The Smells of Spring

The other day as I was on my way to work, I breathed in so deeply that my lungs thanked me. I guess, I just do not breath in that deep, like ever. Anyways, what ensued was rather quite remarkable. It was a parade of smells that woke up my senses from the dry, cold, loooong winter that ended, just a short while ago, or so it would seem with the weather we had been getting over the past weeks. The Spring Equinox this year was actually about 2 months ago.

First, it was the summer breeze, the kind that makes everything smell good, the trees and their newly arrived blossoms, the growing grass, the air, the clouds, the sky.... It all just comes together in this wonderful array of scents that are far beyond complimenting words.... It's the experience that needs to be sought. And that day on my bike, as a rode down a street that willfully and beautifully reminds me of a time I met a falcon, I acknowledged and recognized the gorgeousness of the day and made a mental note, "Today, it is Spring! :)"

Next, it was a jogger.... Usually one expects joggers to smell like blood, sweat and tears, but this one smelled pleasantly like he had just taken a shower and decidedly went for a run.... For lack of a better word, delicious. A few other guys happened to smell nice too, a few days following.

Freshly cooked/seared/BBQed meat is the final smell that hit me like a tidal wave. Indicating Spring's arrival. Now, it's worth mentioning that I am a vegetarian, more properly put, a recently resigned flexitarian- I ate chicken once after going a long time without and it made my body ill. I  am health food crazed & obsessed. I eat fish, eggs and dairy, and all things veggie. I love fruits and shakes. I am an organic raw chocoholic. I bike, I run (or will start soon), I walk. I love Nature, I am your notorious tree hugger. I am a natural livist - In short, I treat my body well and try my best to appreciate the Earth that created me.

So, when I smelled this amazing meat that had just been prepared for consumption I was a little shocked that my primal senses urged me to acknowledge it's presence. It is something that my body is not used to. By the way, I think it was pork, or beef. Red meat I will not touch. But it was a smell that came to me and reminded me of all the good times that Spring can bring.... long afternoons sipping lemonade in the backyard, turned into evenings of bbqing with family and friends.

Spring.... (take a deep breath) mmhhhhhhhhhaaaaahhhhhhh, it's here!