The Tolkien Coming of Age Club 2 - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Snowdog · 05-10-2004, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Aside from checking the Downs, what habits do you have that remind you of (or come from) Middle-Earth? They can be seasonal.

In the winter when I go out to the car to dig out of the snow before heading to work I think of the Fellowship trying to cross the Misty Mountains, or King Arvedui and his men freezing up in the Forochel area....

Ealasaide · 05-10-2004, 08:19 PM

Hmmm... the thing I do that reminds me the most of Middle Earth is the long walks I take in the woods with my dog (coyote/border collie mix.) In the park we go to, there are many long, winding trails. The really interesting part is that periodically, we come across the "ruins" of old stone gateways at one bend in the trail or another. I always think of Tolkein when I come across those. Unfortunately, lately, the Park Service has been systematically ripping them all out.

Soon they will all be gone.

Besides the walks, I also make sterling silver jewelry based on chain mail.

As for pictures, I tend to shoot mostly landscapes and close-ups of flowers and tree roots & the like, but sometimes I will also do interesting windows or doorways. I seldom take pictures of people (unless I get hired to shoot a special event for someone.) When I have film to burn at the end of a roll, I also take a lot of pictures of my dog and cat.

Estelyn Telcontar · 05-11-2004, 11:12 AM

My Middle-earth moments are closely connected with nature; when I walk, I try to be consciously aware of what’s around me, experiencing it with as many senses as possible. It’s easiest to do that in Spring, I think, after the bareness of winter makes everything look “fresh and poignant”, as Lothlórien did to Frodo when he entered that land.

I’m acutely aware of flowers, both wild and in gardens. Sometimes tiny blossoms are so wonderfully detailed that I marvel over them. (Beside one of my favorite paths, I saw some little yellow, star-shaped wildflowers that I dubbed “elanor”.) I stick my nose in every lilac bush and kneel down to sniff the scent of lilies-of-the-valley. And above all, I touch trees, hedges, and bushes. No, I’m not a tree-hugger, but I love feeling the softness of new leaves and fresh evergreen tips! A friend once told me that she could recognize me from a long distance because I always have my arm stretched out when I walk past anything green in the spring.

The feeling of wonder is what I connect with Middle-earth.

Child of the 7th Age · 05-11-2004, 11:49 AM

My own experiences are somewhat different. I can think of three Middle-earth moments, two of which are not strictly nature related.

The first one is cyclical but on a weekly rather than a seasonal basis. Every Friday evening and Saturday, my family and I live a life far removed from the 21st century. We do without TVs, cars, radios, CD players, and for the most part even computers. (OK, I do "cheat" on that last one occasionally.

) We walk to each other's houses (up to about a mile or so) and sit around the table at dinner and lunch, eating heaps of food and talking. It's a rare Saturday that we don't have one or more guests. It's not always so idyllic. Sometimes when we walk, a thunderstorm blows in and everyone gets drenched.

We do this for religious reasons that have nothing to do with Middle-earth, but strangely enough it always reminds me of living in the Shire. Very people centered and relaxing. It's as if time slows down. It's race, race, race all week and then a day to sniff the flowers, read a book, or even take a nap.

My second Middle-earth moment is when I sit with my kids and read to them. (Actually, sometimes I have them read to me, since it beats the prepackaged audio books on CD.) Even though I have a teen and pre-teen, we still do this sometimes, especially in the summer. I always feel like Bilbo telling stories to young Sam or Frodo.

As far as nature goes, Houston is not inspiring. No lovely woods or anything like that. But the ocean is just an hour away in Galveston which is a sleepy city, whose prime is long past. I always think of fading Elves when I go there! But the greatest lure is the beach and to listen to the surf. Shades of Sam Gamgee at the end of the unpublished epilogue, or even the shores of Tol Eressea. The ocean just goes on and on....

piosenniel · 05-11-2004, 02:58 PM

. . . And as the Captains gazed south to the Land of Mordor, it seemed to them that, black against the pall of cloud, there rose a huge shape of shadow, impenetrable, lightning-crowned, filling all the sky. Enormous it reared above the world, and stretched out towards them a vast threatening hand, terrible but impotent: for even as it leaned over them, a great wind took it, and it was all blown away, and passed; and then a hush fell.

