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Stick Work

Visiting the Griswold Museum in Old Lyme, CT is like stepping back in time. Formerly a turn of the 20th century Artist Colony overlooking the Lieutenant River, the museum now houses an American Impressionist gallery.

It’s also home to The Rambles, a magnificent 21 foot tall environmental sculpture. NC artist Patrick Dougherty creates his Stickwork installations worldwide. He bends, weaves, and flexes native birch saplings into architectural wonders, with the help of a team of local volunteers.

Walking up to the Welcome Desk, we spot The Rambles through windows overlooking the back lawn.  After purchasing our admission tickets, we’re immediately drawn back outside. The maze of structures beckons our exploration. Muffled sounds, filtered light, and the scent of dried wood surround us. Viewed from different vantage points, The Rambles alternately looks like huge bird nests, or Stonehenge, or a herd of grazing elephants with long trunks and floppy ears. The beauty of The Rambles evolves with time – the sculpture erodes as the seasons change, and eventually fades back into the landscape.

Here are a few fragrances that include Birch, along with their scent notes:

Miller Harris Fleurs de BoisGalbanum, Grass, Lemon, Green Mandarin, Rosemary, Rose, Jasmine, Iris, Oak Moss, Patchouli, Sandalwood, Vetiver, Myrrh and Birch

Parfumerie Generale L’Eau Rare MataleSage, White Flowers, Bergamot, Black Matale Tea, Virginia Cedar, Chinese Cedar, Vetiver, Birch, Burnt Woods, Pepper and Musk

Serge Lutens Chene Cedar Crystals, Wood Sap, Black Thyme, Oak, Immortelle, Beeswax, Silver Birch, Rum Absolute and Tonka Bean

Il Profumo Vetiver de Java Lavender, Vetiver, Birch, Incense, Red Rose, Cashmere Cypress, Guaiac Wood, Oak Moss

D&G 6 L’AmoureuxBergamot, Juniper Berry, Pink Pepper, Cardamom, Birch Leaf, Orris Root, Musks, Woods

Bois 1920 Vento di FioriSicilian Lemon, Cardamom, Tarragon, Jasmine, Galbanum, Patchouli, Amber, Oak Moss, Musk, Siberian Birch

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Pear Tree

When I was a young teen, my grandfather planted a spindly little Bartlett pear tree in our backyard. As the years went by, we watched the fledgling tree grow large and leafy. Still more years passed before we saw blossoms, then finally fruit. Now our flourishing tree yields hundreds of pears each summer. In late July and early August, you’ll find my mom, along with several of her tall grandsons, picking bushels of the hard green fruit from Grandpa’s prolific tree. After a few days of storage in brown paper bags, the pears ripen, sweet and succulent. That’s when Mom’s work resumes. She spends countless hours paring, slicing, and simmering the pears into a delicious fruit sauce. The house fills with a delightful aroma and Grandpa’s loving legacy.

Here are a few delicate pear fragrances to try, along with their scent notes:

Jo Malone English Pear and FreesiaSweet Pears, White Ffreesias, Wild Roses, Amber, Patchouli & Woods.

Marc Jacobs Pear SplashPear, Bergamot, Musk, Juniper, Teakwood, Freesia, Amber, Lemon & Gin

Laura Tonatto M’amoPear, Mint, Eucalyptus & Musk

L’Artisan Mon Nombre 1Pear and Mimosa

Annick Goutal Petite CheriePear, Peach, Musky Rose, Fresh Cut Grass & Vanilla

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Mint Condition

When the days are sizzling, keeping cool is a priority. While some people steer clear of fragrances when the temperatures soar, I reach for my mints. The cooling tingle of a mint fragrance is always a treat on my skin. It’s best when newly spritzed, and later on, it’s nice to catch the drydown’s herbal whirl.

Here are a few of my favorite mint fragrances, along with their scent notes:

Guerlain Aqua Allegoria Mentafollia – Mandarin Zest, Mint Leaves, Rose, Jasmine, Green Tea & Cedar

Dawn Spencer Hurwitz Menthe Moderne – Bergamot, Lime Peel, Spearmint, Green Tea, Peppermint, Petitgrain, Silver Fir, Violet & Virginia Cedar

Jo Malone Fresh Mint Leaf – Mint, Basil, Mate, Violet, Jasmine & White Musk

Gorilla Perfume Dirty – Spearmint, Thyme, Tarragon, Lavender, Sandalwood & Oakmoss

Philosophy Tea – LE & discontinued, no available scent notes. Spearmint predominates.

Don’t you feel cooler already?