the smell of oregon

Someone once told me that if they could reduce Oregon down to a smell, it would be woodsmoke on a piney breeze. "How romantic & poetic!" I thought then, in the midst of a beautiful summer. And then, then fall came & I instantly understood what they'd meant. It is a smell of times past. It means the homes that start beaming their lights out in the hills after sunset are full of families winding down for the night, tucked around a cozy fire. Many of the homes I've been in do have woodstoves. We have our own little stove, (albeit propane:/) and we do our share of cozying up to it. The gray outside doesn't seem so dreary then. This year has been uncharacteristically sunny so far, in case you were worried about my mental coping:) & for that I have been thankful. But it isn't so bad when you get to end your day with a crackling fire & steaming cup of tea.