Mim the Dwarf · 1 January 2015 · Chapter 33: Good-bye, Old Year, Good-bye!
Very good poem! I hope the New Year will be a great one for you!
Author's reply
Thanks! And, of course, the same for you!
Shire Yule by Dreamflower
Reviews (321)
Andrea · 1 January 2015 · Chapter 33: Good-bye, Old Year, Good-bye!
How beautiful! Thank you very much, Dreamflower and a happy New Year to you and your family :-)
Author's reply
Thank you as well, dear! (((hugs)))
KathyG · 31 December 2014 · Chapter 33: Good-bye, Old Year, Good-bye!
Hmm. Wonder if the hobbits have their own hobbity version of "Auld Lang Syne"? =) Very nice song for New Year's Eve!
Author's reply
Well, if you mean a traditional New Year's Song, all of my hobbit "Yule carols" are New Year's songs, since in the Shire the Yule holiday is mean to celebrate seeing the old year out and the new year in! And in the Shire, the New Year always falls on the Solstice. (That's the way the Shire Calendar is set up; see App. D.)
KathyG · 17 December 2014 · Chapter 18: Good King Elessar: Part 2, A Good League Hence
What about cacao trees? Please tell me they brought cacao trees! =) How else would the people of Middle-earth be able to have chocolate? (Especially given the fact that the cacao tree is native to the Americas.)
Author's reply
It's possible. I'm a bit on the fence about chocolate--not that it wouldn't be delightful. I just haven't decided whether it shows up in my version of M-e yet.
KathyG · 7 May 2014 · Chapter 18: Good King Elessar: Part 2, A Good League Hence
The King laughed. "He's quite right. The Númenoreans brought not only pipe-weed, but athelas and potatoes and tomatoes and maize and several other plants to Middle-earth." "Really? 'Taters too?" "Yes, indeed." Any chance that the Númenoreans might have brought turkeys, too? =)
Author's reply
Could be! ;)
Cairistiona · 25 December 2013 · Chapter 32: A Westfarthing Yule-song
Perfect! I love imagining the Hobbits singing this on a happy Yule night, and maybe afar off on a hill, some Rangers looking down and smiling, reminded why they keep watch.
Author's reply
So do I. BTW, I have a little double drabble with just that exact scenario that I wrote back in 2006: The Moon On the Breast of the New-fallen Snow
shirebound · 25 December 2013 · Chapter 32: A Westfarthing Yule-song
That's a delightful, and perfectly hobbity song. *beams*
Author's reply
Thank you,dear! I love imagining hobbits singing them!
Andrea · 25 December 2013 · Chapter 32: A Westfarthing Yule-song
What a wonderful Yule song! That reminds me of a cold and snowy Christmas. In reality the temperatures here in Germany are so high that you could think it was spring! Sometimes the weather is weird. Merry Christmas to you and your family :-)
Author's reply
Thank you! *grin* Sometimes the weather is weird. Tell me about it. We've gone from freezing ice storms one day to springlike the next--and freezing is coming back in a day or so, according to the meteorologists. I hope you had a very Merry Christmas as well!
Larner · 24 December 2013 · Chapter 32: A Westfarthing Yule-song
What a wonderful carol! Truly a fitting Yule song!
Author's reply
Thanks! I just love coming up with new ones each year!
Virtuella · 3 January 2013 · Chapter 31: Yestarë in Dol Amroth
How lovely and cheerful, that sounds like a very happy memory indeed. And you beach setting is delightful. :)
Author's reply
Thank you dear! Having it begin that way with the walk on the beach made Amrothos' story unfold for me!
Larner · 3 January 2013 · Chapter 31: Yestarë in Dol Amroth
No, the events of today seldom seem to shine as do those of the memories of our childhoods! A marvelous day it was, and one well worth remembering. And it just might come to pass that in the future the Movable Feast just might make its way into Gondor! Heh! Lovely, Dreamflower, and lucky Linaewen!
Author's reply
You are quite right, the past always has a shiny patina that the present can't match, especially when you are older. Who knows what hobbit customs might get transplanted because there are hobbits in Gondor? I like to think they made many friends while there--their visit with Amrothos made the perfect excuse for him to tell the story Linaewen wanted to hear!
PIppinfan1988 · 2 January 2013 · Chapter 31: Yestarë in Dol Amroth
No matter where you take your stories, whether in the Shire or abroad in Gondor, you weave a tale that makes *me* wistful for simpler times. Such a sweet tale of fond childhood memories. Excellent story!
Author's reply
Thank you, dear! The mood was rather wistful, wasn't it?
Lindelea · 2 January 2013 · Chapter 31: Yestarë in Dol Amroth
I began to read but am interrupted... I suspect (without reading to the end) that the sand ducat is a sand dollar, something we've enjoyed collecting along our own coastline. Here's hoping to return soon to read the rest!
Author's reply
Yes, I had to think of a more "Middle-earthy" name for it! I hope you get to finish...(I hate interruptions!)
