Skunk... and other favorite smells
The smell of skunk is wafting through my house right now. It is coming from outside, of course. But since every window is open, the breeze is carrying it through to permeate every room. I don't mind. In fact, I love it.
Skunk reminds me of when I was a kid. During hot summers, we'd often take rides on Sundays after church to escape the heat of the day. (Oh, the joys of growing up without whole-house air conditioning!) We'd roll the windows down to get the breezes or we'd turn the car's air conditioner on. Our rides usually took us out of town and into "the country" where we'd invariably encounter skunk smell. Mom and Dad would wrinkle their noses and make funny "pyew, pyew" noises. We'd giggle with glee. (OK. I giggled. My brother most likely ha-ha'd.) Those rides are such happy memories that whenever I smell skunk I am transported to my childhood and the feeling of family.
Smells can trigger vivid memories, good and bad. Most of us will probably agree that freshly mown grass means Summer and sugar cookies are Christmas. In our great, capitalistic :) society, an entire industry has sprung up to help us evoke the good memories without having to mow or bake or travel to the ocean. Yankee Candles and its knock-offs capitalize on our need for "good" smells. I admit that I'm hooked on Yankee's Ocean Water, Green Grass and Clean Cotton.
Some of my other smelly memories:
Since I was a "walker" and didn't ride the bus to/from school, diesel fumes only remind me of riding the bus to the amusement park every year on the last day of school - GOOD.
Niagara Falls has a peculiar water odor, but it is - GOOD.
Colonial Williamsburg has a strong aroma of the southern Boxwood shrub - VERY GOOD. (Sometimes I have to drive there just to get an intoxicating whiff - I don't have to stay for tours, but I do need a fix every year or so.)
Because I have never, ever tanned and I suffer awfully from sun poisoning, coconut-y or suntan-lotion-y smells are - VERY BAD.
And again, skunk is - VERY GOOD.
For small periods of time.
Seconds maybe.
Like the amount of time you pass by it in a car.
But I may be altering my opinion if the breeze doesn't shift directions soon.
Skunk reminds me of when I was a kid. During hot summers, we'd often take rides on Sundays after church to escape the heat of the day. (Oh, the joys of growing up without whole-house air conditioning!) We'd roll the windows down to get the breezes or we'd turn the car's air conditioner on. Our rides usually took us out of town and into "the country" where we'd invariably encounter skunk smell. Mom and Dad would wrinkle their noses and make funny "pyew, pyew" noises. We'd giggle with glee. (OK. I giggled. My brother most likely ha-ha'd.) Those rides are such happy memories that whenever I smell skunk I am transported to my childhood and the feeling of family.
Smells can trigger vivid memories, good and bad. Most of us will probably agree that freshly mown grass means Summer and sugar cookies are Christmas. In our great, capitalistic :) society, an entire industry has sprung up to help us evoke the good memories without having to mow or bake or travel to the ocean. Yankee Candles and its knock-offs capitalize on our need for "good" smells. I admit that I'm hooked on Yankee's Ocean Water, Green Grass and Clean Cotton.
Some of my other smelly memories:
Since I was a "walker" and didn't ride the bus to/from school, diesel fumes only remind me of riding the bus to the amusement park every year on the last day of school - GOOD.
Niagara Falls has a peculiar water odor, but it is - GOOD.
Colonial Williamsburg has a strong aroma of the southern Boxwood shrub - VERY GOOD. (Sometimes I have to drive there just to get an intoxicating whiff - I don't have to stay for tours, but I do need a fix every year or so.)
Because I have never, ever tanned and I suffer awfully from sun poisoning, coconut-y or suntan-lotion-y smells are - VERY BAD.
And again, skunk is - VERY GOOD.
For small periods of time.
Seconds maybe.
Like the amount of time you pass by it in a car.
But I may be altering my opinion if the breeze doesn't shift directions soon.
posted by ThreeGraces @ 9:18 PM
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