Post Holiday Update

I had a fun time today watching my 9-year-old niece ride a horse that is for sale at a nearby training stable. That was the first time I’d seen her ride, though I’ve seen videos and photos. She’s been leasing a horse and needs to find a new one now that the first one is pregnant. It was a beautiful day and a great work break on this holiday weekend. The stable had horses, miniature goats, and friendly dogs, so it was an animal afternoon!

I made good progress on some paperwork that needed doing, so now it’s time to get back to blending. I received the low atranol oakmoss sample and so far am really pleased with it. It’s not identical to my regular moss (either the green or brown), but it’s still quite nice. Next I’ll try diluting it (so far I’ve just sniffed it neat). I have both green and brown oakmoss and use different ones for different scents, but I may switch to this low atranol version for everything.

Here are a couple blog links to finish off this post. First, an interview with Serge Lutens that included several interesting comments. I liked this quote about how he and Christopher Sheldrake work on fragrances, experimenting as they go (it’s always reassuring to hear how others experiment):

“Christopher and I work, respecting the roles of each one, session by session. It is handicraft. The words, the environments are very important. There are many “wrongs”, many trials, and many experiences with essences that I suggest to him and which, sometimes, are astonishing. It is necessary to experiment. The perfume is organic and we are walking over an unstable ground, dealing with the impalpable one. All is alive and may work well or, in the opposite, very wrong. Nevertheless, I don’t lower my head: creation is obsessive. I know what I like and dislike.”

The whole interview is here (scroll down for the English version):

http://perfumedarosanegra.blogspot.com/2008/11/entrevista-com-serge-lutens.html

And these are links to some more reviews of Sonoma Scent Studio perfumes.  Here’s a review of Wood Violet, Vintage Rose, Sienna Musk, and Champagne de Bois on the Nathan Branch blog:

http://www.nathanbranch.com/2008/11/sonoma-scent-studio-wood-viole.html
(Note: I have removed the link to Nathan’s blog because he took his blog down several years after this post.)

And here’s a short review of Fireside written by somone who wrote to me to let me know how much she’d been enjoying it and to share her blog link (was sweet of her to email me, I enjoy hearing back from people):

http://adventuresinourfunnyfarm.blogspot.com/2008/11/friday-fav-5.html

I’ll be back to work on Reves and Gardenia this week.