~ RotK; “The Field of Cormallen”

In the wee hours of the night, 2 a.m., after work and looking north, not south from my back yard, while the dog does his business – there is the giant smoke stack of the paper/plywood mill that looms in the near distance above my tall wooden fence. At its top is a blinking light to warn off low flying aircraft, and from its mouth belches a continuous massive pillar of steam and smoke. Ominous and threatening it appears as it emerges; but the top streamer is fragmented in the night breezes.

An army of frogs, inhabitants of our small pond, is loud in the darkness . . . hushing immediately at the arrival of myself and dog.

mark12_30 · 05-17-2004, 06:26 AM

Brrrr, Pio. I am spoiled! I look up in my sky and see oak and beech branches, and stars beyond them...

I just bought three albums from CdBaby by an indie band called Hobbit :
All for the One
Two Feet Tall
Rockin' the Shire.

The review compared them to Yes and Foreigner, if I recall. THe cartoon Bilbo graces the cover of Two Feet Tall. They are still in their shrink-wrap.

Hilde Bracegirdle · 05-17-2004, 05:04 PM

Did someone mention Yes?

Seriously, I have been trying to think of some Tolkien moments, but they have been rather far and few between this year, even in my rural surroundings. (Unless working with an orc counts. Then I have intense Tolkien moments all to often!

Not a very uplifting revelation, is it?)

05-11-2004, 11:12 AM	#3
Estelyn Telcontar Princess of Skwerlz Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: where the Sea is eastwards (WtR: 6060 miles) Posts: 7,500	My Middle-earth moments are closely connected with nature; when I walk, I try to be consciously aware of what’s around me, experiencing it with as many senses as possible. It’s easiest to do that in Spring, I think, after the bareness of winter makes everything look “fresh and poignant”, as Lothlórien did to Frodo when he entered that land. I’m acutely aware of flowers, both wild and in gardens. Sometimes tiny blossoms are so wonderfully detailed that I marvel over them. (Beside one of my favorite paths, I saw some little yellow, star-shaped wildflowers that I dubbed “elanor”.) I stick my nose in every lilac bush and kneel down to sniff the scent of lilies-of-the-valley. And above all, I touch trees, hedges, and bushes. No, I’m not a tree-hugger, but I love feeling the softness of new leaves and fresh evergreen tips! A friend once told me that she could recognize me from a long distance because I always have my arm stretched out when I walk past anything green in the spring. The feeling of wonder is what I connect with Middle-earth. __________________ 'Mercy!' cried Gandalf. 'If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?' 'The whole history of Middle-earth...'

05-11-2004, 11:49 AM	#4
Child of the 7th Age Spirit of the Lonely Star Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 5,133	My own experiences are somewhat different. I can think of three Middle-earth moments, two of which are not strictly nature related. The first one is cyclical but on a weekly rather than a seasonal basis. Every Friday evening and Saturday, my family and I live a life far removed from the 21st century. We do without TVs, cars, radios, CD players, and for the most part even computers. (OK, I do "cheat" on that last one occasionally. ) We walk to each other's houses (up to about a mile or so) and sit around the table at dinner and lunch, eating heaps of food and talking. It's a rare Saturday that we don't have one or more guests. It's not always so idyllic. Sometimes when we walk, a thunderstorm blows in and everyone gets drenched. We do this for religious reasons that have nothing to do with Middle-earth, but strangely enough it always reminds me of living in the Shire. Very people centered and relaxing. It's as if time slows down. It's race, race, race all week and then a day to sniff the flowers, read a book, or even take a nap. My second Middle-earth moment is when I sit with my kids and read to them. (Actually, sometimes I have them read to me, since it beats the prepackaged audio books on CD.) Even though I have a teen and pre-teen, we still do this sometimes, especially in the summer. I always feel like Bilbo telling stories to young Sam or Frodo. As far as nature goes, Houston is not inspiring. No lovely woods or anything like that. But the ocean is just an hour away in Galveston which is a sleepy city, whose prime is long past. I always think of fading Elves when I go there! But the greatest lure is the beach and to listen to the surf. Shades of Sam Gamgee at the end of the unpublished epilogue, or even the shores of Tol Eressea. The ocean just goes on and on.... __________________ Multitasking women are never too busy to vote. Last edited by Child of the 7th Age; 05-11-2004 at 12:40 PM.

