molly.com

Tuesday 23 March 2004

grapefruit blossom time

picture of grapefruit blossom

There are few scents in this world that move me quite the way grapefruit blossoms do. For those who have never had the pleasure, grapefruit blossoms are heady, sensual, exceptionally fragrant and not overly sweet but definitely strong. As with all scents, we humans tend to attach memories and emotions to them – whatever I’ve attached to this scent must be pretty darned luscious.

I’m not alone in this, I know. A boyfriend of days (years?) past and I were once driving down a street in Tucson during this time of year after dark, and he suddenly stopped the truck right in the middle of the street so we could just sit there and breathe the scent.

This morning I heard the coyotes ululating in the river (and no Dunstan, there still ain’t no water in that there river) and by afternoon the air was thick with the scent of grapefruits.

And so we welcome spring to the Sonoran Desert.

Filed under:   general
Posted by:   site admin | 03:44 | Comments (24)

Comments (24)

  1. Ray says Tuesday 23 March 2004 at 06:33

    ah ha, I knew that the grapefruit oil in that special accupressure massage oil i used long ago to treat you that year or so had mystical powers, 😛

  2. Keith Burgin says Tuesday 23 March 2004 at 07:11

    I’m partial to Snap Dragons. Not only do they smell nice, but they’re just a cool flower. If you squeeze the sides properly, you can have a lively conversation with them.

    Of course, all I can imagine them saying is “rar,” so the converstion never lasts more than a half hour.

  3. Davey Jones says Tuesday 23 March 2004 at 07:17

    We have lemon & tangelo blossoms here and the combo aroma is great! The bees are just getting warmed up. Vroom, vroom.

  4. Maryam Webster says Wednesday 24 March 2004 at 02:35

    Hi Molly,
    What a great observation on the flower of the grapefruit tree. We bought a house we’re now selling after several years and the tree that had only ever produced leaves in the circle drive turns out, lo and behold, to be a miniature grapefruit. The first fruits we’ve seen this year were hilarious. A three inch thick rind with the tinest possible inch and a half wide fruit disk that looked like the eye of some ancient statue. And that beautiful grapefruit scent has been gifted upon several delighted neighbors and friendsv who always clamor for more in the bouquets we share. You’re right, it’s sensually luscious… 😉

  5. Melissa says Wednesday 24 March 2004 at 07:09

    The flower itself is gorgeous…I don’t believe I’ve ever caught the scent of it but your entry inspires me to do so! 😀 Surfed onto your blog by a blogsnob ad…love your content! Have a good week! 🙂

  6. Phil says Wednesday 24 March 2004 at 11:20

    And 50 bonus style points for the word “ululating.”

  7. john says Wednesday 24 March 2004 at 12:52

    Yeah, ululate rocks. Nice post.

  8. holly says Thursday 25 March 2004 at 09:41

    Fragrant wonders:

    A truly lackluster old fashioned garden flower:
    Reseda Odorata aka Mignonette, Nothin to look at, though smells great. Often hard to find growing at nureseries around here. Annual [midwest united states]

    Other great ones that scent the garden…
    Heliotrope, Nicotiana [fragrances is similar to plumeria], Sweet Peas [the perennial kind], Dianthus [several varieties in the carnation family], Erysimum

  9. Jim Lombard says Friday 26 March 2004 at 10:44

    That aroma is what makes life worth living here in Arizona. Thanks Molly.

  10. Martha says Saturday 27 March 2004 at 10:42

    This is my favorite time of year in Arizona. I sit in my backyard and smell the blossoms on my lemon, orange, and grapefruit trees and I’m in heaven.

  11. ken says Sunday 28 March 2004 at 09:00

    My African friends often demonastrate ululations for me: Uuu-loo-looo-loo-loo-loo-luuuu! Uuuuu-luu-looo-looo-luu-luuu-looo!
    They truly do. And it’s *rilly*rilly* cool mon…

  12. David Bolsover says Sunday 11 April 2004 at 07:40

    I remember grapefruit blossoms from growing up in southern California. I was visiting friends in Thermal (in the Coachella Valley, south of Indio) in March, and driving with the sunroof of my old VW bug down. I caught the scent, and it was like being transported to a magical place.

    I’ve read that the sense of smell triggers the memory more readily than any other. When I smell grapefruit blossoms, I’m momentarily taken to that magical place 30+ years ago.

  14. Forum says Thursday 13 September 2007 at 00:51

    This article is very interesting and written by some clever guy.:) Thank you!

  16. Worker says Friday 4 April 2008 at 14:35

    Coole Seite, viel Content.

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