Sunday, May 12, 2013


If only there were a scratch-and-sniff option on this blog ...
Unless you suffer from seasonal allergies, I highly recommend going outside and taking a deep breath.
If you're lucky, you may be in the vicinity of a lilac, and your nose will ascend to heaven. Those delicate lavender and white blossoms are about to leave us for another year, so gather that glorious scent while ye may.
I'm fortunate to be able to simply walk onto my front porch and inhale, thanks to a lovely lilac I transplanted from my folks' house about 20 years ago.
Mowing our front lawn last week proved less of a chore each time I ducked under those perfumed branches. 
Knowing how fleeting they are makes them that much sweeter. Savor them, because you can only experience lilacs once a year.
Unless …
A couple years ago, I serendipitously discovered a way to double that pleasure. All it took was a trip out west to visit family in Idaho and Washington state (a more than momentary joy).
It was late May, and the lilacs back home were long gone, just a fond olfactory memory. Now, I knew the Northwestern climate was cooler than ours, but never thought about what that would mean in terms of spring flowers.
Until I stepped out of our car in northern Idaho and caught a familiar, heavenly scent: lilac -- again! The bush by my father-in-law's apartment was just beginning to bloom. I felt doubly blessed, given the gift of lilacs squared.
So, if you really love lilacs, you only have to travel 2,500 miles to get a second helping.
'Twas well worth the trip.