Articles

The Leaf Globe

Last week on my lunch break, the wind was blowing, the sun was shining, and golden leaves were gusting off the trees and swirling through the breeze like someone had turned the whole fall day upside down and shook it.

It was glorious.

Days like these are why fall is my favorite season. The days are getting shorter, the temperature is cooling, and there’s a nip in the air as if winter is just sort of flirting with me…feeling me out to see if I might be interested in catching a movie later. I am, of course – I love winter, but the teasing, will-we-won’t-we nature of fall is just so…intoxicating.

I am one of those odd individuals who loves (and needs) a bright (not hot) day, but also has a special affinity for early dusk and the ensuing darkness. Evenings in the summer are annoying – their long hours just dragging the day out, and with it, all the people who somehow just disappear when the sun sets early. I don’t really know where or why they all go, because when I see them in summer, they’re doing the same things I am – walking the dogs, enjoying the evening coolness, winding down from the hustle and bustle of the day.

But when darkness comes early, I’m suddenly the only one out walking with my pups, sniffing the air for that first hint of snow, and enjoying the peace and calm that happens only when the moon is on duty.

I love the nighttime as much as I love fall, and together they are a formidable pair. I was walking along with the dogs in the dark recently, the glow of their leashes the only light for yards, and we all stumbled into a pile of lovely crunchy leaves. The sound was almost deafening, frightening for a moment, and then such great fun to rend the night with such a happy, seasonal sound. Not to mention the feel of shuffling through nature’s bubble-wrap, ankle-deep. It’s fun during the day, when it can be an intentional thing, but definitely moreso when it becomes an unexpected perk to walking at night.

I wish fall could stick around longer. I feel spoiled that we’ve gotten so much of its attention this year, as we often only get a week or two of its company before it’s shooed away by the indomitable Mr. Frost. But until the globe freezes, I’m going to enjoy every minute of the swirling, floating, flirting leaves.

Stay awhile, Fall. Dessert before dinner, that’s what you are.


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On Fragrance & Pheromones

Man, the last couple of weeks have been *busy*! Crazy at work, and a bit chaotic at home too. I’ve been trying to figure out new routines for my weekends, easier mornings, and my late-night writing time with little success. And I switched up my vitamins in the middle of all that, which was an incredibly stupid thing to do (although in my defense, I didn’t know all that was going to happen just then).

One new thing I did try that seems to be having a positive effect is to plug in a diffuser with feel-good doggie pheromones for the Murph. These have been around for a long, long time, and several studies have shown them to be moderately to highly effective in a decent percentage of test subjects, so I thought I’d take a chance. The pheromones emitted are like the ones a mother dog would give off around her puppies – calming and comforting. And it does really seem to make him less anxious and less prone to licking his legs…for a surprisingly long period of time. Combined with the CBD oil and flower essences, we might have stumbled on a winning combination for getting his legs to heal. Fingers crossed!

I’ll admit to using pheromones to my own advantage occasionally as well. We all know at least a few people who can make us feel good just by being in the same room with them (closer is better, obviously, but a few feet works fine), without any interaction whatsoever. That would be a pheromone-driven oxytocin “hit” to the brain, and it’s good stuff. When I need a hit, I’ll intentionally seek one of those people out, just for a few seconds of semi-nearness. I have no idea how my own pheromones affects them, but I figure as long as they’re not running away screaming, it’s probably not all bad for them either. LOL

Pheromones are odd things in that we sense and process them through smell, but they’re so subtle that we can’t really label them with a specific fragrance. But man, I tell you what. It’s springtime, and the flowering trees are in full bloom around here, and I have such a bittersweet relationship with them it’s not even funny.

I love the smell of tree blossoms of all types. Our Sand Cherries don’t smell at all during the day, but at night? Oh man. So sweet and thick in the backyard…it’s beautiful wafting through the darkness.

And the ornamental trees that are in more and more places throughout the city, including right in front of my parking spot at work? *sigh* The fragrance walking the two blocks to and from my office is intoxicating. I could sit out there under one of those trees, breathe in that perfume and probably get high if you left me there long enough.

I’m not a fan of flowers indoors, perfumes on people, or fragrances in room sprays and such. All that just plugs me up and makes me sneeze. But I do so love the flowering trees and the delightfully sweet scent they put out. It’s even worth a few sneezes just for the happiness and peace it brings me.

They’re almost, but not quite, as good as a good pheromone hit. 😉


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