I'm feeling the need to run away ...

from book reviews, tragic anniversaries and other burdensome things, so it seems like a good time to blather about perfume. Here are some random thoughts on recent sniffery:

Neil Morris Spectral Violet: I won't even try to give a full review this one, because Mary already captured it so perfectly in hers. (You'll find her whole series of Neil Morris reviews here. Just page down to SV.) However, I do want to say that as someone who has mixed feelings about violet notes, and violet soliflores in particular, I find SV completely lovable. Most violet scents strike me as insipid. I like violet when it comes along with the moxie of something like Jolie Madame; and I like it candied and romantic, as in N'Aimez que Moi. I can't stand it in its plastic, sweetly watery persona--Marc Jacobs Violet is a classic example. SV, as Mary so rightly points out, has a very natural character. It's like sticking your nose down in a pot of violets. It gives you green, earthy, sweet--the whole shebang. And, to quote Mary again, it's a truly unisex floral. I would love to smell this on a guy.

Madini oils: Anybody who's been looking at my "Scent of the Moment" knows I've been going through the whole catalog of Madini oils lately. I don't know why, but a few weeks ago I just started channeling the ghost of some scent-loving hippie, and I can't get enough of smelling like a head shop. Fortunately, Dave is extremely fond of Eau de 70s Stoner, so I get no complaints when I dab on the heavy, sweet, animalic Musk Gazelle, which dries down to the scent I imagine Tabu must once have been. He also really likes the heady floral shriek of Narciso. I've gotten compliments from regular people on Azahar, which is a pure orange blossom scent that lacks both the acrid edge of most fake orange blossom frags, as well as the musk that is usually employed to cover up that problem. I've tried about half the others to be found at Talisman, but those are my faves so far. I'm sure I'll post about some more in the future.

The Fragrance Shop: More oils here, but not the hippie kind. TFS has a vast catalog of imported and domestic oils, including numerous musks, plus their own blends, but they are probably best known for their dupes. I've got to say, I've tried a lot of their dupes over the years, and the only ones I'd really jump up and down about are Je Reviens and Tatiana, both of which smell perfectly like their vintage versions. The Tatiana is especially nice, and may contain a better quality jasmine than the original ever did. There are some real winners among their house blends, especially China Lily, which is a classic musky China Rain with an big helping of lilies on the side; and The Big Easy, an unusual blend of patchouli, LOTV, amber and vetiver that, inexplicably, actually captures the olfactory character of New Orleans. I'd also give an honorable mention to African Queen, especially if all that talk above about violets got you excited. Married with hyacinth and musk, the violet in this one is sweet but not bland.

Enough blather. Back to work and other stuff for me. Hope everybody has a sweet weekend, and Happy Easter to those who celebrate.


Photo from Wikipedia.

Today is the Vernal Equinox

Go sniff a flower. Pet a bunny, or eat one. Whatever works for you.




Flora, Élizabeth-Louise Vigée-Le Brun (1755-1842)

Read about the goddess Flora here.

Snail sex!

I am still swamped here, and I understand that Friend of the Blog Renee is in the same predicament, so send her some happy thoughts.

I didn't feel I could spare the time to walk this morning (the wind and rain didn't encourage me any), but I did get out yesterday and ran across a pair of amorous snails. I think snails are charming, unlike slugs, which are repulsive--proof of the importance of fashion. The downside of snails is that they crawl onto the trail and are so perfectly camouflaged that I never see them before I feel that special snappy crunch underfoot. Not a good feeling.

Yesterday, though, I was more sharp-eyed than usual and saw two snails getting busy before I stomped them to oblivion. I'd never seen snail sex before, so I crouched down to watch (they didn't mind.) I actually was a little unsure whether what I was watching was snail sex. It could have been snail fighting--I mean, how could you know for sure?

A guy came along the trail, and I felt the need to explain what I was doing. Otherwise he might think I was odd. I asked him, "Do snails mate?"

"I'm sure they do. I imagine it takes a long while." He walked on. "Have a nice day."

I hung out for a few more minutes, but he was right. Proceedings looked like they'd take a while. I lacked the voyeuristic stamina, so I put a big stick down next to them to save them from the footfall of the next hiker, and went on my way.

