It’s fascinating how smells can trigger memories of events that happened several years ago. Smells can even bring on emotions that are important in friendships, love, and food.
When I was a little girl my dad (carpenter before minister) would sometimes bring me along with him to his work site where he would be building a beautiful home and I would watch him create something marvelous from a pile of construction materials. He would try to get me involved and interested in what he was doing by asking me to do small tasks to help him. He handed me a tiny jar of wood putty and I would go around and fill the nail holes with it making sure each spot was perfect.
My dad has been sick many years with Dementia and now Parkinson’s Disease which has crippled him mentally and physically. Honestly, he has had the diseases so long that its hard to recall him ever being well but the smell of wood putty brings me back to the days he was strong, happy, and healthy. I developed a love for the smell of wood putty.
I decided this week for my Top Ten Tuesday to compile a list of my favorite smells that spark memories, and emotions.
1. Wood putty
2. Fresh brewed coffee
3. Fresh baked bread
4. Play Doh
5. The smell of Fall
6. Cinnamon
7. Coconut
8. Baby Lotion
9. Axe ( hubby smells soooo good!)
10. Pine Trees
Okay, I can add one more thing to your list. I was just in Whole Foods Market (I live in there!!) and the produce section was effuse with the smell of freshly arrived summer peaches. Oh, the combination of summer nostalgia and deliciousness just made me happy!! So number 11– Fresh Summer Peaches!
Love your site. I have already visited several times.
Gina
The fall doesn’t “smell right” here in Oklahoma, at least to me. I lived most of my life in the Chicago area and nothing beats that crisp almost cold we used to around Halloween. I thought I was alone until one day, after I’d moved, I read someone else mention it on a forum.
Playdoh! I looove that smell! It was all I could do when I was younger, NOT to eat it. So I would just bite into it instead. LOL!
Wow yes. Your list is great (coconut, yess) but I’d also like to add a number of nontraditional smells to the list:
Gasoline
Old books
Air Conditioner (putting your face to the vent)
Damp Basements (my favorite)
Fresh Tennis Balls
I’ve got my list here, if you’re interested:
Thanks!