Friday Recommendations on Saturday...again : )
Hullo! It is cold in the Shire this morning, and there is frost everywhere! And it is also quite beautiful; the sky is a wonderful pale blue streaked here and there with long wisps of clouds that are tinged a delicate pink. It is a lovely, lovely day, and I am so lucky to live here!
Llinos and the KnittedHobbits and I have been getting into training for our expedition along the Great Glen Way next month, walking from Fort William to Inverness, in Scotland. The other day we took the bus into Henley and walked the 10 miles back to Marlow along the river, stopping for luncheon at The Flower Pot, a wonderful pub out in the middle of nowhere on the Ferry Lane in Aston, and on Sunday we are going to walk to Henley and back again! Twenty miles! I hope that it’s as nice a day as today is shaping out to be. We have done the Marlow-Henley-Marlow walk a few times but not at this time of year. We have been seeing lots of wonderful waterfowl, including herons, cormorants, seagulls, various types of geese, coots, grebes of different sorts, and of course lots of swans and ducks.
And Spring is on the way, as we saw many robins on our most recent walk, and the first snowdrops are out! I rang one and made a wish of course, as is tradition!
We have booked some really lovely places to stay on our intrepid journey, one accommodation being the possible spot where we will be holding Tolkien Moot in the Autumn of 2007! If you haven’t signed up for the Moot yet, please do! If you think that there is the slightest chance that you could attend please join the group so that you can be part of the planning. All Tolkien enthusiasts and their kith and kin are welcome, and the cost should be quite reasonable. We are going to have a grand time!
I have already received some stories for Challenge 26 and I am enjoying seeing the idioms that folks are coming up with! The main theme for the Challenge is that common element for everyone, to make up an idiom that might be used by the Middle-earth race of your choice. Here are some common idioms that we ourselves use today to give you some examples; “It never rains but it pours”, “Don’t put all of your eggs in one basket” or referring to an amusement park ride as a “white-knuckler”. You can also refer to Llinos’ Challenge 26 story that I posted early as an example, Caws Llyffant, in which Frodo has difficulty with a Sindarin idiom. For the Challenge you must make up an idiom yourself and use it in the story. Also, each author will be assigned two unique elements to incorporate. To request a starter just write to me at MarigoldCotton@aol.com! Everyone is welcome!
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Now, for this weeks stories. I have been in a Wee!Hobbit mood lately and have a new story and an old favourite to recommend today! Both stories are Best Bets.
First the new one:
Where There’s A Will...There’s Merry by Dreamflower
I enjoyed this so much! I loved little Merry’s strength of mind and his utter devotion to Frodo in this story! This is definitely the bright and determined hobbit that accompanies Frodo on his Quest later in life. In this tale Frodo is sick with a cold and Merry is being kept from his side so that he doesn’t catch the cold himself. He refuses to let Frodo down though, and his sincere determination to win through to Frodo’s room is a delight to read. I could really picture Merry in this, I could *see* him perfectly! His final solution is a totally believable one for such a clever little hobbit!
I also liked very much that Dahlia was comfortable enough in her position with the Brandybuck’s that she invites her friend in to tea. I thought that was a very nice touch that gave a lovely insight to the family. Everyone was very much in character in this story! I will definitely read this again!
The old favourite is:
Usurpers and Adventurers by Baylor
This is a wonderful story! During a visit to the Great Smials, tween-aged Frodo has a bit of a hangover, and the new baby won’t let him sleep. Finally unable to take any more he goes into the nursery and finds himself alone with his tiny Cousin Peregrin. After Briony, the much-feared Nurse to the Took children fails to rescue him, Frodo accepts his fate but little Merry soon takes exception to Frodo’s acquisitiveness. I love the tone of this story, and as always Baylor’s characterisations and descriptions are so enjoyable!
Those of you that are new to the fandom and haven’t discovered her stories yet must go and read all of them at once! You can find them in chronological order at her site, A Shortcut To Mushrooms. I have the privilege of having betaed almost every one of Baylor’s stories, including this one, and wish that she might find the time to write more very soon! I do have the promise of a story for my Birthday, and I am looking forward to that!
