The lingering scent of grapefruit | QUANG NAM ONLINE NEWSPAPER

I have a house in the countryside where I spent my childhood with the fragrant grapefruit flowers. It is the house at the end of the village, where there is a small winding alley, surrounded by a fence that is always bright red with hibiscus flowers in every season.

Going inside is a grapefruit garden with ancient grapefruit trees planted by my grandfather. That is where I spent my childhood before moving to this city.

There are countless happy memories in that house, but the thing that makes my heart flutter the most is the scent of early-season grapefruit - a scent that is hard to find in the bustling city. I still remember those days in March, when the weather was still chilly, in the morning I put on a thin shirt and walked down to the porch, the scent of grapefruit flowers clinging to my every step.

Holding each bunch of flowers in my hand, my heart suddenly filled with many stirring emotions. The pure fragrance of those first grapefruit flowers of the season lingered, erasing all the fatigue of the whole day.

I still remember the scene when I woke up in the morning, the first thing that caught my eye was the image of ancient grapefruit trees lying next to each other, leaning on each other. Stepping out the door was the faint scent of grapefruit flowers mixed with the cups of tea he made.

I still remember his figure sitting drinking tea in those early mornings. On the shiny wooden table in front of the porch was a cup of fragrant tea that he had brewed in an old teapot with many intricate patterns.

When the cold still covers the hillsides, sipping a cup of bitter tea and inhaling the gentle scent of grapefruit flowers, leisurely chatting with my grandfather amidst the blooming flowers makes my heart flutter.

March always brings back memories of him, the small house and the clusters of white grapefruit flowers with a sweet fragrance. Everything comes back like a clear memory that has not faded over the years. I don’t know when he planted these grapefruit trees, but I know that after returning from the North, he spent most of his time taking care of them.

Every time the pomelo flower season passes, it reminds me of my mother and my childhood. Back then, the pot of water my mother boiled always contained the pure white pomelo flower petals. Thanks to that, I grew up with long, silky hair just like my mother. Until now, I still keep the habit of washing my hair with pomelo peel. That gentle scent combined with soapberry creates a very pleasant scent.

This afternoon, wandering on the street, I suddenly saw clusters of pure grapefruit flowers tied on a country girl’s bicycle. Many old memories rushed back to the simple house with the silhouette of my grandfather and mother, filled with grapefruit scent, even in my dreams…

Source: https://baoquangnam.vn/huong-sac-que-nha/bang-khuang-huong-buoi-141256.html