Holding On To The Good Stuff

This EDM sketch is "Something That Smells Good." It is one of my soapstone containers that holds Patchouli solid perfume. Patchouli became my favorite scent in the early 70's - primarily because it was said to cover the scent of marijuana. Back in those "good ole days" I smoked a lot of that herb and even grew it in my backyard. My neighbors all knew what the plants were and so did my children. As I look back on that, I think that the main thing it taught my children was the advantage of a good compost pile! I am proud to say that their minds weren't warped too much since neither of them seemed to be interested in smoking weed to any extent. Now my daughter is too old for such foolishness. I am too!

I don't smoke "Mary Jane," or cigarettes, anymore, nor do I drink alcohol in any form. I don't use illegal drugs - the ones that are prescribed for me alter my mind enough! Even though it has been a long time since I sat around with friends and smoked a joint, I didn't give up using Patchouli. I like the fragrance, and I like the memories that go with it. I remember those days with fondness and fun. I have a number of good stories about the times when I was "stoned." They are funny ones and I enjoy having others laugh with me over the antics of my younger days.

My brother, Mike, only wears Patchouli- that aftershave stuff is not for him! Like me, he has fond memories of the good times we each had in the past. I'm sorry to say that I never had that "particular good time" with Mike. Instead we share the love of the fragrance, the fun of wearing it, and our own individual stories of the "good times." When I am with Mike - not nearly enough for either of us - the fragrance of Patchouli enfolds us in a special, and somewhat secret, embrace.

The event that brought all this to mind so clearly, and fondly, was seeing Joan Baez in concert on Monday. The audience ranged somewhere between 45 and 70 years of age. There were canes and strong arms to lean on. No one moved very fast and there was lots of gray hair. A small number of younger people attended and Joan carefully explained the background of the songs for those who "weren't there" back then! She encouraged us to sing along on several of the songs...it was very nice. I'm told that there was a distinct smell of marijuana in the parking garage before the show...glad I wasn't there...I might have lingered a bit too long!

Well, this blog has kept me smiling the entire time. Ahhh, There was some good stuff in the 70's, I can still smell the fun we had.