Thursday, May 31, 2012

Oh, I Love That Smell

Barbara's mention of Proust's madelines reminded me of how powerful a smell can be in invoking memories. I was thinking of some of my favorite smells and here they are:

  • There's a smell that I haven't experienced in years, and it's a combination of old-fashioned sun tan lotion and snack bar grilling hot dogs grease. Oh, that is the smell of summer to me.
  • I love to smell dill and will stop to sniff it in the grocery store. My grandmother had this big dill bush that she used to make pickles and I loved to do a face plant in it as a little girl. It was as tall as I was and I loved both the smell and the tickly feeling of the dill against my face.
  • I love the smell of bleach. Even now when I do laundry, I'll take a sniff. If I've bleached a load, I love the wet bleach smell of the clothes when they're done.
  • The Body Shop used to have a seaweed soap that I loved and used for a number of years and every morning in the shower it was like being on an ocean beach. Of course, they discontinued it, and I've never found a seaweed/ocean/beach soap that actually smells like that.
  • Of course, there's lavendar.
  • I don't experience it much in the city, but when I was in Ohio, I smelled freshly cut grass which is so sweet and clean.
  • I also don't experience this much, but I would actually love to have a clothesline since I love the smell of clothes dried in the sun.
And you?

3 comments:

Mary Mc said...

I love the smell of honeysuckle when you walk by it, especially if you aren't expecting it.
I love the smell of rain when the windows are open.
I love the smell of something baking with cinnamon in it
I love the smell of a baby after her bath

Amy Laboda said...

Jasmine on a sultry, humid night (which we have quite a few of around here this time of year). It just wafts onto the porch with the tiniest breeze. It is the only relief from air that you could cut with a knife.

Melissa said...

Rosemary!. I have one in my front gardenand can smell from my front porch.
A charcoal fire with burgers or steak grilling (gas grills robbed us of much of this).
Brownies baking in the oven... I can't resist!