Petrichor is the earthy scent produced when rain falls on dry soil. Petrichor is formed from the Greek petra, meaning “stone”, and īchōr, the fluid that flows in the veins of the gods in Greek mythology.
Petrichor was named by two Australian researchers, who discovered that the smell is an oily essence emitted from rocks or soils. The oil is a complicated mixture of at least fifty different compounds, rather like a perfume.
“But, even in the other pieces, her prose breaks into passages of lyrical beauty that come as a sorely needed revivifying petrichor amid the pitiless glare of callousness and cruelty.” Pradip Bhattacharya; Forest Interludes; Indianest.com; Jul 29, 2001.
Petrichor is a gorgeous bit of nature and one that I adore. I mean, there is little as lovely as that sweet, spicy, fresh smell of newly damped earth, especially after a dry spell. Nature is the best perfumer since it has only the most natural of ingredients to work with, no?
Namaste ~ Ella
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Lawhimsy 