Summer At The Lake Chalet

Fall asleep fast with this bedtime story for grown-ups narrated by a soothing female voice. Take a mental vacation to Vermont in summer with a companion of your choice in this edition of the "Chalet on a Lake Series." You revisit the General Store where the owners Martha and Ike welcome you like family. After a sunset paddleboat ride on the lake you relax by the fire pit until sleepiness takes over. You return to the chalet and fall asleep with your pet. It's time to dream away.

Transcript

Fall asleep fast and relax deeply in tonight's bedtime story and guided sleep meditation.

You're listening to Summer at the Lake Chalet.

In a sleep story for grown-ups,

You travel to a picturesque lakeside town in Vermont with a beloved companion of your choice.

After a trip to the general store where you reconnect with the friendly owners Ike and Martha,

You enjoy a sunset paddleboat ride.

At nightfall you gather around a lakeside campfire and are joined by your pet.

The air turns cool and crisp and is the perfect temperature for slumber.

You return to the chalet for a night of deep healing sleep.

It's time to dream away.

I would like to welcome you to Michelle's sanctuary.

I am Michelle and as you listen think of my voice as that of a dear friend and sleep ally.

Your needs and your sleep matter.

You deserve to shut off the noise of the outside world and save all your concerns for another time.

In this nightly bedtime routine,

You may use your imagination to take a mental vacation and unwind.

Customize this experience to what feels right for you.

You know yourself better than anyone.

Feel free to fall asleep whenever you like and remember there are no rules.

Simply pleasure,

Appreciation,

And the encouragement to let go before sleep welcomes you with a loving embrace.

In the sanctuary of your room,

Your body and your mind,

Take stock of this moment.

Feel gratitude for the safety of the walls around you.

In the sacred place,

You are free to let down your guard and soar on the creative brushstrokes of your imagination.

Think into your bed and wiggle and shake off the day.

What's done is now behind you and you may tune into the blissful calming present moment.

Feel your eyelids become heavy on your tired eyes and close out the world as you go deeper within.

Shift your attention to your breath in a brief guided meditation.

Imagine the air is aromatized by the clean metallic perfume of a lake in summer.

Wild flowers,

Pine trees,

Sweet wet dirt,

And the smell of the sun on your skin waft in the air of your bedroom.

Exhale and press all the air in your belly and lungs out.

Then savor a clean breath of air as you inhale through your nose.

It travels to your lungs and your torso inflates to your maximum capacity.

Open your mouth and yawn and turn that yawn into a sigh as the air cascades out of your mouth as easily as the silvery blue water flows over smooth stones in a waterfall.

And when you've emptied out all the air,

Sip in another breath through your nose.

Experience every fragrant note as your imagination stirs and gives you a wondrous sensation until your lungs are full.

And then open your mouth and yawn to let your body know it's time to prepare for sleep.

Sigh,

Let go,

Surrender,

And prepare for a journey of the mind.

It's time for the story to begin.

Virginia Woolf wrote,

The lake of my mind unbroken by oars heaves placidly and soon sinks into an oily somnolence.

These words accompany every journey you take to Vermont as your mind mirrors the lake.

You sleep better here than anywhere else you have been on this planet and the first day of your getaway you walk through the bucolic landscape of Vermont during the busy summer season as twigs snap beneath your sandaled feet.

Occasionally a rusty brown pine needle or two sticks to the rubber soles and leaves a sharp sweet cologne of pine pitch.

Laughter,

Conversations,

And timeless yacht rock tunes carry across the lake to the forested path where you walk with a dear companion.

In quieter seasons you have come to the chalet by the lake to connect with yourself and nature but on this journey you share the experience with one of your favorite people.

Even as ripples and waves form on the lake from children remembering how to swim and vacationers navigating their small boats in a single breath you can still connect with the placid quiet beauty.

Periwinkle and yellow wildflowers whisper on the soft breeze beckoning you to surrender to their pulchritude.

Their tiny petals rustle as if to say this will not last forever.

Enjoy us while you can.

Your companion walks behind you as you lead them to the heart of town.

Your heart swells with a chance to share the charm of this village and the kindness of the locals.

You walk the familiar path to the general store made anew by the lush flora of summer.

Your last visit still carry the chill of winter and the patches of unmelted snow have transformed into fertile soil where mushrooms sprout from the damp forest floor.

