Sunday, May 10, 2009

Dirt and Mothering

Mothers know a lot about dirt.

Dirt that needs a bath.  Dirt that needs laundry.  Dirt that the dog brought in.  Dirt that one neighbor tries to offer about another.  Dirt that just won't get out from under the fingernails.  Dirt that gathers into an astonishing mega dust bunny within 24 hours of a vacuuming.

(Hmmm...maybe that's more than 24 hours...but boy, those "bunnies" sure can grow to impressive diameter.)

Anyway, I happen to be a fan of dirt.  Because I'm a gardener.  I like the way dirt smells.  Humus, quality loam, potting soil...I love it all.  I'm a fan of the right dollop of dirt in certain perfumes, too.  Of course, there are variations on what "dirt" means to different sniffers.  Today, since I am chomping at the bit and go out and dig in my own little patch of green, I'm going to offer up a couple of recent favorite scents with "real" dirt inside.

CB I Hate Perfume Wild Hunt   Yum, yum...and not in a gourmand way.  Not at all.  This is violets on the forest floor, remembering there is green about you, and you get to go for a ride and continue deeper into the woods and stop and smell the humus.  The smell takes you up above the ground to discover the violets (which waft a bit in the air), and then drops you down on the ground again, then mixes them around.  Nice.

Ayala Moriel Rainforest  Okay here's a brand new one to my sniffer, and I am infatuated.  Brings together a couple of passions of mine, galbanum and dirt, on either end of a really fun deep dark dense evolution from one to the other.  Oh, lawsy, where Wild Hunt lets you linger a few feet above the ground on the waft of violets, Rainforest insists you stick with the leaves and the needles and the ground and remember that this growing thing is vegetal, baby.  Ayala calls it a "coniferous chypre," and I can see why.  Vaguely resiny, definitely the green of a mixed forest.  Remember, rainforests don't just exist in tropical zones...you can also meander through a rainforest near the 45th parallel on the Pacific coast.  You won't find piranhas, but should be prepared to encounter socks with Birkenstocks. 

I'm heading out to dig, which has become a traditional Mother's Day gift to me:  protected time in the garden, with ready labor as requested.

Happy Mother's day to all who mother, and all who are remembering their mothers.

8 comments:

Divina said...

Hi S! I gave you a fabulous blog award, hope it's welcome!

ScentScelf said...

You are too kind!! Thank you very much--I shall be posting about it within the week...

:)

Nathan Branch said...

The Ayala Moriel sounds fantastic. A coniferous chypre. I'm kind of finding myself in the mood for something just like it.

This is a much more "green" spring for me than it was last year. I keep pulling out the Eau de Polder and pairing it with dry woods so that I can get a sweet wildflowers in the woods effect.

Where did that come from? Should I blame you?

Rose said...

Mother's day is a different time of year here but I have been enjoying read all the related posts and thinking I should have done one.

I know i keep saying this but I need to try the CB's- where is my plane ticket to Brooklyn? it seems too costly to get samples of them all posted... well maybe it doesn't hmm

Musette said...

Both sound terrific, but I'm leaning towards the CB IHP because of the violet. I wore Vert Violette a few days ago, longing for the green and violet - but found myself missing the dirt.

Lovely post. And lovely MDay gift as well - mine is this afternoon, when I take a much-needed break from the shop biz and dig some dirt, prep to planting before tomorrow's thunderstorm.

xoxoxoA

ScentScelf said...

Nathan,
Hey, if that's what you're doing, I'm happy to take the blame...whether it belongs to me or not. ;) I might try it myself.

I actually found myself with a trio of green Ayala...I shall report more forthwith. Suffice to say for now, I am happy.

Especially since I've got a wee bit of the polder on standby....

ScentScelf said...

Rose,
The CB's are such fun. Let me know if you need a post enabler...I am happy to take the hit. (Seems I'm all about taking on the blame today. :) )

OTOH...a trip to Brooklyn/NYC...perhaps you'd rather invest the post money in a plane ticket...hmmm *hmmm*....

ScentScelf said...

Musette,
There's something about the dirt that makes it just right. Maybe it's the time of year...maybe it just "grounds" the violet in a way that makes it not...sappy.

Glad you'll be getting a chance to get out in the dirt yourself. I am having me a good time out there...digging season is open!