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| Moments in Time by Larner | 24 Review(s) |
|---|---|
| demeter d | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 3/24/2006 |
| Wonderful, Larner! Sadly enough, "An Acceptable Sacrifice" has now come to its conclusion. But lovely moments like this can allow us to continue visiting in Middle Earth. Even the creatures of Iluvatar respect our Ringbearer. A funny moment when the cock was annoyed with Pippin's attentions. The children are lovely, and very real. A sweet little story. Author Reply: All good things must end someday, and it was definitely time to end "The Acceptable Sacrifice," I found. That the two nuzguls that sparked it were intended to be mated was a surprise to me, I must say. Am so glad you appreciated this story. We had a peacock at York attach itself to my husband, who was totally blind. He thought it hilarious as the children and I described how it was flirting with him and displaying for him, and how every time Tony turned his back the bird would cry out until he faced it again. That one would do this for Frodo just seemed right, somehow; and that it would reject other "suitors" also seemed right. Am so glad you like the children and find them believable. I've always loved British stories about families of children, such as Nesbitt's stories about the Bastables or the children in the "Five Children and It" series. I may write my own story about such a family one day. | |
| Tigger | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 3/23/2006 |
| What a lovely story. The perfect end to a draining day. Nothing serious, just my favourite skater did not end his season on a good note at the World Championships tonight and I'm feeling a bit down for him. Anyway...This is just a beautiful little story. I loved how the male was so sensitive to knowing Frodo wouldn't hurt him, but protested loudly if any of the other hobbits touched him. And then for the nesting female to come out w/her chicks...So sweet. The ending was so picture perfect fluffy though. A lovely way to end the day. :oD I know I owe you a review for your last story. I was away for nearly a week and a half and still catching up on things. I'm getting there though. Sometime this weekend I'll get to it hopefully. Looking forward to whatever you write next, but you know that. :o) Author Reply: I thought we needed a bit of fluff after the angst of "The Acceptable Sacrifice." So sorry a skater didn't do as well in the finals as he ought to have done, but all of us have off days, I find. And I hope you do find the ending of the longer story worthwhile. | |
| Baggins Babe | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 3/23/2006 |
| Ah! This was perfect. Such moments of beauty would be particularly wonderful and helpful for Frodo. I loved how the peahens settled by his chair and the peacock decided to be on guard. All living things see the light in Frodo. The appearance of the little chicks was delightful. The pushiest peacocks I ever met were at Warwick Castle some twenty years ago - they were everywhere, and mugged me for my lunch quite shamelessly. There were some very inquisitve ones at Whipsnade Zoo too, and at Dyrham Park near Bath, where a peahen sat almost under my friend's car and refused to move. They are incredibly beautiful. Author Reply: The pushiest peacocks I've met are at Waimea Falls Park on the north shore of Oahu, the opposite side of the island from Honolulu. Come among them with popcorn and they'll about run over you to get to it--believe me, I KNOW. Have seen the peacocks at Warwick Castle, but the one on which this was based was in the Minster Gardens in York. Was intent on impressing my blind husband, he was. We all found it hilarious, how every time Tony turned away from it the bird would cry out until Tony turned back, at which time it would preen, strut, and display again. Not, of course, that Tony truly appreciated the attentions any more when he faced the bird as when he had his back to it! But, then, what does a peacock know about blindness? And I did decide to show how many creatures would be drawn to Frodo here, and to allow him to be among the first to see the new chicks. So glad you appreciated it. | |
| Armariel | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 3/23/2006 |
| Charming and lovely meditation on the themes of beauty and renewal. Hmmm, I think Frodo should have a pet peacock too.....*grin* Author Reply: You think he ought to have had one, too? How would he get it home to the Shire? Maybe I should see to it one attaches itself to him on Tol Eressea, then? Or maybe in Middle Earth hummingbirds or quetzal birds would have found their way there. Hmm--that's an idea. Did you just present me with another plot bunny? | |
| Endaewen | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 3/23/2006 |
| That was beautiful. Peacocks are beautiful birds. I seem to recall reading somewhere that they were sometimes seen as birds of ill-luck though. Author Reply: Glad you enjoyed it, Endaewen. I agree--peacocks, hummingbirds, and quetzals are among the most beautiful birds we're ever likely to see. Among theatrical folk peacocks are considered bad luck; but certainly not all agree with that idea. If you read Andrea's comments below you'll notice that for her city one was considered miraculous. I love to see them wandering about gardens, myself, although I find their calls obnoxious. | |
| Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 3/23/2006 | |