Fortunately, the Internet offers every kind of virtual erotica, no stamina required. Go here to see some real live snail porn.

This is not a real post

The trilliums (trillia?) are finally popping up. They're a tad late. I suppose that weird snowstorm we had discouraged them, but they were all over the place this morning, which pleased me since they're just about my favorite spring flower.

If I had the energy and time, I'm sure I could think of more things to say about the trillium, but frankly, I'm a little short of both. I've got three articles due in the next few days, which is a heavy schedule for a plodding writer like me. Plus, Dave's birthday is this week, and I have to take the time to shop for him and celebrate properly, since he's getting so damn old.

So, posts may be a little scarce this week, but I promise I'll get some good stuff up once this little hectic spell passes. Meanwhile, you might want to click over to this Prairie Ecosystems website and page down to see some nice photos of prairie wildflowers and insects. You can see more if you go here and click on the link to each locale listed. One of the places, Nichols Park, is just a few blocks from my old apartment in Chicago. Apparently, they did a prairie restoration on a patch of grass in that very urban locale. I love that.



Photo from USDA Plants Database.

It's St. Patrick's Day ...

and I was born in Erin, Tennessee, so how could I resist this 30-year-old clip of The Bothy Band playing the Kesh jig? Happy Monday.

Today is the fifth anniversary of the death of Rachel Corrie ...

and it's a good day to remember that Iraq and Afghanistan are not the only places where the U.S. is involved in war. If you don't know who Rachel Corrie was, you'll get most of the facts in this excellent article at Counterpunch. You can also read about her at her memorial website, and at the site of The Rachel Corrie Foundation for Peace and Justice.

"...And night is night."

A Sunset of the City
by Gwendolyn Brooks

Kathleen Eileen

Already I am no longer looked at with lechery or love.
My daughters and sons have put me away with marbles and dolls,
Are gone from the house.
My husband and lovers are pleasant or somewhat polite
And night is night.

It is a real chill out,
The genuine thing.
I am not deceived, I do not think it is still summer
Because sun stays and birds continue to sing. ...(more)



Head of a Woman, Albrecht Dürer, c.1520. Image from Web Gallery of Art. Text from Poetry Foundation.

Why don't we let Koko Taylor....

banish that little annoyance from yesterday? Here she is singing "Can't Let Go"--how appropriate. Nice little cameo by Lyle Lovett at the beginning, too. Happy weekend, y'all.

Everybody's a critic

New flash: You just can't please some people. I did a review this week for a book of John Baeder's diner paintings. It didn't seem like the kind of thing BG Notes readers would care for, so I wasn't going to bother linking to it on the blog, but this morning I received a rude, snarky email from Baeder himself complaining about the review. Now, if it had been a rude, snarky review (which, believe me, would have been easy enough to write), I would understand. It was, however, a very positive review--a real softball, in fact. Or so it seems to me. Read it here and tell me what you think. I suppose it would be asking too much to expect Baeder to be grateful for 800 happy words about his work, his book and the show he has opening here in December. On the contrary, I suspect he thinks I ought to be grateful that he expended the energy to read my review. Raking in the dough from those paintings must be exhausting.


I shouldn't complain, though, because for every whiner like Baeder there are at least a dozen gracious, talented people who really appreciate the effort that goes into a thoughtful review. Last week I reviewed Susannah Felts' new YA novel, This Will Go Down on Your Permanent Record. Again, I didn't link to it here because I assume (in fact, I hope) I don't get a lot of 15-year-olds hitting this blog. It is a very good book, however, and I recommend it if you're wracking your brain for a gift for your daughter, niece, friend's kid, etc. Go here to read my review. In spite of the fact that I had a tiny quibble with the pacing of the first part of the book, Susannah took the time to say a kind word about the review at her blog. That's very classy. It's her first book. Wish her luck.

The Barbarians were here

Actually, it was just the tree trimming crew, but don't try telling that to Kobi. She spent the day trying to drive them off and I spent the day managing her. We're both exhausted, so blogging will have to wait until tomorrow. Pleasant dreams. I hope I have some.


Hercules capturing Cerberus, Sebald Beham, 1540.