Blue and yellow are the colors dogs see best. That’s what the experts say, Dwight. I’m not sure how they determine that your rainbow is made up of dark blue, light blue, gray , light yellow, darker yellow and very dark gray. A small box of crayons to color with D Man. I am sorry you can’t see Burnt Sienna, Vivid Violet or Cotton Candy Pink. It’s a shame to miss the subtle differences of summer greens on mosses, leaves, algae and frogs. But I don’t think you would trade your sense of smell for my visual sense. Your scents far out number my 64 color crayon box.
The average person processes around 20,000 thoughts per day. I wonder how many scents you process in a 45 minute walk. You stop, point your snout to the sky and suck your jowls in and out. Is that like swishing the wine in the glass before a taste? Does the air separate the smells, helping you categorize them? Or does it intensify the aroma, like the sun intensifies the colors of fall foliage? I see the red of a Cardinal, the green on a Hummingbird. Does the Cardinal smell spicy to you? The Hummer sweet, like nectar? Do Raccoons smell different than Foxes?
I wish I could perceive the world as you do for just an hour. I like scents. Sometimes I smell rain coming. The air so heavy and thick that I feel I could grab a handful. I love breathing in the ocean as the winds blow across the waves. I can conjure up that briny, fishy scent anytime I want. The essence of freshly mowed grass recalls lazy summer days and red popsicles dripping down my fingers. Antique stores take me back to my grandmother’s house. I love the smell of coffee brewing mingled with chocolate chip cookies fresh from the oven. A bouquet of contentment.
Hound noses are amazing. Your kind can sniff out cancer, low blood sugar levels, bombs, drugs, bed bugs, even illegal fruits and vegetation in airports. You not only smell the shoe. You smell where its been. You smell the burger and all its condiments. Even the sesame seeds on the bun. I wish you could help me determine if the mayonnaise is still good, or if the leftover chili is safe to eat. I’d like to teach you to locate the rotten smell permeating from the backseat of my car. But I guess I’ll just have to look for the source.
I am aware of your preference for blue and yellow. I’m trying to make sense of your scents as together we explore the world. Thank you Dwight.
dear-dwight 