A Smell And A Memory
- Thread starter Jazzy1
- Start date
Pappy
Living the Dream
The old gas station smell. Always stopped at the station across from my school to get a Pepsi from the old soda machine. Liked the smell of gasoline and oil. Lots of memories there.
PeppermintPatty
🐢. 🐳. 🐢
- Location
- Canada
Tar! It reminds me of walking along the railroad tracks when I was a kid.
Fresh baked bread. Starting in the days of the depression my mother baked bread regularly. I am the youngest of six with an age spread of 19 years among my siblings. I didn't live during the depression years, but I was exposed to some of its effects due to home environment. I remember walking home from school and smelling the aroma of fresh bread.
I still like to smell wood smoke from a chimney. My boys and I cut wood for the fireplace on our farm. We had central heat and air in our remodeled farmhouse but I really liked a wood fire and warming around the hearth.
MACKTEXAS
Well-known Member
I started to do my own post, but decided to reply to yours, since I was going to list Pine Sol (hated it, and will not have it in my house)
And the other was Old English Furniture Polish. I have no objection to the smell of it, and I have some, but rarely use it. When I was a teenager, every Saturday was house cleaning day and my mother wanted me to use it on the piano and all dark furniture, then take a rag and wipe off the excess. What a waste of time. The furniture did not need polishing every week.
Pam
Well-known Member
- Location
- Cumbria, England.
If I was to smell tar then it would bring back a memory of when I was about 4 or 5 years old. I was being taken to the beach by my mam, along with her friend and son (who was also my friend and the same age as me). While our mothers were making up sandwiches etc. for a picnic, we went outside. We were told not to get messed up especially as we were both wearing all white clothing...ha! It was a hot day and we got sticks and poked at the melting tar. Needless to say, we got covered in tar. 
I remember that butter was used to try and remove the tar from our bodies. No idea what was done with our clothes. 
I remember that butter was used to try and remove the tar from our bodies. No idea what was done with our clothes. 
jujube
SF VIP
Strange smells that take me back to better times:
Mothballs. Reminds me of Grandma's house, which was the best place in the world to be. All her closets smelled like mothballs and there were wonderful things to be found in the closets. Sometimes, I even pick up a package of moth crystals at the store and sniff the box. There's usually enough of a smell to make me smile.
Shoe polish. In my mind, I'm sitting by my Dad as he polishes all our shoes for going to church on Sunday. I'd give anything to sit by my Dad again for just one moment.
Gasoline. We seldom wore shoes in the summer unless we absolutely HAD to. The roads would be freshly tarred and from running back and forth to friends' houses, our feet would get tar on them. Mom always had a squirt bottle of gasoline and a rag sitting on the back stoop and we had to be sure we had all the tar cleaned off our feet before we could come in. The smell of gasoline reminds me of long, carefree summer days.
Diesel fumes and hot dust. Takes me back to living in Turkiye.
Mothballs. Reminds me of Grandma's house, which was the best place in the world to be. All her closets smelled like mothballs and there were wonderful things to be found in the closets. Sometimes, I even pick up a package of moth crystals at the store and sniff the box. There's usually enough of a smell to make me smile.
Shoe polish. In my mind, I'm sitting by my Dad as he polishes all our shoes for going to church on Sunday. I'd give anything to sit by my Dad again for just one moment.
Gasoline. We seldom wore shoes in the summer unless we absolutely HAD to. The roads would be freshly tarred and from running back and forth to friends' houses, our feet would get tar on them. Mom always had a squirt bottle of gasoline and a rag sitting on the back stoop and we had to be sure we had all the tar cleaned off our feet before we could come in. The smell of gasoline reminds me of long, carefree summer days.
Diesel fumes and hot dust. Takes me back to living in Turkiye.
Llynn
Non-ranked Constituent
- Location
- Pacific NorthWET
The smell of fresh cut Douglas Fir logs and lumber. It was everywhere in my logging camp and sawmill youth.
Last edited:
Pappy
Living the Dream
Nothing like the smell of Crispy Crème hot glazed donuts coming off the conveyer belt hot.
