Few of us know the smell of the bottom of the inside of a tack trunk. It's mold, it's leather, it's damp, it's warm...
It's the smell of apprehension. The smell of a green coating on a favorite old bridle.
It's the smell of anticipation. The smell of leather soap and neatsfoot oil.
It made me want to walk thru the darkness to the barn. I wanted to stick my nose in my horse's mane, smell his dusty smell. Turn on the light and watch him blink incredulously at my late-night intrusion. Watch him rub his head on my shoulder as I wipe the schmutz from his eyes. Sit in the hay, smelling its cleanness as kitties tell me their troubles in loud meowing voices.
Instead I came to bed. I can smell the night on the ranch tonight. It comes thru the window and across my bed. It smells like electricity and breeze. My sheets are clean, pillows and blankets freshly washed, and the comforter hung outside for a few hours today so it smells like sunshine.
I smell the sleep radiating from the children. They each have their own sweaty sleep smell. I can tell Chip fell asleep first as the moisture from his room feels the heaviest. Casey probably fought sleep and Hannah probably fought to sleep and I can smell that too.
