The acidy smell of commercial glue mixed with plastic hit me as I opened the office door. I had never noticed the flooring before but instinctively looked down and sensed something different. I asked and my senses were confirmed. The flooring had just been replaced. I wasn’t consciously aware of it, but at one time, … Read more
I built a deck when I was nine years old. Ok, maybe my dad and his architect best friend built it, but in my own tomboy mind, it was my deck. The marvel of redwood catapulting over the ravine in our backyard was an engineering feat I wasn’t going to miss! Scorching summer heat dictated … Read more
Everyone has a unique smell. A child can sense their mother’s smell and be comforted by it, even if Mom isn’t present. I have been known to take a deep breath as I hug my kids to drink in their scent. There is a powerful connection between smell and memory, one from which we all … Read more
The music begins, memories flood in and we’re transported back in time. Just listening to a song from our past can take us to a specific place, time and feeling. It’s as though it just happened. The connection between music and our brains is profound. We all experience it; research confirms it and now music … Read more
Swatting away at pesky wasps while kids slurp slushies, there’s a whoosh then a sudden cry of a little girl. As though in slow motion, I see her foot slip out of the corner of my eye. I cannot grab her fast enough. I think her chin hit the bleachers as she fell. “Did she … Read more
Spring has sprung (or at least is trying!). Do you smell new grass and flowers growing or sneezing too much with allergies? Spring’s arrival means more than warmer and longer days. It can impact our memories. A sunny spring day can improve our mood, motivation and memories. We smell the cut grass, the flowers budding and feel … Read more