Myself too, especially diesel.
Jet fuel.
As a kid, my mother worked for the airlines and used to take me regularly to the airport. Back then, there was very little security. I would listen to the noise of the pilots starting the engines and used to fill my nasals with those fumes.
Later, when I worked at the airport, I would do the same. Hot air and fumes are still giving me the same feeling.
Orange grove smell.
Back in the seventies, Florida had so many orange groves. I love the smell of it. We still have a few around us but they are quickly disappearing to leave place for another subdivision.
The old Florida is gone replaced by cement and stucco homes.
As a kid, my mother worked for the airlines and used to take me regularly to the airport. Back then, there was very little security. I would listen to the noise of the pilots starting the engines and used to fill my nasals with those fumes.
Later, when I worked at the airport, I would do the same. Hot air and fumes are still giving me the same feeling.
Orange grove smell.
Back in the seventies, Florida had so many orange groves. I love the smell of it. We still have a few around us but they are quickly disappearing to leave place for another subdivision.
The old Florida is gone replaced by cement and stucco homes.
Dr.Colosso
Senior Member
I keep thinking. I only remember the coffee smell from the coffee factory and cow poop everywhere when you were in the car. That's now restricted or forbidden.
MACKTEXAS
Well-known Member
I think I posted this before somewhere. I still have bottles of my wife's cologne on a tray in the guest bedroom. Now and then, I open one of those and take a sniff and just allow good memories to stay with me for a minute or so. She never bought expensive colognes. Her favorite, or the one she wore most often, was White Shoulders by Evyan.
Nathan
SF VIP
- Location
- High Desert- Calif.
The smell of tar definately brings back memories of being along the beaches North of Los Angeles, headed up into Ventura County.If I was to smell tar then it would bring back a memory of when I was about 4 or 5 years old. I was being taken to the beach by my mam,
The smell of Diesel- brings me back to when I was a Diesel Mechanic in the U.S.Army, cruising the waters of the Mekong Delta.
hollydolly
SF VIP
- Location
- London England
Tar!!...I was born 10 years after the ww2 ended... the city where I was born and raised had been particualrly badly bombed by the Germans.... and roads and houses that hadn't been destoryed had to be demolished as unsafe... so for all of my childhood.. they were building roads.. and houses.... and so the constant smell of Tar is an abiding memory...
Another is the strong smell of Contact adhesive used in shoemaking. My grandfather had his own cobblers shop....
A Third would be the smell of lipstick. In the 60's lipstick stunk to high heaven..due to the high amount of Beeswax..deer tallow & Castor oil used in the mking back in the day.... especially red lipstick, which my mother wore on occasion.... as did all of my aunties..
Another is the strong smell of Contact adhesive used in shoemaking. My grandfather had his own cobblers shop....
A Third would be the smell of lipstick. In the 60's lipstick stunk to high heaven..due to the high amount of Beeswax..deer tallow & Castor oil used in the mking back in the day.... especially red lipstick, which my mother wore on occasion.... as did all of my aunties..
When I was growing up, whenever a relative came back from vacation from Florida, I'd have them bring me orange blossom perfume. I used to love the smell of it. I think I've outgrown the smell.
Been There
Well-known Member
- Location
- Florida
I enjoy the smell of jet fuel from my military days.
The exhaust smell from when the fuel has been spent is also a reminder.
I also like the smell of fresh baked bread.
My mom used to bake a few loaves on the weekend for our home and the church. No other smell compares to it.
When I smell someone baking bread, I can instantly see my mom kneading the dough and putting it in the pan. There is also nothing like eating a slice of the bread right after it’s taken out of the oven. Spreading jelly, preserves or butter on it made it even better.
The exhaust smell from when the fuel has been spent is also a reminder.
I also like the smell of fresh baked bread.
My mom used to bake a few loaves on the weekend for our home and the church. No other smell compares to it.
When I smell someone baking bread, I can instantly see my mom kneading the dough and putting it in the pan. There is also nothing like eating a slice of the bread right after it’s taken out of the oven. Spreading jelly, preserves or butter on it made it even better.