http://arizonaoddities.com/2010/02/whats-that-after-rain-aroma-in-the-valley/ History that defined us, quirks that connect us Wed, 01 Sep 2010 17:36:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 http://arizonaoddities.com/2010/02/whats-that-after-rain-aroma-in-the-valley/comment-page-1/#comment-346 Greg Leach Wed, 31 Mar 2010 18:54:58 +0000 http://arizonaoddities.com/?p=712#comment-346 That "fresh" smell you refer to is in actuality the Greasewood or creosote bush. The smell used to be much more distinct in decades past, so I supect it's a little of wet asphalt thrown into the mix now. I used to go out and gather up handfuls of leaves that are easily stripped off of the branches and put them in baggies. When I would lament the smell of the desert, I would put them into sections of pantyhose that my wife wanted to throw out due to "runs" in them, and then smash the leaves between my fingers inside the hose and hang it up on the shower-head. Voila, the scent of a summer desert. That “fresh” smell you refer to is in actuality the Greasewood or creosote bush. The smell used to be much more distinct in decades past, so I supect it’s a little of wet asphalt thrown into the mix now. I used to go out and gather up handfuls of leaves that are easily stripped off of the branches and put them in baggies. When I would lament the smell of the desert, I would put them into sections of pantyhose that my wife wanted to throw out due to “runs” in them, and then smash the leaves between my fingers inside the hose and hang it up on the shower-head. Voila, the scent of a summer desert.

]]>