Scent

As the end of the year draws near, it seems we are surrounded by a plethora of smells. All the holiday cooking smells that bring about warm and fuzzy feelings for most people. I remember the smell of winter back on the east coast, pine trees and pine cones, or maybe it was just a Yankee candle but still I love the fresh smell of pine. Hot chocolate on on snowy night, yum. The smell of that thanksgiving turkey. Cinnamon reminds me of hot apple cider. How about the scent of bread baking or perhaps even cookies? Holiday food smells conjure up many memories.

Of course there are many foul smells in the world but lets not get into those, let's focus on the sweet smells, the smells that remind you of something or someone special. I do believe our sense of smell is essential to our humanity, social interactions, survival, and relationships.

The scent of your lover as you nuzzle his neck, complete sweetness that reminds you how lucky you are. The scent of fresh coffee first thing in the morning, it's a new day. The scent of roast pork in the oven always reminds that I am home. Clothes that were dried outside, I love that clean fresh scent. Aramis cologne always reminds me of my dad. The scent of roses or rose oil as well as lavender reminds me of Yolanda (aka Yogi), a spirited soul who I have been blessed to be friends with. Frying cheese and bacon reminds me of the comadres, and the love we share.

Yes, my little huckleberries this time of year is filled with scents that evoke some sort of emotion or memory. What scents give you that warm and fuzzy feeling, or remind you of a person or moment from the past?

Rain

When I was growing up in Brooklyn, nothing made me happier then hearing it might snow. The possibility of a "snow day", no school, what joy! Snow men, snowball fights, hot chocolate, all things that scream snow day. As an adult the news of an impending snow storm, meant perhaps being late to work, returning home to shovel, whining about trying to find my hat, scarf and mittens. Making sure I put my heels in my briefcase so I wouldn't have to wear my snow boots at work all day. Snow, one of things I no longer think about here on the island.

In Puerto Rico it never snows. It rains. It rains for days. And then it rains some more. The last storm brought with it 8 days of rain. Rain that fluctuates from heavy to light showers but it doesn't stop completely for days. Rain. Children love to hear the word. Torrential rain means no school. It means we may lose power, well ... we'll likely lose power. If we lose power we also have no water, since the well is powered by electricity. No power = no water = no school. My internet connection is via satellite, on rainy days my connection slows to crawl, if I have a connection at all. Lot's of rain means the farm goes unattended. Our soil is like red clay and it becomes slippery and almost treacherous when wet. Rain means the free range chickens look for dry hiding spots, like the shed, the balcony, and under the car. Rain means my cat can't play outside as much as he wants, and that in turn means I have to stop whatever I am doing every few minutes to let him back in or back out. Extended periods of rain mean that due to the warmth and humidity everything feels wet (clothes, furniture, even the walls) and everything starts to smell musty and old. But yet ... I love rainy days. I accept the "cons" as part of life here in the tropics.

I live on a mountain top and one of the sights I am always amazed by is being able to sit on my balcony and see the rain working it's way over to my house. I can see it (and sometimes hear it) in the distance. I sit and watch it slowly work it's way to me. I can watch as torrential rain can become a river flowing down from our mountain along the street. I marvel at the sound of thunder that roars with a fierceness that always makes me shiver a little. Lot's of rain means I'll spot another rainbow. It means it's a good day to read and relax. I sleep best during rain storms, something about that rhythmic soothing sound that lulls me into such a secure state that my insomnia seems a thing of the past.

After the rain, Puerto Rico is even more beautiful. The lushness of my island is spectacular. Every rainy spell is followed by the most glorious beautiful sunny days. It is as if the rain truly has cleansed my little part of the planet. The droplets of water still lingering on the trees as I walk through the farm, the fruits and vegetables glistening in the sun, waiting to be picked. The smell of freshness in the air. The warmth of the sun as it drys all the wetness from my balcony and my cat can finally lounge outdoors for as long as he wants. The rain and I are good friends.

"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain" ( I have no clue who said this, but someone did)