ahhh. 'tis the season of spring fairs and church fetes, school fund raiser stalls and spring-cleaned junk sales. i thought these rustic mugs, from the junk stall at the local soroptimists craft fair to be Provencal at first glance. the colour, austere design, the surprising, pleasing weightiness in your hand. but no, they're Buchan of Portobello, Scotland, where it seems the practicality of a winter weight mug with thick walls to keep your tea hot has not been forgotten. lily of the valley a dollar a posy, a churchyard renovation fundraiser, the smell of which brings my maternal grandmother back from the grave (in a nice, non halloween-y way).
Did your granny smell? my other nanan smelled like powder-from-a-compact, her husband of snuff. my maternal grandfather reeked of homebrew, but only in the late afternoon. i've been told i smell like a newborn baby! what a compliment! it's actually a dash of angel by Thierry Mugler, in case you'd like to smell of newborn baby too!
all who rejoice in op-shopping join me here
Oh you didn't Max...not a $1!! I adore lily-of-the-valley but it's hardly ever available round here. I have my fingers crossed for St Matthew's Fair next weekend. It's actually the only fragrance I ever wear. New born baby scent...mmm the mind boggles as to how they made that one ; )
ReplyDeleteSomebody was scented with Violets you know the Oil of Ulan smell but I can't recall if it was Rob's grandmother or mine! Hope you're tummy's starting to settle...soon! x0x0x
i might have guessed lilly of the valley was your signiture scent-floral, nostalgic-perfect for you! i LOVE the smell of violets, the flowers, the scent, the lollies!
DeleteI love Lily of the Valley too, but am thinking that church is going to have to sell an awful lot of those bunches if it looks like the many I saw on my trip to Chch :( As for trying to remember what Nana smelt of, I think roast mutton! But the flowers that always remind me of her are Barnhaven primroses. She used to import the seed from England, and it would take a year or so to see the flowers, I think she liked the anticipation of not knowing when they'd flower and what colour combo they would be. And can I make a confession I've never really got into that newborn baby smell, people used to rave about it, but then I've got such a heightened sense of smell all I could smell was curdled milk and nappies that need changing! S:)
ReplyDeletesadly true, and it's the oldest and most beautiful seemingly that have the worst earthquake damage. barnhaven primroses, they sound lovely, i must look them out. so there's a downside to having a well developed sense of smell!!! i had the most wonderful experience during my first pregnancy, where just for an hour or so i could smell the difference between trees-not flowering trees, end of winter damp, not usual scented trees. i loved it, but prob. looked a little mad sniffing at and dashing between trees!
DeleteThank you for introducing me to the soroptomists and I do really like your mugs. I remember the new baby smell of my sister when she was brought home from the hospital, and yes my daughter smelt the same. Sort of milky, I think. Lily of the Valley reminded me that when I was little I got a soap in a tin for Christmas one year. I still have the tin.
ReplyDeletei remember those tins! grannys always had the 'set' didn't they. perfume, soap, bath cubes, talcum powder all matching scents-no wonder we remember there smell, it was probably overpowering!
DeleteI wear Angel too, apparently some people really hate it, but I've never had anything but compliments on it. My late Gran always smelled of Chanel no5. I associate the smell of a full English breakfast with my other Gran, not that she smells like a fry up personally but she always used to make one in the mornings when we came to stay.
ReplyDeleteLovely mugs xx
what a sophisticated Gran!
DeleteGood sturdy Scottish mugs, perfect for builders' tea!
ReplyDeleteI have no recollection of what my Grandma smelt of... Mildew? xxx
heh heh heh, you never fail to make me laugh! ooh, and i'm sending you a pretty tea towel sometime between now and chrimbo if you send me address. any particular dedication you want on it?
Deletemax x