Yesterday when I was out running I smelled the most
remarkable thing. It was so compelling that I had to stop and inhale it until I
had the scent fixed in my memory. On my short route, a vacant lot that formerly
was half of someone’s property is starting to be developed. The loggers and
earth-scrapers have done their evil job, and now someone has put up a new fence
on one side of the development. My guess is that it’s probably the people who
live next to the construction activity, not the developer.
The smell emanating from this new fence was one of the most
remarkable wood scents I’ve ever experienced. It was like a mix of freshly cut
pine, fir, cedar, and oak wood with not a hint of green leaves, topped off by a
smoky, burnt, caramelized sugar. I can't even begin to do it justice in words.
The really interesting tie-in to this wood smell is the
fragrance of a small orchid that’s usually blooming in my greenhouse,
Maxillaria variabilis. It has a similar oak wood and caramel smell, and I’ve
always been tempted to make a perfume based on it. The fence I smelled today
was like a larger-than-life version of the Maxillaria, but even better.
The Maxillaria-new fence perfume is going on my list of ones
to make this year!
[Board fence photo from Wikimedia; Maxillaria variabilis photo is mine.]
Book me a bottle already please!
ReplyDeleteFrederic, there will definitely be a bottle with your name on it!
ReplyDeleteWe just had half the back fence replaced, the right hand side back neighbours fence we share was in terrible shape and it was well overdue. The smell is great, the treatment they give the wood adds something thick and feral to the woods. I was doing quite a bit of sniffing at it.
ReplyDeletePortia xx
Thanks for taking the time to discuss on fencing, I feel strongly about this and so really like getting to know more on this kind of field.
ReplyDelete