Just as the blossom starts to fade, I’m swept off my feet by the aroma of white broom. Walking out through the salinas to the ruins of Fort Rato, with scarcely a hint of breeze, the smell wafts toward me. So delicate, the flowers tiny, for most of the year the broom has a straggly presence that’s easy to ignore. But it’s a tenacious shrub that thrives in sandy soil. It may be invasive but I love it, never more so than this year when it has transformed so much of the scrubland by the shore. ‘Heaven, I’m in heaven….’
Still Restlessjo 
Who knows, maybe a few years from now all monitors will have an olfactory attachment? Certainly would like one of those as I’m looking through your uplifting images: we once toured a garden that was created for blind people, and the tour was guided by smell. After all these years, we still remember it!
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Smell is a strange sense, isn’t it? Walking out to the salt pans this afternoon we passed workers tarring a stretch of road. I really like the smell. But then a lot of jasmine in gardens. Too sweet for me! 🤗💕
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It absolutely is! Here’s another smell curiosity: if you’re in a loud room, you may get used to the noise after a while and not pay attention to it, but if someone brings it to your attention, you can “rehear” it. If you’re in a smelly room and you get used to the smell, and someone later brings it to your attention, you can no longer “re-smell” it. You’d have to leave the room, get used to something else to re-smell it. Strange, isn’t it?
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Such pretty little blossoms…I could just imagine how beautifully it’s fragrance is.
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They really are lovely, Teresa 🤗💗
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So now you have me humming ‘Heaven, I’m in heaven….’ 🤗💞
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Yep! It fits perfectly 🤣💟
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Such beautifully blooming shrubs! I’m glad to see you are enjoying wonderful spring weather, it’s rather stormy winter-like in Ireland, just a few days ago it was snowing ☺️ thanks for sharing and have a good day ☺️ Aiva
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They smell wonderful, Aiva, as well as looking so pretty. Spring here is early and beautiful. Wishing you some lovely weather of your own.
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Ohh is it related to our yellow Broome. Looks stunning. I will have to imagine the heavenly smell. 🙂
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Yes, but not prickly, Sharon. And the smell is wonderful 🤗💟
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Sounds perfect then. 🙂
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Tiny flowers, great smell!
I am imagining you breathing in the scent as you make your way through familiar paths … heaven, indeed!
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Absolutely! Wish I could share it, Ju-Lyn.
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You have captured your sensory experience so well in image & word, Jo – I am transported.
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it is smelling amazing this year isn’t it 🙂 have you noticed it seems stronger when blown through the air than close up?
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I don’t think I’ve ever been aware of it from a distance, as I was last Wednesday. When do you come back?
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Definitely great this year 🙂
All being well in early March, maybe sooner!
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Saw your airborne tweet after I asked the question.
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hee hee!
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I know just what you mean Jo. Rather like our magnolia blossoms. Beautifully fragrant – delicious really – while in bloom, but rather boring or even yucky once the blossoms fade and die. I imagine yours smell a bit like jasmine, at least they look similar
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Jasmine but not so harsh, Tina. To me, a gentler smell. Not cloying and sweet. In January they suddenly come to life with little green pods, and then they burst open. How fabulous is that?
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Pretty darned fabulous indeed!
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🤗💟
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I can almost smell it. Your photos are amazing and so pleased you are having that lovely weather.
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Not sounding so good in the UK, Mari. Friends with family in Lancashire have been sharing snow, and elsewhere lots of trees blown down. Feels like we’re in a different dimension sometimes.
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How pleasant to walk under these tree flowers! 🙂 Beautiful photos, Jo.
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It’s so lovely, Amy! Thanks for your company, hon 🤗💟
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It’s a shame that tech hasn’t figured out a way to send scents over the internet. I can only imagine the wafting scent of the blossoms! Thanks for bringing me an imaginary whiff of spring, Jo. 🙂
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It’s such a joy to walk down that road towards the sea, Cathy. Especially on a day like today with blue skies and a bit of a breeze 🤗💟
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It sounds heavenly! 🙂
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It looks very pretty. White flowers always make such a nice display.
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They are tiny but lots of them, Carol.
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I can understand your liking this shrub, Jo. It is pretty and I must mention it to a friend who is building a house and garden on very sandy soil. The comments mention your leg being a bother – I missed the update so hope you are feeling okay soon.
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Thanks, Amanda. Just a careless accident but painful. It only blooms for about 3 weeks but it is really lovely.
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Your words and pictures DO convey the smell – to MY nose at least. 😉
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That’s good to know, Pit. Do you have this in Texas?
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Cytisus multiflorus or White Spanish Broom is native to the Iberian peninsula. Apparently can cause mild stomach upset if handled. Like our gorse it looks best in its native habitat.
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Hooray! I couldn’t see why it was labeled invasive, but I was offered several identities on Google. I chose not to pin it down. I just love it, Jude. How could it be the enemy?
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Maybe it is invasive if planted in a garden. Like many non natives. How’s the house purchase going?
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It’s going… another month or so.
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🤞🏻
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Fascinating. 🙂
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I’ve never seen it anywhere else 🤔💕
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Didn’t know them, read me out that it is spanish and portuguese specialties – which can also be referred with the two countries on the Iberian Peninsula as “first name”.
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Now have a new large screen monitor to really appreciate those photos Jo. I only know yellow broom and it is an invasive weed over here. The screen did come with problems (technology always does for me!!!) and put my computer out of action for 2 weeks waiting for a part to fix it… Sorry to hear of your tangle with the bollard. Hope it is all better now.
