"My grandmother was one of a kind. A kid at heart with a boundless imagination, she made my childhood such a beautiful tapestry of brightly colored memories - long walks on the beach collecting “specimens,” trips to Clyde’s Cider Mill, art festivals in the kitchen, sledding in winter, building snowmen, sandcastles, and forts of all shapes and sizes, endless camping, fishing, and road trips - needless to say, every day with her was an adventure. So, while countless scents remind me of her, this Fragrance Flight was curated in her honor - inspired by just a handful of our extraordinary, everyday adventures."
Grandma's Fragrance Flight
- Esker Point (ocean breeze)
- Clyde's Cider Mill (mcintosh apples)
- Camping at Burlingame (campfire marshmallow)
- Esker Point - Just minutes from my grandparents' home, Esker Point was a favorite day trip of ours. While most would say this spot is best enjoyed in the summertime, we loved heading out on blustery days, when the salt water misted your face and the crisp ocean air energized your soul. We'd come home with dozens of 'specimens' found on our walk - driftwood that looked like an alligator, horseshoe crabs that had washed up on the beach, sea glass in shades of blues and greens, and seashells of all shapes and sizes.
- Clyde's Cider Mill - Fall had not officially begun until we took a trip to B.F. Clyde's Cider Mill nestled in the heart of Old Mystic. The oldest steam-powered cider mill still in operation in the U.S., family-owned and operated since 1881, it was a magical place surrounded by apple orchards and pumpkin patches, where the air was always thick with the most delicious scent of fresh apples. Every year, sometimes more than once a year, we would go to Clyde's and watch in awe as the massive steam engine transformed local apples into sweet cider. My grandmother's childlike wonder made it feel as if each time was the first time, and we would always leave with gallons of cider and bushels of fresh apples to sip throughout the season and bake into sweet treats for family.
- Camping at Burlingame - Family camping trips were a well-honored tradition growing up, and one that all of us cousins still continue to this day, with Burlingame State Campground revered as one of our favorite spots to pitch tents, be outdoors, and, of course, gather around the campfire. As any self-respecting camping family knows, you can't cook s'mores without a good marshmallow stick, so like a good General, our grandma would rally the troops (all of us kids) and lead the expedition into the surrounding “wilderness” to help us find sticks for toasting marshmallows. Just any stick wouldn't do, and sometimes we would be out there for hours - exploring, joking, laughing, and inevitably losing track of time - looking for the perfect stick for what was to be the perfect family weekend.
The custom blend created from this flight was 2 parts McIntosh Apples + 1 part Campfire Marshmallow...and, is absolutely delightful as a flameless candle!