The evocative smells of summer.
-
- Posts: 3148
- Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2016 10:05 am
- Been Liked: 403 times
- Has Liked: 50 times
The evocative smells of summer.
Nowadays I fancy smell has become less and less important as so much of life has become odour neutral, yet all my early memories of summer revolve around those potent olfactory experiences.
We used to travel down to Hakin in Pembrokeshire for our summer holidays some 60 years ago and even now I can smell the burning oil and coal of the trains, the somewhat caustic smell of the upholstery, the air full of cigarette smoke and ash, and then the moment we knew we were almost there, that heady delightfully acidic smell of baking bread as we passed the bakery at Johnstone, and finally Milford Haven and that first whiff of fish, salt seaweeds and sea, the true smell of summer, and even then on arriving at my grandparents bungalow overlooking the Haven, that glorious confusion of roses and lavender, then stepping into the house, the smell of polish, perfumed air, strange chemicals in the bathroom, Milton, Aquaflavin each releasing their own odours, even the Izal toilet paper had its own aroma,and then you looked out of the window at the haven water glistening in the sunlight the sound of the boats rocking on their anchoring points and you awoke to the totality of ones senses as sounds, smells and sight merged into one vision of enchantment and contentment.
We used to travel down to Hakin in Pembrokeshire for our summer holidays some 60 years ago and even now I can smell the burning oil and coal of the trains, the somewhat caustic smell of the upholstery, the air full of cigarette smoke and ash, and then the moment we knew we were almost there, that heady delightfully acidic smell of baking bread as we passed the bakery at Johnstone, and finally Milford Haven and that first whiff of fish, salt seaweeds and sea, the true smell of summer, and even then on arriving at my grandparents bungalow overlooking the Haven, that glorious confusion of roses and lavender, then stepping into the house, the smell of polish, perfumed air, strange chemicals in the bathroom, Milton, Aquaflavin each releasing their own odours, even the Izal toilet paper had its own aroma,and then you looked out of the window at the haven water glistening in the sunlight the sound of the boats rocking on their anchoring points and you awoke to the totality of ones senses as sounds, smells and sight merged into one vision of enchantment and contentment.
These 3 users liked this post: Siddo Wile E Coyote Pstotto
-
- Posts: 5288
- Joined: Mon Jan 04, 2016 11:03 am
- Been Liked: 2964 times
- Has Liked: 836 times
Re: The evocative smells of summer.
the transfer window is open so the whiff of bullshit pervades the air.
This user liked this post: tim_noone
-
- Posts: 19799
- Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2016 7:12 am
- Been Liked: 5483 times
- Has Liked: 2540 times
- Location: Burnley, Lancs
Re: The evocative smells of summer.
When does the Premier League season start?
These 2 users liked this post: gawthorpe_view Sidney1st
-
- Posts: 7740
- Joined: Sun Jan 17, 2016 6:11 pm
- Been Liked: 2585 times
- Has Liked: 4175 times
- Location: Padiham
