Olfactory Delights

It's been six months since my last post in this every Saturday blog. Well I lasted until July in 2009, let's see if I can make it through the whole year in 2010.

This morning I was treated to coffee in bed which triggered this post. Normally, I grab my coffee, start downing it and turn on the computer. Barely time to smell the coffee. On this day, I had the opportunity to really enjoy the aroma of the coffee as I slowly awakened. It was if I could almost taste it. That started me thinking about some of the smells that can recall vivid memories from the depths of our minds and as a result, this post.

I have heard that of all the senses, the sense of smell is best at starting the chain reaction in our brains that pulls in memories. My personal experience can attest to that theory. For example:

The smell of the first day of spring. Not the official day. No, I mean the day when you open the door and are greeted by that combination of warmth, flowers and whatever else tells you spring is in the air.

The scent of Sparta, Wisconsin. Whatttt? (Imagine Craig Ferguson saying what) I was riding the Sparta/Elroy Trail when the smell brought me back to the time I spent with my dad in the summer of 1966 at Camp McCoy (Fort McCoy now). That will be another story.

A combination of cigar smoke and the mist from a hand sprinkler brings me back to the days when I sat on the front porch with Uncle Ed as he watered the grass.

The aroma of sweet barbecue sauce simmering on a grill brings me back to Maui, where someone was always cooking something delicious on the grill several floors below.

What olfactory delights do you have buried in the depths of your mind? Take a break from your hectic world and spend a little time enjoying your senses.