GETTING GREEN

We had just finished a day of rain and I was standing on the deck breathing in the smell of wet earth when my husband Steven came out and stood next to me.

“It’s really starting to get green out there.” I said as I looked out to our small woods. “The sassafras trees always take a little longer to come in but I do love them.”

Steven nodded. “Pretty soon we won’t be able to see the neighbors behind us.”

I smiled and nodded. “I do love the privacy.”

We watched as a squirrel and a chipmunk chased each other around the bird feeder.

“I just tossed a handful of peanuts out there for them.” The chipmunk came towards us, it’s cheeks stuffed with peanuts. “It looks like the chipmunk is winning.” I laughed.

I looked over at Steven. “You know, I was just reading up on the sassafras trees and it said that they have a natural aroma of root beer and that on a warm summer’s night you’re supposed to be able to smell it.” I looked doubtful. “I don’t remember the yard ever smelling like root beer. Do you?” I pointed to the woods. “And it’s not like we’re lacking in sassafras trees, we have dozens of them!”

Steven shrugged his shoulders. “There’s one way to find out.” He walked down the steps and headed for the path in the woods.

I followed him and went to the first tree along the edge of the woods and soon had my nose right next to the leaves. I inhaled. “Nope! Not even a slight whiff.”

Steven was further down the path in the woods. “I think it’s really supposed to be the roots, but I also think you can smell it when you snap a twig.” He snapped off a piece with several leaves attached and put it up to his nose. “Yup, there it is.”

He came back up the path and handed me the twig. I put it up to my nose and inhaled. I looked over at Steven and shook my head. “It smells green to me.”

I handed it back to Steven who once again smelled it. “It smells like root beer to me.”

I took the twig back and tried again. “Okay, maybe I smell it a little.” I lied.

People were writing that I was supposed to be smelling it in the air on a warm summers night, Steven was smelling it when he snapped a twig. I honestly think I just didn’t want to be the only one who didn’t smell it. So I lied.

I tossed the twig on the ground and headed back towards the house.

Steven stopped and looked toward the back of our property. “What do you think about putting some evergreens at the fence line so we have privacy year round?”

“I love that idea!”

A black-capped Chick-a-Dee, with a small twig in it’s beak, swooped in front of me headed for the bird house.

“Hey little man!” I called after the bird. “I know you’re in a hurry to make your nest but that was a little too close to my head!”

Steven started to laugh. “Talking to the wildlife again?” He came over and gave me a kiss on the cheek. “Maybe having privacy year round would be a good thing.”

“Why? Do you get embarrassed when I talk to the wildlife?”

He shook his head. “I don’t. But I know you.” He pointed his thumb toward the back of the property and started to laugh again. “But what the neighbor’s think when they see you is a whole other story!”