Sights, Sounds, Smells

My morning walks are always a little different.  It depends on what time I am out there pounding the pavement.  I see, hear, and smell different things every morning.  We are Urban, I walk by businesses and also by houses, schools, apartments.  I have a variety of things to check out.

The one ugly thing I see is the effect of the drought.  The yards are yellow, flowers are gasping for water, trees are stressed or even dying.  Everyone is doing what they can do to save water, and it is butt ugly.  And now we have to cut back more. 

But even the drought has brought beauty.  One family has torn out the grass and put in a cactus garden.  Really lovely. 

I see a woman place her bird cage in the yard as she is sweeping her porch and sidewalk..  Do the birds get separation anxiety? 

I hear children laughing as I pass schools.  I hear dogs barking in houses, stranger alert.  I have been walking by there for months, I am no longer a stranger.  I hear construction everywhere.  These old houses are getting new innards. And a new shopping center is going in, major construction there.

I hear the sounds of sirens, honking horns, racing cars and loud car radios.  Plus I hear the sound of my good music in my ear phones. 

The smells are really different.  On garbage day, not a great aroma.  But walking by restaurants, great.  The Chinese ones smell wonderful.  Our Bar B Q place is reopening soon, I can't wait to smell the smoking meat.  The bakery tempts me every time I walk by.  I can't buy anything, I don't carry money.  I would wreck the goodness of the walking if I bought and ate sweet rolls. 

I walked by one house and thought they are doing laundry.  I could smell the softener in the dryer.  A bus goes by and I think why doesn't it stink.  My generation grew up with disgusting smelly buses.  You would nearly throw up if you got caught behind a bus.  Now buses have a cleaner fuel and some are electric.  Thus no yucky smell. 

The nail salons are not pleasant, but not real bad.  Some businesses have no smell.  They have lovely buildings but you can't tell what goes on inside without a sign.

My walks are interesting and good for me. But I do not have that love for exercise some people get.  It is a chore I do to continue to be healthy.