2023-07-04 Of "Plough Winds" and Tornadoes
Nice shave, the Un Jour Gris always does a good job of evoking a gray rainscape of a day. I pulled in the Tornadic to bolster the ozone and rain notes. Small nick under the nose nothing big and easily solved.
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Being from the US Midwest spring can be beautiful, however sometimes a bit dangerous. As a result I will be leaning into the description for the day requiring "or Prominently feature floral, grassy, or petrichor accords"
A quick survey of the scents involved...
Un Jour Gris (soap) - petrichor, vetiver and sandalwood
Tornadic (aftershave) - Oakmoss, musk, rain, ozone, and mahogany.
Both lean into spring storms and their results.
And as such there is a specific feature to Spring I am looking to for this shave.
Storms, "Plough Winds", and Tornadoes on the Prairie:
Spring brings flowers and fresh air. A chance to crack open the windows and release the staleness of your metaphorical hibernation (just ask Persephone if you are into Greek mythology).
But as with all things, there are small caveats, conditions, requirements placed upon the joy.
In the Midwest spring comes with storms.
Birds mill about warily, house flies begin to bite, small mice hurriedly work at their chores before hiding, and squirrels shaking their fluffed tails on ground and tree decide on a proper response to what they know is coming.
On the plains you can smell a storm before it arrives. This wind is known as a "gust front" and runs on ahead of a storm as you feel the temperature drop.More scientifically it can be called a downburst but to the observer emotion matters more. Ignoring the sound of the gusts and the rumble of distant thunder. These gusts drive their own scents of warning to one waiting for the storm to arrive. Upon these unsettled winds which move forth to present themselves as a heralds, various scents are picked up, and added to the churn.
The advancing gust steals up petrichor from the grounds inside the storm lofting the scent high into the air, then mingles in any ozone from the breath of searing lightning blasting it downward and tumbling it across the ground before the storm. Grasses, flowers, weeds, the trees that line the creeks and crops now waving not gently shake and give up dusts and pollen and their own general scents almost as if sweating nervous tannins, florals, hay, and dirt into the low ground bound moist and charged atmospheric river.
At best a small rain follows.
Or, perhaps a violent downpour with lighting blasting the sky and earth, brilliant as if being nature's own artillery followed, by the chasing cannon rumbled boom of thunder.
At worst a "Derrecho" also known as a "Plough Wind" shears across the landscape toppling and cutting or a tornado with it's freight train sound mills the very ground marking it, scoring a track into the ground and picking apart houses into small unrecognizable pieces, grabbing cars and random items and dashing them into fields.
And afterward a weighted mugginess with all those scents remains entrained in place. Those who suffered through remain to sort the damage.
But the flowers don't mind. Though their scents have been blunted by the storm - out of the earth they will spring again.
Take care and Have a good day.