Sound and Smell

Big sounds and pungent smells filled my ears and nose today. As I walked through downtown in the gorgeous weather, delivering marketing materials for the River Run Film Festival, fire trucks with blaring sirens zoomed by, and the train passed over Patterson Ave with thunderous rumbles. The sound of metal scraping over metal as the wheels rolled along the track pierced through the air like sharp swords. My chest vibrated as the large sound waves passed through my body with each new racket.

This afternoon, for the first time since being a child, helping my father pull weeds, I worked in a garden. I was immediately struck by the lovely smell of the earth itself, mixed with sweet nectar, and enticing herbs. There were so many plants in this garden, and I was introduced to all of them! The garden of which I am speaking belongs to Jan, and she has a real talent for growing plants. She understands how plants interact with the plants that surround them, the earth they are planted in and the weather. She knows how each and every plant smells and what they are good for, to eat, to look at, to heal, etc. Jan helped me make my first herb garden, to take home in a rather large pot. in my garden, there is thyme, oregano, mint, lemon balm and garlic chives! It smells amazing, and I can't wait to use them for my cooking. I hope only that they will continue to thrive under my care. Jan has assured me that these plants are "hard to kill." I believe what she says, but I hope I don't prove her wrong!

~Cara