1946: French writer Colette went to Switzerland, where she would undergo treatment for severe and painful arthritis. She was delighted to find that the sparrows around her lodgings in Geneva were tame. They flew into her room from the balcony, slept under her bed, ate from her hands. They would even chirp protests when she would lock them out of the bathroom as she bathed. One day she found a pair of sparrows snuggling in a fold of her bedspread. She startled them and they flew away. Colette wrote:
This gave me fair warning that the time was not far off when I should discover one individual among their small, indefinite band, the particular one, the one who preferred me and was mine by preference. With the animal world, we are subject to the same perils every time. To choose, to be chosen, to love: the very next moment we are beset by anxiety, the danger of loss, and the fear of spreading regret. What an array of big words when the subject is but a sparrow! Yes, a sparrow. In love, there is never a question of smallness. 1
A perfect segue to the love for, and smallness of...perfumes?
Yes and no.
Though I've used the word "love" in relation to certain fragrances, I've never shed a tear over a bottle of perfume (even on the memorable day last summer when my cat, Teddy Calzini, broke three bottles of my perfume in one swoop). Since writing for Now Smell This, I've become more reasonable about fragrances (some might say heartless). I don't worry about reformulations (what you gonna do?) I'm dying (so are you), so why would I get upset when a cologne is discontinued? Priorities, people! And if someone disparages a perfume I wear or a perfumer I admire I chuckle and move on (I've got more serious stuff to worry about — see reference to Death above).
Perfume is fleeting pleasure.
Today I'm writing about spring scents, and I'm dedicating my article to a bird (in memory of Colette, who I never met but 'love'). Here's to an old buddy who chose me to be his friend for 10 years — an American robin. He was big and glossy, smart, and sang his guts out. Each summer he spent in my Seattle garden, he and his mate raised at least two batches of little robins. He trusted us so much he and his mate built nests under our deck, where we and the dogs and cats could look between the planks and see the fledglings. He would (almost) eat from our hands and followed us around the yard, catching worms we'd toss him as we weeded. I always knew spring was on its way when I'd hear him singing atop the old-fashioned telephone pole in front of our house. "The robin's back!"
For this post, I did not search out new fragrances. To quote another Robin (here at NST), trying the Slew of New leads to "too many frogs to kiss." I'm writing about perfumes I wear till the bottles are empty; perfumes I power spray and relish; perfumes I'll re-buy (till they're reformulated or go the way of the Dodo).
Geo. F. Trumper Ajaccio Violets: I first wore this perfume in Morocco in springtime, so it always has an air of adventure about it. Violet fragrances can be powdery, too sweet, smell of cosmetics. Those violets are not my type; give me bright green, sparkling Ajaccio Violets instead.
Jardins d'Ecrivains George: This robust scent is fit for days when cold torrents keep you indoors, dreaming of flowers and sunshine, and for days when you enjoy the great outdoors (digging the dirt or hiking a trail). Since springs in Seattle are turbulent (warm, cold, windy, calm, wet, dry, bright, dark...all in the same day) it's nice to have a versatile perfume.
Hermès Eau de Gentiane Blanche makes me think of damp, delicate, aromatic roots being gently coaxed from the earth. It's a lovely subdued perfume that brings to mind gardening...those first tender days of spring. This is the perfect scent to wear as I cross pollinate my plum trees (you can't count on the bees anymore) using a long, soft-bristled paint brush.
Aedes de Venustas Iris Nazarena is Gentiane Blanche on steroids, a muscle-bound cousin with dirt under his well-manicured fingernails and grass stains on his (expensive) pants knees. I love to wear Iris Nazarena in the garden and it stands up to days when I'm seriously hauling compost, power digging, cursing white morning glory vines.
Etro Lemon Sorbet: Why have I never reviewed this perfume? Lemons, oranges, dry herbs (especially mint) and incense make this an energy-producing cocktail that will help make winter doldrums disappear.
Carven Pour Homme and Lalique Hommage a L'homme smell as if they've been made with fresh rainwater and crisp, real violet leaves; they're lovely, gentle scents for spring.
Frédéric Malle Eau de Magnolia provides a floral "jolt" that sets the scene for the many flowers to come in springtime; I'm happy whenever I smell it and it segues perfectly from spring to summer. My saucer magnolia is about to bloom...the tree is so huge I can't reach the flowers anymore for an up-close sniff. Eau de Magnolia will ease the angst of "close, but yet so far away."
Acqua di Parma Colonia Intensa smells good in any season and in spring it provides a "dressy," complex aroma that does not remind me of heavy coats, woolen sweaters and scarves or dense, woody aromas that I associated with winter (by late March, I'm DONE with the heavy-hitters of cold weather perfumes).
Astier de Villatte Grand Chalet: The last time I saw my robin it was late September in 2015. He was perched in the honey locust tree next to my house. I noticed how frail he looked, grabbed my camera and took a photo of him. Grand Chalet provides one of my favorite floral scents: linden blossom (very close to the scent of honey locust flowers), and good thing...that beloved, also frail, tree is gone now, too.