You look at your companion perhaps a friend or a romantic interest or perhaps someone you lost touch with long ago.

This person is someone you have missed deeply at times in your life.

They are someone you longed to share new adventures with and grow a deeper bond over cherishing the simple things together.

You peer at the crystal blue sky through a dark green feathery canopy of evergreen branches.

Pillowy white clouds with an opal gleam skirt across the sky carefree and wind-swept.

In the splendor of this moment you long for nothing.

Completely content you are conscious of every step and every piece of nature that greets you.

You and your companion dress in comfortable summery attire with nautical shades of blue and matching hats bought for this lakeside getaway.

The brim protects your eyes from the white hot streaks of afternoon sunlight that pour on the clearing that leads to the highway and general store.

You discover a row of fresh blackberry bushes that overflow with juicy dark purple berries.

You show your companion and together you pluck a handful worth and savor the sweet plump berries on your palate.

You take in a deep breath and listen to the chirping birds and croaking frogs as you let the berry linger on your tongue.

Every sensation that exists all at once fills you with bliss and the taste of summer.

When you and your companion have finished the blackberries you tease one another for your purple black tongues.

The evidence of this impromptu experience makes you feel like a child left with the electric blue marks of a popsicle bought on a whim from an ice cream truck.

You'd rather than be self-conscious you are proud of the blackberry stains.

They are the marks of a summery delight.

You walk along the grassy shoulder of a two-lane highway that weaves through the town and connects to far-off cities.

Picnic tables are scattered around the rust brown cabin that has been the home of the local general store for nearly a century.

Families and friends dine on fresh sandwiches made by the owners Martha and Ike.

Martha and Ike are the heart and soul of the town.

They become the honorary grandparents for all who visit this part of Vermont.

Whether they are merely passing through or on an extended stay you and your companion walk up the steps and open the creaky screen door into the store.

It softly slams against the wood frame once closed behind you.

Tiny silver bell rings and the soft melody is lost in the animated conversations of patrons loading up on food staples,

Coconut scented sunscreens,

Citronella candles and firewood.

A Motown song plays through the loudspeaker broadcast from an old record player placed near the cash register.

Sunlight filters through the four paint windows and illuminates golden specks of dust.

Remnants of the winter and spring that will soon sail away as the screen door opens and shuts thousands of times in this busy season.

Martha and Ike recognize you immediately and leave from behind the counter to welcome you in a warm embrace.

Martha's hugs come like a big wave that wraps around your back as she squeezes you close to her heart as if you were her very own.

She steps away and hugs your companion and explains that any guest of yours is family to her as well.

Ike hugs you with a solid pat on the back.

Even if there are times that you have felt uncomfortable with hugs in his cozy general store,

You feel safe and welcome them.

A tall brunette in a floral wrap dress stands behind the cash register and Martha excitedly introduces her as their daughter Laurel.

Laurel's eyes mischievously sparkle like Martha's and she has the easygoing demeanor of her father.

She teases her parents for not taking a break on this beautiful day or indulging in a nap at their age,

But it's no surprise that they would prefer to be in their store during the busiest hours,

Invigorated by the energy of the summer crowds.

At this point the store is an extension of their loving commitment to the town and each other.

Martha goes behind the counter to grab a brown paper bag folded at the top.

On it your name is written in elegant cursive with a sharpie.

I had a dream you'd be back and a feeling that it would be today.

I've lived long enough to know when to trust my hunches.

I think you'll appreciate this later today,

Martha says.

She hands the bag to you.

Ike laughs and says,

I've learned to trust her hunches too.

Somehow she always knows where to cast a line on the lake and when to take the weather reports seriously.

By the look on Laurel's face,

You can tell she's experienced many of her mother's hunches too.

Before you leave the shop,

You grab a bottle of sunscreen and a stack of dry firewood.

Martha adds it to your tab,

A courtesy that always makes you feel as if you have traveled to a kinder,

Simpler time.

It's a privilege to be trusted.

An up-tempo song begins to play and Martha and Ike return to the sandwich station behind the counter,

Dancing as they often do and have for decades.

Their joy shines brightly,

Sparking the light in everyone to visit the rustic general store that few people on the planet have heard of,

But those who have visited will never forget.

You say goodbye and step out into the late-day sun with your companion.

The air is redolent with the aromas of charcoal grills in the backyards of cabins and cottages along the road.