| Tedicus, Apparantly they don't have wild turkeys in the Shire if Frodo considers a peacock the largest bird he has encountered, I'm assuming that he is discounting any unconscious meetings with magically enhanced raptors. Pippin certainly seems to have some kind of well fixation or fetish. His mind always appears to be oriented toward wet, dark holes; perhaps there is something Freudian in that. It is quite an insight in to hobbit psychology, that Paladin saw the problem that warranted amelioration was the well rather than his daughter's ineptitude. The Merchant Adventurers Guild sounds like a euphemism for Pier 1 Imports or a buyer for Wal~Mart. It also conjures up visions of Indianna Jones fetching artifacts of unusual distinction. Another great post full of the quirks that make life interesting to those of us that see the world through jaundiced eyes Larner. Author Reply: Do they have turkeys in England or Europe? I know that Benjamin Franklin personally thought the wild turkey should become the national bird for the United States due to its slyness and practicality. Wild turkeys apparently have little in common with their notoriously stupid domesticated relatives when it comes to native intelligence. As Frodo was unconscious when he and Sam were brought out of Mordor, I doubt he'd have much memory of the eagles, although he does probably have a nodding acquaintance with geese and swans, who are as large as peacocks or larger. The four Hobbits might just be exaggerating at least a bit. But for land-birds, a peacock is quite large until one looks at ostriches, Emus, and so on, none of which Hobbits would be likely to be aware of. But then, can the great Eagles of Middle Earth, being sentient and able to speak human languages, be truly dismissed as common birds? If you ever visit the city of York in England, you can visit the Merchant Adventurer's Guild Hall, by which one of the rivers that meet there in the city runs. Those who founded it a millenia ago were the wealthy wool merchants of the region, who constituted quite an influential political and financial entity for the land of England. It was added to I think during the Tudor period. I love to go into it and imagine all the kings and queens and noble lords who came there begging loans and donations for this war or that crusade or the other wild idea like a railroad system.... And when someone like Pervinca REFUSES to learn from experience to keep her hair out of the well chain, what is a father to do? Giggling as usual at your post. | |
| Grey Wonderer | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 3/22/2006 |
| I loved the way the peacock regarded Frodo and how it allowed him to touch it. Two rare, beautiful souls. Lovely story. Author Reply: Peacocks are such fascinating creatures. And that Frodo would appreciate their beauty just seemed so right, you know. Thanks so much for the compliments. | |
| naiad | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 3/22/2006 |
| Perfectly lovely! The details of setting and Gondorian denizens are evocative and charming. The peacocks, delightful (more affectionate than any I've met but voices just as raucus). How inventive to consider a meeting of these birds and hobbits! Excellent portayal of Frodo's sensibilities and appreciative nature, also the subtle allusions to his present fragility. Thanks for sharing this gem. Author Reply: In our first trip to England, our family went to York. In the Minster Gardens a peacock attached itself to my husband, who was totally blind. The bird followed him everywhere we went, did its most blatant displays, and when Tony would turn away from it would cry out at him until he turned back again. It was quite funny and touching; that peacock found its way into this story, only focusing on Frodo. In Hawaii we met other peacocks that were quite pushy, and I must suppose they, too, helped inspire this bird. I hadn't intended to write any such story when I started it, other than that the peacock in York has been pecking at my imagination again, and I find I so want to go back there again. I think that what triggered it was in "The Acceptable Sacrifice" Frodo comments that Aragorn is becoming quite the peacock. But then I wondered, how would Hobbits of the Shire even KNOW about such birds? So I thought there ought to be a story written about an encounter between them. I'd intended to settle a particular plot bunny on this story, but it wriggled out of my lap before I could get it committed to Works, and so I'll have to go out and track it down and capture it once more before I can get it off the property. Am so glad you appreciate Elisien's family and home and garden, which I think would be a bit more "homely" for Frodo and the other Hobbits than the gardens of the Citadel. Thanks so much for indicating how much you enjoyed it. | |
| Linda Hoyland | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 3/22/2006 |
| I wish I could have seen those peacocks !I wonder if they were the first creatures in Aragorn's "zoo". I hope you had a happy Birthday and wish you a happy year. Author Reply: Oh, dear, my birthday isn't for three more weeks, folks! Big bro just sent me the new Harry Potter movie as an early birthday present to keep me from jumping the gun and buying it for myself. We loved seeing the peacocks by York Minster and in Warwick Castle, and wondered if perhaps Minas Tirith could come up with a few for its new king. As for the zoo, I'll have to get to writing about that one day. | |
| Radbooks | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 3/22/2006 |
| Oh, I enjoyed this very much. The longing for gardens... the presence of the children there and not only the peacocks (which are beautiful) but the chicks... all of it reminded me of spring and new life. Which is appropriate given what is going on at that time in the hobbits' lives at that time! :) I laughed at the noise the peacock makes... I am sure that Aragorn and Arwen will NOT enjoy that part of their gift. But they will enjoy the beauty of it. :) Author Reply: Yes, indeed appropriate for their lives at the time. My late husband's aunt and uncle also had peacocks for a time, although they blatantly ignored us when we visited, unlike the one we met in the city of York, there in the Minster gardens. Their screams can be terrifying if you don't realize they are there. And they will flaunt themselves around so. | |