It happens every year.
But at least this time we were given a full fragrant nine days of its magnificence.
Arriving home just now by taxi I see the first carpets of petals: you could scoop them all up, and make a nifty little osmanthus concrete or absolute
The Black Narcissus 
I’d be tempted to!
If I hadn’t been so exhausted and cold in the hideous rain, I might have top – but I know it will flower again next year.
It seems most people I talk to have been overworked and exhausted recently. Hope you get to unwind a bit over the weekend.
Thanks. You too.
A typhoon is on its way – can’t wait to just hide at home for three days; nice big grocery shop after work
I hope you’ll get better 🙂
As a digression : some advice, about the best comforting clothing against the cold and humid weather.
. A coat with duck down.
. Good sport legging, and maybe an under-t-shirt.
. Good wool, starting with the head piece, socks, and torso. (as a britt, you should know)
And I mean “second-hand”. It seems second-hand websites are the place where x-mas cashmere goes to die. There is a shit ton of offer, with luxury brands at a fifth of the price.
If you’re 1m80 tall (5’11) and around 83kg.
. A coat with duck down. Light and breathable.
“Pyrenex”, men M-L, or female 44-46.
. Good sport legging. It “wicks” the humidity out.
“Helly hansen”, “lifa” threading, men L, they are the best I know.
. Wool.
Eric Bompard, pure cashmere, L. But anything will do.
Most coat do not protect against the cold weather. They are made for sport, so they are design to let 30% of the extra heat out. Only wool and down will keep you warm even if you don’t move, and are already cold.
Wash down and wool first in a bucket, submerge it with the hottest water of your shower/bath for 5mn (it’s around 60°C), with any body soap (no enzyme, the true secret of special wool washing powder), push it a little like a dough, at the end. (60°C also kills bedbugs, lice, etc.) Then in the washing machine at cold temperature (no more heat shock, no enzyme, no shrinking).
A down coat need more rinse. The down coat may need a laundry dryer. It must get dry. And a laundry dryer is much faster than a hair dryer to get it puffy again.
I couldn’t live without Uniqlo Heat Tech underwear
Such sport legging really succeeds its “second skin” effect. I must confess, I happen to wear them to sleep.
I feel the cold RIDICULOUSLY so I bless their manufacture !
Nature and its infinite cycles are such welcome reassurance of better times to come.
(Especially when humanity has lost its @#$%^&*!!! mind.)
So sad, but this is when Persephone heads back to the underworld; it is the way it is.
I wonder what a potpourri of the blossoms would smell like, if left to dry?
Good point, actually – but I imagine a little sour and barnyardy. I would like to try it anyway.
It’s definitely worth a try.