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So you talked me into it

Yeah, I figure I get about 45 minutes out of the cobs. Half that would be somewhere around 20 minutes. I can see that being about enough for her. And based on how that plug smells, I think a half bowl to start wouldn't be the worst.

And the therapeutic value of sitting down and watching the world go by for 20 minutes is still good.
 

steveclarkus

Goose Poop Connoisseur
Yeah, I figure I get about 45 minutes out of the cobs. Half that would be somewhere around 20 minutes. I can see that being about enough for her. And based on how that plug smells, I think a half bowl to start wouldn't be the worst.

And the therapeutic value of sitting down and watching the world go by for 20 minutes is still good.
Better than good!
 
Today was a good day. I managed 2 pipes today. I had a bowl full of Bayou Morning earlier out in the woods. The day was hot and muggy as anything, but a quiet spot in the shade of some old growth maple soon put things right. And since I was out on trails, there were sections I got to practice clenching. I still prefer to hold, but I'm beginning to see the value of clamping down on the bit.

I was really impressed with the Bayou Morning! That lit quickly and stayed lit for close to an hour and a half! And since my mind wasn't on it, I developed a good cadence. Never bit nor burned, tasted great when I thought about it but faded quietly into the background when I needed it to. I can see that being a good sun's out smoke. I got little notes of either raisins or plum dipping in and out of the bowl. And a very light very faint very mellow citrus. Maybe a pale orange? I will try to nail it down in later bowls. Or not, and just enjoy the garden without hunting down fairies.

My second pipe of the day is a sample of Sutliff Nightcap match. So far, it's an English. But not too forward with the lat. I like that. I'm getting the va more in this than Stokkebye's. Still a little too heavy for a daily smoke when the temperature and humidity are in their daily race to 90. But still, in the evenings when it cools off a little, it's a smooth touch satisfying smoke. This is definitely what I want to be smoking around the campfire.

Well, a happy father's day to all the dads out there.
 

AimlessWanderer

Remember to forget me!
I will try to nail it down in later bowls. Or not, and just enjoy the garden without hunting down fairies.

Well said!

I've been paying close attention to my tobacco samples, so that I can enjoy ignoring them later. I just want to know that ...

Pipe A + Blend B at Time C = Big grin

I think my most enjoyed bowls, are when they slip in and out of awareness. Nor entirely focussed on the pipe, nor completely engrossed in something else, and my mind free to drift to and fro without any conscious effort on my behalf. I think your line about not hunting fairies sums it up nicely
 

steveclarkus

Goose Poop Connoisseur
Well said!

I've been paying close attention to my tobacco samples, so that I can enjoy ignoring them later. I just want to know that ...

Pipe A + Blend B at Time C = Big grin

I think my most enjoyed bowls, are when they slip in and out of awareness. Nor entirely focussed on the pipe, nor completely engrossed in something else, and my mind free to drift to and fro without any conscious effort on my behalf. I think your line about not hunting fairies sums it up nicely
Yep, chasing fairies is a real distraction for me. I’ve never tasted plums, raisins, figs, cherries, spice, chocolate or even hamburger in tobacco. I get sweet, sour, sharp, flat and or creaminess on the back of my tongue. I am aware of strength, fullness and balance of a blend but I've yet to fall in the fruit bowl. I most enjoy the truth of simplicity in a blend, something that allows me to slip into a reverie, relaxes me and let’s my mind drift to wherever it choses to go. To me a pipe is a key to peacefulness free of distraction. I’m well past the half bowl of life and will someday slip into eternity where I hope a pipe will await me.
 
Maybe that little bit of sweet hitting the back of your throat or that spicy feeling in your nose. It's funny, but I pick up on that when I'm surprised by it. Never when I'm looking for it. That's when I tend to enjoy them more. Except for English blends. Those I have to pay attention to, at least starting off in the summer temperature. Too much too fast will upset my tummy.

Mrs. Rookie really likes going to these little wineries in Virginia. We go and do tastings all the time. She'll sip her sample and then go looking for what she was supposed to taste. I think she's onto something there. Because when I was in the woods, or fishing, or in the woods the other time, the smoking was phenomenal. I wasn't thinking of how the virginias balance with the oriental. I was thinking of not falling off the side of the hill. Instead of focusing on the rich smooth smoke the reviews were taking about, I was cussing out these fish playing with my bait but not taking it.