Even at the peak of summer,

There is an ease to the town.

No one is in a rush,

Even when convertibles and SUVs stacked with rooftop cargo and kayaks create traffic on the busy bookends of the weekend.

People come to this piece of Vermont to take in the piney air and the tranquil lake and to remember that life is about more than hustling.

The purity of nature always reminds them.

You take a different route through town and balance the firewood on your hip,

Feeling pliable,

Soft-weathered splinters on your arm.

You revel in your strength,

Grateful for your health as you guide your companion to the lakeside beach outside your chalet.

You rest the firewood along the brick walls of the fire pit in the center of a pebble beach.

Tiny smooth stones click and clack beneath your feet.

You keep the paper bag and tropical sunscreen with you.

You guide your friend to the dock and feel the wooden planks bob on the gentle waves created by a distant motorboat.

Before going out on the water,

You and your companion apply one last layer of sunscreen from the new bottle and inhale the aroma of coconut and papaya.

You assist your companion into the cornflower blue paddleboat.

Once they settle,

You guide yourself into the boat and remove a frayed yellow rope that wraps around the silver cast iron dock cleat.

Your companion sets the paper bag from Martha on the plastic console between you.

Together you guide the pedals beneath your feet and journey towards the center of the lake.

Sensation is unique like riding a bike through silky reflective water.

The farther you paddle,

The richer the aroma of the lake becomes.

It carries the faint hint of fish and wet clay mixed with the flinty smell of wet rocks on a rainy night.

The lake is quiet at this hour as everyone cleans up from a day spent leisurely swimming,

Boating,

And fishing to prepare for outdoor dinners hosted on cabin decks and patios.

The sun dips lower behind a silhouette of cedar and white pine trees.

A vibrant orange gold stream of light turns the soft ripples on the lake into gentle molten copper waves.

Your curiosity can bear no more waiting and you reach for the paper bag from the general store.

Enclosed you find two bottles of a carbonated drink made in Vermont you have not seen before.

Condensation forms on the glass exterior and the water beads refract light into tiny rainbows.

Everything about this moment is sparkly and opulent.

You admire your companion and how the golden hour light illuminates their skin that already has a healthy summer glow.

You feel as vibrant as the saturated hues of sunset.

This transitional time magnifies the simple pleasures.

You and your companion twist off the silver metal cap of the drinks and clink the glasses in a toast that celebrates the now.

You take a sip and the effervescent elixir causes your mouth and throat to tingle as the liquid soothes and refreshes you all at once.

It is the right balance of sweet and acidic with a complex flavor that lingers like baking spices in the air after a day of pie making.

You lose track of time.

It is something that often happens when you are with this particular companion and as it slips through your fingers you imagine a velvet satchel collecting the moments like golden droplets that you will revisit whenever you need to remember what it's like to feel fantastic.

The boat rocks gently back and forth as a small pontoon boat passes.

Flashes of silver dart across the lakes surface as fish breach the water for a nighttime feeding of aquatic insects.

You look down along the side of the boat to discover a baby painted turtle that has been flipped upside down by the waves and struggles to right itself.

You cup your hands together and dip them into the cool lake to retrieve the turtle.

It's not much larger than a silver dollar.

Your companion smiles as you observe the red orange stripes on the dark green body.

The turtle withdraws quickly into its shell but as you run your finger gently across the top of the shell its head pops out curiously and its neck snakes around so it may make eye contact with you.

You decide to bring the turtle back with you as you and your companion begin to pedal and return to the dock.

Once you are in more shallow waters you release the turtle back into the lake.

It looks back at you before speeding towards the pebble beach to rest.

You carefully dock the boat as twilight sets in.

The hill to the chalet is a glow from golden solar lights that line the path to your home.

Fireflies come out adding their pulsing chartreuse light to the magical evening.

The lake is still and glassy reflecting the lights of cabins and the sapphire blue sky.

You pause to admire the gradients of blues that lighten towards the horizon into a dreamy band of shimmering peach.

Stars appear hours before the moon will rise but in your heart you know the moon will arrive too soon as hours pass like minutes on perfect summer nights like this.

Your companion starts the fire while you ascend the hill to the chalet.

You walk up the stairs to the deck and open the French doors where your pet waits eager to join you outside by the fire.

Your beloved animal brushes their downy fur against your bare sun-kissed calves and follows close to your heels as you return to the pebble beach.

