This Week's Monday Memory Meme is from the prompt,
"The smell of _______ takes me back to_________."
[Monday's memory brought to you on Tuesday, thanks to internet service woes in our area.]
I confess that my sense of smell is not all that strong, probably due to a lifelong struggle with allergies, so my "smell memory" is noticeably weak. That said, there is a smell that even now, makes me think of camping and the outdoors. As an avid non-outdoorswoman, I encounter this smell most often now on crisp mornings in my suburban home.
But how does camping smell to me? Well, you might think of the campfire, but that element is not there. It is more of a smell/feel sensation. The crisp morning air on a day that will warm up considerably, plus a hint of pine. That's it.
And what kind of memories of camping does this non-outdoorswoman have, you might ask? Well, as a kid, we did occasionally camp, and I was a Girl Scout, so I've camped in that kind of setting. My camping experiences were mostly in Texas, and mostly in warm to hot weather as well. These are also mostly happy memories, with the occasional wild story that probably seems par for the course when camping.
That's me and my dad on a camping trip in the early 70s. Groovy belt. Only in hindsight (and therapy) have I totally come to grips with the dysfunction that riddled my family, so I share this as a happy memory. The picture was taken only a couple of years after my dad began drinking, and though I don't believe he was a full blown alcoholic, self-medicating an undiagnosed case of bipolar illness at this time, he most assuredly had had some episodes.
Thanks for sharing the photo. Your artwork is wonderful!
ReplyDeleteI don't have a very strong "smell memory" either, but the smell of burning leaves (I think?) mixed with what must be the smell of air pollution always reminds me of Prague in the Fall, specifically the yard behind BISP. That is one of my very few smell memories but it is a very strong association (even if I have no idea what the smell is of), and every time I smell it I think immediately of Prague.
ReplyDeleteThank you for being so open and helping others. I really like the photo of you and your dad and share memories of our Girl Scout camping. It reminds me that we all have happy memories from the past that we can focus on and give us faith that there will be happy memories in the future especially after the storms of life. Please keep writing.
ReplyDeleteCharlotte
This is wonderful Jenna! I'm sorry, I didn't know you had linked to me (sort of), or rather wrote a response to the Monday Memory Prompt. Thank you for doing this!
ReplyDeleteFirst, I love that the smell of camping is a happy memory for you, despite your awareness of the mental illness that was emerging in your family at the time. Second, I like the simplicity of this, "The crisp morning air on a day that will warm up considerably, plus a hint of pine. That's it." I'm right with ya, I feel it.