As I write this post, there's a robin singing in my quince tree. Three weeks ago, what I assume are "family" robins arrived back in my yard and are singing beautiful tunes (as they get my cats chattering). No matter what brings you joy: birds, dogs, cats, chocolate, flowers, Handel, tea or...perfume, I hope you have plenty of good things to take pleasure in this spring.
You can find more spring lists at Bois de Jasmin, Grain de Musc and The Non-Blonde.
1. The Blue Lantern by Colette, translated by Roger Senhouse; Farrar, Straus and Company, first printing, 1963; pg. 23-24.
Note: top image of American Robin by John James Audubon [altered] via Wikimedia Commons. Three lower American robin images are from Robin eggs flying in three weeks, [cropped] by Volkan Yuksel via Wikimedia Commons.
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Kevin, that was a beautiful post, and the last lines… squashing a tear as I type. I’ll be re-reading that Colette book for sure. The fleeting beauty of perfume, and its small pleasures, are things I’ve been thinking of as well — reformulations, discontinuations and all. Loving perfume is a lesson in letting go.
Grand Chalet is always a foretaste of early summer. I hope a new robin chooses your home and makes your cats chatter (don’t they love the excitement?).
CC, thank you! “The Blue Lantern” is a wonderful book to read in spring…Colette never ‘gave up’ but saw positive possibilities everywhere. And I think we DO have a robin in residence.
This is a gorgeous piece of writing, Kevin. I’m a novice birder and perfume-lover; this hit me right in the feels.
Mjane…so sweet of you to say!
Really lovely post, Kevin, and your choice of images is so fantastic.
There used to be a vacant lot behind our house that became a urban bird sanctuary of a kind. I miss that, so many bird calls all at once! There was a mated pair of Canada Geese that came every year. One year there was only one and there was something so heartbreaking about their lonely honking. A big building has taken its place now.
Gi, ah, that’s too bad. I’ve let a portion of my back yard go wild…so many birds enjoy it.
“I’m dying (so are you)”
Thanks for the status update, as if the recent world happenings haven’t put that front and center for many many people. And now I have to read it in a perfume blog.
I don’t do seasonal perfumes but enjoy reading everyones list. I am lemming some on Grain de Musc blog especially the magnolia one!
Enjoying Jicky today while it lasted. Thanks for the list and I will look some of these up
Loves: yes, I need to try the Pierre Bourdon line, too.
This is a lovely post, and as a perfume lover, bird lover, and fellow Seattlite (I am so done with this winter!) it definitely hits right in the feels. In the neighborhood in Lynnwood where I used to live there was a red winged blackbird that used to sit “singing” (poor red winged blackbirds don’t have the most beautiful calls…) in a specific tree down the road every year. I’d always look for him when I walked my dog. I knew it was springtime when he showed up again.
Lani, plums are FINALLY BLOOMING, it’s been a long, cold winter.
Lovely post.
What a perfectly wonderful post, thank you Kevin!
” I don’t worry about reformulations (what you gonna do?) I’m dying (so are you)” – this was great 😀
That painting is beautiful, the robin nest pictures are beautiful, and as many have chimed in already the writing is especially wonderful in this post. Thank you! And now I have to try Ajaccio Violet.
TTBC: I hope you enjoy it!
I loved reading this. Perspective is everything, isn’t it? Chattering cats are one of my great pleasures so I put millet sprays out by our back window to encourage a good Brooklyn bird show(nothing exotic) for the kitts.
Elisa…that’s cute! Everyone wins.
Thank you for sharing such a wonderful story!
Hemabelle, you ‘re welcome.
It’s great to have this list, Kevin! I’ve been trying to help some guys I know find good fragrances that aren’t too heavy or cliched. I only have samples of two or three of them already, though, so I’m off to hunt through the internet.
FYI, testing Miller et Bertaux Spiritus / land EdP #2 today, which is incense and fresh ginger. Not a bad option, either.
Noz…I remember really liking that one.
Thank you, Kevin, for the lovely post and list. I’m going to seek out those violets!
Amy, enjoy them…I am wearing AV today
‘Love’ the robin story.
Ringthing, he was quite the guy to live so long!
Spring favorites are Shiseido’s Murasaki, in the Burgundy bottle, with notes of gardenia, galbanum, iris and incense; Estee by Estee Lauder (vintage version has lots of LOV, hyacinth and stemmy greens), Aliage (spicy/chypre) and Lauren by Ralph Lauren with loads of galbanum, lilac and cyclamen…
Smokey, just looked up Murasaki…quite the list of great notes.
Kevin, it’s so beautiful, was in love with it at first sniff in the 80s – there’s a review on the Vintage Perfume Vault that perfectly captures the beauty of it.
SmokeyToes: I just ordered a tiny bottle of it so I can review it. Thanks.
