The Smell of It
I lived in northern California, just a few blocks from the beach, during my "formative years." From the time I was a toddler until we moved to the midwest when I was five years old, my mother, sister and I (plus the family dog Elsa) would all walk to the beach several times a week. It was wasn't the swimming kind of beach; it was too cold and rocky. Instead I spent countless hours watching sand shrimp, collecting bits of colored sea glass, and digging tiny systems of canals and reservoirs to coax a bit of sea water up into the dry sand.
Since I was five, I had never been back to the ocean, any ocean, until a couple years ago when a friend and I went on vacation to Mexico together. I was looking forward to seeing the ocean again but I wasn't expecting it to be an especially emotional experience.
When the bus dropped us off from the airport near our hotel, I was happily chatting with my friend when I smelled the ocean for the first time, still a few blocks away from it. I was hit with such a potent rush of memories and longing and happiness that it took my breath away and I wasn't sure whether I needed to cry, or squeal, or run like a little kid to the ocean. What I ended up doing was a sort of a teary, crazed speedwalk as fast as my roller luggage would roll to the beach. It was the most beautiful feeling.
Now that I live just a short drive from the ocean, I'm still filled with such a happy feeling every single time I get that first whiff of ocean air. As I get closer to the beach in my car, I roll the window down and just wait for it.
While I've never had such a strong reaction to a smell as I did with the ocean, there are some other smells that give me a feeling I can only describe as a happiness reflex:
crayons
old books
rain on pavement
snow on mittens (that is a smell, I swear to you)
fresh mint
clean laundry dried on a clothesline
real christmas trees
and fresh coffee beans
What smell "does it" for you?
-Brigitte
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Comments
Eric Jaffa Wednesday, March 03, 2010
RE "fresh mint"
Spearmint or peppermint?
Darren Wednesday, March 03, 2010
Along the same lines as rain on pavement: Fog, or morning dew.
Elise Wednesday, March 03, 2010
Lovely post!
For similar sentimental reasons, the smell that "does it" for me is the whaft I get when flipping quickly through the pages of an old diary of mine from about 6 years ago. I thought I'd lost that diary until just recently, and it holds the scribblings of a small but significant chapter of my little ol'life. It's the smell of nostalgic magic!
That and lemongrass tea. Mmm :)
Chris Wednesday, March 03, 2010
Fresh washed and dried clothes. Ripe pineapple. Strawberries like the plants not the fake strawberry scents. On the topic of fake scents. Any good shampoo or conditioner in still wet hair, my own or otherwise. Good blog Brig. Keep up the good work.
V Wednesday, March 03, 2010
Vanilla
I notice any girl wearing vanilla perfume. That or cotton candy.
James Knauff Wednesday, March 03, 2010
Adored your blog and totally relate to your favorites. I grew up near the beach and bay. Different scents, but, memorable and good.I had lived in Sonoma county about the time you were a tot there. I love the smell of that coast as well as the vines and big trees. My favorite childhood scents are of my grandmother after she had baked bread.
Nikki Wednesday, March 03, 2010
Freshly mowed grass, bread baking
Mark Wednesday, March 03, 2010
Hey B,
I have been having the very same experience moving to Sydney in the last 2 weeks.
I grew up by the sea in the sunny UK (?), but moved to the bright lights of London for work and consequently away from the waves, but I didn't realise quite how much I missed the ocean until I saw it here.
Now I'm living 3 mins walk from it, have been body surfing nearly everyday, tumbled by enormous waves, made to feel tiny, but blessed. It's like God saying hello to me. I love it, absolutely love it and I feel so priviledged to have it on my doorstep.
Bless you B
M : )
Fran Wednesday, March 03, 2010
I love fresh grass too! And definitely the smell of fall leaves, and the smell of chocolate chip cookies baking.
JK Wednesday, March 03, 2010
Popcorn popping - especially at a movie theater - is one of the best smells ever (and, conversely, burnt popcorn one of the worst). Plus, there's this smell in the air sometimes just before it rains that I love.
Plus, I grew up around a bunch of wild honeysuckle so that smell - the real plant and not some artificial air freshener - always makes me think of growing up.
Oh, and the smell when you first crack open a ripe watermelon. Best. Food. Ever.
The ocean smells great, too, MOST of the time. Sometimes you get a punch in the nose from some stanky, fishy, rotty smell but most of the time it's wonderful. I miss living 4 blocks from the ocean in L.A. and getting that smell (and the cool breezes).