********************
I hope that you enjoy the stories, and please be sure to review the authors!
Llinos and the KnittedHobbits and I have been getting into training for our expedition along the Great Glen Way next month, walking from Fort William to Inverness, in Scotland. The other day we took the bus into Henley and walked the 10 miles back to Marlow along the river, stopping for luncheon at The Flower Pot, a wonderful pub out in the middle of nowhere on the Ferry Lane in Aston, and on Sunday we are going to walk to Henley and back again! Twenty miles! I hope that it’s as nice a day as today is shaping out to be. We have done the Marlow-Henley-Marlow walk a few times but not at this time of year. We have been seeing lots of wonderful waterfowl, including herons, cormorants, seagulls, various types of geese, coots, grebes of different sorts, and of course lots of swans and ducks.
And Spring is on the way, as we saw many robins on our most recent walk, and the first snowdrops are out! I rang one and made a wish of course, as is tradition!
We have booked some really lovely places to stay on our intrepid journey, one accommodation being the possible spot where we will be holding Tolkien Moot in the Autumn of 2007! If you haven’t signed up for the Moot yet, please do! If you think that there is the slightest chance that you could attend please join the group so that you can be part of the planning. All Tolkien enthusiasts and their kith and kin are welcome, and the cost should be quite reasonable. We are going to have a grand time!
I have already received some stories for Challenge 26 and I am enjoying seeing the idioms that folks are coming up with! The main theme for the Challenge is that common element for everyone, to make up an idiom that might be used by the Middle-earth race of your choice. Here are some common idioms that we ourselves use today to give you some examples; “It never rains but it pours”, “Don’t put all of your eggs in one basket” or referring to an amusement park ride as a “white-knuckler”. You can also refer to Llinos’ Challenge 26 story that I posted early as an example, Caws Llyffant, in which Frodo has difficulty with a Sindarin idiom. For the Challenge you must make up an idiom yourself and use it in the story. Also, each author will be assigned two unique elements to incorporate. To request a starter just write to me at MarigoldCotton@aol.com! Everyone is welcome!
********************
Now, for this weeks stories. I have been in a Wee!Hobbit mood lately and have a new story and an old favourite to recommend today! Both stories are Best Bets.
First the new one:
Where There’s A Will...There’s Merry by Dreamflower
I enjoyed this so much! I loved little Merry’s strength of mind and his utter devotion to Frodo in this story! This is definitely the bright and determined hobbit that accompanies Frodo on his Quest later in life. In this tale Frodo is sick with a cold and Merry is being kept from his side so that he doesn’t catch the cold himself. He refuses to let Frodo down though, and his sincere determination to win through to Frodo’s room is a delight to read. I could really picture Merry in this, I could *see* him perfectly! His final solution is a totally believable one for such a clever little hobbit!
I also liked very much that Dahlia was comfortable enough in her position with the Brandybuck’s that she invites her friend in to tea. I thought that was a very nice touch that gave a lovely insight to the family. Everyone was very much in character in this story! I will definitely read this again!
The old favourite is:
Usurpers and Adventurers by Baylor
This is a wonderful story! During a visit to the Great Smials, tween-aged Frodo has a bit of a hangover, and the new baby won’t let him sleep. Finally unable to take any more he goes into the nursery and finds himself alone with his tiny Cousin Peregrin. After Briony, the much-feared Nurse to the Took children fails to rescue him, Frodo accepts his fate but little Merry soon takes exception to Frodo’s acquisitiveness. I love the tone of this story, and as always Baylor’s characterisations and descriptions are so enjoyable!
Those of you that are new to the fandom and haven’t discovered her stories yet must go and read all of them at once! You can find them in chronological order at her site, A Shortcut To Mushrooms. I have the privilege of having betaed almost every one of Baylor’s stories, including this one, and wish that she might find the time to write more very soon! I do have the promise of a story for my Birthday, and I am looking forward to that!
********************
I hope that you enjoy the stories, and please be sure to review the authors!