How's that for an opening line?! As a matter of practice, I try to notice and really appreciate my surroundings on a daily basis. It may be the deep blue of the sky, the sound of a scissortail, the bloom of a flower: you get the idea. One of the things I concluded last spring and I'm reminded of again this spring is Kansas really smells good. Just as there is always something blooming out on the prairie to appreciate with the eyes, there seems to always be some delightful scent wafting on the breeze on any given day.
I said I came to that conclusion last spring. I participated in KSU Research & Extension's "Walk Kansas" program along with 5 friends. We formed a team called "These Boots are Made for Walking." We're all cowgirls, if you couldn't guess. My proposed name of "Yes, That IS Cow Poop on my Nikes" failed to receive much support. Don't know why! Anyways, over the course of 8 weeks, you and your teammates are to cover the equivalent of the breadth of Kansas in walking miles. Running, biking and other activities count too at conversion rates prescribed by the program. Well, over those 8 weeks, I enjoyed newly turned soil, freshly mown alfalfa, mystery flowers on the breeze, warm prairie grasses and the like. I made a point every time I headed out to anticipate the day's smells and was never disappointed. Except for the dead possum one warm day on K-18......
This spring, I've renewed my appreciation for the various olfactory gifts Kansas bestows on those blessed enough to be breathing fresh Kansas air. Even the late freeze brought a gift. This time, the formerly lush, now frosted alfalfa fields smelled like new mown hay. Hey, I'm trying to look on the bright side!
Consider this a gentle reminder to enjoy life's little gifts of beauty, wherever you might find them. Just look: they're there!