Great post, Brigitte!
Bilal Thursday, March 04, 2010
Boiling milk, it has a sweet aroma that takes me back to when I was a kid playing in the snow then coming inside to warm up and drink hot chocolate.
Blargal D. Alien Thursday, March 04, 2010
Hello,Brigitte.
The one "smell" that does it for me,is the smell of freshly home made cookies. These bring back childhood memories of hanging around the kitchen as my mother baked.
Also,I understand your intense memory of "salt air". If the wind is right,during the summer, I get a strong smell from Narragnsett bay. I always enjoy that!
Jeffrey Thursday, March 04, 2010
Hi Brigitte,
Congratulations on the Streamy nomination. The recognition is well deserved. That said, I hope you will not mind some constructive feedback (sandwiched between two layers of praise, of course). Your writing is so thoughtful and authentic, but your recent blog entries contain numerous typographical errors. I would not mention it but you seem like someone who cares deeply about the quality of your work so I thought you might like a friendly "heads up."
P.S. I've been right all along: You are a NoCal girl at heart.
Mikhaela Thursday, March 04, 2010
Rain. That "Cold Morning" smell. I don't know, but I swear there's a smell.
Brigitte Thursday, March 04, 2010
@Eric Jaffa: I was thinking spearmint leaves but I'm sure peppermint is lovely too...
@Jeffrey: Thanks! and I hear you - constructive criticism taken. Did you just use the sandwich technique on me? I appreciate it. :)
@Mikhaela - I totally agree about the "Cold Morning" smell!
Jessica Thursday, March 04, 2010
I know it's really random and most people would not enjoy the smell of 'nearly burned biscuits' but the smell reminds me of my grandmother who refuses to use a timer to make her homemade biscuits. Once they start to smell as though they've burned she hops up and goes to the kitchen to get them out. :)
checkmeout@:
www.domesticated-bliss.blogspot.com
Joe436 Friday, March 05, 2010
I don't have a sense of smell :(
JIm Friday, March 05, 2010
Freshly baked bread. I especially remember the smell from when I was a child when most of the bread we ate was baked fresh and had to be sliced. And if you bought it at the right time it was still warm and the butter would melt on it.
NebMom Friday, March 05, 2010
I love the smell of cotton sheets, fresh from the clothesline. I stick my head in my kids' Halloween treat bags and am instantly transported back to childhood. There's a plastic smell, like a new Christmas doll that does the same thing for me. :)
George Friday, March 05, 2010
Leather. During college I used to work in the luggage department of an upscale store and spent a lot of time fetching luggage from the storeroom that had dozens of leather briefcases.
I loved that smell. Still do.
Linda Friday, March 05, 2010
A baby's head. It proves a smell can be warm, innocent and lovely and then create calm within you as you breathe deeply. Thank you for creating an opportunity for this memory to return! :-)
Vikash Friday, March 05, 2010
Smell of a ripening jackfruit from the tree. There was a jackfruit tree at my grandpa's house where i stayed as a toddler and my granpa would take me to the tree to get the first ripened jackfruit every season (he treated me as a lucky charm for a good harvesting season) and that smell has set in my senses. Everytime i get that smell i cant help being nostalgic.
romeo Friday, March 05, 2010
oh.. :) isn't it great -the things one does for a danish.
romeo Saturday, March 06, 2010
i don't know if it's natural or somewhat sentimental to get that warm familiar, snuggish and tingly feeling at the thought of seeing, holding and gently caressing something so delicate as a newborn but when i get a whiff of puppies -it really does makes me feel like dancing
Marie M.C. Saturday, March 06, 2010
The first cup of coffee, cinnamon toast. Vanilla. Sheets and towels stiff from the line, a newly mowed lawn. Strawberries. Christmas trees. Honeysuckle, roses, lavender, lemon and orange blossoms. All the usual suspects. Scent and taste are magical and potent memory markers.
Marisa Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Citrus Trees.
Pizza in a cardboard box.
White Oleander in the breeze.
Those plants that have long skinny leaves with bulbs on the end that look like mini watermelons.
Jess Wednesday, April 28, 2010
The way you described your reaction to smelling the ocean for the first time in many years made me teary-eyed. I have always lived next to the ocean, except for a 2 year period which was horrible. I love just being next to the ocean. My favourite smell is when it starts to rain, apparently it's ozone.