WELCOME TO Val's Alentejo -I write about my region of Alentejo. My art ,painting, my cottages, Family life, my animals -Travels And my love for Roses- and rural country life.

Wednesday 15 February 2012

an ounce of gold


I am conservative with my perfumes.. I might venture out now and again to buy a new fragrance that has come onto the market.. but rarely. Perfume for me ,turns the key of time in my memory.
I spray or dab the perfume on..and depending which one i choose .. I go back into a place and time gone by..and all good things come to mind. Perfume ignites my senses. I feel good when i wear it.
The smells take me to a time, of my first kiss, when i wore my first evening gown!.. or the time when my first child was born!.. that memorable wedding!.. lunches with friends!, a long walk on the beach,precious moments with my children , happy carefree times...
Perfumes make me happy.
I remember well, when i recieved my first bottle of perfume. It was amongst my presents on a christmas morning , wrapped in a lovely box with bright red christmas paper and a big bow.. I was 12. That christmas i felt so grown up.. I wore a beautiful new blue dress with a red sash and red shoes..
That was my first introduction to "4711"..Eau de cologne. Oh how sweet the smell was. I always kept a bottle amongst my perfumes for many years after. When i used it.. I was a child again, with not a care in the world..
My favorite perfume of all time, that really suits my skin and makes me feel good ,for me the fragrance is just divine..This perfume holds a special place and the scent takes me back to such memorable days in my life.
"Y" by Yves Saint Laurant.... Each time i wear it, is another memorable day.
My second choice is the classic Chanel No 5.. "wow, whats that fragrance or perfume you have on" ! I am asked. No 5 , takes me to another dimentional time in the diary of my mind. It never ceases to amaze me , what an impact "smells" have on us.!
This waterford crystal "atomizer" sits on my little antique dressing stand .. in my bedroom.
It was my mothers, she loved her perfumes. The atomizer at the moment is sadly empty!!
I have been looking at it for a while now, and remembered how many years ago, my mother and I would go to a special perfumery, where we could buy our own choice of fragrant perfume. It was sold by the ounce. The perfumery ,was at the back of our chemist shop. A fascinating place, with shelves full of different sized bottles of "liquid gold." Ladies could sit and sample all the lovely frangrant choices of perfumes, the scent in the room was ever memorable. We would usually take about an hour or more choosing which one we would buy and take home. "our little ounce of gold."






A modern Atomizer. They look so elegant on a dresser. Coming in all shapes and sizes.
I hope to get my atomizer full again.. Its time for a visit to the perfume shop..!
Bottles of perfumed essences.. such delight- which one shall it be!
Simply beautiful. Hand blown Egyptian glass perfume bottles.
Always fascinated with the perfume shops of Cairo..On our visits there, my mother would delight in acquiring a few special frangrances to add to our collection. Those days were so memorable and exciting.
A Cairo Perfume shop, full of all shapes and sizes of elegant coloured glass perfume bottles.
The essences and perfumes were "Gold" to the Ancient Egyptians.. and were used at various cerimonial events..for bathing and sometimes used in the process of mummification..and placed in "amphoras" at the side of the pharoes sarcophagus, when buried in their tombs.
Hieroglyphics depicting an Egyptian offering sacred perfumed essences..
The making of the essences from herbs and flowers is possibly still produced in the same way today !!! Jasmine, Geranium, lavander, to name a few.


Do perfumes inspire you?

please note.. Today is Thursday the 16th.. a "glich" with the date header..

10 comments:

  1. Dear Val - I love the journey you took us on here, childhood to Egypt.
    Perfumes are an important part of our memory which travel us back to places in our past, not only our own recollections of our own perfumes but those of others. My mother-in-law always wore Yardley's Lavender, and that is what I smell when I think of her.
    The aroma of different foods, the countryside and sea can also have the same effect on us. Enjoyable post.

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  2. Dear Rosemary,
    Thank you for you lovely comments.
    It is so true of the memorable scents and aromas of different perfumes on people.
    I just get a whiff of Estee Lauder..and I know my daughter is around...

    xxx val

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  3. Hello Val, Thank you for your visit. You write a lovely blog and I have become a follower.
    Your post about perfumes brings back many old and new memories. Only last year I purchased a bottle of 4711 while visiting Germany. While in Egypt I found a most beautiful bottle of rose essence. It has lasted for more than 30 years. My favorite perfume of all times came from the French house of F.Millot. The perfume was called "crepe de chine". Sadly, it is not made anymore.

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  4. Dear Val, again a wonderful, interesting post! I also link 4711 with my childhood. And of course, who does not know Chanel No. 5! A unique fragrance! I use body cream and perfume every day. I feel not dressed without. What I do not like is heavy perfume or people who use too much of it. But if you come close to a person and a faint perfume scent comes in my nose... that is what I like. I always have difficulties to find a perfume that suits. A perfume may scent perfect on one person but not nice at all on another. That is why I always try it out first on my wrist and then go out of the shop and come back in 30 minutes because by then the scent has completely unfolded. Also Paul is using perfume every day and I really like that. Thanks Val! Have a wonderful day! Christa

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  5. Thank you Christa..
    I too agree, not too much ..just a hint.
    Its great when we find the scent that suits us.
    xx

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  6. Thank you Gina ,
    I am so happy to see you and happy to have you as a new blogger friend.
    What a shame they dont make the perfume you like anymore.. I hope that you found one you like.
    How great to still have the rose essence.. they do last.

    val

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  7. Hello Valerie
    I love this post and how exciting to have visited Cairo with your mother and shopped the perfumery.That in itself is such a happy thought.

    I remember my mother using Yardley's Lavender (as Rosemary mentioned) It was an exciting aroma and meant company was coming. My first perfume was Apple Blossom by Helena Rubenstein - oh how I loved it. It transports me to when I was 16 yrs old and first going dancing to marquees in Ireland. Then the gamut of perfumes and now I use Angel by Thierry Mugler, which I love.

    To a great weekend
    Helen xx

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  8. Dear Helen,
    Wonderful memories .. I enjoyed doing this blog.. I am running out of perfume actually and remembered my mothers atomizer,hence the story. I forgot to mention one by Elizabeth Arden, that my sister bought me when i was about 15 or so.. Blue Grass ..That brings back great memories too.
    Its nice to remember the old times .. great to put on perfume and experience the new too.
    hope your tryptech is coming along of the Ocean!
    wishing you a wonderful weekend.

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  9. Hi Val: Thank you for visiting and following GoldCountryCottage. I'm so happy to meet you. Your stories are just beautiful and I love the picture of the sheep herding. It is just like I might have pictured it in my mind. You have taken me back by mentioning "Blue Grass" perfume. It is a great 'young woman' memory of a friend that I met many years ago while visiting Yosemite. I haven't thought about that in years. Thank you.....Judy

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  10. Fragrances let us remember of things and persons we met long ago!
    Fragrances seduce!

    ♥ Franka

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