Burning the Stick

It's been a while since I've had a moment to sit down and think about something other than job hunting, gardening and household items. I've been rather busy dealing with the little things and it has made life much easier to handle. A few disasters averted, and things have been rather calm.

The first bed is up. We had a good time getting it there, but because we though we were going to have to move (ugh, again) we didn't bother getting seeds started in late January for the garden so I'm a little late getting my plantings started. But I did get some started and that is the point.

Cucumber, okra, tomato, cauliflower, broccoli have all gone into the bed and are growing nicely. It's cooling off here again and we're going to be getting into the 30's at night this week so I thought that with this cold snap I'd get some lettuce started in the bed so that we can have a couple of baby green salads before the heat comes and letting some of it bolt for the sake of getting some extra seed for this fall. I've got sweet basil, lemon basil and cinnamon basil all sprouted and growing well, garlic chives, summer savory and marjoram have just sprouted. I'm waiting on the dill, I think it isn't warm enough for it to get going yet.

The raspberries are comfortable in their containers along with the orchard I started last year. The orange and lime are doing very well and the lemon we were concerned about finally started getting some new growth. The cherry has several new leaves and the one lone surviving banana is doing very well in it's new container, too. I'm worried a little about the pomegranate. It was doing very well getting a lot of new growth, but it all keeps wilting and dying off but all the stems are pliable and not dry and breaking, which is a good sign that it is just a little confused from going in and out of the house.

We got our gazebo up and it has offered a lot of nice comfort during our first warm bout of weather, we rather like it, but a strong wind knocked it down before it could be anchored properly and the frame is bent a bit. I don't think it will survive being taken down this fall, but we'll have to see.

I found a couple of good deals today. An almost brand new bread machine for $10 and a non-electric ice cream maker that doesn't require much more than freezing the cylinder and cranking it occasionally. We're looking forward to using it this summer. I'm anxiously awaiting to make some fresh bread with the machine and seeing if it will work well. I'm in the middle of a bunch of different things so I've not had time to get pictures taken so I can get them up, but I will soon.

This is a very low key incense, it stays in the background and grabs at you when you lest expect it. Shoyeido's website says this about it:

An abundance of sandalwood gives Sapphire an inviting scent. Calming and soothing, it is perfect for meditation or for repose in the evening. Clove, benzoin, vetiver and other spices add to this rare gem"s value. 40 sticks - 5.25" (13.5 cm) long, plus a biodegradable incense holder. Approximate burning time: 30 minutes per stick. Ingredients: Sandalwood (Santali lignum), Clove (Caryophylli flos), Benzoin (Benzoinum) and spices.

The low key of this incense is why it is so good for meditation. Sandalwood is very apparent in this incense, it was the very first thing I noticed. It is the top note that guides the rest of the scents that lie just underneath the fragrant yellow wood. There are undertones that blend and do not over power. The clove gives it a nearly unnoticeable spiciness. The benzoin and the vetiver are almost undetectable. They add a feminine quality, it's sandalwood, but it has a softer touch, less sharp, less dominating.

I really enjoy this blend and burn it frequently. The fragrance is in the background, not palatable like some I've tried out there. Where the scent is just so strong that you can taste it. It is mild but not mellow. It's relaxing and calming, all in all, a very good incense with a rating of 5 out of 5. Even better, its really affordable at $3.50 a box straight from Shoyeido.

I'd burned this once before in a sampler pack that I bought and thought it was the nicest of fragrances. It has a lingering effect, too. Shoyeido's website says the following about the Joy Incense:

A unique blend of sandalwood and tea leaves creates a playful scent, evoking memories of happiness and a light-hearted mood. 40 sticks - 5.25" (13.5 cm) long, plus a biodegradable incense holder. Approximate burning time: 30 minutes per stick. Ingredients: Tea Leaves, Sandalwood (Santali lignum), Clove (Caryophylli flos), Vanilla (Vanilla fructus) and spices.

The sandalwood is subtle, its an undertone more than a flavor. The tea leaves, take center stage and the clove lifts it up to a new tone. The slight vanilla is there, but you don't realize it until the stick is half way gone.

It is light-hearted and it is very much happy. And the tone that it sets in fragrance and in relaxation is a pleasant one. I enjoyed this incense and would rate it at a 3 out of 5.

I have a profound fondness for incense to the point where I have it burning several times a day. I use it to help relax, perfume and clean the air and to just smell good, to ready and steady myself for the day or night ahead. I have received two incense purchases recently and am awaiting a third. Luckily, my head cold is coming to an end and I can smell again. I have a hand written incense journal that I will add here as I go and I will add to it my incense exploration thoughts as I learn new incenses.

Enjoy.