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Hobbit Tales  by PIppinfan1988 9 Review(s)
Mum's the WordReviewed Chapter: 15 on 5/18/2008
What a lovely snippet of hobbity family life! All of the details make this scene easy to visualize, and of course the family love just shines.

Your story brings back so many happy memories of my own great-grandmother's and mother's button boxes -- and now my own box. Not only were there stories with many of the buttons, but from the time I was about three, my mother would string a large, blunt needle for me and let me "sew" buttons, stringing them together in whatever pattern I might want, while she sewed by hand or machine. After the string was full, either I'd "unstring" the buttons one at a time, or we'd snip the end of the string and delight in watching the buttons shower back into the button box. I've passed that pastime down to my daughter, who now loves needlework as much as I do.

Kudos to Eglantine for sharing her memory treasures, and kudos to you for writing such a wonderful story!

Hugs and blessings,
Mum

Author Reply: Hello, Mum -- nice to see you! And thank you for the sweet compliments! I have been so tickled and delighted to know so many readers have shared in this experience, with buttons or other needlework, mothers, grandmothers, and daughters -- and I have very much enjoyed each and every story that *I’ve* been told in response. I love it!

Rummaging through my own grandmother’s button box had been long buried beneath layers of adulthood: stress, worry, responsibilities...you get the idea. For whatever reason, they resurfaced back in January and the Muse would not let me alone until I wrote a story around it. It pretty much wrote itself, lol, but I’m glad it came about -- I love your happy story and how much it has touched you and now your own wee one.

Thank you so much for reading, and replying with your own tale. I hope to hear more as time goes on, as they add warmth to my own memories.

Many, many blessings back to you! :-)

cathleenReviewed Chapter: 15 on 1/19/2008
Oh, this is so sweet! And it brings back wonderful memories of my own dear granny's button box. Thank you for that.

Author Reply: Sorry for the late reply!

I'm glad Eglantine's button box is evoking so many nice memories for us all. Thanks for reading!

harrowcatReviewed Chapter: 15 on 1/13/2008
What a sweet picture you paint PIppinfan. I love the little touches of family life. What a shame that in today's throwaway society so few children will know this joy.

Author Reply: My apologies for this late response!

You said it very well -- and thank you for the sweet compliment! Thanks for stopping by to read!

Garnet TookReviewed Chapter: 15 on 1/9/2008
Oh, Pippinfan, I love this story. What a neat way of preserving treasured memories.

The children are adorable, as usual. Bonnie's comment about little plaits all over her sister's head was priceless. Can you imagine the kinky mess her hair would be after that?

Pippin is such a good husband and father. I bet he actually enjoyed the chance to put one of the children to bed. Daddy daughter time, ahhh.

Nice story behind the story, too. I have a quilt that my mom gave me that her mom made, and she used to tell which outfits the pieces had come from. It was a small way of getting to know the grandmother I never met and my mom only remembered from a little girl's perspective.

Sorry to be so slow to review. RL has been "interesting".

Author Reply: Glad to see you! Yes, I've read just how interesting. :-P

I think the quilt is just as fabulous an idea as buttons boxes. It runs off the same idea; pieces of quilt or buttons that once adorned a favourite garment giving a pleasant memory to someone. It was nice that your mom passed those memories on to you.

Thanks..and well, I think Bonny is going to prove to be a handful for her parents. I just have a feeling that "Parents Revenge" is going to rear its ugly head in this little lass. :-P

I imagine that Pippin, like his father, enjoys each of his children; there *are* more to come, lol. Heather isn't the last! In my fantasy world of hobbits, I like to imagine the parents having the luxury of making quality time for their brood.

Thanks for stopping by to read -- I know its been hectic for you.

LarnerReviewed Chapter: 15 on 1/8/2008
We'd do the same with the button boxes my grandparents kept, and for a time I had such a collection as well. Similar to patchwork quilts made from garments that had been especially beloved, and for me certain of my books, there are so many memories that can be tied to such things.

Lovely, very likely story. Lovely, Pippinfan.

Author Reply: I am just over the moon with how many folks keep/kept a button box or jar. As I've said, I never once thought my own great-grandmother was the sole person to keep one, but I am just as pleasantly surprised. Yes, I can see why most people would keep buttons; for practicality, of course, but mostly for the wonderful memories attached to the garments they once adorned.

Thank you for stopping by to read and for the sweet encouragement.

Pearl TookReviewed Chapter: 15 on 1/7/2008
A truly wonderful story, Pippinfan, and I love that it comes from your own life. I could see it all so clearly.

Beautiful. MEWD!!!

Author Reply: Hello, Mentor! Sorry about my tardy reply. :-(

I'm glad you enjoyed the story. :-) I don't know why, but the memory niggled at the back of my head all day Saturday, and now you've read the results. I wrote this in one sitting, and we both know that rarely happens with me.

Your encouragement means the world to me, so thank you, Pearl -- and thank you for reading!

Grey WondererReviewed Chapter: 15 on 1/6/2008
My grandmother had a button box or two also! I can see those in my mind now after reading your story. Thank you. I loved this one. And this line, (Winter’s chill was never a respecter of persons; when it left the Shire, it would take many elderly, young children, and the feeble along with it.) was so interesting. I really enjoyed the way you worded that. Anyway, thank you for brightening my day and bringing back a few memories!

Author Reply: How cool! To know some of us share the same bits of childhood like this is great. :-) I certainly didn't think that my great-grandmother was the only one to possess such a box, but I'm pleasantly surprised nonetheless.

I'm glad that I was finally able to brighten *your* day. You've done it so many times for me through your storytelling. Wow -- thank you for the lovely compliments! And thank you for stopping by to read. :-)

shireboundReviewed Chapter: 15 on 1/6/2008
What a dear, sweet story. My mom had a button "jar", which I never tired of exploring.

Author Reply: So then you understand the story behind the story! Splendid! Jar, box, sack...the memories would be the same. :-)

Thank you for the kind review, and thank you for reading!

DreamflowerReviewed Chapter: 15 on 1/6/2008
How sweet! And it is just the sort of old-fashioned and family-oriented sort of evening I could imagine hobbits enjoying! It's sad to imagine Eglantine getting old and passing, but that is, of course, the way of things--and she still seems pretty spry in this story!

And I love this glimpse of Pippin and Diamond as fond parents!

Author Reply: Thank you! I'm so glad you think so! I'd be lying if I had said that you have not inspired me in some fashion over the years. So, I do thank you for that! :-)

Yes, it will be very sad when that day comes and Pippin finds himself the head of the family. Right now, Eglantine is still a bit spry, but many elderly folk decline in health quite fast after becoming ill. Then again...Eglantine just may surprise us all and give Bilbo and the Old Took a run for their money!

Thank you for stopping by to read!

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