Rob often tells me I have a "Super Nose," and it's true that I can often sniff out the stinky diaper/burning toast/gas leak well before others. Often it feels like a curse to have such a sensitive nose, but lately I have been in heaven with the scents of early summer. I love how a whiff of something can instantly transport you back in time to your childhood or other memories. Some of the smells I've been enjoying:-The star Jasmine in a pot right outside the sliding door to the deck. Especially at night the breeze carries it in and fills the whole dining room and kitchen with the sweet scent.
-Fresh air at night, nice and cool, takes me back to my childhood. My mom was always up late painting and would have the doors and windows open to let in the cool air. To this day the first thing I do in the morning is open the windows, and the last thing I do at night is close them.
-I love the earthy, ozone-y, wet smell of a rainstorm. We've had a lot of those lately.
-Everywhere in town right now the air is perfumed with the sweet smell of lilacs and linden trees. The lilacs were in full bloom in Seattle the week Haley was born, and that scent always takes me right back to those long, blissful days and nights staring at our sweet new baby.
-Who would have thought that fresh-cut grass and gasoline would smell good together? But I love the smell of freshly mowed lawns, mixed with a bit of the smell of gas from the mower. Talk about a powerful childhood scent -there are few other things that mean "summer"!
-Barbecues, charcoal or gas - firing up the grill is another of those quintessential summer scents. Do you think Bath and Body Works could make a Wall Flower in that scent?
-Suntan lotion is the ultimate in summer smells for me, especially when I hug the kids. The smell of their hot hair and Coppertone is heavenly.
Even I can see that my Super Nose is getting out of control here...there are many more - chlorine from the pool, watermelon, light-scented summer perfumes - but I will restrain myself.
What scents mean summertime to you?