The looking for fairies in the garden, that wasn't me. That was Douglas Addams. It was in one of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy books. I forget the exact quote or circumstances, but a character laments to himself that he wishes earthlings could enjoy the garden without worrying about the fairies in it.
 
Maybe that little bit of sweet hitting the back of your throat or that spicy feeling in your nose. It's funny, but I pick up on that when I'm surprised by it. Never when I'm looking for it. That's when I tend to enjoy them more. Except for English blends. Those I have to pay attention to, at least starting off in the summer temperature. Too much too fast will upset my tummy.

Mrs. Rookie really likes going to these little wineries in Virginia. We go and do tastings all the time. She'll sip her sample and then go looking for what she was supposed to taste. I think she's onto something there. Because when I was in the woods, or fishing, or in the woods the other time, the smoking was phenomenal. I wasn't thinking of how the virginias balance with the oriental. I was thinking of not falling off the side of the hill. Instead of focusing on the rich smooth smoke the reviews were taking about, I was cussing out these fish playing with my bait but not taking it.

The looking for fairies in the garden, that wasn't me. That was Douglas Addams. It was in one of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy books. I forget the exact quote or circumstances, but a character laments to himself that he wishes earthlings could enjoy the garden without worrying about the fairies in it.
I was just thinking about those books and put on the movie the other day. Funny movie. No where’s near as good as the book Of course
 
Good morning everyone! I hope the day finds you well.

Last night, in celebration of another day ending, I sat down to enjoy a good pipe. Filled a cob with some bulk Haunted Bookshop. The problem was it was so dry that it crumbled as I loaded it. Smoking it, it burned dry, hot, and fast. Wasn't quite as enjoyable as I was hoping. Don't get me wrong, I got some wonderful flavors here and there. It was just in between the ashy cigarette tastes that dominated the bowl.

Is there a way to rehydrate it? Or am I better off dumping it and getting a tin instead? I know as a general rule, bulk tends to be dryer than tinned, but that was a bit much.

Thanks everyone!
 

brandaves

With a great avatar comes great misidentification
Good morning everyone! I hope the day finds you well.

Last night, in celebration of another day ending, I sat down to enjoy a good pipe. Filled a cob with some bulk Haunted Bookshop. The problem was it was so dry that it crumbled as I loaded it. Smoking it, it burned dry, hot, and fast. Wasn't quite as enjoyable as I was hoping. Don't get me wrong, I got some wonderful flavors here and there. It was just in between the ashy cigarette tastes that dominated the bowl.

Is there a way to rehydrate it? Or am I better off dumping it and getting a tin instead? I know as a general rule, bulk tends to be dryer than tinned, but that was a bit much.

Thanks everyone!
Lots of great ways to rehydrate. A common cheap way is to place the baccy in a bowl and cover it with a paper towel that has been sprayed a bit with distilled water. You can also get hydration buttons from online retailers. Just soak them in distilled water a bit and then place them in the jar with your tobacco for a little while. Some will spritz a paper towel in distilled water and fold a couple of times and put it in the jar with your Baccy. All of those ways work in my experience.
 

AimlessWanderer

Remember to forget me!
If you've already loaded it, cover the bowl with the palm of your hand, but down press down to seal it. Then breathe slowly down the pipe for a minute or so, at kind of smoking pressure, but backwards. The humidity in your breath with be absorbed, and salvage the smoke.
 
If you have humidification beads (I use them for my cigar humidor) they will work great. I have Xicar beads that come in a plastic container so the actual beads done touch my pipe tobacco. I have just plopped one of these in a ball jar with my dry pipe tobacco for 24 hours or until the pipe tobacco is hydrated to your preference.
 
Thank you everyone! I feel much better knowing this can be saved. I don't have any humidity beads...yet! But will by tonight.

I was so disappointed last night. It smells so wonderful and had nothing but glowing reviews. To have it burn that hot and dry was, well, now in the past. I look forward to trying it again!
 
So I tried an aro last night. A cherry Cavendish. I've come to realize that they are not for me. Not a fan. Not a fan of cherry Cavendish anyways. It tasted like a creamy chemical cherry, like a Lifesaver or Jolly Rancher. Smells amazing from the baggie and the room note brought Mrs. Rookie out. She ended up finishing the bowl while I packed up some burley into another cob.

