days throughout my life occurred during the summer months before I became old and cranky and complained about the heat.

Parts of the summer magic took place in Vermont. I lived in Burlington until I was 6. The fringe benefit was going back each summer to visit. I did this until I started working during the summer when I was 16.

First things first. As a small child in Burlington, we had plenty of outdoor fun available to us. It seemed there was a core group of moms who would take us to North Beach, on Lake Champlain. They would pack a picnic lunch. It was the 60s, so sandwiches were wrapped in wax paper. Actually pretty much everything was wrapped in wax paper…gherkins, olives…skinny pretzels resided in their own small kid-size boxes. Sandwiches were plain, maybe some pb&j, deviled ham, egg salad, baloney. There was fruit for dessert, almost always plums and/or watermelon slices. A glorious day would include homemade cookies (wrapped in wax paper, of course).

Back in the day, we kids had to stay out of the water for an hour after eating. This did try our patience but thankfully there was a small playground at the beach. Other really special outings might have included an invitation to someone’s camp which would involve boating.

Though Lake Champlain was a huge draw, we also belonged to the Burlington Tennis Club which also had a nice pool. My brother was old enough to play tennis and to swim on the summer team. I can still remember the sunny day when I passed the swim test that allowed me to access the deep end. Two words…diving.board.

Then we moved to NY state and it all went to hell. That is, except for the week or two we spent visiting friends in Burlington. These trips were jam packed with swimming. Shelburne Harbor, Lake Champlain, pools.

When I was a young teenager (13-15), good friends of ours bought a vacation home near Jeffersonville, Vt. It was a lovely bucolic setting, situated in the middle of a field and surrounded by the Green Mountains. The road in was always a challenge as it was dirt and very crowned. I remember my mom driving on top of the ridges, rather than in the ruts, so the car wouldn’t bottom out.

Our time there included a few visits to the local swimming hole. Couldn’t tell you where it was, but it was near enough we could walk to it. Ok, it was a lengthy walk but I was young and it wasn’t an issue. Mostly one of the moms drove, along with the requisite picnic lunch.

The swimming hole was a thing of beauty. There were tiny waterfalls, deeper pools of water, and rocks of all shapes and sizes. It was an exhilarating experience even for a couple of young teenagers. Even on a cloudy day it was fun. And 90% of the time, we had the area to ourselves. It’s a special memory that never fails to bring a smile when I think of it.

The exuberance of swimming hole frolic made for late afternoon drowsiness. My friend and I were avid readers and we would climb to the sleeping loft and spend time with our books. This activity often segued into nap time while the adults sat on the deck with a cocktail. Man, those were the days.

Summer music seemed better than any other time of year. It was the early 1970s and there were epic tunes playing on the radio. A couple of my favorites: “Mama Told Me (Not to Come) by Three Dog Night,” “In the Summertime,” by Mungo Jerry, “Signs,” by Five Man Electrical Band, “I Feel the Earth Move,” by Carole King, “Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress),” by the Hollies, “I’m Still in Love With You,” by Al Green were some I loved to hear.

BUT…I must confess my top pick from that time was Looking Glass’ big hit, “Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl).” Magical. Why? For me it was a combination of things. I liked the irony of expecting a love song but it’s a sad story of unrequited love. It’s a good story. Local serving wench meets sailor. Falls in love with sailor. Sailor tells her “his life his love and his lady is the sea.” But sailor leaves her with beautiful silver necklace.

Bittersweet. At least the sailor didn’t string Brandy along, I suppose. Also the lead singer has a unique voice, kind of nasal and husky. It contributes to the allure of the song. I still love to listen when it pops up on satellite radio. It still dredges up emotions in me. And I always feel sad for Brandy. These music memories also contribute to a perfect summer day.