Penny, I live in an old house museum. Not too many people have lived here since it was built 100 years ago so the history is fairly clear and can be tracked quite readily.

The person who preserved the collection and history of the person we commemorate here died in September a few years ago. I had got acquainted with her that last year, and she was glad I was here; she said she thought I had the same feel for the house she had. About three weeks after she died, as I passed between the dining table and the radiator there was a clear, pleasing scent that I identified as violets or as a violet-scented toilet water. After that from time to time I would check out that same spot; sometimes it would be there and sometimes it wouldn't. (I don't remember any particular scent in connection with her, but she was 84 and always impeccably dressed and made up, so cologne or perfume is almost a given.)

On that December 19th I checked it again- and suddenly it seemed like the whole room was full of piney boughs. I decided it was time to decorate for Christmas!

There were/are lots of other odors in this house- sometimes an oven heating or cookies baking, or a tomato-y dish that seems to be ready to eat. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason for their occurrence and I'm not the only one who smells them.

There are no other houses near by.

This, of course, is not the only phenomenon here- it's a great house, and I love it.

Ebbie