Pine Marten Post #16
Hello lovely person!
October oddballs include; feastworthy flowers, saucy scents, classic cups of chocolate, glittering grasses, and a greedy person’s guide to a whole Sunday in Edinburgh (that’s me; I’m the greedy person).
Gardening tips for October
One of the biggest challenges in the garden is keeping it looking interesting and wildlife friendly all year round. Spring and summer are seasons of easy abundance, but when October comes around, most flowers are finished, so there’s very little for bees to feed from. And they need to feast now to see them through the cold and cruel months.
These three plants will keep flowering, even in Scotland, through until November. Bees will be hibernating after then, so you needn’t worry about trying to feed them. They’ll be cosily cooried up in some dried leaves or hollow stems until the warmer, lighter weather comes again.
Japanese anemone
Persicaria
Cosmos
Fragrant musings from the library of scent: Saucy scents with (more than) a smidge of smut
Browsing and sniffing my way around Harrods Beauty Hall in Edinburgh, I realised almost all the perfumes I’d been trying had something surprising in common. Neon bright with top notes, then overdosed with syrupy vanilla at the base, they were kind of hollow in the middle. And honestly, if you could ignore the confected trail of candy floss in most, they all smelled shriekingly sharp and remarkably like loo/floor cleaner.
Where has all the filth in fragrance gone?
Historically, introducing animal materials like civet, musk and hyrax (among others) to fragrance would add complexity, longevity and a kind of furry warmth. These days, there are plenty of synthetic alternatives that give a similar effect and are much less problematic to source. But are big perfume brands using them? Maybe, but in such small doses, they don’t seem to be adding anything to the composition.
The answer lies with independent perfumers. Bold and visionary folk with an abundance of creative courage. Some of their fragrances can be challenging to experience at first, but persevere and the rewards are huge.
And it’s not just about smelling sexy. The smell of a beloved human (or animal) can be enormously comforting. Everyone interprets scents differently——what smells overtly raunchy to you may not do so to me.
So, here’s a (very) short list of perfumes to illustrate the full spectrum of filth. I’ve given them smut/heat ratings out of 5, but as I say, this is very subjective. The higher the rating, the more likely you are to be hauled in front of HR if you work in an office.
A softly saucy jasmine and musk perfume, redolent of supremely fancy bathrooms and lavishly embroidered silk robes.
Oh so subtle, this is the scent of love in a hot climate with juicy citrus, musky cardamom and a lick of salty skin.
Libertine - Contradictions In Ilk 🌶🌶🌶
One for your pirate fantasies, where creaking timbers, rum soaked leather and wooden chests full of expensive spices are all scattered with dusty rose petals.
The only vintage perfume in this list, created by Germaine Cellier in 1944. Bright with snapped green stems sprinkled with violets, this has a heart of opulent gardenia and jasmine that dries down to a spankingly excellent leather. Wear it and feel invincible.
1740 - Histoires de Parfums 🌶🌶🌶
The number refers to the year in which the Marquis de Sade was born. 1740 is an elegantly louche perfume that’s easier to wear than you might imagine. Richly warm with hints of battered leather armchair, swirling brandy and a wisp of cigar, it’s bizarrely comforting to me.
Lonestar Memories - Tauer Perfumes 🌶🌶🌶🌶
One of my favourites from this self-taught Swiss chemist. Lonestar Memories is the scent of sweaty cowboys who haven’t changed their underwear for a while. Supple leather chaps are infused with campfire smoke and the tang of distant pine forests.
Sécrétions Magnifique - ELDO 🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶
NSFW. Sécrétions Magnifique was originally designed as a conceptual perfume based on - yes, you’ve guessed - most of the smells the human body can produce. With over-ripe, heady floral notes morphing into a milky, salty sandalwood, it’s more appealing than you might think. As long as you can suspend an expectation that perfume must smell ‘nice’.
Featured chocolate: Liquid joy
I’ve been playing around with different variations of hot chocolate for years, trying to find the optimum point of richly thick and satisfying without basically drinking double cream.
After a magical trip to Barcelona, I discovered that adding a tiny amount of cornflour to the mixture makes a slightly gloopier texture which replicates the style of hot chocolate you find in cafés there. If that doesn’t appeal to you, feel free to leave it out.
This quantity will make four cups, two mugs or one giant bucketful.
🍫Ingredients:
500 ml milk (or alternative)
25-50g dark chocolate (I usually go for Callebaut 70% cocoa drops, because I’m lazy and chopping chocolate is messy)
1 heaped tsp cocoa powder
1 tsp sugar (or to taste)
1 tsp cornflour
🍫Method:
1. Heat the milk gently in a pan.
2. Mix the cocoa powder, sugar and cornflour in the cup you’ll be using (saves washing up) with a splash of cold water.
3. When the cocoa mixture is well blended, add to the heating milk and stir or whisk.
4. Keep stirring gently until you can see the liquid start to thicken slightly, if you’ve used cornflour.
5. When it’s just below boiling, take the milk off the heat and add the chocolate, stirring gently all the time.
6. Once the chocolate has melted into the liquid, pour into your cup.
Add marshmallows if you like.
And savour it.
🍫Variations:
A sprinkle of chilli flakes
A scattering of cinnamon
A few drops of vanilla extract
A grating of nutmeg
How will you drink yours?
Nature notes for October
Do you ever catch swirling and twirling amber leaves for luck?
Purple clover feeding eager bees, fragrant and creamy puffs of meadowsweet STILL going strong
golden grasses glittering, violet knapweed bobbles
the cidery tang of windfall apples
spicy, over ripe brambles tumbling for a tawny field mouse
licking its lips in joy——all this bounty within easy reach.
A kingfisher flashing turquoise, its piping call eerie through the thickening mist.
Random Scottish facts: 8 ½ hours in Edinburgh
What on earth can you do with yourselves when you’ve dropped off a family member at an event at 9am on a Sunday and will collect them at 5.30pm? Why, spend the entire day eating and drinking, of course. With maybe a smidgen of art appreciation thrown it too.
On the blog and LinkedIn:
How to create a bee friendly garden (it’s really simple)
What’s your most valuable wellbeing tip?
⭐ As ever, all wibbly words are by me, Rowan Ambrose. And all products are paid for me too, except for the sample of Soapy Heart by Shloksha, which was kindly gifted by the brand ⭐
Thanks for spending this time with me!
Rowan 💚
I'd love to hear about what sensory experiences bring you joy.
Feel free to reply to this email, or you can message me on Instagram or LinkedIn.