This is adorable! I am behind on reading these adventures of Pip and Tulip, but this is such a cute and loving tribute. How nice of Frodo to speak to Tulip and Errol and say such nice to them about Pippin. I don't want to grow up either so much that I couldn't have some fun. Poor Merry who is missing out on a lot! :)
Namarie, God bless, Antane :)
Author's reply
Thank you! Poor Frodo--isn't ashamed to mediate peace between the two toys, but doesn't want Merry to think less of him for it! Heh!
Kitty
· 5 June 2008
Sweet ficlet! And it makes once again obvious why it was such a pity that Frodo never was able to have a family of his own. He would have been such a great father! *sigh*
Author's reply
It was fun to play in Cathleen and Grey Wonderer's worlds a bit. And I do believe that Frodo would have made a wonderful father.
harrowcat
· 5 June 2008
Sensible logic there Frodo and Tulip really can do with help looking after our Pip.
BTW couldn't get onto the site from the author alert link. I know about the hacking problems.
Author's reply
Obviously the author alert notification will have to be modified once they settle with how best to deal with the hacker. This has been a definite source of frustration for Nilmandra and crew, obviously. Why people will do things like this I have NO idea.
Linda Hoyland
· 5 June 2008
This was very sweet! I loved my stuffed toys when young and still have some of them.
Author's reply
I have a few of my childhood dolls, but only Bugs from among my stuffed animals--a pink pajama rabbit I've had since about age four. He sits on the chair in my bedroom.
I do have my mom's teddy bear from when she was little, and a big pillow dog and Pooh I was given a few years ago. But most of the stuffed animals I have comprise my collection of Siamese cats and mice and Pomeranian dogs--only a few of the latter, though, as they aren't that common. I've been collecting these since I was in college, although most of my favorite older ones were eaten by the afghan hound that lived with us for a time.
Fiondil
· 4 June 2008
Well, I'm over 50 and I have two stuffed animals who are my companions. One is a Teddy Bear I've had for over 30 years named Beowulf (Wulfie for short) and a Panda I got here in China named Melian (Meli for short). Having them watch over me as I sleep has often given me great comfort when "aloneness" starts rearing its ugly head or when I have nightmares (very infrequent, thank Eru). I'm glad to see that Pippin's three 'guardians' are willing to share him and that Frodo isn't too grown up to help mediate between them. *grin*
Author's reply
I don't know what became of my only teddy bear, named Nancy. I had a fair number of stuffed dogs and even a cat, but only the one bear, although my sister had a number of them.
I still have Bugs, the pink pajama rabbit I was given at age four or so; but my collection is primarily of mice and Siamese cats, and I have LOTS of both--and now my late mother's teddy bear sits on my late husband's bedside table, keeping watch on all.
Author Reply: As for mediating between Pippin's guardians, who better than Frodo? Heh!
shirebound
· 4 June 2008
What an adorable story, and precious birthday gift for Cathleen.
the more he has to love the more love he seems to have
Awwwwww. :)
Author's reply
Thanks, Shirebound--love shared is love multiplied, after all! And it was fun to find a plotbunny hiding in my closet that appeared to have slipped in from Cathleen's by way of GreyWonderer's computer! Hee!
Queen Galadriel
· 19 May 2008
· Chapter 53: The Lost Restored
Are you doing MEFAs this year? If so, and if this hasn't already been nominated, I think it deserves one. It's brilliant. I'm not done with the membership process yet (and not particularly looking forward to all this right now either), but I've decided to do the yahoo thing whatever it takes this year, and finally have it all cleared up so that I can return the kindness I've had lavished on me for the last two or three years, and I'd love to nominate this one if someone else hasn't already got it (which wouldn't surprise me one bit). :)
God bless,
Galadriel
P.S. "By Ship or Grave" deserves one as well, especially as I'm told they're looking for good poems, and that one is your best.
Author's reply
Doing MEFAs? Yup--ten stories nominated to date. "The Lost Restored" was among the first nominated, actually. And I'm so honored you think so highly of "By Ship or Grave." It's not been nominated as of last evening, at least. But there are some truly wonderful poets about.
So glad you liked this!
Inkling
· 10 May 2008
· Chapter 46: The Ritual Disturbed
My favorite bits in “Spellbound” were the ones from the POV of the wight…they left me wanting more, and now you’ve provided it! I especially liked your explanation of the hand, which I’ve always thought one of the creepiest images in LOTR. Also that both the wight and Tom had the same brief vision of the hobbits’ True Shapes.