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I had never come across white broom until we came here, Pauline. It’s not like the sturdy yellow one I knew in the UK, but it’s obviously equally tenacious. It grows mostly on sandy soil and scrubland that wouldn’t nurture anything else, and I feel incredibly lucky to witness it for a few short weeks.
The leg is a real pain, cramping my style and I’m not known for my patience, but needs must!
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I don’t know white broom. Only the yellow sort. How lovely! Leg bearing up yet? I hope so. Hugs …
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I’m getting loads of lovely sympathy, Margaret, but I just want the stupid thing to heal so I can get back to normal. Patience itself! 🤣💗
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I can just see you, drumming your fingers impatiently.
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It definitely doesn’t come naturally. Just changed the dressing. Ho hum! 🤣💕
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😦
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Ahh, lovely. I’m not sure if we have these here. And guess what it says if I click on a photo? That’s right, “smart”. 😀
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I know! How annoying is that? I thought of you when I realised that this morning. Is there a way to get rid of them. I think I just deleted the last one 🤔💕
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What I do is go into My Sites and then Media, click on Edit and manually delete all the captions. So boring. Sometimes if I write my own captions, these get overwritten but not always.
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That’s what I think I did before. How tedious, and why on earth does it say that? 🤔💕
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I love the last picture in particular – it’s as if spring decided to do a painting of a mountain snow scene. Sorry about your tangle with the bollard. I hope your leg makes a quick recovery. That puts a half-muddy bottom into perspective 🙂
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I love that last one too. I just wanted to immerse myself in it. You been slithering and sliding? I’m not too bad, thanks. An excuse to put my feet up and read. And we all know I should be learning Portuguese 🙄💟
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See them and smell them – gorgeous!
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I had not realised how many there are this year. A sea of green and white 🤗💟
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A dream!
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How I wish you could share that scent as effectively as your photos convey the appearance!
I’m just back from two weeks away and picking up that you’ve had an injury. How are you? What happened? Sending hugs 🤗
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Hello Sarah 😊💕 Good time? Lots of stories to tell no doubt. I was chatting to a lady after a walk yesterday and not looking where I was going when a bollard jumped up and bit me! Leg is a mess so I’m not walking for a day or two. Love a bit of drama 🙄💟
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I’m singing along with you, Jo. What beautiful images – you have brightened my cold and very windy day.
And how is your hobbling going? Sounds like the sort of thing I do – if there’s anything to trip over, I find it!
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Feet up on the settee, Debs 🤣💕 Sat out with a book this morning then joined friends for lunch. Means I don’t have to cook tonight. The clouds caught up with us this afternoon but not cold or windy. Aiming at walking again on Sunday 🤔💟
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I can see how that must look and smell wonderful. Too bad about it being invasive!
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Perhaps I should but I don’t really care about it being invasive, Graham. It’s only in bloom for about 3 weeks and it’s absolutely gorgeous. Nothing else much grows there.
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Those tiny flowers look so pretty. I can only imagine their fragrance. Nothing like flowers to uplift you at this time of year. Well, here in Canada, not Portugal. You’ve got plenty blooming at this time of year. I went off to a lovely greenhouse to get a dose of summer. Great pics Jo!
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I planned a quiet afternoon at home, Alegria, but that restless bug overtook me and I wandered off to the salt marshes. What a gift! So glad I did.
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Sometimes those unplanned jaunts are the best. I’m glad you did too. Flowers bring so much joy.
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They are gorgeous. A cascade of little flowers. Do they have a scent?
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Absolutely! Very soft and delicate. Not so strong as jasmine.
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Fortunately, I have the WP Smell Add-on, so it came through loud and clear. Ahhhhh …. plus I couldn’t resist giving you this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3RSlUkw9U0
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Bless you, Frank! Sitting with my foot up so I can’t join in but I so enjoyed the clip. Tempted to let it just play and play. I wouldn’t care but my laptop has been soundless for a couple of days. Mick fixed it this morning, just in time! Good birthday? I know it was good cake!
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Cake was good … So was the setting. Shared the cake with 13 others … So only a slice or two left for dessert after dinner tonight. Take care of the wound!
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🤗💕
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Beautiful photos, Jo. I love the combination of blue skies and white flowers. I imagine the soft scent that you describe. Have a great weekend!
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Really delicious, Natalie, and a delight for the eyes too! So happy to share it with you.
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So many “weeds” that have a lovely scent you can understand why they have been imported into countries for gardens, It is a pity they escape and dominate the local species 🙂
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I don’t think the local scrub had much to brag about, Brian. I love this stuff and it’s nothing like a weed to me. Survival of the fittest. Speaking of which, I’m not, this morning. Somewhat battered and bruised 🙄💟
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I hope that Mick is looking after you. The request bell nearby. Stay off that foot and I do hope nothing is broken 🤗💕
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No breaks. Just a hole in my leg. Damn bollard! 🤣💟
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Don’t go down and give it a kick though 🙂
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That must have been amazing to smell the lovely scent 😀
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It really is glorious, Aletta. So beautiful! 🤗💟
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😊
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Ok! Now I’m curious about the smell, Jo! Unusual name, broom. Couldn’t be used as a broom, right?
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Hmm, don’t have smellyvision, Sheetal. A soft smell. Not so harsh or cloying as jasmine. Not sure what else I can say… Have a great weekend!
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