I would say my sense of smell is ok.

I’m ok with my sense of smell being ok. Smell is wonderful if it is a beautiful bouquet of flowers, or a wonderfully prepared dinner. Maybe not so wonderful if you work at the sewage treatment plant.

As I’ve gone through life, I’ve had a few times when my sense of smell has brought me back to a memory from my life. Coming in the door at my parents the smell of a roast cooking in the oven always reminds me of sharing wonderful Sundays together as a family. The smell of freshly cut grass reminds me of busy Saturday afternoons feeling accomplished that the day was a success, and we got all our chores done. The smell of a perm will always bring back memories of the time I spent in cosmetology school. The smell of a crisp fall day, with a tinge of some type of hard wood burning in someones wood burning stove, reminds me of hot chocolate and pumpkin carving. The smell of a new shower curtain liner reminds me of getting a new baby doll on Christmas morning. The smell of lilacs in spring is tops and can’t be beat!

I worked at a flower shop a few years back and loved it. At first the smell of flowers was overpowering. I can tell you my favorite smelling flowers: roses, stock, freesia, and the smell of eucalyptus, or evergreen at Christmas are divine. After a bit of time, I wasn’t smelling the flowers much. When someone would walk into the shop they would say, “Wow, this place smells amazing!” When we would tell them we couldn’t smell the flowers anymore they’d be so surprised. Then one customer came in and we had the conversation about the smell, or lack of smell, they said they have a friend who works at the sewer treatment facility who can’t smell the waste anymore. I think that is a blessing. I did daycare off and on in my life, and one thing that I considered a blessing was that I didn’t smell poopy diapers. I would have to make an effort to check the babies diapers often, because the smell never alerted me that they would need to be changed.

I’m not saying that my olfactory doesn’t work, but I’m thankful it doesn’t work super great. I’m grateful it works ok.

We have a beautiful tree in the middle of our back yard. It provides us with wonderful shade. Even though the shade is wonderful, we had to cut a limb off so the garden could get enough sun. So I asked my darlin if we could leave part of the limb for a swing.

I have been wanting one of those big round swings that can hold a lot of grandkids/weight. We installed the swing with heavy duty rope, so even in my fluffy, jolly grandma state I can ride on the swing.

The anticipation was real.

When my turn came, I walked backward slowly preparing for take off, and lifted my legs.

Oh the rapture!

The swift movement forward of the swing was exhilarating! I laid back, and crossed my legs on the swing, and closed my eyes. The sun was high in the sky overhead, so I closed my eyes for a few moments to feel the sensations through my body. The movement forward and back was a feeling of freedom unlike the usual feeling of being stuck to the earth, feeling slow with heavy steps. With my eyes closed I could still feel and see the light from the sun. It made a yellow-reddish color through my eyelids with the dapples of shadows from clouds and other branches above. My body was a mixture of cool from the movement and warm from the heat of the sun.

Oh, how I love the sun, and the feeling of the cool breeze passing by is wonderful as well. The view when my eyes were open was just as wonderful. Seeing the sun break through the trees limbs, the bright blue sky with white puffy clouds. What a treat! What a fun and relaxing place to ride.

Memories of yesterday, and new feelings of gratitude and love for this beautiful world, the tree, the sun and the sky. All of these could be felt and appreciated because of big round swing.