And thanks for taking Tom seriously…all too often he “don’t get no respect.” The “mixture of joy and nonsense that was in truth sense beyond understanding” is a wonderful way to put it. We’ve been discussing him in the Yahoo group Community_Reading_LOTR_v2, and I will reference your story there if that’s OK with you…
Author's reply
Shirebound did such a marvelous job with "Spellbound"! It's one of my favorite of her stories, actually.
Why this wight would appear as a hand walking on its fingers I never understood, but it reminded me of a disembodied hand of a concert pianist from an old horror film I saw when I was a kid--well, it might have been a TV show such as "The Twilight Zone" or "Alfred Hitchcock Presents." Another musician removed it from the body of the pianist after he died and wore it like a glove to help him play better--until it escaped him and strangled him. So, why would the wight choose this form? Maybe it was all it could handle! It's definitely a creepy, shuddery image. And I, too, felt that both wight and Tom would see the Hobbits as they truly are in the vision of the Creator.
And I would NEVER think of underestimating Tom Bombadil--never! There's just too much potential there.
mistry89
· 4 May 2008
· Chapter 56: His Daily Bread
I make bread (in a machine) 3 or 4 times a week, I'm going to try this one :)
Thank you - it is reassuring to note that Frodo did have Good Days afterwards.
Author's reply
This is a recipe I have made many times, and appears to be my sister-in-law's favorite, although my personal favorite is my friend's grandmother's Challah recipe. I've come so to love Challah over the years since her family introduced me to Jewish culture!
And Frodo deserves some good days to help him hang on, and perhaps to help him make the decision to go to Tol Eressea.
Linda Hoyland
· 3 May 2008
· Chapter 56: His Daily Bread
I love the smell of fresh bread.I'm glad it gave Frodo a happy moment.
Author's reply
I do, too; and Frodo deserves happy moments if anyone does! Thanks, Linda!
Antane
· 2 May 2008
· Chapter 56: His Daily Bread
He's having a good day! Yea!!
Namarie, God bless you and him, Antane :)
Author's reply
Yes, having a very good day! Thanks, Antane!
Kitty
· 29 April 2008
· Chapter 56: His Daily Bread
Hmmm, sounds tasty! Am glad Frodo got to taste such things and had enough good days to enjoy them.
Author's reply
This is a recipe I sort of cobbled together from two different ones, and it's usually greeted with anticipation by those who are served it. And there had to be good days, too, to drive his hope for better ones generally.
Elflingimp
· 29 April 2008
· Chapter 56: His Daily Bread
Thanks for the bread recipe, it sounds yummy .I'll have to try it! Hugs The Imp
Author's reply
I hope you enjoy it, Elflingimp. I sort of cobbled it together from two other recipes, as I've stated elsewhere, so it's basically my own. And I'd hope Frodo would enjoy such treats.
Queen Galadriel
· 28 April 2008
· Chapter 56: His Daily Bread
He smiles, and so do I. Lovely! And I can almost smell and taste hot bread...Wonder if there will be time to lug out the bread machine and actually finally learn to use it next weekend...
God bless,
Galadriel
Author's reply
Ah, such a worthwhile hope to have! Enjoy!
Antane
· 20 April 2008
· Chapter 49: Judgment and Healing
Very interesting. So nice that he's called "best beloved" by angels. Truly a place to heal and learn about his true importance and love the idea that heard the Voice of God, even in childhood, and that Gandalf/Olorin called God 'Atar' and that He was with His child. Now at long last I am finally caught up with your stories!
Namarie, God bless, Antane :)
Author's reply
What can I say, Antane? I wrote this just after I caught up with Fiondil's first "Elf Interrupted" story and have been following "The Wars of the Valar," and he uses "best beloved" a good deal. I've used it a time or two myself, as I love it in Kipling's "Just So Stories"; here it just fit. I don't see the Valar precisely as does Fiondil, but that's to be expected, I think. However, we do see SOME things similarly.
And it only seems right that Gandalf/Olorin should be most with Frodo through all this.
Glad you found time to read this at last.
harrowcat
· 16 April 2008
· Chapter 10: The King's Prayer
It is rather late after a very long day at work and was just 'browsing' my way around SOA when I found myself re-reading this Larner. It brought as many tears to my eyes as the first time. I still think that it is one of your best short pieces.
