
Vetiver: it’s present in nearly 90% of western perfumes[wiki] and its aroma is a complex weave of (I’m smelling some right now) smoke, earth, wood, secrets, calm, nuance, sap. It has almost no edges to its smell; it’s a viscous, amber syrup in its distilled form. You feel like you could almost put it on pancakes.
But vetiver also provides excellent erosion control, serves as a natural filter for industrial toxins, is non-invasive, antiseptic, and, possibly, anti-inflammatory in a way that I find intriguing.
Photo by Treesftf

At the beginning of the year, I set some outlines for some reading I’d like to accomplish in 2010. These goals represent not only book titles, but, in some cases, areas and concepts I’d like to explore. There’s some philosophy and some science in here, as well as some classic novels I never seem to get around to reading. Let’s see how it’s going.
In this quiet and personal historical coming of age tale, Sally Gunning shows us New England on the brink of revolution through the eyes of a young and slightly rebellious woman. Protagonist Jane Clarke’s domestic issues of justice and truth mirror those making a loud entrance onto the international stage.
This Early Reviewer selection from LibraryThing was provided by William Morrow Publishing.
Can't think of what to read next? Consider one of these picks: I liked them!
In 2009, I made a goal to get through Herodotus’ Histories, several Shakespeare works, and some French literature. Not to mention a focus on reading more non-fiction, especially science. See how successful I was, see my plans for 2010, and share your own reading projects and plans for the new year.
Venetia Kelly’s Traveling Show by Frank Delaney
Reviewed Mar 02, 2010
Frank Delaney’s most recent novel is a misty-sweet race through softcore Irish political history, country farms and criminal intrigue. We watch a father’s obsession turn into a son’s fate, in the framework of the Vaudevillian traveling show of the novel’s title character.
This book is charming: Delaney knows how to woo his Ire-phile gaga American audience, and he’s keyed right into his early-1930s setting.