Making a Pomander Ball

I spent some time this afternoon making a fragrant Pomander Ball, an orange studded with whole cloves. It's part of a small gift for my acupuncturist. I used to make these with my grandmother at the dining room table here probably 60 odd years ago. There's an old withered one in my photo, made probably 20 years ago that is still faintly fragrant. I thought of my grandmother and all I learned from her. I used an old kitchen implement that she used to pierce her evaporated milk tins to make the holes for the cloves. It smelled like Christmas here as I worked on it.

Info from some internet sites...

A pomander, in essence, is a ball made for perfume. For centuries, people would carry a pomander as a means of protection against infection and disease. Pomanders were very popular in times of widespread disease as it perfumed the air immediately around it so carrying one made it tolerable to walk streets where filth and disease resigned.

Pomanders were first mentioned in literature in the mid-thirteenth century. They were used in the late Middle Ages through the 17th century.Also a version of the pomander with oranges, cloves oils, and a golden ribbon may be used as a recovery charm in witchcraft.

One modern style of pomander is made by studding an orange or other fruit with whole dried cloves and letting it cure dry, after which it may last many, many years. This modern pomander serves the functions of perfuming and freshening the air and also of keeping drawers of clothing and linens fresh, pleasant-smelling, and moth-free.


For the Record,
This day came in cloudy with warming temps and evening showers on top of the snow and ice, yuck! It looks like a warm wet week coming up. Cloudy for the Solstice and rainy for Christmas ruining outside plans :(

The Bluebirds have all mastered getting in and out of the cage around their feeder and enjoyed mealworms with out Starlings horning in.


All hands very wary