What ain't there and ought to be.

[littlemanpoet]

Originally Posted by Lalwendê

But I have to ask, why does bucolic have negative conotations?

I'm not sure I can answer why. I do know that I associate the word with barefooted, backwoods, ignorant, cabin-dwelling folk who live far back in the Appalachians or somesuch. Talk about stereotypes! But that's the association.

Originally Posted by Child

listen to the way the word sounds: B - U - T - C - H - E - R . Not very nice.

What about: S - L - A - U - G - H - T - E - R ? That seems reminiscent of "cellar door", don't you think? Unless you aspirate the "gh", I suppose...

Child, thanks for the reflection on the Shire and death and change. I agree with you about the isolation of the Shire in the Fourth Age seeming, well, out of place.