The Little Things That Complete the Smoking Experience

[macaroon]

I tend to read the threads much more than I post, but I thought I'd pop back in for a spell to share some thoughts.
Due to my current living arrangements, pipe smoking is relegated exclusively to the outdoors. As such, smoking becomes a very purposeful endeavor, one that requires setting aside upwards of an hour to do nothing else but enjoy the tobacco, the weather, and the neighborhood birds (providing they're out and about). I quite enjoy the opportunity to step outside the bustle of the everyday to relax and spend some time outside with my thoughts, and the necessary infrequency of my smoking makes these opportunities all the more special. Even if I were able to smoke indoors while about my daily life, I think that fresh air (ironic, I know) and birdsong have become as much a part of the smoking experience for me as my lighter and tamper; something would be missing.
So I'm curious, do any of you fine folks find fun in auxiliary activities associated with your smoking? Is smoking a special ritual, or just a part of your daily routine, or perhaps even a bit of both?
Bonus points to whoever can incorporate the longest alliteration into their reply and have it still make sense! :mrgreen:

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

So far I cant live without my pipe smoking,even to a degree that I'm not accepting no position of job if I'm not able to find time to smoke during the day,should it be it short or long smoke.Drivers jobs are in this regard good choises unless some idiot gets up reproaching publicly kinda 'who smoked this horrible tobacco in this truck or van.Yet I still prefer smoking indoors,but likewise I may like smoking outdoors when its hot and sunny,sitting somewhere in a shade,house outside porches are great choose in this matter and even more if the afforementioned oudoors smokesession is accompagnied with some drink of course,,

 

[stickframer]

macaroon, my situation pretty much mirrors yours. I usually have to plan out my smokes, and when I have time to get 2 or 3 pipes in a day, it's a pretty big deal.
It's very much a ritual smoking on the back deck, with plently of birds to keep me occupied. Plus the odd eagle or owl. There was an unusual number of crows around this morning.
If I could smoke inside, it would most likely be during spells of bad weather because you're right...The whole experience of sitting in the yard and doing nothing but smoking and looking around has become an important part of the whole experience that I would miss.
It would be nice having the option to smoke indoors, but I do enjoy my outdoor smokes.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

Dear Mr Stickframer, I hope your hopes become true in the nearest future,while outside smokes are grat too, especially by warm early summer mornings,very soon this time of the year is back again,

 

[mayfair70]

I just said to my woman as we were smoking on the porch not an hour ago, "It's the little things in life that make it worth living." She had remarked on how good the sun felt on her jeans covered legs on this cold Indiana afternoon. We too smoke outside, and do it together as often as conflicting schedules allow. Synchronicity seems sweeter smoking slowly sitting in sunshine.

 

[macaroon]

Paulie, winter does pose quite an inconvenience. I'd definitely like to be able to smoke when it's 20F, even if that meant smoking inside!
Stickfarmer, it's always a pleasure to see some sort of raptor! There's a red-tailed hawk that hangs out around here that's amazingly comfortable around people; I've been able to stand and watch from as close as 15-20ft away.
Mayfair, that sounds simply idyllic.

 

[mothernaturewilleatusallforbreakfast]

It's sad, but the TV and pipe smoking go hand and hand for me, oh, and driving. It's like a broken record; get up, fire up a pipe on the way to work, work, smoke the DGT on the way home, turn on TV, eat, smoke pipe, sleep, wake, and repeat. There's nothing real special, but firing up a bowl at the start of the big game, or favorite show, and driving all make me feel good.

 

[aquadoc]

I am very ritual driven on everything I do, from writing in my journal to smoking outside. I use the same mug for sweet iced tea or a few fingers of scotch. I always have some fresh fruit, usually apples but sometimes berries. I use matches. And being outside beats all hell out of sitting inside, bad weather or not. A lightning storm enhances the pleasure of a good tobacco. And my current living situation has provided a lake/pond, woods, and a waterfall in the yard which means I have a myriad of birds and the occasional fox and coyote for company. They almost always see me but as long as I am still they ignore me and accept the apple cores by the pond where I always leave them with other vegetable parts and pieces. I am tired of this situation but at least there are some positives.

 

[wyfbane]

I am outdoors only, these days. The only time I can make sure I get away is when I walk the dog. So for me, the little thing that completes my experience is when there isn't a torrential downpour (PNW resident).

 

[toobfreak]

Pretty spiritual for me. I can wait to smoke for a time when I can devote my full attention to it. I'm relaxed, probably just have eaten and I am sitting down to absorb the evening's programming, which the pipe greatly enhances while at the same time making the mind more peaceful and receptive.

 

[mso489]

When I fire up a new bowl and settle back, and the cat (one of the three) plops into my lap and settles into a ball, I really zone out. Feline tobacco induced bliss.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Boasting big brown bent billiard barlings beside beautiful but besotted baby-doll blowing bubbles, bright but belabored breaths, battering Bay breezes, barely bellowed I, "Bonkers! But bonkers am I!"
My favorite smoking is now at the beach while our dogs run and play in the sand and water. Or on the deck sitting in a half comfortable chair doing nothing.

 

[macaroon]

jpmcwjr, that just made my day :lol:

 

[toobfreak]

When I fire up a new bowl and settle back, and the cat (one of the three) plops into my lap and settles into a ball, I really zone out. Feline tobacco induced bliss.

That is known in the vernacular as 'Secondary Meow.'

 

[ophiuchus]

Boasting big brown bent billiard barlings beside beautiful but besotted baby-doll blowing bubbles, bright but belabored breaths, battering Bay breezes, barely bellowed I, "Bonkers! But bonkers am I!"

:clap: -Brilliant!
Pipe, coffee, book or newspaper, picnic table and sunlight: Priceless.

 

[stickframer]

, I hope your hopes become true in the nearest future

Thank you sir. ::
macaroon- that's cool about the red-tailed hawk.
Now if I could get some of this "feline tobacco" to try...
On second thought, maybe not. :lol:

 

[warren]

Combustion! Without it I get very little to no satisfaction from my pipes.

 

[monty55]

I'm with ya brother!
I'm presently living in a cabin tent somewhere in a national forest at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in New Mexico. That's my life!
All my pipe smoking is outdoors, in nature.
I tell you what, a bowl of your favorite, relaxing in the arms of nature is like peas and carrots!
I've seen things most people never dreamed of while smoking my pipe. And if I'm lucky enough to have a single malt scotch at the moment ... life gets no better than that.

 

[pipeanddrum]

Some sun-drenched sitting, slowly sipping my Syrian stuffed Stanwell simply sends me.

 

[mawnansmiff]

I will smoke a bowl whilst reading a book, listening to music, watching the idiot box or other such relaxing pursuits but my best smokes are when I am doing nothing at all.
The birds twittering in the trees in the garden and neighbouring churchyard, matey up the lane mowing his lawn for the umpteenth time this week and the occasional farm tractor driving by are all I need to listen to to get lost in the moment.
Suits me just fine ::
Regards,
Jay.