The nose walk

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Sasha: Too close, too close! Back up! No nose shots please!

There are several spring rituals observed here. Washing the winter jackets that smell like French fries. (Goodbye sweet cooking smells that attach to winter clothes!) Switching shoes around. (Does anyone else have winter and summer sneakers?) Moving from heavier clothes to transitional ones. Dreaming of all the garden changes you are going to make (but don’t). Turning off the seat heater in the car!

One of my favorites is the annual nose parade. I have an acute sense of smell which can be annoying. There is stinky stuff lurking around. I always find it. That first spring walk is delightful…mostly.

I took my nose on a walk through the neighborhood. Or maybe it took me. I follow wherever it may go.

The first smell was a floral scent from a blooming plant. I couldn’t tell where it was coming from but it had to be a tree. It was very pervasive and big. A small plant couldn’t have that impact. I inhaled deeply, enjoying every minute, using my hands to pull it closer. It was an early bloomer but I couldn’t identify it. I lingered for a bit until people looked at me like I was creepy. (Strange old women inhaling deeply appearing to be on some hallucinogenic has that effect!)

There was the decaying smell of fresh mulch. Not my favorite but a spring smell as people spruce up their yards. The smell might not be good but it’s a treat for the eyes to see cleaned up yards waiting for barbecues and brightly colored plastic toys to litter the yard.

I detected an odd smell, out of place for the season. Asphalt? Someone was getting a driveway repaired. Usually, people do that later in the year but there it was competing with the blossoms for “air” time. I walked through that block faster.

Wild garlic! Yup, it’s coming up!

Then the old familiar smell – dog poop! You are required to clean up after your dog except for those “very special” people who don’t think it applies to them. There is always one in every neighborhood. They have the biggest dogs with the largest dog pies.

The lilacs are not blooming yet. That’s a heady smell. I may have to do this a few times until the heat sets in for the summer.

How about you? What is your spring ritual?

59 thoughts on “The nose walk”

  1. All the outdoor smells do definitely come alive around this time of year! We definitely have cooler weather and warmer weather shoes and clothes. We’re at that point in the year when it all has to be out because the weather is all over the place right now!

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  2. My sense of smell isn’t nearly as sensitive as you describe, Kate, but there are some wonderful floral scents that remind me it is spring. I guess I won’t be envious of your special talent. I probably wouldn’t be as happy with intensified foul smells! 🙀

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  3. This time of year we usually need to keep Winter coats and Spring jackets on hand … today it was 84 degrees here, the second day in the 80s and another day in the 80s tomorrow. As I left the house this morning it was 61. Talk about bypassing Spring and zooming to Summer! The blossoming trees were out this morning and I’m pretty sure the green leaves on the trees and bushes will be out tomorrow, but my nose detected no lilacs in the ‘hood. We’re a little behind you as to Spring erupting.

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  5. our neighbor took the recycled food from a neighbor whose dog placed the tower of pisa everyday in his driveway and placed it on the hood of their car… ewwww… it’s no longer peaceful there … but maybe they move…

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  6. Now much of anything blooming here yet. For me, it’s an acute sense of hearing. The noise in my neighborhood is way too much for me these days, especially with windows and doors open for our nice weather. BTW, I can’t wait for lilacs. I wish they stayed around longer. They’re my favorite.

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  7. I put my winter coats away today, as it’s 80 but then saw the forecast was for wet snow next week. As for smells, I picked a couple of my hydrangeas which are currently in a vase on the kitchen counter in front of an open window with the breeze blowing the scent around. A sign of spring!

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  8. I bought several large bags of manure/peat and mulch the other day and put them in the back of my car. My husband unloaded them and put them in the back yard a day later. Now every time I get in the car, I have a cognitive disconnect. I feel like I’m in the back yard because of the scent, but I’m clearly in the car! My nose tour was very short!

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  9. Not cleaning up after the dog is a big pet peeve of mine ( pardon the pun). There was a pile of dog poo in the church yard Saturday and I couldn’t believe someone would be so rude.

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  11. I’ve been thinking about what to plant in the pots on my balcony. I do have a yellow begonia out there now that someone didn’t want and put on the “I don’t want it bench” downstairs.

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  12. My spring ritual is to mutter to myself about how often I’m sneezing. Then remember it’s not winter anymore so I need to get over myself about sneezing. I may need to refine this ritual a bit.

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  15. I guess the only Spring rituals I have are putting my sweaters away and bringing out the t-shirts. I also bring out the plant pots that spent winter in the garage and begin thinking about what I’ll plant in them before “decorating” the front porch with them. I’m just happy we seem to finally be IN to Spring – the up/down temps have been frustrating but Mother Nature has carried on with HER Spring decorating in spite of that. Bless her.

    Hugs, Pam

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  16. That’s a great ritual. Right now I’m sniffing the orange and lemon blossoms in the yard and that is amazing. My spring ritual is swapping out the heavy winter curtains and matching rug in the dining room with the lighter, airier ones. The room echoes more, but I still do it.

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  18. I have been known to walk in the middle of the road to avoid dog poo that may or may not be there. There’s a particular corner at The Wrong End of our street which is always full of it. 🤢

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  19. Trees blooming like crazy here, which means allergies for me!! But enjoying the warmer days, and put away the flannel nightgown in favor of the cotton one. Even with my allergies when trees bloom it is nice to sleep with the windows open again,

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  21. My spring ritual is organizing my freezer and putting all of the “winter comfort” frozen meals to the front to get them used up. I don’t own enough shoes to have to transition them in season. I don’t own enough clothing to transition it in season. Oh, I make sure the air conditioner filters are rinsed and clean and the ceiling fans have had their paddles dusted.

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