The scent of vanilla. I love it. A friend gave me a candle with vanilla fragrance and it fills the room with a very refreshing aroma. I was talking about it to one of my housemates and said how I don’t want to use it too much, so as not to use it up too quickly. This short conversation will get me another gift.
I use the candle while writing. For some reason, I developed a habit of having a candle or even a lantern lit when I’m writing. Tonight, I lit both. The flame sometimes burns calmly, other times it dances as if it is stirred with a breeze. And it gives a nice glow to the room. It can be quite soothing to observe the flame. I love taking photos of it, too, as you can tell.
Now there is something interesting. Did you know that the bottom part of the flame is its coldest part? I think it’s incredible that something so hot as the flame can have the coldest part. The ‘foundation’ of the flame, the part nearest to the wax, that blue light that you see when you take a close look at it, is least warm. Then it gently turns into yellow and it rises up like the wave, a single wave leaving the melting wax below. I put the candle closer to myself to observe it while writing, and the strong scent of vanilla reached me. It’s intoxicating. I closed my eyes and let the fragrance enter through my nostrils; this is what beauty smells like. If I allowed it, it could take me far away, to a dream land, a bazar somewhere in the Orient, a surreal place, non-existent, with a charming story that is ready to reveal itself.
Earlier today I walked into a bookshop, scanned through a few books and then went upstairs to see what was there. As I was walking I could see tulips standing still in the vase, and fragrance of such sweetness was filling the air. But tulips don’t have any particular smell. I looked around and then I saw it; another flower with a scent of spring and a touch of summer in full bloom. This is what seasons smell like.
Do you have a scent you particularly love? What does beauty smell like for you?
I have another favourite scent of which I can tell you nothing about. Yet, my vanilla candle keeps burning deep into the night. And the gift I got after mentioning the vanilla smell in my room is another candle, with the same scent, so now I can use these candles over and over again.
© Iva Beranek (Dublin, 20th April 2015)
Photo by © Iva Beranek
ivaberanek 
I loved reading this—and vanilla is my favorite scent as well, followed closely by the smell of the earth after a cleansing rain, and the salty scent of the sea. I love candles, too, though the good ones are entirely too expensive for me most of the time. I don’t know why I never thought of lighting some while writing, but I’m pretty sure I’ll be including that in my routine now. Wonderful post. (:
Cool! Thanks for reading. Yes, those scents you mention are lovely too.
Wow id say exactly as Paula did! This post is awesome. The scent of vanilla makes me feel so happy! X great post ⭐️