Smells

Isn't it amazing that a scent can bring back memories from long ago? I can close my eyes and smell certain scents and be transported back in time to events that may have happened 20 years ago. That's so cool.

From the time I was in the 3rd grade until I finished the 5th grade, the school where I went always baked rolls to go with whatever lunch they were cooking. The smell was irresistible. It'd make your mouth water and even if you didn't think you were hungry, once you got a whiff of those rolls, your stomach would start growling. I think the lunch ladies did that just to make us kids suffer through the hour or so leading up to lunch time. It's funny, I can't remember how they tasted, I only remember how they smelled. They smelled like heaven.

I also remember being in class and hearing the drone of a lawnmower. The fresh cut grass smelled so good. And the drone of the mower tended to put me into a stupor. It was almost like I had a Pavlovian response to the sound. Droning mower = nap time. To this day, if I hear someone mowing their yard, I tend to get sleepy. But I don't want to take a nap because I want to go outside and smell the cut grass. It's such a fresh, clean smell.

The sound of rain and the smell of it makes me feel an assortment of  emotions. I feel excited because rains = storms (sometimes), and storms excite me. I feel peaceful because the pitter patter of the raindrops remind me of renewal. It's like all of the grit and grime and worries of the day just melt away with the drops of rain. Colors are more vivid and the plants perk up. It's like the area took a bath.

Besides natural smells, there are some man made ones that remind me of things. My favorite perfume reminds me of my aunt because it's the kind she always wore. Pot roast makes me think of my Mom. Motorcycle exhaust makes me think of my brothers and of my riding days. Hand cleaner/de-greaser reminds me of my friend "The President" because that's how his auto shop smelled. It might sound strange, but Pine-Sol makes me think of my brother in law. His house always smells like the stuff. I used to hate the way it smelled but now I like it. I use it in my house. Sometimes, I even fill up a big bowl of water and add some and leave it sitting out so my house will smell like it.

Some smart scientists have proven that scents are strongly linked to memories. Heck, they didn't have to go to college for years and years to get a high dollar education to tell me that. I already knew. I bet you already knew it, too.

Hoorah for wet grass and baking rolls and Pine-Sol. My nose is having a great time.