A Quick Range Trip

I haven't used my outdoor range membership all year. Since we recently paid the annual membership fee, I figured I'd go see if it's actually still there. I decided to take the Compact SIG P320. I had only shot that gun once this year, and that was for a pathetic attempt at the IDPA classifier in the summer. Between the cold weather and ammo shortage, I had the place to myself.

As a quick warmup, I shot 10 rounds at the head of an IDPA target at 7 yards, then moved back to 10 yards for the next 40 shots. Those shots were random combos of body shots, head shots, from low ready or the holster. The rules at this club state that no more than two shots may be fired in a string, and there must be a break between two shot strings. The length of the pause is undefined and varies on the mood of the club officials and their friendship with the shooter, so I was overly cautious.

I soon regretted only bringing along 100 rounds of ammunition. For the second box, I put out a target consisting of various sized shapes and shot from 10 yards. The rest of my shooting was mostly single shots, focusing on sight alignment and trigger press. I even devoted some time to SHO and WHO shooting.

Overall, I was pleased with how I shot the compact gun. I especially enjoyed to chance to just relax and do some shooting, even if only for a short time. While any benefit of "practice" may have been limited, the pleasurable diversion was welcome. I did not see or hear, any other shooters during my time at the range. I did wave to the camera in the tree, knowing I wasn't truly alone. If I find time in the new year to return, perhaps I'll bring a little more ammo.

Christmas Snow and Smoke

We don't get too many white Christmases in these parts. When we do, it's an exception, and then usually a blizzard. What a treat it was to walk out of church Christmas morning and see snowflakes falling from the sky. As we celebrated the day, I kept watching the temperature outside. By mid-afternoon, my phone was showing this:

That would be as good as it gets. So I bundled up, made a large cup of coffee, and set up the portable propane heaters on each side of my chair on the screened porch. I grabbed the Rocky Patel A.L.R. Second Edition I've been looking forward to, and had been saving especially for Christmas. 

The 5½ x 52 box-pressed Robusto has a Mexican San Andrés wrapper with a Honduran binder, and filler tobaccos from Honduras and Nicaragua. It sports a shiny embossed gold band. There was also a large band with marketing covering almost the entire cigar. With large band removed, the cigar has a classy, holiday-worthy appearance.

The A.L.R. Second Edition starts out with a bold pepper kick, but the spice mellows quickly. Full notes of espresso and cocoa follow. There's a touch of sweetness that lingers on the tongue. I've smoked a few of these before and it's always a consistent performer. Even with the box-press shape, and occasional cold breeze whipping through the screen, the burn was even, needing not a single touch up.

The cigar, which I held onto until it began to burn fingers and lips, lasted just over an hour. That was exactly the right amount of time given the weather. Though cold, the scenery was delightful to look at. And there wasn't enough snow to require any shoveling! I was thankful for the invention of the portable propane heater, but in the open space, there's only so much they can do. Looking ahead, it seems I took advantage of some of the "warmest" weather expected over the next few days.

Merry Christmas To All

As we celebrate the Nativity of Our Lord, I wish everyone a most joyful and blessed Christmas season. May the blessings of God be upon you throughout the season and the whole year.

The Church at Shepherd's Field, Bethlehem
Photo by Colleen, August 2010 

When the angels went away from them to heaven,

the shepherds said to one another,

“Let us go, then, to Bethlehem

to see this thing that has taken place,

which the Lord has made known to us.”

So they went in haste and found Mary and Joseph,

and the infant lying in the manger.

When they saw this,

they made known the message

that had been told them about this child.

All who heard it were amazed

by what had been told them by the shepherds.

And Mary kept all these things,

reflecting on them in her heart.

Then the shepherds returned,

glorifying and praising God

for all they had heard and seen,

just as it had been told to them.

-- Luke 2: 15-20

 

Birthplace of Jesus, Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem
Photo by Colleen, August 2010

Surprisingly few realize that the season of Christmas only begins today, December 25, and that this joyous celebration actually continues until the Feast of Epiphany on January 6. It is disappointing to see the lights and decorations disappear the day after Christmas. Surely as Christians we believe the birth of Our Savior is an event worthy of more than a single day of rejoicing. During the troubling times we find ourselves enduring, there seems to be all the more reason to celebrate the joy of the season in its entirety.