I'll try the Lane 1Q at some point. I'm not entirely ready to give up on aromatics based on one unhappy smoke. But as of now, I'll be reaching past them for a good vaper, burley, or English blend. Or I'll try mixing the cherry with something. If the cherry taste can be part of an ensemble, instead of the sole participant, I think I'd like it much more.

Or, this thought just occurred to me, it could be a situational flavor? Bear with me a second. Around say Christmas, and we all know Santa smokes a pipe. I can certainly imagine Klaus smoking a pipe full of chocolate cherry aro. Or that chocolate cherry tobacco scent lingering on his red suit and white beard. Or if I'm in a situation where I'd need to sneak away for a smoke. A mild aro I can see raising far fewer eyebrows than say a Cuban stogie or pack of Camel lights.

All that to say that right now, end of June 2020, that aros are not really my thing. But I'm glad I tried them. Sometimes it's just as helpful to know what you don't like.
 

steveclarkus

Goose Poop Connoisseur
For an easy intro into an English is Match Walnut. It contains Latakia but not so much as to be overwhelming. It also has Burley, Kentucky, Cavendish, Turkish/Oriental and Virginia in the blend. Very well blended mid 19th century American blend. Available by the ounce on pipesandcigars.com. Walnut refers to the street in Philadelphia where John Middleton’s shop was located not a flavoring. This blend has no topping.
 

brandaves

With a great avatar comes great misidentification
So I tried an aro last night. A cherry Cavendish. I've come to realize that they are not for me. Not a fan. Not a fan of cherry Cavendish anyways. It tasted like a creamy chemical cherry, like a Lifesaver or Jolly Rancher. Smells amazing from the baggie and the room note brought Mrs. Rookie out. She ended up finishing the bowl while I packed up some burley into another cob.

I'll try the Lane 1Q at some point. I'm not entirely ready to give up on aromatics based on one unhappy smoke. But as of now, I'll be reaching past them for a good vaper, burley, or English blend. Or I'll try mixing the cherry with something. If the cherry taste can be part of an ensemble, instead of the sole participant, I think I'd like it much more.

Or, this thought just occurred to me, it could be a situational flavor? Bear with me a second. Around say Christmas, and we all know Santa smokes a pipe. I can certainly imagine Klaus smoking a pipe full of chocolate cherry aro. Or that chocolate cherry tobacco scent lingering on his red suit and white beard. Or if I'm in a situation where I'd need to sneak away for a smoke. A mild aro I can see raising far fewer eyebrows than say a Cuban stogie or pack of Camel lights.

All that to say that right now, end of June 2020, that aros are not really my thing. But I'm glad I tried them. Sometimes it's just as helpful to know what you don't like.
Chocolate cherry...mix it up with some Carter Hall and see if that improves your opinion of it.
 
Oh yeah! I never explained how cherry Cavendish came to be in my posession in the first place. This is kind of funny, you guys may get a kick out of this.

So I'm with the family on a day trip in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. For those playing along at home, heart of Amish country, where they filmed most of Witness with Harrison Ford. There's a little cigar shop that sells stogies rolled from tobacco grown locally. I stop in to see if that have pipe tobacco grown across the street too. They do! Yay! 2 ounces please! Mrs. Rookie comes in and sees a jar labeled cherry cav. She asks to smell it. Ooh, Rookie, you need to get some of that! I don't know, honey, sweet cherry isn't really my thing. No, Rook, you need to get that! Nah, I don't think- Get some of that! So now I have an ounce of cherry Cavendish. Or, rather, she has an ounce of cherry cav and my next time out, I'm to get her a straight cob.

Like I said, I'll keep mixing it with stuff until it's gone. Or until I develop a taste for sweet aromatics. Or unless Mrs. Rookie keeps joining me for a pipe and friendly conversation. Either way, I should probably give it another bowl or two. Maybe it was my expectations for it were off and I should try it on its own merits.

Lately, past couple weeks or so, it's been getting harder for me to smoke a pipe. Mostly it's the weather. Specifically the heat and humidity. At 9:00 when the sun goes down, it's in the mid 80s (29.5 millimeters in metric) with the humidity hanging around there too. Often times I find myself rushing the last third to be done and get back in the AC. And more vapers and burley than English. Do you guys find your smoking habits changing seasonally as well? Or, more probably, more of that foolish YMMV rearing it's ugly head.
 
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