Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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Pining for Pine

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Have I mentioned that one of my favorite scents in all the world is pine? It may even be my favorite. I have a long history with pine. I grew up in Michigan. Summer vacation for our family was a camping trip to the Pigeon River State Forest. We started out in tents, then eventually graduated to a pop-up camper, and by the time I was in high school we had a trailer/RV. As we neared the campground and I caught my first whiff of pine, I knew we were almost there. (I didn’t particularly like camping, but I loved that piney scent.)  In my college years I was a camp counselor in the northern Michigan woods – more pine. To my mind, it was absolute heaven to be surrounded by pine trees. To this day, whenever I get a whiff of pine, I relax and feel my shoulders drop.

When I lived in Philadelphia in my grad school days, Wanamakers carried this wonderful pine bath from Austria. I bought it and used it religiously. A hot bath with the scent of pine was the perfect way to relax after a long day.  When I moved to Boston, I found it for a while at Crabtree and Evelyn or Caswell Massey (one of those ‘C’ shops.) But no longer. I search for it whenever I travel. I miss it so much it hurts. If you ever run across some form of pine bath, let me know please!

We always have some form of pine scented candle in our house. The best, bar none, are the ones from Aunt Sadie’s Candles. It’s their “Tree in a Can.” Heidi sells them in her shop and they sell like hotcakes every year.  I usually stock up on them for the long winter ahead.

But this time of year, I get the real thing. Right in my home. There’s nothing better. That’s why we always have a real tree here at MHC. Pine heaven. I don’t want an artificial tree. I love picking out a tree at our favorite nursery and that each year’s tree is different in size and shape from all the others we’ve had in previous years. Every year we say, without fail, “This is the prettiest tree ever!” This year’s tree is particularly well-shaped.  Let me show you.

Oooh, it’s pretty. It’s covered in vintage ornaments, as well as some newer ornaments that look vintage, like my favorite bottle brush ornaments:

(this was on my photo blog, hence the different water mark.)
A perfectly shaped tree loaded with cherished ornaments and the scent of pine? I may just stay in the den for the rest of the holiday season.
Thank you so much for all your compliments on Don’s video. (If you haven’t seen it, just scroll down one post.) I hadn’t planned on being in it, but the filmmaker requested my presence one day last week. Let me tell you, it was friggin’ freezing that day! The temperature was in the single digits. And when he asked us to lie down on the ground I thought he must be joking. He wasn’t. I was sure that little segment wouldn’t make it in the video, but I was wrong. Don says to tell you that the song isn’t on iTunes yet, but it will be soon. I’ll let you know when it’s there.
I’m off to do some shopping. And then back home to more crocheting and crafting. And hot chocolate.

Comments

  2. The tree is beaUtiful, and I love the big bottlebrush ornaments. I have a link for you too. It’s a line I carried in my store ~ wonderful quality and a little goes a long way. It’s the Frasier Fir scent from Thymes.
    hhttp://www.thymes.com/Collection.aspx?nodeid=2037
    Happy shopping.

  3. Well, sweetpea, you outdid yourself on this year’s tree. That is just the quintessential tree I’ve seen. It’s lovely.

    I know what you mean about scents. My favorites have always been Crabtree and Evelyn and when we go over to granddaughter’s house in Washington I make a trip to see what’s available. I have some very old favorites that they don’t have anymore and I miss them greatly. But for oils I always get them from Hayward Enterprises on the internet. I think you might find some pine oil that you’d like. Hers are the best.

    But my favorite house scent is Twilight by Scentsy. It is the cleanest and freshest scent for a home. But their Lush Gardenia is my favorite to fragrance my house before company arrives. I just love those 2 scents.

    xoxo,
    Connie

  4. I love your tree. I wish I was right there on the sofa with Scout looking at your tree and knitting or crocheting. I too think Pine is my favorite scent. I remember driving down that one lane road downthe hill to Pigeon River. The trees swaying in the breeze and the smell……amazing.
    We are still decorating our tree.
    Love and miss you,
    Mere

  11. Your tree is beautiful and I completely understand the need for pine scent. It is a favorite of mine also and that is why I live here in the forest with my pine trees I love so much. Happy Holly Jolly Joy…

  13. It’s a beautiful tree and you have it decorated so pretty! Pine scent brings back memories for me of when my family lived in Flagstaff, Arizona, when I was a little girl. It was a happy time and the scent is always so soothing.

  14. your tree looks a b s o l u t e l y beautiful, claudia. i completely love the smell of pine trees, too. i used to go to a camp in the north woods of wisconsin (near hayward).

    have you ever tried vitabath in the green scent?

    xo
    ~molly

  15. Claudia your tree is lovely and IS the perfect shape!.. Your ornaments seem to reflect your personality (as much as I can glean from a blog) and it looks just perfect to me. Your pictures give off just the glow to get one in the spirit of the season. Ann

  17. Oh I love pine too! It is so cold here our wreath on the front door doesn’t smell very much :( I have never seen pine bath! How great! I hope you find some. Have a very pine day :)
    Hugs, Lisa

  18. Your tree is amazingly lovely my friend….and yes…pine is one of my favourites too….now a pine bath would be amazing!

    Warm hugs. xoxoxo

  19. Your tree is
    just lovely!!!
    I also find the
    scent of evergreens
    to be very soothing
    and relaxing. Send
    me your address and
    I’ll pop something
    off to you that I
    think you will like!
    xx Suzanne

  20. The scent of pine is so refreshing isn’t it? I love it too.
    Your tree is truly lovely. How wonderful that you have such beautiful ornaments to adorn it.
    Hugs,
    Terri

  21. Claudia, I remember that pine wash but I don’t know who made it either! I can smell it as I write! I’ll stay on the lookout for another one, too. Each year we think our tree is the best one ever, whether it is small, tall, fat or thin. And now every year we discuss getting the fake but never do, and are always happy when the real one comes in. We don’t cut it ourselves because one of my earliest childhood memories is driving home from a tree farm with my youngest sister in the truck sobbing madly because we cut down a tree!! I know they are from farms, but I would rather not see the deed! Linda

  22. Your Christmas tree is so lovely~ and it really IS a great shape! I feel the same way about the scent of pine. It takes me back to 6th grade science camp in the California coastal mountains. Love it. I broke down and bought a fake tree last year and miss the smell of the real trees… so I bought three real wreaths this year. My home smells like “real” Christmas now!
    Hugs,
    Jill

  23. I absolutely love your tree! I have a collection of antique ornaments and they are my favorites. I’m a quilter, but I’m loving the scarfs you crochet. Makes me want to get out my crochet needles and make one for myself.

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