I have written in past columns about the smells of nature and what smells are unmistakably unique. We went through a dry spell this spring and when we finally got a much-needed rain it gave our world a whole wonderful smell. I don’t thing there is anything more refreshing than the smell of the outdoors after a spring rain. It’s like summer making a statement that it is ready!

I think that there are definitely a lot of smells that I have experienced at the time and filed away only to be forgotten about until having the opportunity to once again experience them. A new litter of puppies has a distinct smell all its own. This is not to be confused with “dog breath,” which we have all been exposed to at one time or another. There are, however many times when it is noticed coming from the mouth of a fellow human and not that of a canine.

Camping also brings out a lot of the best smells, like the smell of a campfire or of bacon frying in the pan over an open fire — now that is a truly mouth watering smell! Pine sap when it gets on your gloves or hands after splitting wood or cutting up a fallen pine tree is an awesome smell. To me this smell is as good as any aftershave or cologne, if only it could be bottled to preserve that exact same smell. Most attempts to do that have resulted in the Pine-Sol smell, which makes me feel tired because it indicates there could be work involved.

Who of us hasn’t driven past a field of freshly mown hay and tried to breathe in that special smell? I guess if you have allergies or hay fever it’s probably not a smell you really want to dwell on. As I walk around the neighborhood I enjoy the smell of a freshly mown lawn. This smell is totally different from freshly cut hay but to me just as enjoyable. I guess that hay is a “big” smell and the grass is a smaller version. The sense of smell is just another tool we use to enjoy our natural environment.

When you enjoy the outdoors your options are not limited to hunting or fishing. You don’t have to be a hiker, jogger or a bike rider to enjoy nature. All you need to do is take a little time to “stop and smell the roses.”

I usually take a walk in the early morning and there are many times when people drive down to the landing at Frank Hall Park just to watch the waterfowl and enjoy the sunrise. It’s like the day I talked to Al Carstens. He was there just enjoying the beauty of an eagle perched in a nearby tree. That’s really what it’s all about, enjoying our resources that we have available right here in our area. The best part is that you don’t have to buy a license to take advantage of all the sights, sounds and smells of our great outdoors.

There was one occasion when I was walking past the landing and an elderly gentleman and his wife were parked in front of the “Please don’t feed the waterfowl” sign, she was behind the wheel and I could hear him yelling something. As I got closer I could see that he was throwing bread slices out for the ducks but I soon realized that he was yelling at the seagulls trying to chase them away. The reason he was yelling was because those gulls were grabbing the bread slices as fast as he threw them out of the window and the ducks weren’t getting any of them. I guess you could call that a kind of poetic justice.

I have been guilty of allowing the grandkids feed the ducks when they were smaller. I don’t think the signs were there then but the reason for not doing it was. There were a couple of years when a pair of mallards inhabited some of the yards in our neighborhood. I guess they thought it was a good place to raise a family. The grandkids would throw them slices of bread when they ventured onto our yard and they’d devour them happily. When the grandkids weren’t around their food source disappeared and they eventually moved on.

If we feed wild critters on a regular basis they will get dependent on it and pretty soon they will forget about having to fend for themselves and doing what comes natural. Over the years we have always had a small group of waterfowl that insists on “wintering over” in Minnesota because people are feeding them and they are finding small areas of open water to hang out in. This can work out OK for them until we experience a harsh winter and then the result of that may not be that good for the waterfowl. I guess the bottom line is that we need to heed the old saying “let nature take it’s course” which will allow the wildlife to exist naturally, even in the city.

Musky Talk

The May meeting of Chapter 54 of Muskies Inc. will be Wednesday at the Eagles Club in Owatonna at 7 p.m. Our speakers, just in time before the June musky opening, will be Tom Lenort from Tom’s Taxidermy at Clarks Grove. He will give tips on how to get the best replica of your trophy catch. Tom is a long-time musky fisherman and fishes Canadian waters.

Our second speaker will be John Underhill, author of the two-part article, “Catch and Release, Hows and Whys” in Musky magazine. He will give us a reminder program and bring us up to date on best tools and safe methods for fast release, for both you and the fish. John fishes Leech Lake.

Our meetings are the second Wednesday of every month. They include informative speakers, activity updates, door prizes, and raffle. Visitors interested in musky fishing are always welcome. Musky hunters, bring a friend and check us out. Help improve musky fishing in southern Minnesota. Visit our Web site at “www.michapter54.com.”

Until next time enjoy the spring, play safe and get out and enjoy the great Minnesota outdoors.

Remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers throughout the year.