sensory sampler no. 1

engaging five senses to feel like you're on the cusp of spring

This is the first in a series I’m calling sensory samplers.

When I was little, I’d think certain times of day or certain types of light felt like certain music, or I thought smells had colors. As an adult, my nostalgia is composed of these specific sensations, and I wanted to distill them in this way to share.

see:

A sleepy rainy day that isn’t too cold but not quite warm; you’re wearing a windbreaker, your favorite jeans, and garden clogs to run errands

The weather feels how Gouise by Joan Mitchell looks:

Joan Mitchell, Gouise. 1966, oil on canvas. The Cleveland Museum of Art.

Recommended reading: The Hurting Kind by Ada Limón

hear:

taste:

Cardamom orange blossom latte from The Judith Cafe—it’s lightly sweet and beautifully floral

smell:

Hinoki Sesame incense cones from Dilo (found locally at Cool Water Dry Goods) pair with steady rain through a screen door

touch:

Rain collects lightly on your windbreaker as you run errands, but you aren’t heavy with it. You get home, sit on the couch and feel the breeze through the open window in the early hours of the afternoon. The curtain yields to the wind and it brushes the back of your head as you read. You’re wearing a hoodie, soft with age, and you sip the cooled dregs of your coffee.

Thanks for tuning in! <3