Friday, August 2, 2019

PETRICHOR. . . . . . .


A word you may be familiar with.
A new word for me . . . and one I really like.
PETRICHOR
  From the Greek petra - stone
and ichor - the fluid which was said to flow through
the veins of the gods in mythology.

One of summer's most refreshing sensations is the the feel of cool air as a storm
 rolls in after a spell of humid weather.
 When fat raindrops hit the parched earth, a distinctive scent called 'petrichor' is
 produced. An earthy smell produced by organic compounds, and both humans and
 animals find it particularly attractive.


Yesterday we had a long awaited rain - heavy lasting rain with booming thunder, 
lightning, water filled the streets, huge raindrops danced on the flat and small rivers
 rolled down the slopes.  
Later today, and perhaps all through the weekend, there will be more storms.
August is here, summer heat builds, dark clouds roll in mid-afternoon.
Yesterday I walked, outside, I breathed the air and could smell it 
through the dampness, heady, earthy. . . . . . . . petrichor! 


9 comments:

  1. I love that smell and the sound of thunder rolling and rain falling. It's one of my most favorite things in the world. We are in our drought phase of the year and it will last at least two more months.

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  2. I've loved petrichor from early childhood (of course without knowing what it is called), but the last time it rained here, it was too chilly for it to develop.
    Hopefully, the storms and heavy rains won't cause too much damage to houses, gardens and fields around you.

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  3. Oh that’s what it’s called! New word for me, too, and I do love the scent...so fresh. We even say, “I can smell the rain coming.”

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  4. I love it. Send some storms our way. We desperately need some rain.

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  5. A new word for me - I do love that smell when the baked earth has received a good soaking from the heavens. There have been some very heavy storms here too, but so far it has missed us out, so I would welcome and enjoy smelling some earthly petrichor too.

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  6. Well, I learned something new today. I never knew that the early smell had a name and such an exotic one at that.

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  7. A new word for me too! And now that I know what it means, I can say I LOVE it!

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  8. I actually did come across that word recently! I do love that smell. But it doesn't happen often here and isn't quite the same without good soil and greenery all around.

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  9. Oh a bit of rain sounds just lovely about now. The smell is so divine. Thanks for the imagining while I sit here in 90 degrees with the fan blowing on me.

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