Making Scents

Fall has arrived and is a time of mild days and cool evenings. Fall ushers in great change. Changes in leaves, of course, but also changes in attitude. Time seems to go faster in the Fall because sunrise comes later and sunset comes sooner. It can be frustrating to see the sunshine yet not be able to feel it on your face because you are indoors, at work. What to do? Make your home smell like Fall! What else?

I like to collect and bring in colored leaves and place them in a pretty, clear bowl so I can enjoy them inside our home. (The fun thing is, they're free and readily available.) I also like to bake in the Fall. I like to make treats I can pack in our younger daughter, Mia's, school lunches to keep them fun. On days when I cannot bake, I like to make a simmering pot of homemade scent. I enjoy the way the delicious scent makes our home cozy and it's super easy to do. There are many benefits of scent like it can reduce anxiety (always a good thing), help us heal faster (we all need this) and, in general, make us happy. 

To me, Fall means apples and spices like cinnamon and cardamom, clove and ginger . To make a pot of simmering Fall scent, simply fill a pot with water (or apple cider) cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods, whole clove and a hunk of fresh ginger. Bring the mixture to the boil and then reduce the heat so it just hangs out on a back burner and simmers. Add more liquid as the water or cider evaporates and just like that, your home smells like Fall!

Do you have a scent that makes you think of Fall? Please share it in the comments section.

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