Bog and Turf
Wednesday, March 21, 2007, 7:41 AM
I took this picture at Ulster American Folk Park. Turf or peat is used because there are few trees and no coal on Ireland...or not enough to say so...but bogs be another thing. Peat is accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter. Peat forms in wetlands or peatlands, variously called bogs, moors, muskegs, pocosins, mires, and tropical swamp forests.
The pictures above and below I borrowed from this website and tried to get permission but...the email came back undeliverable.
There's this really great website about turf and peat and you can go there by clicking here.
Now, if you've never smelled a peat or turf fire....now that's a smell you won't forget soon. So very different than a wood fire. We bought some incense in Ireland that smells just like a turf fire. Going to have to buy some more soon. There's a bog preservation organization now as it really isn't necessary to cut the turf for home heating anymore. Here's a great pic of not only a couple at their hearth enjoying a turf fire...but with a basket of pratties as well. 
And another as well.
If you'd like to smell it for yourself, here's a link to purchase some. It's a bit expensive for incense but....well, we like incense. We burned some on Sunday while we were enjoying our trad Irish-American St Paddy's Day feast. We had a few friends over to share and one of them was so interested in all the info I have gathered this month, because, sure and you know I couldn't keep me mouth shut!!!, that she invited me to talk to her second grade class the very next day. Which I did, by the way, and read them the story of Fin McCool (or Fionn mac Cumhaill) and the Legend of Knockmany and taught them 1-10 in the Irish and how to say goodbye. It was only twenty minutes but sure it did restore something in my soul. My soul is plenty in need of restoring. It's been beaten and battered ....but that's a story for another day.
| Permalink | By Pam and Bill
I took this picture at Ulster American Folk Park. Turf or peat is used because there are few trees and no coal on Ireland...or not enough to say so...but bogs be another thing. Peat is accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter. Peat forms in wetlands or peatlands, variously called bogs, moors, muskegs, pocosins, mires, and tropical swamp forests.
The pictures above and below I borrowed from this website and tried to get permission but...the email came back undeliverable.There's this really great website about turf and peat and you can go there by clicking here.
Now, if you've never smelled a peat or turf fire....now that's a smell you won't forget soon. So very different than a wood fire. We bought some incense in Ireland that smells just like a turf fire. Going to have to buy some more soon. There's a bog preservation organization now as it really isn't necessary to cut the turf for home heating anymore. Here's a great pic of not only a couple at their hearth enjoying a turf fire...but with a basket of pratties as well. And another as well.
And another as well.If you'd like to smell it for yourself, here's a link to purchase some. It's a bit expensive for incense but....well, we like incense. We burned some on Sunday while we were enjoying our trad Irish-American St Paddy's Day feast. We had a few friends over to share and one of them was so interested in all the info I have gathered this month, because, sure and you know I couldn't keep me mouth shut!!!, that she invited me to talk to her second grade class the very next day. Which I did, by the way, and read them the story of Fin McCool (or Fionn mac Cumhaill) and the Legend of Knockmany and taught them 1-10 in the Irish and how to say goodbye. It was only twenty minutes but sure it did restore something in my soul. My soul is plenty in need of restoring. It's been beaten and battered ....but that's a story for another day.
| Permalink | By Pam and Bill
I'm Pam and Bill.
We are DINKS with DOGS & CATS and chickens and turkeys.
Met on a blind date in October of 1993 and married in August of 1994. We have five dogs and two cats.
We live on about 122 or so acres in Southern Vermont. About 12 acres of pasture and the rest is woodland..
5 Comments:
I've been enjoying your Irish posts. When I was there I went to Sally Gap. Peat Bogs as far as the eye could see.
Hang in there, sweetie girl.
That first picture is awesome.
Take Care
Michael
I adore these photos, they're wonderful!!! I've never smelled a turf fire, you've got me very curious now.
Awww! That was another great post, Pam! I am so loving your series this month!! But 'a course I am!
You'll love this 'peat' story. Me Mum came back from a visit home in the seventies and brought her usual ham and rashers (bacon and sausages). There was no problem with the authorities in food inspection in those days, or so we thought! But she didn't keep her mouth shut, either that or they searched her bag, and found a sod of peat in it! They took it away but let her keep her ham and rashers! She was disappointed but it made for a good story.
I'm not sure if this was the same trip or not, but one time she was coming back from Ireland and she was gabbing away at the airport in Shannon with her family and didn't hear the boarding call.
Finally they paged her name and she heard that and showed up at the gate and they said, "Madam, our flight is ready to depart. You need to get on board."
She replied "Oh no, we can't go yet. I still need to get me duty free!!", at which point she whisked off to the duty free store to get her token bottle of liquor whilst the airline stewards stood there gasping in astonishment but did nothing about it.
Typical Irish! Nothing really phases them and they waited for her except that when she got back they plopped her into First class and the plane took off immediately. What a character, me Mum!!
Of course when she told me that story I was only in my early teens I was annoyed with her, thinking she could (and did) get away with that, ignoring the authorities. Now as I write this my eyes are welling up with tears. How I miss that character!! Oh well, I guess I need to let it out. But nothing is the same again, Pam. Nothing is the same.
And how are you doing? Let me know if you need a shoulder to cry on. You've got my email. Might do me some good helping someone instead of wallowing in my own blabber! LOL
*Big Hugs*
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