Olfactory photographs
I haven't done Sunday Scribblings in a while. This week it's 'Time Travel'.
Yesterday Andreamusc was with me. We went together to pay the registration fee for an 8-week writing workshop we were accepted to (starting next Saturday).
After paying, I had to go into town to drop and collect a few things. Andreamuse came along for the adventure. One of my stops was the Film Company, to drop off a submission (film) for the festival. As we left the building, Andreamuse commented: "This building reminds me of Scotland."
As soon as she said it, I became aware of the smell. "It's the smell," I said.
It transported me back to a childhood moment in Scotland ... the smell of what must have been a combination of things: the carpet, late evening, wool (sweaters) and an electric heater. I can vividly see the orange glow of the coiled thing in the heater whenever I smell that particular smell. It is a smell I look for (and have found) in cold climates, when I am indoors (usually in a domestic setting) with a particular level of heating. It is the smell of cosiness. I also look for it (and find it) when I smell wool and certain sweaters. It's a very distinct and comforting scent, but hard to describe: somewhat sweet with a touch of something that if it were not a smell would be the colour orange and a small spark of fire.
I wonder if certain feelings of pleasure and comfort in that childhood moment made me record that smell and store it as my memory of Scotland. Like a photograph.
Yesterday Andreamusc was with me. We went together to pay the registration fee for an 8-week writing workshop we were accepted to (starting next Saturday).
After paying, I had to go into town to drop and collect a few things. Andreamuse came along for the adventure. One of my stops was the Film Company, to drop off a submission (film) for the festival. As we left the building, Andreamuse commented: "This building reminds me of Scotland."
As soon as she said it, I became aware of the smell. "It's the smell," I said.
It transported me back to a childhood moment in Scotland ... the smell of what must have been a combination of things: the carpet, late evening, wool (sweaters) and an electric heater. I can vividly see the orange glow of the coiled thing in the heater whenever I smell that particular smell. It is a smell I look for (and have found) in cold climates, when I am indoors (usually in a domestic setting) with a particular level of heating. It is the smell of cosiness. I also look for it (and find it) when I smell wool and certain sweaters. It's a very distinct and comforting scent, but hard to describe: somewhat sweet with a touch of something that if it were not a smell would be the colour orange and a small spark of fire.
I wonder if certain feelings of pleasure and comfort in that childhood moment made me record that smell and store it as my memory of Scotland. Like a photograph.
Labels: sunday scribblings
posted by Elspeth at Friday, February 29, 2008
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