Re: The evocative smells of summer.
Are you a repressed Author?
This user liked this post: tim_noone
-
- Posts: 3148
- Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2016 10:05 am
- Been Liked: 403 times
- Has Liked: 50 times
Re: The evocative smells of summer.
About the same time as the Labour Party purge IT.
-
- Posts: 4402
- Joined: Fri Jan 22, 2016 9:00 am
- Been Liked: 1621 times
- Has Liked: 697 times
-
- Posts: 3603
- Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2016 8:10 am
- Been Liked: 1338 times
- Has Liked: 757 times
- Location: Nantwich
Re: The evocative smells of summer.
The heady aroma of cowshit being spread when any gentle breeze is (always) in the wrong direction.
Re: The evocative smells of summer.
Freshly cut grass
Bbq
That damp smell after someones watered the plants/washed their car
Bbq
That damp smell after someones watered the plants/washed their car
-
- Posts: 1075
- Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2016 8:48 am
- Been Liked: 645 times
- Has Liked: 445 times
- Location: London
Re: The evocative smells of summer.
Aye, the smell of utter frustration as it smeared up your back and laid waste to your nipsy.ablueclaret wrote:even the Izal toilet paper had its own aroma
-
- Posts: 3148
- Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2016 10:05 am
- Been Liked: 403 times
- Has Liked: 50 times
Re: The evocative smells of summer.
Funnily I was asking my wife about the smells she remembered from her childhood. and being a Liverpudlian from a very poor area she really didn't have many positive ones, I guess I was pretty fortunate.
-
- Posts: 3235
- Joined: Tue Jan 26, 2016 1:18 pm
- Been Liked: 939 times
- Has Liked: 2617 times
- Location: Computer matrix, IP not found- current code: 00101110100101001100100 1011101010100010101101010100100
Re: The evocative smells of summer.
The smell after a brief rain shower during a sunny day.
-
- Posts: 1513
- Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2016 12:59 pm
- Been Liked: 987 times
- Has Liked: 1056 times
- Location: Yavin 4
Re: The evocative smells of summer.
Napalm in the morning
-
- Posts: 82
- Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2016 1:06 pm
- Been Liked: 49 times
- Has Liked: 37 times
Re: The evocative smells of summer.
Utter codswallop, smell is the very first thing I consider before I start to stalk someone. Date someone. I mean date.ablueclaret wrote:Nowadays I fancy smell has become less and less important
This user liked this post: tim_noone
-
- Posts: 1584
- Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2016 11:35 pm
- Been Liked: 460 times
- Has Liked: 2329 times
- Location: Wantage
Re: The evocative smells of summer.
I can still smell the tomatoes growing on my grandads allotment up behind bank street in Padiham. Probably late 70's early 80's. I get really nostalgic when I catch a whiff of a greenhouse.
-
- Posts: 8026
- Joined: Sun Jan 31, 2016 4:06 pm
- Been Liked: 1204 times
- Has Liked: 249 times
Re: The evocative smells of summer.
"The smell after a brief rain shower during a sunny day."
Really freshens up the cat and dog pee.
Standing on the white cliffs of Dover looking out to sea and getting a real whiff of Brexit.
Really freshens up the cat and dog pee.

