(no subject)
When you log in, there is usually a "writer's block" feature where LJ staff pose a question for those who don't have a topic on which to write. Usually, the question doesn't hit me. This time, it did. They asked if there were any scents that evoked childhood memories. Very appropriate since this is Fall and these memories involve that season.
We used to burn leaves. The leaves off the trees, that is. This was before composting (which I am very big on) and curbside collections and all that. We used to just rake them up and burn them. It was one of my favorite annual rituals. I loved the smell and, as a boy, I loved fire. There were several components of the ritual tho. First, the least pleasant, was the raking of the leaves. That was work. We raked and raked them into several piles, but not too many. After that came play. We kids would jump into the piles of leaves, burrow into them and hide and generally annoy our parents who were still performing the raking. Then came the burning.
The neighborhood would be hazy with the smoke of dozens of leaf fires. It seemed that everyone would perform this ritual at the same time, so your neighbors were usually burning leaves too. The smoke was fragrant and the heat was inviting. Once in a while, you'd get a concentrated puff of smoke in your eyes and feel that familiar sting. You learned to be careful in the future. There were sticks to throw in the fire after you played with them. You might even have some marshmallows for roasting, but this really wasn't the type of fire for that.
For days afterward, the clothes I wore for burning leaves had this delicious smoky aroma to them. That is until my mom washed them. I tried to avoid that and we played a little hide-and-seek with my clothes, but eventually they'd get washed and the smell would be gone. As time went on, attitudes toward open burning of leaves changed and the practice became banned. One concern was the smoke of leaf fires near roads obscuring the vision of drivers. I'm sure the fire departments also didn't care responding to fires out of control or ppl who managed to get burned. And as I said, I eventually got into horticulture and began to see leaves as a resource, not refuse. Still, I have many fond memories of that practice from many years ago.
I drove home the other night and, as I got out of the car, I could detect that old, familiar smell. I think someone was having a fire in a pit in their back yard and just for fun, threw a small pile of leaves on the fire. Whatever it was, it was a welcome experience!
We used to burn leaves. The leaves off the trees, that is. This was before composting (which I am very big on) and curbside collections and all that. We used to just rake them up and burn them. It was one of my favorite annual rituals. I loved the smell and, as a boy, I loved fire. There were several components of the ritual tho. First, the least pleasant, was the raking of the leaves. That was work. We raked and raked them into several piles, but not too many. After that came play. We kids would jump into the piles of leaves, burrow into them and hide and generally annoy our parents who were still performing the raking. Then came the burning.
The neighborhood would be hazy with the smoke of dozens of leaf fires. It seemed that everyone would perform this ritual at the same time, so your neighbors were usually burning leaves too. The smoke was fragrant and the heat was inviting. Once in a while, you'd get a concentrated puff of smoke in your eyes and feel that familiar sting. You learned to be careful in the future. There were sticks to throw in the fire after you played with them. You might even have some marshmallows for roasting, but this really wasn't the type of fire for that.
For days afterward, the clothes I wore for burning leaves had this delicious smoky aroma to them. That is until my mom washed them. I tried to avoid that and we played a little hide-and-seek with my clothes, but eventually they'd get washed and the smell would be gone. As time went on, attitudes toward open burning of leaves changed and the practice became banned. One concern was the smoke of leaf fires near roads obscuring the vision of drivers. I'm sure the fire departments also didn't care responding to fires out of control or ppl who managed to get burned. And as I said, I eventually got into horticulture and began to see leaves as a resource, not refuse. Still, I have many fond memories of that practice from many years ago.
I drove home the other night and, as I got out of the car, I could detect that old, familiar smell. I think someone was having a fire in a pit in their back yard and just for fun, threw a small pile of leaves on the fire. Whatever it was, it was a welcome experience!