Feel-Good Monday

My fingers are actually vibrating because I spent the last 2 hours weeding and buzz cutting the hedges in the front yard. We let them get too long, so there was A LOT to trim. Anneliese called out the front window to me "Joo bwush?" asking me if I was "brushing" the hedges heh heh. I guess it looked like I was cutting and brushing hair to her, because when I do her sister's hair she says the same thing. Silly little girl. It felt good to be doing yard work, especially since with all the rain in the last 2 weeks (12 days out of the last 16 days, 10 of them in a row) everything put on a growth spurt.

I just love the smell of the freshly cut hedges. It's just so clean and crisp. I get lost in the task and really enjoy the process. I can feel the sun soaking into my skin and my hair, and I'm keenly aware of the ground under my feet. It's one of the times I can smell something freshly cut that's so sweet-smelling and luscious and not sneeze. My sense of smell is simply atrocious thanks to my life-long allergies (which have been better since my last pregnancy) so my nose is dulled. I can smell something very strongly for a brief time, and some smells I can barely smell or can't smell at all. Other smells I'm very sensitive to. For instance, I can't smell poop very well, I have to rely on someone else's nose or simply check diapers very often, yet I can smell baking bread and coffee very well. Anyway, I love how the fact that being able to smell that wonderful cut-hedge smell makes me feel closer to nature. Ironic, I suppose, since to trim a hedge and shape it, you sort of have to "destroy" nature.

It's also just nice to be able to be out in the sun after so much rain! Everything has been washed away and cleaned. All the plants are dark green and lush. Everything smells delicious and sweet. The sun is welcomed and you can almost eat it with a spoon. You can feel your skin just soaking up the wonderful vitamins from the sun. Your skin and hair and breathe just come alive and more sensitive. It's a wonderfully fresh feeling.