Monday 8 June 2009

huddled masses

Today was one of those days where the car was hot but the breeze blowing in the windows was chill and clean and smelt achingly fresh and of the ocean.

There is a tinge of salt and seaweed scent on the air almost everywhere in Nova Scotia - a reminder of the Atlantic that bubbles outside our doors and wends its way into our minds and thoughts and attitudes. Most people don't think about it, so ingrained is this breathing in of ocean tide and ocean current into their very beings, and only miss it when they move away, where the air smells different and the humidity is all wrong and the land under your very feet seems boxy and strange.

You can breathe better out here.

And today? Today, with the windows wide-open, letting out all the hot air out of my car and sucking in great draughts of fresh, sea-scented air - air with hints of lilacs just-coming-into-bloom and the crisp tang of newly mown grass?


Today I thought of people who live in cities, cities with more than two gas stations and food options galore, places that aren't asleep by ten o'clock, people that live concrete-brown and asphalt-grey lives - and realized that this minute?

This very minute?

Not jealous in the least.

13 comments:

Unknown said...

I can smell the Nova Scotia air if I close my eyes.

Thank you.

BigDaddy and I have said it time and time again...if we could move "out East" we would. One day we will visit again...but not soon enough.

Jen on the Edge said...

I agree, I couldn't live in a big city either. I need small town air.

Chantal said...

I am jealous, of you! I love the coast. My hubby and I contemplated moving to NS but I chickened out at the thought of living so far from my mom. Some day, maybe.

Anonymous said...

Well, I am...
Jealous, that is.
Jenny

Anonymous said...

So jealous right now, you wouldn't believe.

Ree said...

I'm with you. I don't live on the ocean, but my country life is just fine. And if I want the Big City? I just go to work. ;-)

Mike said...

I live by the ocean (the other one) but not in small town surroundings. I love that everything is close, but yearn for the small town feel you must have. Yep, jealous....

Charmaine said...

you are an awesome writer Jess..love it...and nope I could never leave the ocean...I know I would never survive anywhere else...

Loth said...

Oh, more posts like this please. Only a couple of weeks or so to go and I can breathe it for myself!

Pam said...

We lived near the sea till 20 years ago (when I was 38) and we must move back soon. I miss it so much.

Nova Scotia - got to go there. I've wanted to since I researched it for my Guide Commonwealth Knowledge badge in 1966 (I typed 1066 there, but even I am not THAT old). And Loth has made it sound very very tempting. And now you.

Sherry said...

I've been waiting to move to Halifax for - literally - years. Our family is headed out there in late summer for my sister's wedding and we'll be there for about 2.5 - 3 weeks.

It's going to be so very hard to get back in that car to come back to Montreal after that much time in my dream city.

Woman in a Window said...

So true. All that concrete and nowhere for anything to dissipate to. Where you are, constant regeneration. I can taste that breeze!

Ricki said...

Having just made an accepted offer on a house in a sea-side town, and currently living 10 minutes from Seattle...I agree. I can't wait to smell that salty air every day!

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