Monday, April 4, 2011

Everyday Miracles, Part 2

miracle--a beneficial event brought about through divine power that mortals do not understand and of themselves cannot duplicate
If you have never smelled Arizona in the spring, your are missing one of the most glorious sensory experiences of the world. 
I remember my first spring here. Middle of March, 1996, I was eight months miserably pregnant, and overnight the air morphed: Suddenly, the breeze was perfumed with the heavy scent of blooming citrus, so heavy it could almost be felt.

It's everywhere you go . . . practically edible.  And so incredible. Now, every March I wait until that first whiff--that first aroma of spring-- of spring in the desert.
Not only citrus, but my beloved gardenias are beginning to bloom.  No matter how many candles, soaps, or lotions are manufactured, none can accurately imitate the scent of gardenia.  That fragrance immediately sends me back to the first time I ever smelled one:  Senior Prom 1987, and my date, Jeff May, brought me a corsage with this singular flower. The lack of traditional roses piqued my curiosity, until my first indulgent breath. Then, I couldn't resist leaning left all night long to inhale its deliciousness. Ah, to be young at Senior Prom . . .

Brad will occasionally pick one and leave it on my nightstand or desk, just to tell me he loves me.
Such a miracle--flowers in spring.
Linking up to The Red Dress Club's RemembeRED and Sweet Shot Tuesdays

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19 comments:

  1. Do you know, I've never smelled a gardenia. I can only imagine.
    Now, citrus perfume I've inhaled - deep and satisfying!
    I'd like to smell Arizona in the spring, and perhaps next year we will. We'll be looking to spend some time in a warmer climate for a bit, and it will be a while before The Great Dane will be travelling overseas. Maybe next year I'll smell a gardenia!

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  2. My nose is watering to smell the smells. (My mouth can't water ya know)

    I can't even imagine the smells of citrus blossoms.

    I think people living in Arizona must be living in heaven!

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  3. I LOVE the way different places smell. Smells are very powerful to me they bring back vivid memories.
    Gardenia's are beautiful AND smell good!
    I am a California girl and so I can still smell the citrus that we don't have here in Idaho - It is a good smell and you get it all so early there.
    Smell some for me :-D

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  4. I love the smell of Gardenias. For some reason they remind me of my childhood. Unfortunately I can't keep them alive. But whenever I see one, I always stop and give it a good sniff:)

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  5. Oh Gardenias...remind me of my grandma! Beautiful!
    Thanks for that "everyday miracle trip down memory lane". (and remembering my senior prom wasn't so bad either!!:)
    Have a happy day

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  6. Loving both of these everyday miracles...ahhh...gardenias do smell wonderful!

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  7. We were just commenting on the amazing smell of Mesa in the spring, and missing it. Would you bottle some up and ship it to me? Pretty please? Love these posts, great idea.

    PS-just visited Kirk Richard's site to vote for a mother and child card and *after* I voted I scanned the comments to see what others thought. We voted for the same one-that made me smile! It's beautiful, isn't it?

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  8. Gardenias are my most favorite flower. Growing up in FLorida, we had them along the front porch--my mom would leave the front door open and their fragrance wafted through the house--heavenly!
    Orange blossoms are a so wonderful in the Spring in Arizona...so so yummy!

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  9. Gardenias are my favorite. We used to have a bush right outside our front door, and there is no smell like it! My mom used to cut one and put it in a bowl quite often.

    I've had gardenia corsages, but they turn so brown if you touch them. (I never did touch them, except with my nose!) I couldn't stop smelling them.

    ;)

    PS. Where I grew up, in the San Fernando Valley near LA, our house was built in what had been an orange grove. They left as many trees as possible (we had 13 on our property), and the fragrance of my neighborhood was wonderful. Good memories.

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  10. One day, oh one day, I WILL have a gardenia bush in my yard to remind me that spring and summer have come.

    Great post!

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  11. I love New England but we have NO Spring. I guess I shouldn't complain..it's 55 today. Woohoo! Pretty flowers!

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  12. Gardenias!!!! And I wrote about a weed! :)

    Lovely piece; really enjoyed this and meeting your stunning family
    ~d

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  13. Ahhhhh, spring in Arizona. I spent many a spring there and I loved the fresh oranges that came after the blossoms too! Best ever! your gardenia pic is stunning!

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  14. ok, sugar-pie! we are twinners on the gardenia love. only exception is that where i live? the climate here isn't very conducive to the growing and adoring of gardenias. a bit too cold, and awfully windy.

    but what we are twinners on? well, that was my corsage for my senior prom as well! i wore a simple black column dress, w/ boat neck (à la audrey hepburn in "breakfast at tiffany's"), a simple set of antique rhinestone earrings & matching necklace....and that lovely bloom on my wrist! it was THE best dance of my HS career by far, and the gardenia sealed the deal. (and it wasn't the best because i was there with anyone i was romantically interested in either, no instead the DJ played my favorite song "fly me to the moon" by ol' blue eyes himself, and my great guy friend, who was my date, made sure that my feet never left the dance floor! it was the most wonderful experience.)

    anyhow. you triggered the walk down memory lane. thanks for that. now i'm thinking i need to dig out photos from that evening and scan 'em and document 'em on the blog.

    have a wonderful week! ::hugs::

    (p.s. glad your cast's off finally.)

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  15. My grandma sent me up a bag full of orange blossoms just so I could smell them. Apparently it's a tradition she started when one of my aunts moved out of state. can't wait to be home!

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  16. "Practically edible" I LOVE that!
    And you are so right, there is nothing in the world that can compare to an actual fresh gardenia!

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  17. Hmm, can't say I've ever smelled fresh gardenias but I agree about the smell of spring flowers blooming :). There's nothing more pleasant than to be surrounded by the smell of flowers in the air.

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  18. 2 of my favorite scents ever, along with the memories they bring. Each spring I was away, college or out of state, mom sent a package of orange blossoms in the mail. They travel surprisingly well. Maybe we should do the same for pondside and send her some gardenias. She shouldn't have to wait until next year!

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  19. I love the smell of citrus trees blooming. And picking the fruit right off the tree- heaven!

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