My Nose and the Holdiay Season

Everyone know that scent can evoke a strong emotional response right? Well, if you didn't know that you do now and it is a proven fact! Take last night, for example, I lit a vanilla candle that my friend Laurie gave me and it made me think of my mom baking cookies for the holidays! My mom has been gone four years now but I just knew she was in the kitchen doing what she loved......baking! All night I thought about mom and craved sugar cookies! LOL!

I love the smell of Christmas time! You know, the real Christmas trees, the baked goods and then there is a holiday scent that I forgot about until this morning! Several year ago my sister-in-law gave me a "recipe" for a fresh potpourri that make on the stove and simmer all day. I don't remember the exact measurements since I rarely do exact on any recipe so here is what I did this morning with a few ingredients from my kitchen! The only thing I was missing was a cinnamon stick so I just used powdered.

Two oranges, two apples, whole clove and cinnamon sticks (or powdered if you don't have sticks! By the way, I have had this tin of cloves since like 1996! Ha! Slice your apples and oranges and put them in a pot. Pour a handful of cloves on top and add a cinnamon stick or two then add water so it covers the fruit and spices and put it on the stove on low! I start on high to get it going and then turn it down!!

Soon your house will have this wonderful citrus smell that is just wonderful! You may need to add water throughout the day to keep it going and I always add more cloves and cinnamon as the day (or evening) progresses. When you are done, just turn it off and let it cool! You can add more water and turn it on then next day!

I hope you all have a blessed Christmas and a very happy New Year!