Tuesday, April 18, 2017

Petrichor


Petrichor, pronounced (pe-trahy-kawr, -ker).  It is not the Latin name of my peony, Southern pronunciation (peeeee - own - eeeeee).   Northern pronunciation  (pe - a - ne).


Petrichor is something we all recognize but never mentioned by name.


It is the smell outside after a rainstorm.  It is the distinct scent of rain in the air.  Or, to be more precise, it's the name of an oil that's released from the earth into the air before rain begins to fall. Dictionary.com


To help everyone improve their vocabulary by learning to include it in their everyday conversations, I will use it first.


Today I wanted to plant flowers but it has petrichord outside all day long.  This caused me to be stuck in the house going stir crazy with only a dictionary to read.

Petrichor.

14 comments:

  1. Jeannie this might be my favourite post of yours.

    You had me grab my french dictionary (Petrichor doesn't exist in french), then my old French/English Robert and Collins (found petri dish but no petrichor).
    We just say "the smell of rain", I guess.

    To think you found that precise word!! You made my day!!

    Oh the gorgeous gorgeous pictures!! Peony and Iris!!!

    Please allow me to make this word mine by pronouncing it the french way (pay- tree- core).

    Petrichor!!

    Sophie-Marie

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    1. Sophie-Marie, you may have this word. I freely give it to you since I still cannot pronounce it correctly. My southern drawl is quite pronounced. No one ever has to guess my birthplace.

      Good news, today I don't think there is any "petrichor" floating around so loading groceries into the car will not be as miserable as expected.

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  2. My mistake: "petrichor" is indeed known in French. It grammatically is a masculine gender word.

    Sophie-Marie (who keeps reacting too fast)

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    1. Sophie-Marie, don't panic. It's ok. Don't worry about being wrong or making a mistake. I don't know French and can barely speak English. You are doing just fine. No one will be critical here and if they do, I will just delete their post! Ha!Ha! I like being in charge.

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  3. I love your peony. Mine are not quite blooming. I was delighted, however, to see that I have several bushes of them coming up here at the new house, probably a couple of varieties because one kind is looking like it will bloom soon, and another isn't even close. I've enjoyed several tulips that have come up.

    Yesterday, my sister and I took our daughters to the tulip fields. Gorgeous. I put pictures on my blog https://beckyathome.wordpress.com/2017/04/19/homeschool-field-trip-to-the-tulip-fields/ It was so beautiful. I haven't been in years, and I wasn't disappointed. It was as gorgeous as I had remembered.

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    1. The pictures of the tulip fields were magnificent and the girls know how to pose for pictures. If I had gone I think security would be required to throw me out at closing time. Your pictures reminded me of images I have seen of Holland when the tulips are blooming over there.

      That was a great homeschool field trip!

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  4. I've never dealt with constant pain, but I can easily imagine how maddening it may sometimes be.

    Hope you could plant your red petunias as well!

    Sophie-Marie

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    1. I did shop for red petunias today as I said; however, I was not pleased. I wanted FIRE ENGINE RED, but all they had was plain red. This seems to be a pink and purple year. It appears I must continue to shop for more flowers...oh how wonderful.

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  5. This is a lovely peony. So early, - I am amazed. In Germany we call
    it Paeonie or Pfingstrose (whitsun rose), as it looks a bit like a rose. But they do not smell as nice as roses. Do you cut them for
    the vase ?

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    1. Yes, I cut them as soon as they open a bit more and bring it in the house. They have a strong sweet smell and the scent will fill the room. They don't bloom for long but make up for that deficiency by returning year after year.

      It is blooming early here. Some things are blooming early, like iris and other things have hardly bloomed at all, like bradford pears. Everything is either early or late this spring.

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  6. Hi Jeannie, I guess I'm not too old to learn! Petrichor....I wish I could say I'll remember that, but I know I won't.....that much I can remember.....that I won't remember. Peonies (pe-a-nes) are so spectacular! I adore them. You're growing season is ahead of ours. I consider your pictures a preview of coming attractions! Thanks for sharing.

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    1. Hold on Sally, Spring is on her way up north to you but she is confused this year. Everything is blooming at different times. She will make it, don't give up.

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  7. Petrichor - the blood of the earth.
    Too busy enjoying actual RAIN today, to remember to smell the rain coming.

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