However you mark the occasion, may it be spent with family, friends, and good cheer.

Today is born our Savior Christ the Lord.

-- Psalm 96

Taking Advantage of a Warm Winter Day

It seems the longest vacation I take each year falls in the winter. It's always a "stay-cation" but still the short wet, cold days can limit fun activities. That's why when the temperature crept up to 50° on the eve of Christmas Eve, I took advantage of it. 

Perhaps it was apropos that both the cigar and beer selected were reminiscent of vacations at the beach. The Tabernacle is a smoke that has accompanied me to the beach often. Likewise, the Lost Colony Hatteras Red is a favorite of Outer Banks vacations. 

There was an intermittent cool breeze and the sun was fleeting, so despite the warmer temperature, I did decide to activate the propane heater. Nonetheless, it was an exceptionally enjoyable passage of time. Adding to the pleasure was the noticeable lack of power equipment running in the distance. Perhaps the neighbors were too busy with last minute holiday preparations to do any yard work.

 

While the beer lasted only a short time, I smoked the cigar down to the very end. The days to follow are expected to bring a return to more typical winter weather. There's little doubt there will still be tasty beverages and smokes to be enjoyed, it will just require more bundling up for the outdoor portion.

And Saturday…

It was so nice to enjoy a bit of warmth while I smoked on Friday evening, I decided to return to the lounge on Saturday. The morning was spent on chores around the house until mid-afternoon. I briefly considered heading to the back deck to relax but then remembered that the lounge would have a warm wood stove going. Truthfully, I did have an ulterior motive as well. I recalled from the previous evening that the shop had the newly released Black Label Trading Company Morphine 2020 Vintage on hand. That was a smoke I was wanting to try out.

The 2020 version of Morphine features unusual dual Mexican San Andrés and Ecuador Maduro wrappers. The San Andrés wrapper alone was enough to tempt me, but the combination was especially intriguing. Interestingly, the BLTC Bishops Blend, which ranks as one of my top cigars of 2020, features an Ecuadoran Maduro wrapper. 

I selected a 4½ x 50 Robusto to enjoy. The humidor also held some lancero versions of the stick. I opted to make a switch from my usual beer preferences, and order a 1781 Appalach Farmhouse Lager. This is a very popular beer from the brewery, though I don't recall that I've had it previously.

The beer had a grassy aroma and a pleasing, crisp grain flavor. It made for a refreshing afternoon libation. The Morphine sports an oily, dark wrapper. The stick had a dense feel to it when I cut it, but the draw was fine. One of the first things I noticed was the copious volume of smoke being put off. The flavor was full bodied and had notes of raisons, chocolate and coffee. There was a deep, but not overpowering spiciness that lingered in the finish. After just a few puffs, I started wishing the stick was a bit bigger. 

The milder flavored beer and the bold cigar paired amazingly well together. If there was a downside, it was that I only had time for the small cigar and a single beer. After 45 minutes by the wood stove, both were finished and I headed home. I did grab a Morphine in Lancero on the way out for future enjoyment.

And then it was Friday…

After another seemingly endless week, Friday finally arrived. I'd been looking forward to a cigar in a warm setting for a couple weeks. While I've enjoyed some smokes on the deck, at some point the propane and electric heaters just don't keep up. So after dinner Friday, I headed over to the Olde Towne Tobacconist lounge located at 1781 Brewing. 

As usual, I stopped first in the brewery to fill my mug. This evening I selected Irish Hen Red Ale. This imperial red ale checks in at a moderate 8% ABV. It has a deep red color and appears nearly black in the opaque mug. The ale has a sweet roasted malt backbone with a hint of bitterness in the finish. I sipped as I perused the lounge's humidor for a fitting cigar.

After selecting a La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero Maduro DL-700, I took a comfortable seat in the enclosed "front porch" of the lounge. This is a cigar I've enjoyed a number of times at the lounge and is popular with many of the shop's patrons. The big 6½ x 60 stick offers about two hours of pleasurable smoking. The good looking cigar features an Ecuadoran wrapper with Dominican binder and fillers. The DL-700 is a full bodied, bold smoke. Rich notes of dark coffee and chocolate are predominate. A hint of pepper persists throughout the smoke. Despite the large ring gauge, the burn was even until the very end. 

