December, Past and Present

Hey friends!  Anita’s still in beatdown/recovery mode from her pinched nerve, and keyboard typing is a no-no right now, so she asked me to take today. So here we are! Let’s talk about any special things you’ve done or are… Continue Reading

Sweet Traditions

My mom never baked, but I was introduced to the wonderful world of holiday baked goods at the Lutheran church I grew up in. Those folks knew a thing or two about baked goods (and strong coffee). The fellowship hall… Continue Reading

Traditions, Old and New

Hey, everyone! When this post goes up, Thanksgiving in the U.S.A. will be a few short days away.  Ah, Thanksgiving – that time of year when we gather with family and friends to fall face-first into turkey and all the… Continue Reading

Scented Journeys of the Past

Do you want to go somewhere?  I do, probably sometime next spring when it’s cold and windy here. I won’t be flying to Maine for Christmas; this is literally my first one without the kids since I had them. The… Continue Reading

Leather Boots, Leather Scents

One of my vivid childhood memories is going with my father on Saturday mornings to “the shoeshine store.”  It was a repair shop near a military base, so the shelves held row upon row of combat boots, and behind the… Continue Reading

Smell Like a Million Bucks

As I type this, it’s been raining off and on (more “on”) for a week. It’s the kind of steady rain and leaden sky that – in a high-desert city with 300+ days of sun a year – is noteworthy.… Continue Reading

Three More from D.S. & Durga

Hey, friends!  I was walking around downtown, passed a shop I must have strolled by dozens of times at this point, and – lo and behold – through the open doorway I saw a fragrance display.  It turned out to… Continue Reading