For Peat's Sake

This post is a thank you of sorts to Karen who put up with my fascination with peat during our drive thru Donegal. What's peat, you ask?

Long story short, it is dirt that people burn. Once upon a time peat lived in a bog. After many, many years of sitting in the marshy bog, the peat became a member of the fossil family. At some point in peat's quiet existence an Irish man or woman in search of heat decided it would be a good idea to dig up peat, stack him in tee-pee shaped piles to dry and then lovingly place him in the fireplace. Peat turned out to be a good fire starter as there wasn't much wood around and he didn't smoke up the house. Plus he let off this distinct smell that all of the villagers could enjoy each time he was burned. As one would imagine, peat smells very earthy, woodsy and subtle all at the same time.

Some folks don't think about peat so much. I, on the other hand, think the concept is fantastic. Whoever thought of burning dirt? And how sad that people still burn this irreplaceable stuff in the day of central heating? The bogs are torn up in search of peat and left cracked and gouged for all to see the dark earth below the bland bog. In a way peat is a direct link to days gone by. Now, now, I'm getting romantic about burning dirt. Something's definitely amiss.

Here lies peat: