Top Ten

Right here, right now! Top ten things to do while smoking my pipe. This is not quite so easily done as I may have originally thought. Each point needs an explanation. So here is the format: The thing I like to do while smoking a pipe, the pipe that may be most fitted to that (if applicable) and the tobacco that is most fitted to that activity (if applicable).

 10. Mowing the lawn - I like mowing the lawn. Having as many children as I do the lawn mowing is a time when I can turn on my headphones and have fully legitimate "I can't hear you" time. That being said mowing the lawn is just physical enough that I become a bit less cognizent of my pipe, and tend to smoke a bit too fast, or take a bit less care than usual in my tamping. Thus tongue bite nearly always ensues. For this task? No questions asked. The corn cob (usually the legend, sometimes the general), and almost always the OTC that I have on hand that is freshest. Usually this is carter hall, las mow happend to be Velvet. Very nice.

 9. Shoveling snow - not unrelated, though sometimes a bit less comfortable. It doesn't snow rediculous amounts in Colorado terribly often, so these are still times to be enjoyed. As with lawn mowing this task will very commonly give a case of the tongue bite, but a bit less so for two reasons: firstly, I smoke nicer tobacco when I undertake this task. Usually a latakia blend. For some reason, just as I like cheap mass produced beer in the summer I like OTC burley blends in the summer. IN the winter I am always thinking fuller flavor and beefier products to ward off the cold. Edwards bulk Balkan blend fits the bill perfectly here, Christmas Cheer by McClellands. Also Dunhill's London Mixture. My favorite pipe for this task? Usually a bent pipe, but not a nice bent pipe, one of my restored pipes. I would destroy a nice one as the entire task involves a clenched pipe.

 8. Driving - Some say that they cannot drive and smoke their pipe. If I choose my pipe and tobacco correctly then this is not a problem. I live in a smaller town not too far from the bigger town. However, if I am making a trip down to the big city a pipe is very often in order. Generally a pipe, well lit and correctly smoked will take me nearly the entire hour to the edge of the big city at which point the pipe would be an unneccesary distraction. For this task? One of my favorite three-quarter bent pipes (usually one of the ones that my wife picked out for me) and for the tobacco something that is going to provide a substantial experience. This is not the place for aromatics, this should be the big guns and the complex experience that should make a long straight drive interesting.

 7. Music - Next, listening to music. Generally when I get to recline and smoke I do not put on music. This is because I like to listen to all of the other things going on. However, when I am smoking in my car music must be chosen. This always makes me wonder why I don't smoke and listen to music more often. No answer yet coming. What do I listen to? Great question. When I am smoking my pipe I tend to listen to Baroque music. Vivaldi and Bach being the leaders. This is my favorite period of music anyway, so there is not much competition. However, I also will enjoy some Irish folk music and drinking songs. Pipe and pouch? This depends entirely on the pipe I chose, and the tobacco I am smoking, and very possibly the clothes I am wearing...too many factors to be sure.

 6. Fishing - This is a lump catagory. I love smoking in nature. It makes me feel like I am doing my part ot be a part of the scene. I flyfish almost exclusively so it is a bit more involved. That means MOST of the pipe smoking that I enjoy is on a break between casts. Watching the water, listening to the river. Enjoying the absolute freedom from cel reception. Great things, these. This is a situation where I will generally (again) be found with a pipe that I would not be too heartbroken to lose. Often time these are the moments that I will be found smoking som of my favorite aromatics. Black Watch from Edwards in Denver and Black Gold (or BG Plus) from Hilands.

 5. Walking - I do love a walk. These days, with all of the little people under five at my house a walk is a bit more of a production than is all that nice. However, this is another situation where a pipe is a great friend. Being a ble to amble along and enjoy a pipe is a great pleasure. With children this gives tonguebite. Again, this is a situation for aromatics (for the sake of anyone who may be walking near, behind or alongside me). Favorites? Black Watch and Black Gold again! However, when I am feeling adventurous: Irish Blessing by C&D's and others of that nature. Usually lightly topped, as a big chemical mouthful isn't exactly my style.

 4. Reading - Yup. This one was almost too easy. If I am able to smoke in the light I can burn through several bowls while working through a novel, a fantasy, a bit of theology, or just my Bible. So many wonderful choices. Reading is something that is just made better by a good pipe. This gets more free because the less demanding the situation the more likely that I will pull out a larger variety of both pipes and tobaccos. However, honorable mention in this catagory will by my Armellini Churchwarden. But much depends on the size of the book that I am reading.

 3. Drinking - This one will have a great deal of domain overlap with some of the other catagories. However, it seems like nearly everything can be made to go well with a pipe. It adds a whole new dimension to the wonderful beverages I enjoy. One of these is coffee. I roast my own coffee and, while I don't roast at anything like a professional level, it does give me a great sense of familiarity with my coffees. Where they come from, what kind of roast is on them, how many days removed from the roasting process I am. However, there are coffees that are just too powerful for any pipe tobacco in my collection and that means that not every coffee has a pipe tobacco match for me. However, this is not the case with tea. Tea has a much lighter flavor profile and I have never foudn a tea that I couldn't enjoy alongside some tobacco or another when properly considered. I have many great tea loves. Just black teas are great. I particularly enjoy Irish Breakfast and Darjeelings with lighter Cavendish type blends. Beers. Every beer has a match. But I can see I am getting distracted from my point. Matching drinking experiences to smoking expereinces is a great pleasure for me.

 2. Talking - I love talking. I love fellowship. I love discussing things that are near and dear to myself and others whom I care about. Some of my finest Bible study and theologically related discussions have occured over a pipe. For some reason te=he pipe diffuses the initial awckwardness of opening up a deep discussion topic, or a topic that may make a person feel particularly vulnerable. Thus, I try to make pipe smoking a regular part of most of my meaningful fellowships. It is a bond and connection that doesn't require a great deal of affirmation or discussion, it is an easy and simple pleasuer that must be taken as the perfect companion to deep discussion. The other great advantage of smoking while talking is the very important reality that if you have a pipe there is no NEED to talk. Thus, wieghty statements that need to be well considered can be considered well before another statement is placed in response. This is of great value in any good discussion.

 1. Praying - Most of my best smoking is done alone. It is best because I am not distracted from anything else. Perhaps a drink, but that starts to add too many factors and I start thinking about the act itself. Prayer over a pipe is the must open and vulnerable prayer that I often have. As I talk to the Lord about my concerns, joys, trials, pleasures I amd reminded that He has given me this amazing capacity to enjoy that which He has made. This is very valuable indeed.

 So there you have it. The top ten things I do with my pipe. What do you do with yours?

Waiting Game

The introduction of our fourth beautiful and wonderful child has slowed my smoking a great deal. However, something exciting has occured and that will lead to a soon return to pipe writing as well as a review. I have found my local grocery store has begun to cary Velvet over the counter tobacco. I have more than a small fascination with over the counter blends, and I am not sure why. They really are not in any way cost effective, and with the internet a specialty or "boutique" blend can come about easier and even cheaper than the typical price one would pay for an OTC blend. Nevertheless, I love them. I think they connect me to an earlier generation of pipe smokers: those who didn't smoke pipes like we do, feeling like we are a minority, but those who smoked pipes because men just smoke pipes. What did they smoke? Likely one of the dozens of blends that were sold at every corner drug store! There are those I have liked less (Capt. Black, Bjokum Riff, Paladin). But I have also gotten a great amount of satisfaction from such classic american blends as Prince Albert, Carter Hall and Half and Half. Even some that I have been a bit indifferent towards like Sir Walter Ralleigh. I won't go so far as to say that I prefer OTC blends over my specialty blends (I have been smoking a great deal of Hartenstein Trail from Edwards in Denver lately), but I do know that as long as I cointinue to smoke a pipe I will always have one of my trusty old OTC blends on hand. How about you? Any dirty little sectrets in your enjoyment of cheap tobaccos?

To Mix or Not to Mix

I have spent a great deal of time thinking about what pairings may be good or bad.  This tobacco with that tea, and this beverage with that type of leaf.  I suppose that is all well and good, not meaning to criticize the great pairings of the past, but I have been in an interesting funk lately.  Firstly,  I have been enjoying more than a few bowls of Hartenstein Trail.  This is a great full flavored latakia blend from the Edwards Tobacco in Denver.  Excellent smoke in a multitude of different bowl sizes.  Cool smoking and a great low nicotine level that makes it particularly perfect for before bedtime smoking.  Worth every moment.

The second thing that I have noticed is that I don't find myself wanting to pair my smoking with my tea/coffee drinking lately.  I have stumbled across some great flavor combinations in the past for sure, but I have been more interested in the tobacco by itself.  Coincidentally, I have also been interested in the tea and the coffee by themselves as well.  It seems that adding anything to the equation means that I will (of necessity) pay less attention to either of the things I am tasting individually.  I imagine, as things warm up again I will ease back into pairing my puffs with my beverages, but for the moment I am enjoying the simplicity.  What say you?  Do you enjoy things more in pairs, or one experience at a time?

Perseverance, Killarney and A Cuppa

Just cracked this tin about a month ago.  If memory serves I have now had about eight bowls of this tobacco.  It is a nice 'baccy, with an awfully nice smell (both in the tin and in the room).  The Carmel Creme flavor is nice, and the tobacco is high quality.  Here is my issue: every time I enjoy a bowl I get a mild bite.  It's in the first half of the bowl.  The next half is much nicer, even than many other tobaccos.  I don't know if it will be one that I will buy again.  I had expected something along the quality lines of "Irish Flake" (I realize the vast differences and styles that make this expectation unfair).  Nevertheless, I am determined to try this in yet a few more pipes, and treat it a bit carefully.  How often do you push through with a tobacco that the first blush isn't everything you hoped for?

In other news I see Chris at the Daily Briar (http://thedailybriar.blogspot.com/2012/01/dublin-or-bust.html) making some unbelievable pipes and this lights the fire for a higher level of involvement yet the problem is distinct: I am no craftsman.  So the next goal would be tobacco, but I am no farmer and am certainly not patient enough to persevere through the curing process.  However, I found something a bit less involved with a similar level of DIY reward: Coffee Roasting!

I have friends who have successfully done this for some time, and my time had come.  So I ordered a popcorn popper (cheapest accurate method of home roasting - I'm told by www.sweetmarias.com) and it seems to be the case.  However, the five pounds of unroasted coffee came a days before the popcorn popper.  Being as impatient as I am I looked for other "home roasting methods."  While no one particularly advocated it it turns out the roasting can be done on a stove-top with such things as cast iron pans or a wok.  It's messy, unscientific, but FUN!

Here is the process in pictures:

Raw Green Beans from CoffeeBeanDirect via Amazon

Some roasted and unroasted beans together

The Final Product

Said Product in a jar

  So, there were no pics of the actual roasting (there is a lot of stirring, smoke and crackling).  It was fun, exciting and interesting.  It is entertaining to get to go from "I read about this" to "Is that what the interwebs were talking about?"  You may notice that the roast is anything but even.  The black beans were between darkly roasted and a bit burned.  I figured this batch would be a throw away, but quite to the contrary it tasted nice, sweet and complex.  It was a victory, if only just.  When I had gone through this amount the popper still had not arrived, so I decided to try a wok and a lower temperature.  It went a bit smoother BUT I was hoping to go a bit darker and so I wound up with more smoke.  It will be interesting to see how that one turns out tomorrow (the coffee is supposed to set and gas off for 12 hours or so).

Anyhow, it's been a great and tasty adventure so far.  Highly recommended.  I won't be "going pro" but I do find the cost-benefit analysis comes out VERY high on the investment of time here.  You can do it.  Go for it.  Future project: finding the best roast to pair with a pipe.

Giving it Away

Have you done your pipe duty?  I find that I am something of an evangelistic pipe smoker.  I don't mean to be, I just have a tendency to want to spread understanding for the great benefits and pleasures of pipe smoking.  It comes rather naturally.  In a recent discussion with a friend I determined that he needed to enjoy the "thinking tool" of a pipe.  Upon finding out that he was open to the idea I made the "starter kit".  This kit included a country gentleman Missouri Meerschaum (a dear favorite of mine), and two very user-friendly starter tobaccos (Black Watch from Edwards and Black and Gold from Altadis).  I directed him to a couple of "how to" videos on youtube.  I feel as if I failed in the one major aspect of sharing that first smoke with him, nevertheless sometimes we do only what we can.

I find people are interested in pipes, and in pipe smoking.  How do you answer their questions?  What would you put in your "starter kit" for a new smoker?  Greater men than I have taken the time to eschew the virtues of pipe smoking, but I earnestly believe the world would be a slightly better place if more people enjoyed a quiet evening, in a thoughtful spot, with a bowl full of good tobacco.

This One

This is my first pipe acquisition in months and months.  I was drawn to a couple of things about it.  First I love the bulldog/rodesian shape.  Second, I love the ebony stain.  Third, I love the slight bend.  It should be here in a few days and I can't wait to try it.  As an added bonus, Smokingpipes.com threw a tin of Peterson tobacco in as part of a Peterson promotion.  Irish flake, here I come!  I really enjoyed the last tin of Irish Flake that I had. That's a tobacco that will really get you up in the morning.  It's going to be an Irish Christmas, for sure!

Pipe Depression

I'm not depressed, I am simply pipe depressed.  I haven't wanted to have a pipe in weeks.  I have had a few bowls, but mostly for fellowship's sake (that is with company).  My tobacco stores are drying out, though I am taking some time to care for them.  My thoughts have simply been elsewhere.  When I have smoked I can only stand to smoke my personal 'magic tobacco' Black Watch.  I call it my personal magic tobacco because no matter how many tobaccos I try, and no matter how delicious they are, Black Watch is the place of my continual return.  It is my True Tobacco.  

It is not universally well reviewed.  I have shared some with many friends with hot, cold and totally ambivalent response.  Yet this is the only thing I want to smoke right now.  This is strange.  If you follow the blog you know that I have always had an insatiable lust for new tobaccos, new blends and new experiences.  Yet it seems that I am settling comfortably in (for the time being, at least) to my old standard, the first tobacco I ever really fell in love with. 

I think the "depression" will go.  I have felt a surge in the last two days to enjoy a pipe (though only Black Watch).  Yet it seems strange to me that I can involuntarily lose interest in something that has brought me so much pleasure and thoughtful opportunity.  I imagine the recent increase in volume at work and at home have contributed.  Yet, there it is.  Please tell me, is this experience known to you?  I'm not worried (as much as I am slow to accept the idea that pipe smoking is terribly damaging, I do believe moderating it at times is productive) it just seems quite strange to me.

Where has the love gone?  Russia and Rome.

In the past months I have read (or been reading) War and Peace, The Metamorphoses (Ovid), and the Brothers Karamazov.  I have found them all so interesting and appealing that I have not wanted to leave my indoor room to go out and interrupt my reading with smoking.  Quite interesting in deed.  I won't bore you with my thoughts on the books, but sufficed to say I wouldn't draw a moment of them back and plan to look at each again in the course of my life.

I leave you with one other summer literary discover on my most recent jaunt through Walden by Thoreau:

Light-winged Smoke, Icarian bird,

Melting thy pinions in they upward flight,

Lark without song, and messenger of dawn,

Circling above the hamlets as thy nest;

or else, departing dream, and shadowy form

Of midnight vision, gathering up thy skirts;

By night star-veiling, and by day

Darkening the light and blotting out the sun;

Go thou my incense upward from this hearth,

And ask the gods to pardon this clear flame.