The Sweet Smell of Home

When we arrived home we joked that the house smelled like the Previous Owners were back.  This is not a bad smell, just the smell of the house when we walked through back in the summer of 2005.  There were also dust bunnies gathering around my ankles in hope of protection from the large spider webs that have given the place an "Adams Family" / early Halloween feeling - but housework and housework stories are for another day.

This morning I'm just enjoying being in my house.  Our home.  Have you noticed that part of what makes houses homes is their unique perfume, odor, fragrance?  We had only been home long enough to shower and start a load of clothes when I noticed the Previous Owners had left and once again I had the feeling that I was in my home. 

Our house fragrance varies slightly from day to day.  These days it is a blend of cinnamon, ginger (I've discovered fresh grated ginger and use it whenever I can), garlic - fresh & powdered (we're not snobs), coffee, Tide, charcoal smoke (from the wonderful grilling/barbecuing my husband is almost famous for), cookies (yesterday I made Oatmeal Raisin) and roses (fresh cut and my favorite hand lotion).


Our china hutch has the most comforting aroma.  My husband inherited it from his parents and when you open up the top and lean in a bit you can smell their home.  It's amazing, we have had it since 1993, this is the fourth house it's lived in with us (including three years in Germany) and still I think of them when I open those doors.

We sometimes have weeks of 'new paint smell' floating around the place. We used to have scented candles but have decided unscented candles work best for us (I still keep a few small scented candles on hand just in case home isn't as lovely as I want it to be, usually vanilla or lavender).  When my children were young there was that wet puppy smell they seem to get on warm afternoons - happy sigh.  Note to moms with young children:  The memory is probably better than the real thing.  Also, keep smelling your babies' hair, trust me. 

I'm pretty sure some of my enjoyment of antique malls and shops is their smell.  The same thing with BBQ joints, WhatABurgers, Pizza Huts and (my all time favorite) florist shops - isn't that the most wonderful smell?! 


What fragrance memories are you making?  What does your home smell like today?