A New Hobby

I believe the first time I picked up a pipe was sometime in the early 90's.  I was in my 20's at the time and, although I thought it was kind of cool, I really didn't have a feel for it.  It would be almost 14 years before I picked up another one.

However, my facination with pipes and pipe smoking goes back much farther.  Two of my most vivid memories as a child were of pipes.  The first, as is the case with many boys, is that of my Grandfather smoking a pipe in his living room.  I don't remember the type of pipe it was but I distinctly remember the smoke curling up to the celing and the warm, homey smell.  My second memory was of a friend of my father.  I remember his pipe rack.  It was a circular kind with a glass jar filled with tobacco sitting in the middle.  I recall looking at all the various pipes and thinking that they were the most wonderful things I had ever seen.  Each individual briar or meerscham was a work of art.  I thought about how it would be to hold one in my hand but knew that I wasn't invited to do so.

Santa Claus pipe (Velani Bent Contrast)

About three years ago, a fellow priest (Fr. John Manning) found out that I was interested in pipes and gave me my first quality pipe.  It came as part of a Christmas gift for me and my family.  The letter that came with it was written "From Santa" and it described how this was a copy of Santa's favorite pipe.  Since that time my kids have referred to it as "Santa's pipe" and ask me to smoke it frequently.

I'm loving my new hobby and most of the pipes I've collected since then have been gifts from friends.  I like that a lot.  It means that each new Briar Buddy has a story that goes along with it and memories that rise like the smoke from their bowls.

My Briar Buddies