Lindelea · 2 January 2013 · Chapter 30: The Darkest Night
How I love this story, and the aunties who never gave up hope, and whose hope was contagious enough to bolster Pimpernel. I love her investment in the future. (And I wonder, did Mero return from the Lockholes? Somehow I hope so. If I read it in a story, I've forgotten. Where would I find it?)
Author's reply
I'm glad you enjoyed. Actually this is the first time Mero has cropped up. I didn't know until Pimpernel told me in this story that her husband even had a brother! I am sure that now I know of him, he will pop up again!
Garnet Took · 23 December 2012 · Chapter 30: The Darkest Night
Wow! It's been a LONG time since I left a review to anything here. I've been reading just a little lately and this one caught my eye. This was really sweet and sad and hopeful all at once. You still definitely have the touch for the Shire and the hobbits. I really liked that you made Pippin's new-fount maturity subtly noticable. The song was just great. After the first verse and chorus, I was sure of the tune. Nice to see it confirmed in the note at the end. Happy Yule, Dreamflower. With love, The long lost Garnet Took.
Author's reply
Oh, I am so glad to hear from you, Garnet! It has been awhile. I did want to show Pippin as a grown-up (even though he's still legally not in the Shire). I'm glad to hear that you figured out the tune ahead of time--that means I must have gotten the rhyme and meter correct!
Tigger · 21 December 2012 · Chapter 22: Good King Elessar: Epilogue, Shall Yourselves Find Blessing
I'd just downloaded the two Christmas Albums of one of my favourite Celtic Canadian bands and Family, The Barra McNeils, and while listening to them, lo and behold I hear Good King Wencenlas comes through my headphones. That in turn made me want to re read this story, so imagine my surprise and delight to see your Christmas series on the front page when I came here to look for it. :oD I always read this at Christmas time ever since I first read it about three or four years ago and I love it each and every time. :o) Now I'm off to read this year's addition. A Very Merry Christmas to you and yours mellon nin ((((HUGS))))
Author's reply
*grin* I'm so glad to know that "Good King Elessar" is a holiday tradition for you! Sorry for the late reply--I am not getting notifications from here lately.
Virtuella · 20 December 2012 · Chapter 30: The Darkest Night
Oh, that's a very good point, it would have been a sad Yuletide that year, and a specially merry one the following. Beautiful story.
Author's reply
Thank you, dear! Yes, I think that would certainly have been the case.
Andrea · 18 December 2012 · Chapter 30: The Darkest Night
Beautiful story! I especially liked that it were Pippin's aunties who had not given up hope and still believed that he was alive. Merry Christmas to you and your family :-)
Author's reply
Thank you! I had indicated the part about Aunt Peridot playing Pippin's favorite song in a drabble a few years ago. And certainly I can't imagine Aunt Primrose giving up hope either. And they are rather formidable even now to their younger brother! Merry Christmas to you as well, dear!
Antane · 18 December 2012 · Chapter 30: The Darkest Night
Sweet story, my dear! Thank you! Namarie, God bless, Antane :)
Author's reply
Thank you!
shirebound · 17 December 2012 · Chapter 30: The Darkest Night
"I want you to sing it, Pippin! I don't want people to forget that even in that terrible year we still had some hope!" How wonderful, and so very timely. I got choked up reading your song, but in a good, hopeful way. *hugs you*
Author's reply
I so glad you liked it--it's a little bit more angsty than my usual Yule story, but once the words to the song began to come to me, I knew I had to put a story around it. I got choked up reading your song, but in a good, hopeful way. Thank you dear, that's the reaction I had hoped for.
Larner · 17 December 2012 · Chapter 30: The Darkest Night
Oh, thank you so very much for this, as I find myself feeling that somehow it is mine. That hope was still there, and it was not in vain. We must so hang onto hope--that is the full message of the Master's work!
Author's reply
We must so hang onto hope--that is the full message of the Master's work! It is indeed, that and that joy and sorrow go together. "...though in all lands, love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater."
Larner · 17 December 2012 · Chapter 29: But Seas Between Us Broad Have Roared
I see I didn't manage to review this here last year, so here it is! What a beautiful Yule in spite of missing so many! And the visit from Frodo is perfect, and just what I'd expect for Lord Irmo to arrange, particularly this year in especial. (Could you shoot me an email? My computer failed, and I'm still trying to rebuild my address book. And would you mind sending something to the LOTR list? I've received nothing from the list for weeks, and am not certain if I'm still subscribed, and I can't find its address either. I hate it when computers die!)
eiluj · 17 December 2012 · Chapter 30: The Darkest Night
Good for Pimmie and the Aunts! I didn't know what the tune was till I got to that asterisk, so then I had to go back and sing it all (in my head, anyway). Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Author's reply
And a Merry Christmas to you, as well! And a Happy Turning of the Year!
eiluj · 17 December 2012 · Chapter 29: But Seas Between Us Broad Have Roared
Oh, it's last year's story? Well, I enjoyed it again....
eiluj · 17 December 2012 · Chapter 29: But Seas Between Us Broad Have Roared
Thank you for this lovely hobbitty end to my already-hobbity day (which included a second viewing of the new film). I particularly loved the little lasses' tea, and of course the shared dream. Merry Christmas to you and yours!