Author's reply
I, too, love this one in a special way. Aragorn was prepared all his life to follow the ways of Elros; he had to have been taught how the Kings of Numenor were prepared to pray for their people and to offer the First Fruits on the holy mountain.
Tolkien tells us that the thoughts of the others were ever upon Frodo and Sam, who had the greatest responsibility for the safety of all others; that Araorn would find himself actually praying just seems so right for him.
Thanks for moving me to revisit it also. Did a small amount of editing--diacritical marks needed adding or changing in a few places.
Linda Hoyland
· 16 April 2008
· Chapter 55: The Birthday Blessing
I loved this.I do love all trees and these three are special.You capture the link brilliantly.
Author's reply
Oh, I'm so glad you like this, Linda, especially since our beloved Aragorn figures so prominently! Thanks so much!
cookiefleck
· 14 April 2008
· Chapter 55: The Birthday Blessing
This is just lovely, lovely. I am enthralled with the blooming of the mallorn each year and also the way you extended the idea.
And wishing you the best on your special day. :o)
Author's reply
Yes, Tolkien indicated that the White Tree bloomed on Sam's birthday, and I'm certain that each one of these was thinking of the others on that day. Glad all were thinking on your beloved Sam! And thanks for the best wishes.
Raksha The Demon
· 14 April 2008
· Chapter 55: The Birthday Blessing
A touching and sensitive vignette; with a lovely rippling effect, love for trees and absent friends. Well done!
Author's reply
Thank you so, Raksha! I love the thought of the rippling effect you've noted. Thanks so for the words to describe the image!
Antane
· 13 April 2008
· Chapter 50: A Storm of Glory
I kinda want to take Frodo a little to task for scaring everyone, including myself, with disappearing like that, but it is wonderful that he is free. I wonder if he knew he would be or at least wanted to be and that's why he slipped off to see if he could be.
Namarie, God bless, Antane :)
Author's reply
Perhaps, but I rather think that he was worried the storm would spark the nightmares again, but when it didn't he ran out to rejoice in it and in his freedom from that anxiety. I love to think of him dancing, you know. Heh!
Antane
· 13 April 2008
· Chapter 55: The Birthday Blessing
I can't believe April 6th came and went and I didn't even think of it, same with March 13th, though I did not forget the 25th! Thank you for this gift, my dear Larner!
Namarie, God bless, Melinyel, Antane :)
Author's reply
I decided to combine Sam's birthday with my own this year. And you are very welcome. Thank you so much!
harrowcat
· 13 April 2008
· Chapter 55: The Birthday Blessing
Beautiful Larner. And happy, happy birthday!
Author's reply
Thank you so much, my friend. And I am having such a thing indeed! Heh!
Baggins Babe
· 13 April 2008
· Chapter 55: The Birthday Blessing
What a wonderful way to bring Sam, Frodo and Aragorn together, watching those specialt trees bloom. Nothing like blossom to make one feel that Spring is definitely here. Deeply moving, and Rose see further than most.
Happy birthday, Larner!
Author's reply
Yes, spring is come, and all rejoice, and find a special reason to remember Sam and one another on that day. And indeed Rosie sees further than most! What a wonderful description!
Thank you.
Andrea
· 13 April 2008
· Chapter 55: The Birthday Blessing
Wonderful! The three special trees opening their blossoms on Sam's birthday - a beautiful image.
So, now I know that I share the same birthday month with Sam and you, and don't forget Pippin! My birthday is between Pippin's and Sam's.
I wish you a very happy birthday and thank you for the nice mathom :)
Author's reply
Then joy to you, Andrea. Tolkien indicated that the White Tree's blossoms opened on Sam's birthday, so I took a little license and had the mallorn do the same.
As for Pippin, is it in canon that his birthday is also April? I've never been certain--I know that some have taken his assurance to Bergil he would be soon 28 to indicate his was in the spring at least; but I know that my beloved daughter was insisting she was ALMOST seventeen the day after her sixteenth birthday, and it has been similar with several other younglings I've known. That's why I chose to assign a near-Yule birthday for him, not, I suppose that it matters.
But I wish you a joyful birthday, too! Heh!
Elflingimp
· 13 April 2008
· Chapter 55: The Birthday Blessing
Lovely, just lovely! Your stories capture them and their emotions so well Larner, it makes me want to review it because it moves something inside of me, Hugs Deb the Imp