Why Fresh Eucalyptus Reminds Me of Growing Up in Western Kentucky

I have been awash with nostalgia today, and despite the fact that we're nearly a month removed, it's CHRISTMAS nostalgia. It's also "pajama shirts stuck to my chest" nostalgia, but we'll get to that later.

CHRISTMAS IN JANUARY

When I was a kid, and we were still getting real Christmas trees (we're talking a VERY long time ago because we switched to fake ones when I was still in elementary school), Mom and Dad would beat the bushes (no pun intended) looking for just the right one. And there would be times we'd make a mini-road trip out of it. Yes, we'd scour Daviess County, and then, if they weren't satisfied, we'd venture outside of the county. In hindsight, it seems like such a huge waste of time, considering how quickly they got tired of dealing with pine needles all over the carpet and made the switch. But that's what they did. And it was always fun.

AROMAS TRIGGER MEMORIES

I was thinking about that today because Cecil Farms brought us bundles of eucalyptus branches and I've been walking all over the building inhaling deeply and remembering.

I've been remembering those "tree trips," but I've also been flashing back to when Mom would take my sister and me to Welborn's Florist on the first Sunday in November for their Christmas open house. Those eucalyptus bundles smell EXACTLY like a flower shop, and Welborn's in particular. Isn't it amazing how evocative aromas are?

VICK'S SALVE AND PAJAMA SHIRTS DON'T MIX

But when I stick my nose right up into the middle of those leaves, I also remember when I'd have a cold or, God forbid, the croup and Mom would put me in the bed, create a makeshift tent out of it using kitchen chairs and some kind of tarp--it wasn't a tablecloth--and then funneling steam from the humidifier INTO the tent. But NOT before she'd slather my chest Vick's Salve and then put some on the humidifier, too. I hated my pajama shirt sticking to me like that, but it worked. And I was very thankful; I had the croup every year when I was a child until I was about 7 and that COUGH is no joke.

Great memories are why someone came up with #ThrowbackThursday, and I'm here for it.

Now, to go claim my eucalyptus bundle and go back in time all over again.