I’ve been working
on a new story partially set on a farm/ranch reminiscent of where I grew up in
South Dakota, and just as I was debating with myself on how to properly describe a
particular setting, we had overnight rain and snow.
I was
suddenly reminded me of storms on our farm and how a slough located between
the main pasture and our farmyard would smell just after moisture fell. I was surprised how the thought of that distinctive
pungent odor came rushing back to me – and how quickly it gave me a couple of
ideas to use in the descriptive parts of my new story.