Scratch and sniff
Don’t miss a thing!
Bounding ahead and still bursting with energy even after spending two hours in the woods I, as usual, made up the rear guard on our walk. Following in their paw steps gives me the opportunity to experience nature as they do — one giant adventure playground of scents, sights and sounds to explore and marvel over.
My German Shepherd suddenly stopped his purposeful chasing of my Retriever as something caught his nose. Sniffing the air and then moving his investigation to the bracken, he was clearly deeply intrigued.
I squatted down to his level, and side by side we sniffed together. There was indeed a subtle shift in flavour. A richer, musky earthiness. Perhaps a fox has passed this way? If my dog could talk I’m sure he would tell me, but to be honest it doesn’t really matter. The joy was in the noticing.
How often do you bend down and sniff the forest path? Stick your nostrils inside a hollow tree or just randomly inhale the scents of nature. It’s easy to be drawn to a rose or honeysuckle — whose floral beauty it’s easy to be seduced by. However, there’s much to be missed by only kissing a rose!
Opening our senses is part of the joy of forest bathing. While breathing in the musk of a fox might not be super pleasant, just absorbing the aromatherapy of the phytoncides drifting in…
