The Smell of Winter

When doing chores this evening I was reminded of the smells of winter.

It's the calm before a major storm due in tomorrow and the smell of coal smoke is in the air. Just a faint whiff, not like 30 years ago when a day like this had an overwhelming smell of coal smoke from the furnaces in the valley. Now it's just a hint of the fuel that has kept people warm since it was settled by whites.

Now the coal combines with the smell of wood fires.

It also smells like snow. You can feel and smell the storm before it comes. I expect a lot of snow tomorrow morning.

It's finally winter here in Colorado.