The fire is blazing high and flames the color of tiger lilies lick the night air with a quick yet gentle rhythm.

You sit in a custom Adirondack chair painted linen white and weathered over years of use.

The wood grains feel velvety beneath your palms.

The back of the chair contours around your spine and you surrender into its support.

Your companion becomes just as relaxed and your pet settles on the cool pebbles between your chairs.

You remove your sandals to feel the smooth ivory,

Burgundy,

Slate blue and jade green pebbles beneath your tired feet.

The stones offer a form of acupressure and release tension.

The crackles and pops of the fire join the sounds of occasional splashes of fish and frogs.

A half moon rises and casts the lake in a silver glow as the amber glow of the flames reflects on the water keeps you warm.

It's a night of silver and gold.

Crickets and frogs sing out their nocturnal songs as the screech of cicadas lend a percussive tone.

You and your companion drift in and out of conversations,

Recalling the best memories you have shared and the hopes for more to come.

And when you run out of things to say,

You sit in the comfortable silence that only exists in safe places with those you love.

You place one log after the next onto the fire,

Feeding the flames hunger with a dry,

Brittle wood.

The fragrance of charred wood and sweet smoke awakens a primal feeling of comfort and hope,

Felt by humankind for thousands of years.

Your eyes become heavy and you close them,

Succumbing to a meditative state.

The soft breeze kisses your skin and you sigh along to the sounds of rustling trees and slow lapping water.

You are lost in time,

Only aware of how late it is when the flames become embers and the logs become ash.

You look at your companion who basks in the moonlight and meets your eyes with love as soft and sweet as warm caramel.

Without a word,

You agree it's time to return to the chalet to sleep a night away.

The breeze off the lake transports a chill in the air.

The nights in Vermont often contrast the hot sunny days to offer the ideal weather for sleeping.

Your companion wraps their arm around you,

Rubbing a palm up and down your arm to warm you.

You ascend the hill together.

Your pet races you to the top of the hill to then wait at the bottom of the deck stairs.

You lead the trio up the steps,

Followed by your companion and then your pet.

And from that moment you cross through the threshold.

The night unfolds like a series of snapshots in a dream that capture the warm shower,

The smell of lavender soap,

A plush towel,

Soft bedclothes,

Minty toothpaste,

And a warm hug from your companion before you retreat to the sanctuary of the loft.

And your companion retires to their room.

You snuggle in the bed,

Soon joined by your pet.

Skylights overhead reveal a starry sky and luminous moon.

Your eyes bleer as you fight to keep them open and revel in the beauty of the Milky Way before drifting to sleep.

But you cannot fight the urge much longer and your eyelids fall into your eyes like heavy drapes.

You drift between worlds,

Between your waking and sleeping life.

You are in a dreamy haze of contentment,

Floating,

Drifting,

And letting go.

You inhale the fresh Vermont night air one last time while you are conscious and the smell will be the last to recall before you fall into a dreamy slumber and your body breathes on its own.

Finding peace,

Finding bliss,

Finding enchantment,

Finding sleep.

It's time to dream away.

Good night.

Reviews

Excellent bedtime story! Fell asleep quickly & woke at two. Will repeat! Thank you kindly for this practice! 🥱🤗🤗🤗🤗🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏i

So soothing and great for helping me sleep! Thank you!!

Do you have a favourite place in Vermont? I have always wanted to see it. Thanks Michelle

Love the lake stories with Martha and Ike! After hugs at the general store I drifted off then woke briefly to hear, "It's time to dream away.... goodnight." And I did! Thank you, Michelle! 🙏💜😴

I was so excited to see another one about Martha and Ike! I fell asleep too quickly to hear what they’re up to though. 😉 I’ll try to catch up with them again soon! Thank you and sweet dreams Michelle! 🙏🏻 😴 💤 🥱 🛌

Definitely one of my favorites! How can we find these places you describe? They sound so beautiful !

When I checked the messages last night, I was excited to see that you had a new sleep story out. Normally, I wait with writing a comment, until I know more about the content, which takes several nights. Well, I have used it sevral times this night, each time falling asleep very quickly, so it is working! Yay! Thank you, Michelle🙏🏻😴🙏🏻😴🙏🏻😴🙏🏻

So good! Thank you for taking me back to Martha and Ike!