Although the nightmare has had the audacity to linger – I feel like a fresh start. The pandemic continues to surge as autumn cedes into winter; yesterday I watched my younger sister walk across North London as we caught up by phone : it hasn’t been easy at all for her or my brother, to put it mildly, during this strange and dragged out time for a number of reasons, not the least of which has been now not having work in such an expensive city : struggling with how to get through it ; long strolls in isolation being one of the necessary respites for sanity and health. For the hour that we talked, aside a couple of police cars passing by the forbidding, dark brick buildings and grey skies, I saw hardly a soul walk by her on the pavement ( did I see anyone at all ?)
We ourselves, D and I, had a quiet weekend ; three days at home just quietly marking, reading, and making simple, fresh food: I just feel like a reset. Some calm. The world may roil and rage outside, but it doesn’t have to destroy the sanctity of the individual ; the couple nesting quietly with their cat. You can peer into the kaleidoscope for a second or two – but then just decide to say no.
Last night I tried Lyn Harris’ latest perfume creations for her Perfumer H brand, Cucumber and Pear, both very nicely done curative, refreshing colognes that went well with my mood. Pear is a soft, clean floral musk, with notes of white iris, rosewood, bergamot and mandarin on a bed of vanilla and ‘sugared musk’ : if you are looking for a private prime pyjama perfume – the general air of this skin scent reminds me a little of Hermes Cuir D’Ange (but more angelic) you might want to think about trying this one – I found it quite cosy and gentle ; comforting.
Cucumber is what the perfumer describes as being in the ‘fern’ category – presumably a new British take on fougere – and the base of green woods, vetiver and a salinated sea moss do settle on the skin in a quite contemporary masculine manner while up top, the fresh cucumber sap and cedar wood / lemon rind and violet leaf are realistic and refreshing : placatory to hot minds. In perfume, sometimes the anti-intuitive can yield interesting effects : although probably more suited to summer, watching my sister striding through the streets, morning her time, (evening ours), wrapped up warm in the cold air as she paused to smoke a cigarette outside park gates or leaning up against a backdrop of imposing, civic buildings, I could almost imagine her wearing this scent : the brisk London late November air parsed lightly against the cool notes of crisp green : a pairing : incisive – cutting through the grime of this last year ; keeping calm…………..carrying on.
The Black Narcissus 
Ahhhh. This was just the right tone for me today, and if I had Lynn’s scents you mentioned I’d probably be drenched in both. (Don’t know why, but when I’m by myself in the evening I just go crazy. I like there to be almost a visible cloud of scent evaporating slowly upwards in the air around me.) I don’t think you could overdo it with either Pear or Cucumber. And sometimes, gentle (if in copious quantities if the time is right) is best.
I think the time is right. We have crappy news here — not HERE here, in our little piece of sparsely populated forest, but in BC and most of the rest of Canada — all to do with The Virus, and it’s not pretty. It’s sad and frustrating. I’m glad Ric and I are of the same mind and habit: stay close to home, do the hygge thing consciously (scented candles are mandatory, and so is a blaze of cedar in the wood stove) and wait out the storm. I realize that is a privileged thing to say, fine for us to hunker down comfortably while much of the world is struggling mightily. My empathy triggers are firing on all cylinders. At the same time, there are swarms of covidiots out there who don’t seem to understand. That or they just don’t give a shit. Either way it’s discouraging. Oops. I just worked myself into a bit of a state! Must. Light. Candles.
Thanks for the mental respite, dear N.
That was what I was hoping for myself. Like you and most people I imagine I am striving to find a balance between not being oblivious to it all ( impossible ) but also trying to preserve the essential self.
I have been hypervolatile because of you know who, but the hospital numbers are creeping up here too, though nothing like in the US. I hesitate to mention it all as like you I ‘spike’. This is why the baptismal levels of scent you describe are right : anything to douse the flickering fires a little.
This Cucumber has that bitter green beginning present in Malle’s French Lover but tempered with the ‘cucumber sap’. The base has a fresh integrity – quite nice.
I like that Pear smells nothing like pears but that the name doesn’t seem wrong either – like Pears soap. This perfumer usually has a semi emotive non sentimentality and a slightly ‘removed’ quality I often enjoy.
At least you know who has conceded defeat — or more accurately, at least the powers that would effect the transfer of power seem to (finally!) willing to. So that’s one crappy situation sidestepped, at least I hope. Room to breathe a tentative sigh of relief. One glimmer of hope.
Hmm, I like the extra things you said about Cucumber and Pear just now. I’m in the mood for them. Hmm, bitter green. And Pears. And I love what you said about Lynn Harris. Right on the money. L’Air de Rien just flashed in my head when you described her predominant style. Hm. Maybe I’ll drench myself with that.
I can’t bear to look.
Has he conceded ?
DON’T LIE TO ME !
I dared to look…
An anvil is being partially lifted from my crushed chest cavity ..
I am at work now but want to drink bubbles and spray perfume
Thanks for your review and your words. We are hear in the second hard Lockdown, but it is not like in spring. The Streets are still not empty, the hopitals are full, we had the highest COVID growth rate world wide but still we have demonstrations of People who deny that there is a pandemy… My Family is siting at home, doing homeschooling and working online. sometimes I feel reaaly shut in and my online buys are increasing… last week I ordered two blind buys: a bottle of Madame Rochas and a bottle of A Girl in Capri. Madame Rochas is what I expected, a grown Up scent (ca I say this)? Something I smelled when I was Young when older women (probably they had the age I have now ;-)) came towards me, well groomed and elegant. A Girl from Capri is much lighter, it is not the best scent for this foggy Season but I like the Bergamotte (also pear!) Accord. It will not be my favourite perfume, but Maybe next summer it will fit perfectly, who knows?
Yes, he conceded but still talks About fraud and the most of his voters still believe him. Ununderstandable for me.
Even though it is shocking to see empty streets in London, it is for the best. The fewer people out and about, the less chance of spreading Covid19. I do hope your family stay safe.
I am extremely interested in the releases from Perfumer H, these two might not be my type of scent, although the Cucumber does sound interesting. Were there any other scents in the line that you are thinking of trying?