You can take the girl out of the country...

[kellinator]

I still remember my first experience with honeysuckle. We were out at my grandparents', and I found some, and my father showed me how to suck the nectar out.

On one of the paths on campus that I walk almost every day, recently I noticed a very familiar smell. Sure enough, I looked and found some honeysuckle.

I couldn't help myself. I broke off the ends, pulled out the pistils and sucked the nectar.

If anyone saw me, it probably looked so hillbilly, but I didn't care. Honeysuckle is too hard to come by.

Comments

Not "Hillbilly"

[wolven.livejournal.com]

I grew up in DC. I learned how to do that when i was six, i think.

Honeysuckle is my favourite smell, because i connect it with so many good memories of my childhood...

[ariedana.livejournal.com]

Some of my first memories involve walking down dusty country roads near my home or in Minor Hill with my dad or my uncle or my Bapa and stopping to pick the honeysuckle to smell and taste. Now I'm going to have to see if I can find a honeysuckle essential oil to use as a fragrance. With Bapa so ill and all, it would make a really nice tribute.

[sharrainchains.livejournal.com]

Please let people know if you find a good honeysuckle essential oil - the closest fragrance I can find is Jessica McLintock [sp?], and that is not quite the same...

[tyrantmouth.livejournal.com]

I did that the other day, too! Raided a bush I saw blooming in front of the local group home. And I grew up just outside DC, and learned to do it there, so I hardly think it's hillbilly. :)

Re: girl, country, etc.

[wolfieboy.livejournal.com]

The funny thing is that few people would likely call me hillbilly and I would've done the same thing you did.

[elizabethf.livejournal.com]

It's one of my favorite childhood smells. We had it growing out in the woods behind my house and I would go back and get lost in there for hours sucking on honeysuckle. mmmmmmm

[vernard.livejournal.com]

I did this myself not too long ago.

But everybody knows that I'm a country boy at heart.

[sharrainchains.livejournal.com]

It's not hillbilly, honey, it's a heavenly scent and taste! I have been sipping honeysuckle ever since we moved to the DC area (from New York City). Mmmmm - floral goodness. Even better than the taste and smell of the violets that bloom up here in April.

[10dimensions.livejournal.com]

We have a bunch of it growing along the fence behind our house.

If honeysuckle sucking wasn't part of your childhood, I feel sorry for you. And I don't consider it hillbilly. More along the lines of catching lightning bugs. Which should also be part of every childhood. Just not squishing them afterward.

[polychromatic22.livejournal.com]

We have honeysuckle in the backyard. I didn't grow up in the south. So my roommate taught me how to pick the good ones, break the end off, pull the pistils out and suck the nectar.
It was yummy.
Made me think of the sweetgrass I used to love to chew on when I was a kid.

I never saw lightening bugs til I moved to the south when I was twenty, either.

Or lightening, even. Heard thunder, saw a flash in the sky, never actually saw lightening.

[purpig.livejournal.com]

I love honeysuckle. :) I used to suck them all the time! yummm. I even have a candle scent now. I love it that much.

You need to come to my house

[opalturtle.livejournal.com]

The fence row alongside the house and the woods behind the hosue are just choked with it (as I sneeze muliple and violent times)

Victoria Secret had a honeysuckle scent at one time. I think they discontinued it. I've still got some of the lotion and I think I still have a bottle of the perfume.

[trigeekgirl.livejournal.com]

Mmm, honeysuckle. There was a big bunch of it by my bus stop all through college. The only problem is that honeysuckle has flying stinging things around it at all times....and flying stinging things and I are not friends.

[spiritchaser1.livejournal.com]

I have honeysuckle vines all over the trees I can see from my balcony. :) I absolutely love it.

[one21.livejournal.com]

hi... I'm a good friend of Janel's... we've been friends for more than 15 years & grew up a few miles away from each other. Sometimes I like to read her friend's journals.

aaaanyway, I just had to comment b/c i grew up with honey suckle in my backyard. I used to LOVE drinking honey suckle nectar. That was the best. All that work for one little fucking drop of nectar. Too cool.

One of my neighbors told me not to do that with wild honey suckle. He said there were poisonous species of honey suckle out there. I somehow doubt that. Usually nature doesn't make poison so... tasty. Ya know?

[relevantpink.livejournal.com]

I don't think it is hillbilly at all. I grew up numming on honeysuckle nectar.... In my grandmother's little suburban backyard. I think it is pretty universal. ^_^