February 24, 2014

Flickr Favourites: February 24, 2014


 photo 5211590969_21e2b54151_b_zps9dfdf4ab.jpg

{Revlon Fashion Plate Makeup ~ BudCat14/Ross}
 



{Yellow rose ~ KLMircea}
 



{Learn to Bake (back cover) ~ estelle & ivy}
 



{French 'For Sale' Sign ~ prettyshabby}
 



{Winter ~ Clermont Camera Social }
 


 photo 4270133746_319f8a48c4_b_zps270081f6.jpg

{Parsons Snow Chains - advert, 1956 ~ mikey ashworth}
 



{Beautiful pair ~ totheforest}
 



{Picture Post, Leslie Caron, 17th July, 1954 ~ Chez}
 



{The warmth of winter ~ Thomas Rusling}
 



{Abby - Artist Teddy Bear ~ P is for Paper}
 


{All images above are from Flickr. To learn more about a specific image, please click on its title to be taken to its respective Flickr page.}




There are few scents that I love more in the whole vast, wonderful world than that of wood smoke. Be it from a campfire nestled in the woods, on the beach, in a backyard, or wafting out of a chimney. With a little less than a month to go until winter officially wraps up, and in reality, probably two or more months until spring really starts to burst to life again here, there is, thankfully, still plenty of time for me to continue getting my annual fix of wood smoke.

I woke up today on a snow covered, perfectly still morning in February thinking about this fact. We don't have a fireplace at our house, but many throughout town do, and I love that if I threw open the window right now, chances are, that cozy, fragrant, timeless aroma would come barreling in to the room within seconds.

This thought then set me thinking about the colours of the flames that are integral for producing a fire. Intense reds, glowing yellows, sizzling oranges, and the occasional flash of pale blue or icy white. This palette seems particularly well suited to winter, because so many of its key players are the polar opposite of the freezing weather, pale landscape, and ash hued skies above.

We bring fire into our homes during these long, frozen months to warm our room, hands, and souls alike, but I think we also flock to the flames because of the fact that they're rather redolent of the sun's surface, blinding summer light, and that half of the year when the potential for frostbite is the last thing on your mind.

Man has harnessed fire, but it's still raw, still primal, still tremendously powerful, and no matter how modernized we get, we'll likely never stop using it in some capacity. It's too integral to life on this planet itself, and that suits me just fine. I could scarcely imagine winter without the scent of wood smoke lingering heavily in the air, bringing back an avalanche of memories from years past, while also putting me in the mood to roast plenty of delicious marshmallows – undoubtedly one of the best uses ever discovered for the mighty force of an open flame. :)

22 comments:

  1. these wonderful pictures reflect my current mood very well.
    warm and cool at the same time, mostly quiet and inwardly turned. the silent days of late winter - before the spring breaks forth with power.
    one of the blessings from living in the great outdoors are the wood fires, be it in the oven or at the fireplace in the garden or a campfire.......

    big hugs and a can of smokey scent are on the way to you <3

    ReplyDelete
  2. When I was at my parents place a month ago and I walked with our dog through town there was one house with a fireplace, every evening I passed by and stopped and smelled the woodsmoke and felt a bit warmer.

    ReplyDelete
  3. We are so fortunate to have a fireplace in our house, and I LOVE it! :) It gives the best warmth in the world, and we love to gather in front of it. It makes winter much more cosy. During summer we also have a fireplace out side, which we lit in the chilly Danish summer nights. Lovely inspiration as always, and in Denmark we also have to wait about two months for spring to arrive, but we are all in a springy mood. :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. I wonder why it is that woodsmoke (very common throughout the Adelaide Hills in Winter) evokes such feelings of warmth when humans smell it? Is it because it is something intuitive with humans? Something from our Cave Dweller era perhaps? I like to think so :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I very much think that is a substantial part of the reason. Up until the very most recent of decades, and even now for many of us, we relied on fire for warmth and/or to cook with, often created using wood (though coal and other substances came into play sometimes, too) and as a result it has been an ingrained, necessary part of the human experience that speaks to us on such a primal level, even in this day and age of electricity and gas.

