Happy Thursday

T.G.I.T.
Thank Goodness it's Thursday.

I confess. I got nothing. At least nothing new.

My challenges are getting to be more of a ...challenge.   They are time specific or place specific. And I'm not in the right time or place! 

But.
I do have a garden update.

It's starting to bloom!

Daffodils near the drive.  Sorry- didn't realize this pic was a bit blurred.

 Goodness. I thought I looked at these when I took them. Must not have had my glasses on.

Anyway, more daffs in the zoo/garden.

 Johnny Jump Ups!! Particularly exciting because there are a bunch of them and we didn't plant them.

Left over from the previous owner and they must have appreciated the fertilizer that was sprinkled about last fall.

 Even the Allium is trying to get in on the action.

Tulips and Grape Hyacinths.

The Grape Hyacinths are also volunteers. 

I wish I had seen these beds when the original owners were here.

I bet they were lovely.

However, those pesky vegetable seeds I planted aren't doing much. That would be No. 39: Grow a Vegetable.  Apparently I planted the most under achieving seeds ever. Especially those tomatoes. The green peppers are at least making an effort...

And outside the sugar snap peas have sprouted and totally surpassed the inside sprouts.

The slacker tomatoes. 

Honestly. They are no larger than they were a month ago.

The green peppers at least look more robust.

Still. Not much of a showing.

Another thing that I have been working on is No. 36: Find a Signature Fragrance. I have always had a thing for gardenias. Ask anyone who knew me in Mexico- there was a gardenia lotion available only there that I lived in.  And while since then I have never considered myself a "floral"scent person, guess what I realize I've been attracted to? Yep. Florals. 

This morning I read two different blogs that were espousing grown up versions of gardenia perfumes. Off to "The Perfumed Court" website and decants are on their way to me. Yay! It's an early Mother's Day present to myself. Maybe one of these will be "the one". Or at least "the one for right now".

(What did I order? Arquiste Boutonniere and Annick Goutal Gardenia Passion. I'll let you know…)

And Thursday is the last day to get in on the double give-away for a blanket from my new venture, Cherry Creek Co.  That's No. 10: Start a business.    Click here to enter. Or go here if you just want to see the lovelies and buy one flat out.  That's okay with me, too.

Have  a great weekend.  After this week, I need a break! 

No. 36- Makes Scents to Me

NO. 36- Makes Scents to Me

No. 36: Find a "signature" fragrance or two.

Finding a signature scent sounds like fun.

But not for me.

I have fabulous allergies AND a horrible sense of smell.   Perfume that smells great in a bottle will smell like the cat box needs cleaning once it is on. Perfume is chemistry, chemistry, chemistry.  Chemistry was not my best subject.  Actually, I don’t even think I took chemistry.

BUT… I love it when someone smells good. I love that intimacy of getting close to someone and noting they have on perfume or cologne.

I love the memories scents can evoke.

Grey Flannel cologne on anyone totally takes me back to a cabin in Hartford, Ct. in the late 70s.  The guy that wore the cologne is long gone but that scent was such a part of him that I will never be able to connect it to any other time or place.

Aramis reminds me of my brother, Paul. I think he bathed in it when we were in high school. It’s odd that I don’t know whether he continued to wear that cologne as an adult.  The 70s again.

My brother, Paul. 1973

Diesel fuel and wood smoke on a crisp morning will immediately transport me to San Miguel. If I close my eyes I will be walking to class. I can see/feel/smell in my mind the buses belching their exhaust as they pass and the street vendors hawking breakfast tacos or corn con chile y limón being cooked over small wood burning stoves. 1975

San Miguel de Allende, Gto. Mexico

And nothing beats the smell of two teenaged girls that have dashed off to school, leaving a path of Juicy Couture and Hollister in their wake. 2012

In the land of teenage girls

(This is not to be compared with the fog of Axe trailed by teenage boys, a stage this house has thankfully passed. 2005/2006/2007)

So I want that power. For people to recognize a scent that belongs to me.

But it’s hard to find the perfect scent among all the choices. 

Where to start?

I’ve found some websites that offer samples. News to me that you could order decants of certain perfumes in trial sizes.

Some of the options, including decants from The Perfumed Court

But still, you need to have an idea of what to order.

So- what makes a scent perfect?

I’m taking suggestions. What are your favorites? 

And where do scents take you?

For samples of different perfumes- more perfumes than you could ever imagine- click here or here or here

For a really perverse but terribly entertaining read on perfume, read this .

For a little (entertaining) insight into how the brain and smell work together, click here.