I'm sensing that you are not...

Words of wisdom from my mom's friend Gladys: Sometimes you have to get outside just to 'blow the stink off you.' After being indoors for most of the week, the four of us [Flo, Nic, Gracie, and yours truly] rolled into the car today for a ride in pursuit of Gladys' de-stink-tion!

We saw much...a Finger Lake's beautiful water, cows, horses, birds, amazing spring trees in total blooms of many colors, flowers, waterfalls, Gracie's ears straight back,

We heard sounds...the waterfalls' rushing waters, people talking, the drone of lawnmowers, the wind blowing in the window and rattling a plastic bag in the car [the open window because Grace would not forego sticking her face out of the window and into the wind!].

Ahh-h the aromas and fragrances of...lilacs, a chicken barbeque in progress, air rushing at your face, newly overturned earth recently plowed by farmers.

Taste? We didn't stop for anything while on the ride, but at home, we enjoyed a bowl of fresh strawberries, blueberries, bananas, topped off with a bit of whipped cream. Hours later, Flo and I munched on popcorn and drank some cold iced tea...mmm...while watching Michael J Fox's Special on Optimism.

The sense of touch... wicker [ holding onto the the dog's bed on my lap and the curls around her collar so that she wouldn't fall out].

I'm thinking that most of the time, we could be more aware of our surroundings.

Here's a great example:

For about 5 summers, I was the director of The Summer Fun Club at the YMCA for kids 5-7 years old. It was a combo of swimming lessons, arts and crafts, and field trips from 10-3 Mon.-Fri. And we did have fun.

I was working on the next field trip on the schedule. The phone conversation went something like this:

"Hi! I'm calling to schedule a field trip for 5-7 year old kids. The nature trails and museum that you have will be both exercise and education. I know that I have always enjoyed communing with nature on your 5 trails and I want the kids to get outdoors and have that experience, too."

"Great! Let me look at the schedule. Do you want the blind guide?"

"What? ...What did you say?"

"One of our guides is blind. She has a separate schedule."

"I apologize... I thought you must have been kidding! How does she do that?"

"Assissting her is her working guide dog. This tour is different from the others in that the tour is experienced from the perspectives of sound, smell, and touch."

"Wow! Sign us up for that tour. It will be something very different and unforgettable for the kids. And me, too. I love to learn with them."

It was pretty cool. She would listen and identify the birds by their sound. The trees were identified by the feel of the bark, and other features were pointed out by their smell.

We learned to use more than our sense of sight.

A very eclectic experience, and one that I'll never forget.

So, how about you?

Have you placed your nose up close and personal to a ''hyacinth'' and then breathed in through your nose? mmm...a rose? lilacs? sheets dried on a clothesline, chocolate, coffee, sauce cooking,

Do you take a moment to enjoy the tastes of your meals or snacks? rice krispy treats, a cold orange, a fresh strawberry

Do you know how soft a dog's ears are? flower petals, your pillow, shampoo lather, a baby's face,

Listen to silence? bird calls, train whistles, the wind, hummingbird wings in flight, cackling laughter, geese in a V formation honking to each other,

And lastly... O say can you see? What do you see?

Have you ever watched a cat's ears move independently? lightening?

What are some of your favorite sights, smells, sounds, etc.?