This morning after the men left for work, I fed the animals, did a round of early chores, and made sure there was plenty of food for cooking later (there always is). Then, temporarily ignoring a long list of more important things that really are not more important, I laced up and swam through the thick, low-hung fog to grab a few miles.
Just as Handsome and I had noticed earlier this morning during Hot Tub Summit, everything outdoors was amplified in the fog. Louder, stronger smelling, brighter, crisper, yet diffused. Absolutely magical. So, while running I did my best to memorize the details (sans notebook) and am now sharing them as a Senses Inventory. Hope you enjoy!
See: Prairie grasses bent and blackened from the damp. Well worn foot path curving ahead of me, slightly uphill, between fallen limbs. Our house and barn both ghosted in the distance. Geese bathing excitedly in the pond. Dulcinea (baby llama) watching me from the field-dividing green gate.
Hear: Geese honking softly and splashing in the water. A neighbor’s donkey braying and a different neighbor’s hound dog howling. A diesel pickup truck coming to life. Really good music in my ears: Today was FUN and Big Bad Voo Doo Daddy.
Touch: Feet pounding the soft wet sand, laces just the right amount of extremely tight. Legs warm and throbbing. Belly empty, cavernous feeling. Sweat drying everywhere on my skin, cold breeze on warm muscles. For the first time in what seems like forever, my hair is plastered against my face and neck. It is wonderful. Heavy, cold moisture on the fronts of my eyeballs.
Smell: Rain. Wet earth. That intoxicating, peaty, mossy, rich, clean perfume… Crisp pine greens and spicy cedar aromas. Decaying leaves. My own saltiness. I can smell springtime yearning for us just like we yearn for her.
Taste: A trace of cinnamony snickerdoodle milk and coffee from breakfast. Sweet and creamy, so good. And salt when I lick the corner of my mouth.
Feel: I feel deeply excited for our future, for our parents and children, for our friends. I feel a sense of overcoming right around the corner. I feel inspired and capable, less conflicted than I have felt in months. Maybe years. Steady.
Think: I am almost always thinking of my girls, especially right now. I am also thinking of my friend Marci and her beautiful little family. I am thinking of my Mom and all the hearts she juggles and tends to, including her own. I am thinking of our good friends Jon and Margi, of book reviews I can’t wait to share, and of a book I want to write myself. I have a lunch date in about an hour; so I’m wondering if she would notice that I just air dry this sweat, and skip a shower?
Do you practice Senses Inventories? I would love a glimpse of your day. It is so calming to deliberately notice and articulate the seen and unseen details of your life, just for a moment. It’s really helpful to get you out of worry and into appreciation, too.
I’ll consider it a personal favor if here in the comments you share any part of your senses with us. Thank you so much for reading!
Very little grows on jagged rock. Be ground. Be crumbled, so wildflowers will come up where you are.
~Rumi
XOXOXOXO
See: I see the window-framed bare branched tree through the upstairs front window. Between me and that window, I see the light fixture that I can’t imagine ever successfully replacing a bulb in. I see my jeans flung over the railing to dry.
Hear: The bedroom fan still running in the room behind me. The laugh tracks from a television show Hubs is watching downstairs. My guess is it’s a DVRd episode of The Big Bang Theory. Every once in a while, I hear the tinkle of cat collars against their breakfast dishes.
Touch: My left arm is resting on the back of a library book that is due in a couple of days. My fingers tap the keys, especially the backspace key. It’s a little chilly in the house, so I wrapped a light robe around my PJs. Just now, our 17-pound cat Tanner climbed on my lap, purring and nibbling on my arm.
Smell: Well, it’s about time to clean out the litterboxes again. Yuck.
Taste: I just finished off a piece of Starbucks pumpkin bread from last night. That piece was a bit more cinnamon-y than I prefer, and I can taste pockets of the spice in my teeth.
Feel: A bit of trepidation over an upcoming meeting. Excitement at the idea of visiting with Marie and Handsome down in ATX. Mischievous about the game we’re thinking of playing with them. A little hungry, as pumpkin bread sates the desire for sweet, but doesn’t actually provide much nutrition. (it’s just so. dang. tasty!)
Think: Hoping our friendship with Marie and Handsome can withstand even the suggestion of such a game. 🙂 Giggling about Handsome’s dislike for Ted Bundy and the silliness and fun of Marie’s post about it. Also thinking I need to get dressed and walk to the library. I’ve walked 5+ miles every day for the past 9 days and I don’t want to break the streak now. New thought as Tanner lowered his furry little chin to my arm: How on earth am I supposed to want to walk away from this?!
That was a fun exercise in senses inventory – thanks for the invitation! Much love to you, Marie, and the rest of the Lazy W residents, as always. Can’t wait to squeeze you & Handsome!!
Oh my goodness that was WONDERFUL… Loved every detail. I was right there with you. The backspace key, the pockets of spice in your teeth, the fan and robe, cat nibbles, all of it. Thank you M!
As for those miles… Wow! This awesome keep it up!
As for this suspicious game… Just remember Karma etc!!!
I’m terrified. And excited. Mostly terrified…..
Feels like I am at the ranch with you. And I am thinking of you too. Right now I smell bitter coffee on my fingers from the Starbucks half and half station, and I see Ayla in the backyard, batting around a huge chunk of ice with a stick. I hear the heater, and the stick hitting the ice.
Brittany, I loved that, thank you so much! Isn’t it weird how coffee smells so amazing when it’s fresh, then so bitter all dried and sticky on your skin? There’s got to be a bit of meaning somewhere in that.
I can see just Indy, commanding that ice. I’d love to hear her thoughts while she wages stick war.
xoxo Thank you so much for reading! xoxo