Winter, spring, summer, and fall: every season has a scent. Can you smell the leaves, the grass, the flowers, the cold? The smell of soil and the sound of rain. Who doesn't love the earthy smell of rain hitting the ground?
Smell the roses, they say. I believe they certainly smell us as we approach with a pair of pruning shears to cut the stems for a home bouquet.
Comforting vanilla, rich evergreen pine, giant pinecones, and a smoky, crackling ember fire from a roaring, warm fireplace or stove: these are scents we embrace without even thinking about it.
Scents are created by a mix of biology, chemistry, and weather. Temperature and humidity affect how molecules move, and over the course of the year, nature releases a shifting mix of organic compounds that shape what we smell around us.
Spring
New green grass, fresh flowers, and wet soil. With all of it comes the return of garden tools and gloves as we prepare our gardens for the season. Gardens invite pollinators too, a good reminder that all creatures work together to keep our planet running.
Summer
Ripe fruit, cut grass, warmth, and humidity. The warmer it gets, the more the aromas in the air seem to amplify. Plants grow faster, bloom, and active insects add even more to the scents we breathe in. It's also the height of canning season: mason jars, lids, rings, ferments, and homemade yogurt with fresh fruit.
Autumn
The smell of clean, crisp, sharp, cool air as it turns cold, and it gets darker earlier as winter approaches. Pumpkins, mums, and home-baked bread fill the air. Instead of spending the evening in front of the television, it's the season for having friends and family over to play games and share hearty desserts. Vintage board games and cards are always a fun way to bring people together.
Cold temperatures slow molecules down, which reduces the number of odor molecules that travel through the air, and less biological activity means fewer scents overall. The exception is burning woodsmoke and leaves, which cut right through the cold. Just because it's colder doesn't mean things have to slow down. If anything, it's the perfect time to catch up on things that got put off during the busier spring and summer months.
Winter
Winter smells like a freezer. Our breath becomes visible in the air. Gloves, hats, and warm shoes finally get pulled out after waiting all year. Chilly, drafty homes usually come with the warmest, cuddliest furry blankets; we love our Minky blankets, homemade jarred soups, and applesauce this time of year. A great book with new friends inside its cover makes an incredible, easy houseguest, one you can put down, ignore, or place on a shelf whenever you like. Even books, especially the old, well-worn ones, carry a scent of their own.
Every day, week, month, and year is a celebration of scents and experiences for us to embrace and share.