Standing on the white cliffs of Dover looking out to sea and getting a real whiff of Brexit.

-
- Posts: 462
- Joined: Fri Jan 22, 2016 12:53 pm
- Been Liked: 225 times
- Has Liked: 569 times
Re: The evocative smells of summer.
"A hot summer's day and sticky black tarmac"
-
- Posts: 3406
- Joined: Sun Jan 03, 2016 5:57 pm
- Been Liked: 2147 times
- Has Liked: 3782 times
- Location: Norfolk
Re: The evocative smells of summer.
That smell has a name - petrichor. I wonder why other scents don't have names. The smell of new-mown grass, for example, is universally accepted as one of the most evocative scents and yet it doesn't have a name of its ownFoshiznik wrote:The smell after a brief rain shower during a sunny day.

This user liked this post: Foshiznik
Re: The evocative smells of summer.
I have never smoked, but I cannot walk past a tobacconist shop. Not many around nowadays, but when I am in Manchester or Southport I always walk in and just take in that gorgeous aroma.
-
- Posts: 3235
- Joined: Tue Jan 26, 2016 1:18 pm
- Been Liked: 939 times
- Has Liked: 2617 times
- Location: Computer matrix, IP not found- current code: 00101110100101001100100 1011101010100010101101010100100
Re: The evocative smells of summer.
I don't like it as i have grass pollen hayfever. The first thoughts for me, when i smell cut grass are me hoping the anti-histamine works.spadesclaret wrote:That smell has a name - petrichor. I wonder why other scents don't have names. The smell of new-mown grass, for example, is universally accepted as one of the most evocative scents and yet it doesn't have a name of its own
-
- Posts: 4402
- Joined: Fri Jan 22, 2016 9:00 am
- Been Liked: 1621 times
- Has Liked: 697 times
Re: The evocative smells of summer.
My garden smells of Jasmine and Lavender in the evening.
This user liked this post: spadesclaret
-
- Posts: 3406
- Joined: Sun Jan 03, 2016 5:57 pm
- Been Liked: 2147 times
- Has Liked: 3782 times
- Location: Norfolk
Re: The evocative smells of summer.
That is sad, Foshiznik.Foshiznik wrote:I don't like it as i have grass pollen hayfever. The first thoughts for me, when i smell cut grass are me hoping the anti-histamine works.
-
- Posts: 8851
- Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2016 5:22 pm
- Been Liked: 3021 times
- Has Liked: 1868 times
Re: The evocative smells of summer.
gastar melting over a piece of hot toast with a wheat field and aniseed drink and a wet dog....heavenly.
-
- Posts: 692
- Joined: Sun Jan 24, 2016 6:43 pm
- Been Liked: 203 times
- Has Liked: 235 times
Re: The evocative smells of summer.
The smell of the hops from Thwaites as I headed home on the 150 Burnley from school in Blackburn.
-
- Posts: 4395
- Joined: Fri Jan 22, 2016 10:39 pm
- Been Liked: 724 times
- Has Liked: 673 times
- Location: Wexford, Ireland. via Nelson.
Re: The evocative smells of summer.
If you live out in the sticks like me Cow S...
Or I could say where the Cows Clap
Or I could say where the Cows Clap

-
- Posts: 8026
- Joined: Sun Jan 31, 2016 4:06 pm
- Been Liked: 1204 times
- Has Liked: 249 times
Re: The evocative smells of summer.
As a child grew up not far from Greenford in NW London.
When the wind was in the right direction you could smell the coffee being processed in the Lyons factory at Greenford.
Some days you could actually wake up and smell the coffee.
When the wind was in the right direction you could smell the coffee being processed in the Lyons factory at Greenford.
Some days you could actually wake up and smell the coffee.

-
- Posts: 3148
- Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2016 10:05 am
- Been Liked: 403 times
- Has Liked: 50 times
Re: The evocative smells of summer.
It is those precious early years when experiences are new that the senses are at their height, the wonderful sweet smell of daps, the heady scent of sweet peas, the gorgeous smells of the farmyard, the rich pungent smell of pigs, the dry acidic smell of couped up hens.
I was particularly fortunate as my father was a research chemist and loved producing exciting odours whenever he got the opportunity, nitrogen dioxide, phosgene, hydrogen sulphide, chlorine, hydrogen chloride, his passion was what he took in his nose, until he came behind a heavily laden vehicle on the Bwlch, when he rapidly had to double declutch (always a hair raising issue) and take in those noxious fumes which for some odd reason he never enjoyed.
I was particularly fortunate as my father was a research chemist and loved producing exciting odours whenever he got the opportunity, nitrogen dioxide, phosgene, hydrogen sulphide, chlorine, hydrogen chloride, his passion was what he took in his nose, until he came behind a heavily laden vehicle on the Bwlch, when he rapidly had to double declutch (always a hair raising issue) and take in those noxious fumes which for some odd reason he never enjoyed.
This user liked this post: Siddo
-
- Posts: 6787
- Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2016 4:25 pm
- Been Liked: 1446 times
- Has Liked: 9634 times
- Location: Chiang Rai, Thailand.
Re: The evocative smells of summer.
The salty sea air as I cruise up Avenida Dos Descobrimentos on my big Yam.
Re: The evocative smells of summer.
Double de clutch. That has taken me back to being in my mates 1971 Ford Custom Cab and trying to get up steep hills. That term will baffle a few on here!
Re: The evocative smells of summer.
I love the smell of petrol from next doors barbecue.
It smells like...victory
It smells like...victory
Re: The evocative smells of summer.
"his passion was what he took in his nose,"
I know a few people like that.
I know a few people like that.