The smell of snow

When I was very very young my grandmother used to spend the winters with us. Every winter when the first snow fell she would tell me the same thing, "if you rub the first snow of the season onto your cheeks you will be young forever".

A few nights ago I went out for a moment late in the evening and instantly I knew. Entering the house I exclaimed "It smells like snow!". Even in such a northern place as Stockholm this is a statement that is not taken seriously in the middle of October.

But then yesterday evening, there it was.

How snow smells? Sweet. Wet. Naked. Young. Secret. Sleek. Light. Transient.