So. Here’s the thing. I got nothin’. But I also have SOOO much. I’m going to list all the stuffs, you pick what is interesting and dump the rest. And then tell me what stuffs YOU gots. Okay?
Yep. It’s that kind of time.
- Gardening. O.M.G. Remember February? Apparently I didn’t. Because, sometime during February I must’ve gotten hammered (more than once) and bought ever. damb. dahlia tuber out there. Seriously. In late April the boxes started arriving. At first, it was lovely (oooh! Steve Meggos! …um, who the hell is Steve Meggos? ) and then, another box. And another. And then? Mistress K brought over the box of tubers she’d overwintered for me! 10 tubers I’d dug up in late October, sitting snug in their peat moss beds. Omg. They’re all potted up now (or at Mistress K’s house (because DAHLIAS! TOO MANY DAHLIAS) where, no doubt, they are snug in the ground) – and now they are starting to poke their heads out of the dirt. Come late August I’ll be thrilled. But I feel NO joy about it right now. What I feel is like this:
2. Weeding. Eh. You know…..I think I’ve turned a corner about the state of the garden. Granted, I don’t want it to look like a rainforest out there (and I do love a crisp edge to a bed)… but I’m no longer willing to obsess about a few weeds. Heck, even a LOT of weeds. Here’s the thing: I put up a new hummingbird feeder in the round border – first evah! back there. I thought it would take a week, maybe 2, for the hummers to find it and get comfortable with it.
Six minutes. Six. Minutes. She nearly knocked me down, trying to get to it. Males also come to this one, which is lovely. And, if I’m honest, I’d rather sit there and watch them than weed. Fight me.
outta my way!
3. Drydown v. First Blast. Your thoughts? I was sniffing the drydown of……what? (omg. hang on, it’ll come to me)…….ooh! Vintage Jean Patou Joy! First Blast is still damb near perfect (it was a gift from my parents via some Duty Free back in the early 70s and has been protected in its box since forever) but the drydown on this perfume (nearly 45 yrs old) is gorgeous – no. GORGEOUS! Next day (or next day on fabric) is even lovelier. Ditto Mitsouko (pretty much any iteration). And Amouage Beloved. Whereas Carnal Flower smells best right out of the sprayer. Ditto No5 (okay – it smells amazing either out of the sprayer or the next day). Amouage Gold (along with its fraternal twin, Rive Gauche) another First Blast. Do you have Ddown v. FB preferences?
4. Perfume News: Amouage’s vaunted Creative Director, Christopher Chong, has left the building. It sounds like an elegant, measured departure, which is what I would expect of such an elegant personage. No details, yet, on his future plans – it might not even be in the perfume industry; Chong is classically trained as an operatic baritone (and a good portion of his Creative output has had a musical/operatic theme. I doubt he’s going to go manage a Home Depot, though. Just sayin’. But! Just imagine if he were…. can you just imagine how……FABULOUS! that Home Depot would be!?!?
Also, it looks as if Acqua di Parma is discontinuing Iris Nobile. I’m stocking up (one of my faves). Just. In. Case.
One of these pieces of news saddens me but also intrigues me (next steps). The other just saddens me.
5. Gotta love Nature. ‘Life Finds a Way’. I chopped my ‘Julia Child’ rose to just 5″ from the base – it was seriously injured in our Winter Vortexes – and I feared for its future. Gave it some bat guano and some worm castings and hoped for the best. I needn’t have worried. It’s a stubby little thing – but it’s blooming its tail off! Not one, not two, but THREE blossoms – the blossoms are bigger than the plant right now!
and have you ever smelled rosa ‘Julia Child’? It’s a hypnotic blend of spice, rose (duh) and licorice!
oooh! Before I forget: WINNAHS!!! from my Musings post (honestly, the things you guys put up with! I sound like a lunatic on here, most times)
Mo
Pam
gmail me: evilauntieanita – I’ll get out some goodies to you. I confess, I’m a bit behind. Blame it on the hummingbirds. But I promise I’ll get it out asap.
Yep about the Julia Child rose. Mine has been through heat, drought, and crazy wind. It’s still going strong.
I’m a bit sad about Iris Nobile. I love it, too.
As for the blast, Sarrasins by SL and most of my other citrus and white florals open quite lovely.
Drydown? Waaay too many, but anything with orris root, smooth sandalwood, or frankicense notes works – well, nearly everything.
My tiny backyard is at the jungle stage. My family members and I need to band together and clear it out, but every day feels like a journey into Satan’s lobby, so my enthusiasm is nil. As for first blast vs. drydown: I love the first blast, nay the first microseconds, of Fracas. It has this intense, sweet, green LotV instant before the buttery tuberose hits. I wore Fracas with abandon back in college when a friend gifted me a huge bottle of it. Now it’s too much of a muchness for me. I totally agree about the drydown of Mitsouko. It goes on and on forever without ever getting boring or dull.
Heya Musette,
Is Julia Childs named after the cooking woman?
Portia xx
I love those big Pom Pom dahlias.
Ok, I was doing great with the gardening until this hot hot weather hit. I LOVE irises, and they bloomed this spring like crazy. But now— well, it’s time for daylilies, and they are not loving the heat. And we need some rain.
Dahlias have not yet sunk their claws in my heart. Maybe next year.
I just wanted to comment on your posts as a whole. I gotta say, I love reading them. I have never heard your actual voice, but in reading your words, I HEAR your voice.
I wish I could write like that!
I’m absolutely 100% the same! 🙂
This makes me smile. Her talking sounds exactly like her writing. It’s pretty fabulous.
My flower boxes are doing great on the balcony, mini roses and lavender, going great guns. Very happy, cuz last year the begonias and the herb garden were an epic fail.
Best opening blast: Tubereuse Criminelle, I want to keep spraying for that wintergreen blast. No. 18 too, for that gin and tonic blast. Best drydown: vintage Dune. The opening is a bit dodgy but the drydown is so worth it.
It will be interesting to see what direction Amouage takes, I haven’t been a fan of lots of the latest releases.
And Tropicana roses – someday I’ll have another. So gorgeous.