      Great comment and point, dear lady, thank you very much.

      ♥ Jessica

      Delete
  5. Lovely pics, just amazing! Thanks for sharing! :)
    Have a wonderful week! <3

    XoXo
    nostemposdaminhaavo.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  6. Beautiful photos. They describe this month perfectly. Good inspiration and i love the doggies as well :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Love these images. And red has incredible power.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Love the frosty rose image - so beautiful!

    I love the smell of wood smoke too! So comforting!

    Hope you had a great weekend!
    Lisa.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I love the smell of a beautiful fire! Makes me think of warm! I live in a new home so mine is a gas fireplace but it still brings me warmth! I actually have it on now! Love your beautiful pictures! The frost bitten rose is gorgeous

    Rebecca
    www.winnipegstyle.ca

    ReplyDelete
  10. Jessica,
    You've made a wonderful choice of pictures; and an amazing tale made out of words.
    There's almost a supernatural connection between a man and fire. Ever since we first saw it's flames dancing in the air, it has fascinated us so much, we had to have it close to us; not only as a way to stay warm and prepare our meals. I believe there's much grater force connecting the two. That is why we, in this day and age, still long for fire-places (not many of them serve for a housewife to do her spit-roast any more, right?). We like to look at it. To REALLY look at it, feel lost in it's flames, let our minds play as we sit, warm up our cheeks and inhale the magnificent breath she breathes.
    Oh, now I long for a fire-place, too.

    Hug
    Marija

    ReplyDelete
  11. I adore these pictures. I love the one with the red tights :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. that red hat is amazing! PS-I will be mentioning you on my blog later today I made your families pasta sauce and it was delish!

    retro rover

    ReplyDelete
  13. Beautifully written, I could smell the scent of wood smoke while reading! Also, it really suited my mood from just returning from the north. You are amazing with words, continue to do what you do!

    XX,

    Simona

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you deeply, dear Simona. Writing is as much a part of me as the blood that flows through my veins, so you have my word that in one form or another, I will always continue to do so for as long as humanly possible.

      Many hugs & happy wishes coming your way,
      ♥ Jessica

      Delete
  14. How I love the smell of wood smoke! So many memories! Love all the pictures, but I especially love the one of Leslie Caron in red. She looks so vibrant and alive! Isn't it funny how something as simple as a color, can invoke such a strong reaction?
    ~xoxo, CoriLynn

    ReplyDelete
  15. What a lovely collection..it has me dreaming of the cooler weather to come and all the snuggly things I miss during summer...casseroles, open fires and frosty gardens. Thanks for sharing these beautiful images with us. xx Shauna

    ReplyDelete
  16. Gosh, can I have a little cabin somewhere deep in the woods where I can have that fire going strong and those cute dogs to cuddle with?? :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That sounds like a tranquil slice of heaven to me, too. Far more than a summer cottage, as delightful as I'm sure one would be, I've always wanted a winter cabin in the woods more myself (must be the die hard camping fan in me there).

      ♥ Jessica

      Delete
  17. I wish I had an open fire or a wood burning stove. They smell delicious and are so pretty and relaxing to look at. Lovely theme and pictures.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Beautifully written, as usual. Being in the middle of a heat wave in Australia it's so nice to dream of snow, open fireplaces and snuggly clothes. However, given the fact that the wood smoke I'm smelling at the moment is coming from a bushfire, I might hold off on the open fireplace for a few months :) Still, I've always wanted to experience a white winter....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you very much, my dear. Having never experienced a warm (or anything even close to it) winter, I've always wondered what that would be like. Perhaps we should house swap for a season some time! :)

      ♥ Jessica

      Delete