Another Spring favorite I forgot to mention is Annick Goutal’s Eau de Camille. I’ve worn it since the 90s, and it never fails to give me a big smile, it’s very refreshing.
I gave my boxed bottle to a friend when I learned that Murasaki was her long-lost first perfume. I still had a small spray, which is really all I need but it’s such a great perfume that I eventually panicked and bought a well-priced partial bottle on ebay. Paring down is really not my thing, LOL.
Maybe I’ll wear Murasaki later. It’s great stuff! Same for Lauren. To me, it really captures that scent of earth in the country when life first begins to breath again. Great choices, SmokeyToes!
Noz…I can’t wait to smell it!
Thank you for the beautiful read today. Reminding me to enjoy life’s little pleasures while they last…
KellyC: and I find there are MORE little pleasures than big ones, anyway.
This was so beautiful, Kevin. Thank you so much for a lovely read. This makes me want to live somewhere with a yard (I used to, but I’m currently an apartment-dweller), so I can get to know the feathered neighbors again. Watching birds is a balm to my soul in stressful or trying times. And I’m so glad to hear your family robins are back, even if the patriarch has passed on!
Meg O: it seems the “boss” this year is a female (judging from the coloring)…or she’s making all the male robins act silly to attract her attention. HA!
What a wonderful article and list. I am going to order samples of Lemon Sorbet and Grand Chalet, stat.
There are a pair of robins nesting in our live oak just outside the home office window. The female with chirp and tap her beak against the window if the birdbath is empty. It works–I always head right out when I hear her so that they have clean water.
Monkeytoe: Ah, yes…the birdbath…that’s my job to scrub that thing all summer long.
The Lemon Sorbet sounds great! Lovely post. As my beloved dogs grow older, I am always conscious of how fragile life is and how it can change radically in an instant. Savour the moment, revel in small pleasures.
cazaubon: I love old dogs…something about them is so endearing (and reminds us how fast life buzzes by).
Thank you for this wonderful post, Kevin! I needed a reminder to stop once in a while and enjoy things (including spring) while they last. And to finish my sample of Iris Nazarena.
Gravity: you’re welcome…and do finish that precious sample! Ha!
Thank you so much, Kevin. Today I was reading about how everything is temporary and on loan to us and that resonated with me. I truly appreciate how you, Robin, Angela and Jessica describe your own personal journeys and I can now understand that you are all sharing what is meaningful to you. I’m enjoying the stories and am grateful for them.
Holly: that’s a wonderful thing to hear..and thanks on behalf of us all here at NST!
Beautiful post… and a much needed perspective when I see the horrors flashed daily before us. This is one I’ll come back too.. thank you!
Curious about the Etro & The Blue Lantern.
Floragal: it seems Lemon Sorbet is off the perfume radar (even for Etro scents which aren’t that common). The Blue Lantern is a wonderful book…one of just a handful of books I re-read each year.
Kevin, the photos in your story reminded me of the time my dad showed me a robin’s nest that had been built in the drainspout of the house we lived in at the time. He found the nest while doing some kind of home maintenance. I couldn’t have been more than 5 or 6 at the time.
Jalapeno: I’ve never been able to salvage a robin’s nest to bring indoors after the season…but other birds in my yard LOVE cat hair in their nests so when I brush my cats I toss the hair into the yard.
Oh, Kevin… I suppose that, knowing right from the start where the story would end, I wouldn’t be caught off guard. And yet, at “The last time I saw my robin”, I broke down…
(thank you for your beautiful writing and your big heart)
*supposed
Thanks, Dusan. I always feel the robins that have been here last year and this have a touch of him inside them.
That is a comforting thought.
Thank you, this was the most wonderful to read.
I’m always happy to see Colette get some love.
I haven’t tried most of the ones you mention, but I guess the yearning for spring is universal in these frozen parts because I just wrote a little list of samples I’m getting fond of, all classic spring floral types.
(https://listmimsy.wordpress.com/2017/03/24/a-handful-of-spring-perfumes-sneaking-into-my-icy-winter-heart/)
I loved hearing about your robin.
Connie, great spring list…I must get the complete Zoologist sample pack.
Excited to see Eau de Magnolia on your list! I discovered it a month or so ago, and it is spring in a bottle to my nose. Ajaccio Violets also sounds lovely.
Nicolasix: and Une Rose is calling my name for summer, too (ala$!)
You could add Chypre Mousse to that list….its perfect for this time of year as it opens with a green herbal hit closely followed by a sharp mint and slightly damp earthy perfume. Wait a while and you’ll get a soft green violet – not everyone can smell this on their skin – but I do. I love Oriza Legrand perfumes but especially CM and Relique d’Amour……outstanding!
Kate: Yes, I reviewed that one about two and a half years ago…just discovered their GORGEOUS soaps and have become addicted.
What a lovely post Kevin. Wishing you a joyful and renewing spring!
Thank you, Laura!