05-11-2004, 02:58 PM	#5
piosenniel Desultory Dwimmerlaik Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Pickin' flowers with Bill the Cat..... Posts: 7,779	. . . And as the Captains gazed south to the Land of Mordor, it seemed to them that, black against the pall of cloud, there rose a huge shape of shadow, impenetrable, lightning-crowned, filling all the sky. Enormous it reared above the world, and stretched out towards them a vast threatening hand, terrible but impotent: for even as it leaned over them, a great wind took it, and it was all blown away, and passed; and then a hush fell. ~ RotK; “The Field of Cormallen” In the wee hours of the night, 2 a.m., after work and looking north, not south from my back yard, while the dog does his business – there is the giant smoke stack of the paper/plywood mill that looms in the near distance above my tall wooden fence. At its top is a blinking light to warn off low flying aircraft, and from its mouth belches a continuous massive pillar of steam and smoke. Ominous and threatening it appears as it emerges; but the top streamer is fragmented in the night breezes. An army of frogs, inhabitants of our small pond, is loud in the darkness . . . hushing immediately at the arrival of myself and dog. __________________ Eldest, that’s what I am . . . I knew the dark under the stars when it was fearless - before the Dark Lord came from Outside.

05-17-2004, 06:26 AM	#6
mark12_30 Stormdancer of Doom Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Elvish singing is not a thing to miss, in June under the stars Posts: 4,349	Brrrr, Pio. I am spoiled! I look up in my sky and see oak and beech branches, and stars beyond them... I just bought three albums from CdBaby by an indie band called Hobbit : All for the One Two Feet Tall Rockin' the Shire. The review compared them to Yes and Foreigner, if I recall. THe cartoon Bilbo graces the cover of Two Feet Tall. They are still in their shrink-wrap. __________________ ...down to the water to see the elves dance and sing upon the midsummer's eve.

05-10-2004, 08:19 PM	#2
Ealasaide Shadow of Tyrn Gorthad Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: The Fencing Lyst Posts: 810	Hmmm... the thing I do that reminds me the most of Middle Earth is the long walks I take in the woods with my dog (coyote/border collie mix.) In the park we go to, there are many long, winding trails. The really interesting part is that periodically, we come across the "ruins" of old stone gateways at one bend in the trail or another. I always think of Tolkein when I come across those. Unfortunately, lately, the Park Service has been systematically ripping them all out. Soon they will all be gone. Besides the walks, I also make sterling silver jewelry based on chain mail. As for pictures, I tend to shoot mostly landscapes and close-ups of flowers and tree roots & the like, but sometimes I will also do interesting windows or doorways. I seldom take pictures of people (unless I get hired to shoot a special event for someone.) When I have film to burn at the end of a roll, I also take a lot of pictures of my dog and cat.

05-17-2004, 05:04 PM	#7
Hilde Bracegirdle Relic of Wandering Days Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: You'll See Perpetual Change. Posts: 1,480	Did someone mention Yes? Seriously, I have been trying to think of some Tolkien moments, but they have been rather far and few between this year, even in my rural surroundings. (Unless working with an orc counts. Then I have intense Tolkien moments all to often! Not a very uplifting revelation, is it?)