Tag: Earth

A Perfumed Bestiary, Letter E for Elephant, Part 2

The fifth fragrance in A Perfumed Bestiary series carries the ancient beat of the Elephant, strong yet gentle with the sweetness of community and harmony. This perfume came together very easily. I began with Cypriol, also known as Nagamotha in Hindi, as the scent pairing/plant ally. Cypriol is a sedge from the Cyperaceae family that grows in… Continue reading A Perfumed Bestiary, Letter E for Elephant, Part 2

A Perfumed Bestiary, Letter E for Elephant, Part 1

The resilience of an ecosystemrelies on the delicate balanceof all species. E for Elephant, the largest of all our land dwelling mammals here on planet Earth. Elephant populations have been dwindling in numbers due to the ivory trade, animal abuse and declining habitats. These large nomadic creatures are considered a “keystone species”, meaning that when… Continue reading A Perfumed Bestiary, Letter E for Elephant, Part 1

Oakmoss

“A rolling stone gathers no moss.” In my palette as an authentic nature perfumer, oakmoss is one of my most cherished base notes. The damp, forest floor quality of this lichen lends a rich, full bodied, earthiness that reminds me of Demeter. As you may recall, she is the ancient Greek Goddess of the harvest and agriculture who… Continue reading Oakmoss

New Mexico Plant Feature: Osha Root

Keeping in the vein of last weeks post, I thought I’d share a bit about a local root that I have been cultivating a relationship with. It’s called oshá root, Ligusticum porteri, a perennial herb that grows at high elevations in rich, moist soils. Common names include: Porter’s Lovage, Wild Lovage, Indian Parsley, Mountain Carrot, Empress of… Continue reading New Mexico Plant Feature: Osha Root

Rooted

“Deep in their roots, all flowers keep the light.” ~ Theodore Roethke It’s root vegetable season, very evident at the Santa Fe farmers market. In California, where the growing season is all year long for the most part, you don’t witness the shift that occurs in the plants as much, a shift which humans also… Continue reading Rooted

Talking Dirty: Goût de Terroir at Fragrantica

Aligned with the energetics of Venus and her guardian Aphrodite, I am thrilled to share my first piece as a contributing writer on Fragrantica. Talking Dirty: Goût de Terroir. The french term, Goût de Terroir, refers to the flavors imparted by the earth to wine. Many thanks to Elena Knezevic, the founder of Fragrantica, and Marlen… Continue reading Talking Dirty: Goût de Terroir at Fragrantica

Do It in the Dark

Thanks to one of my local fan Peggy, who reminded that today is EarthHour, that once a year happening where we deepen our awareness of the planet we collectively reside on and refrain from lights (including computers and cell phones!) for one hour. It’s pretty interesting that as a species this is so difficult for… Continue reading Do It in the Dark