Sights, sounds, and scents of the season

Yesterday evening my son and I took a walk over to the grocery store. I consider myself lucky that I have that option if I only need a few things that can fit in the bottom of the stroller, the weather is nice and I'm not in a huge rush. It's a short, 15-20 minute walk, and great exercise. Armed with my maglite flashlight, iPod, and a sippy for the little guy we set off.

After dark the world is just a little different. Nightfall seems to heighten the senses and little nuances are so much more apparent. Sight, smell, and sound take on a whole new life.

Walking past one neighbor's house, I smell a delicious meal being prepared on their grill;

Walking past another neighbor's house, I can tell they're doing laundry because I can smell the fabric softener wafting through the dryer vents;

We hear dogs bark throughout the neighborhood. Big dogs, little dogs, yappy dogs;

We see two houses already decorated with Christmas lights. One of them had a beautiful display too, with red lights outlining the yard, light-up deer in the yard, icicle lights along the eaves, and a festive wreath on the door;

Rounding the corner of the shopping center, we catch a whiff of Subway and one of the other restaurants;

As we approach the grocery store, we're welcomed with the scent of freshly cut Christmas trees;

On the way back home we could see that even more people had returned home from their day of school, work, or running errands as more homes were aglow from the lights inside.

As the days progress, I fully expect to see more decorations and see and hear more hustle and bustle. I hope to have more opportunities (and a few evenings where it's not freezing cold) in which to take a moment to enjoy the world around me.