Cold Day in the Woods

Fortunately we have built up an insulating layer of holiday fat to keep us warm as Mark and I start to feel the call of the winter woods. We met at the spillway at Arkabutla a little before sunrise this morning for a nice hike on the trails. It was just us and a dozen or so men fishing the Coldwater river. I thought the fishermen were crazy to be out there in such a chilly morning, but Mark pointed out that they probably thought we were nuts to walk around the woods without any real goal in mind ... other than walking, smoking pipes and talking. I guess everyone has different priorities. Anyway, we had a great time as usual. As soon as my bones get warm, I'll be ready to do it again. -T

Merry Christmas!

Glædelig Jul

Joyeux Noel

Froehliche Weihnachten

Feliz Navidad

Sretan Bozic

Vesel Bozic

Nollaig chridheil huibh

God Jul

Srozhdestvom Kristovym

Nadolig Llawen

Cestitamo Bozic

Mithag Crithagsigathmithags

Nollaig Shona Dhuit

Mele Kalikimaka ame Hauoli Makahiki Hou!

Kala Christouyenna!

Zalig Kerstfeest en Gelukkig nieuw jaar

Warren William as Perry Mason

I'm a big fan of Warren William and a big fan of his pipes. Does anyone know anything about what brand(s) he may have smoked? -T

Santa's on His Way!

And for me he is stopping by France to bring me this great looking new pipe from David Enrique. It's one of his ( David's, not Santa's) Gamma DE line, which is made from old preturned stummels from one of the legendary french pipe making companies in St. Claude. I have 2 of these pipes ( a dublin and and apple) that I love and smoke all the time. I am looking forward to Christmas morning, when I can jump out of bed early and run to the Christmas tree and see what Santa brought. That same breathless anticipation I had when I was 5. You can bet I will be smoking my new toy before the sun rises very high in the sky. Merry Christmas! -T

12/28- I've smoked my new Gamma DE several times so far and I am very pleased with it. Another fine pipe from David. I can't wait to get the my next Enrique (which fortunately is on the way as I type!)-T

Strike Anywhere?

Okay- I'm working on pipe racks. 2 more to finish and ship for Christmas. Paint is drying and I sit down for a minute and load my next pipe. I'm sitting in my old rocking chair in the studio and next to it I have a small table w/ a shelf underneath. Mark found a supply of Strike Anywhere Kitchen Matches and he was kind enough to give me several boxes (it was really a payoff for some new leather gloves of mine that he axed the fingers off of ...but that's another story.). I keep an open box of these matches on this lower shelf and strike them on the floor by my rocker ... well this time the match broke and flew into the open box which BURST into flame! I stared in shocked stupor for a minute and then grabbed it and threw it on the floor and on my hands and knees began blowing. Nothing like pipe smoking for making a fellow live on the edge. -T

Water Valley Lodge Pipe Cabinet

Rusty red paint and a stylized hart w/ black trim finish this rack.

It holds 8 pipes and has a drawer for your possibles. -M

$200 (Available

Pipe and Book Desk Set

Sorry to say this one is still available. I thought it would sell. Just goes to show what I know. -T

2 piece set with drawers for storage

$250 (Available)

Free Shipping through Dec. 31st!

All (Available) Racks will receive FREE shipping in the Continental US from now until Dec. 31st ('09). Anyone outside the lower 48 that's interested, we'll work out an equal discount for you. -T

Andrei Mikhailovitch Rodzianko (AKA Puppet Stage)

Here's one that I always liked but I did get a couple of "where's Punch and judy" sort of remarks ....
I had planned or was at least in the planning stages of telling an elaborate tale of a Russian Nobleman who fled Russia during the revolution w/ only a few cherished possessions. This pipe rack being one of them. He was to travel Europe - Paris, London Vienna- and eventually the world. A romantic figure, a noble gypsy making the scene at all the right places and always w/ his pipes in tow. But I soon realized that I would have to be Tolstoy to tell the tale I wanted to tell ...and I'm no Tolstoy. So here's a nice pipe cabinet w/ a romantic flair. You'll have to fill in the story line for this one. -T

Holds 6 pipes in comfortable elegant surroundings
16.75"W x 7"D x 21.5"T
Drop front storage along with open top storage

Original oil painting on door.

$250 (Available)

Going Back to Church

 You'll be able to go to church for a full week with this one. Made to hold Churchwardens up to 16" long and with extra depth to accommodate the curving stems of the gracious pipes. Drop front compartment holds your 'baccy and such. Trimmed out in Hunter Green, ready for your wall or table. -M

$300 (Available)

Santa's Workshop

We're not elves ... and we really have no affiliation with the man in red (although I have covered for him for several years now. Maybe my kids weren't as good as I thought ...) ... anyway, we're helping out in our own way. Here's a couple of floor cabinets in the works. The painted one in the foreground holds 40 pipes and has plenty of storage space (88 50g tins will fit below). The unpainted one holds 56 pipes and also an abundance of room for tobacco or whatever. -T

Poor Witches

Working on pipe racks this morning and even though I have a fire going in the fire pit, I still am worrying about those poor witches in their metallic undergarments. Man, they must be chilly! -T