Freshly fallen leaves

There is something unique about the smell of freshly fallen leaves. It is a dark and mysterious scent, earthy and fragrant at the same time - not quite decay or mildew, but not a fresh scent either. It is a comfortable smell, but with a hint of adventure. It is also not a smell often found in a warm climate like Houston - it comes with the cool feel of autumn.

I passed freshly fallen leaves by the train station tonight outside of London in a place called St. Margarets and the scent immediately took me back to my childhood days in Michigan. My thoughts went immediately to kicking leaves on my way to the bus stop, riding my bike through the yard, leaves spraying in a trail behind me and of jumping into a carefully constructed pile of leaves under a tree limb. Maybe these memories are why I feel a sense of adventure with this wonderfully unique smell. In any case I love it and I love the memories!