The only inconvenience of the fun evening was the cold walk across the yard to the brewery when it was time for a beverage refill. A warming stop next to the wood stove quickly removed the affects of that brief outing.

The clear vinyl enclosed space was a little cool. Nonetheless, it was still much warmer than my back porch. As the evening progressed, and more folks arrived, the fun conversations, flavorful beer, and good cigars helped to move the chill from the mind. 

A Cigar for a Feast Day

Saturday, December 12 was the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The day honors the appearance of Mary to St. Juan Diego in present day Mexico City on December 9, 1531. Also, referred to as The Virgin of Guadalupe, she is the Patron Saint of the Americas. Among the traditions of the Feast, is a focus on the image of the Lady left on Juan Diego's tilma during the appearance. In honor of that, I selected an appropriately decorated cigar to enjoy that day.

Guadalupe 25th Anniversary Limited Release Miami Edition Blend is a new release from Regina Cigars. The Miami cigar company donates a portion of its sales to support persecuted & displaced Christians, especially those in the Middle East. This blend celebrates the founder's 25th anniversary in the cigar industry and the significance of the December 12 date in his family. 

The 6 x 50 stick has a San Andres Maduro wrapper and an Esteli Criollo binder, hiding a Corojo/Criollo Jalapa filler. The large band features a beautiful image of the Virgin Mary. The smoke is medium to full bodied. It has dark chocolate espresso notes, along with a mild cooling citrus note. Unfortunately both samples I've smoked so far had some damage under the decorative ribbon foot band causing the wrapper to unravel. A touch up with PerfecRepair allowed me to smoke through the damaged section without too much disruption.

As an accompaniment, I selected a seasonally appropriate Hardywood Park Gingerbread Stout. This Imperial Milk Stout is part of a selection of "Christmas beers" released each year by the Richmond, VA brewery. The 9.2% ABV ale is brewed with locally sourced baby ginger and wildflower honey. The dark beer has a thin beige head and gives off but a faint sweet aroma. The flavor is predominately roasted malt and milk chocolate. The underlying spice kick of ginger and honey sweetness is mild. Mouthfeel is creamy and smooth. The flavor combination with the dark espresso notes of the cigar was a flavorful match.

The beer and the cigar made for a satisfying afternoon of relaxation on the deck. The mid-sixties temperature and bright sun was a welcome break from the doldrums of the cool, gray weather of the previous week.

Feast of St. Nicholas

December 6 is the Feast day of St. Nicholas, one of several Patron Saints of Brewing. St. Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, was a wealthy and generous man. His generosity towards others led to him being the inspiration for the tradition of Santa Claus and gift giving.

It's not entirely clear why Nicholas was chosen as a Patron Saint of brewing. Tradition states that Nicholas was having a beer at an inn where the inn keeper had murdered three boys and packed their bodies in a barrel of brine. Nicholas was offered some salted meat with his beer. Due to a local shortage of food, Nicholas became suspicious, found the bodies, and brought the boys back to life.

The Saint was also an ardent defender of the Faith. Nicholas was in attendance at the First Council of Nicaea in AD 325. One of the orders of business for the Council was to refute the Arian heresy. It is said that one point the debate became so heated, an enraged Nicholas punched Arius in the face. While it may have been shocking at the time, one can't help but think he got the point across. I often think we could use a few more Bishops with the backbone of St. Nicholas today.

St. Nicholas died on December 6, in either 345 A.D. or 352 A.D. Inspired by this feast day, is Samichlaus Bier. Samichlaus is an 14% ABV doppelbock that at one time was billed as the world's strongest beer. The name means "Santa Claus" in the Swiss-German dialect of Zürich. Brewed only on December 6 of each year, the beer is aged for almost a year and released in time for the following year's feast day. Samichlaus was originally brewed by Brauerei Hürlimann, and later by Feldschlösschen Brewery. It is currently produced by Schloss Eggenberg of Switzerland.

We have some vintage Samichlaus in the cellar. Tonight will be an apt time to open a couple bottles and raise a toast to Saint Nicholas.

Happy St. Nicholas Day!