The New Hobbit Hole

[HairOfTheDog]

Welcome to The New Hobbit Hole
Concerning Hobbits
The New Hobbit Chronicles

This is a continuation of the infamous thread New Zealander Builds Hobbit Hole originally posted on January 26, 2001 by John Farson, who at the time undoubtedly thought he had found a rather obscure article that would elicit a few replies and die out. Without knowing it, he became the founder of the Hobbit Hole. For reasons incomprehensible to some, the thread grew to over 4100 replies. It became the place for hobbits and friends of hobbits to chit chat and share LoTR news and views, hang out, and talk amongst ourselves in the comfort of familiar surroundings.

In keeping with the new posting guidelines, the thread idea is continuing here, as will the Green Dragon Inn, our more structured spin-off thread, as soon as we figure out how to move all the good discussion that has been had there. As for the Hobbit Hole, we will just start fresh, bringing only a few mathoms such as the picture above with us to make it feel like home, and perhaps a walk down memory lane:

Our discussion has been light:

It very well may be that a thread named "New Zealander builds Hobbit hole" will end up being the longest Tolkien thread of them all, with some of the best heartfelt content... Sorry John, but I would have rather it had been one with a more distinguished title!… post 252 - HairOfTheDog

However, I can still celebrate, with quiet dignity, the fact that what started as a laugh about some wacko in New Zealand has mutated and grown into a multifaceted discussion of the art, literature, and philosophy that is Tolkien. And now that I've managed to write the most pompous sentence of my entire life, I agree, Rosie… post 506 - JenB

Hah! I was number 1000!! (Elvish victory dance... wait, no; that would be too flitty) … post 1001 - BibChr

Real men don't have to be afraid of being flitty! Go for it. – post 1011 – HairOfTheDog

Seventeen years to research one mystical object seems a bit excessive… post 1007 - JenB

Okay...who's the wise guy who didn't renew Gandalf's research grant?… post 1024 – Overtaxed

To the very philosophical:

…Judas Iscariot obviously was a good man, or he wouldn't have been chosen to be one of the Apostles. He loved Jesus, like all of the Apostles, but he betrayed him. Yet without his betrayal, the Passion and Crucifixion would never have occurred, and mankind would not have been redeemed. So without his self-destruction infinite good would not have been accomplished. I certainly do not mean this to be irreverant but it seems to me that this describes the character of Gollum, in the scenes so movingly portrayed above… Lucius Cornelius Sulla

To fun but heartfelt debates about the integrity and worth of some of the characters…

…Anyone else notice how Boromir treats the hobbits? He's very fond of them but he seems to think of them as children - ruffling Frodo's hair, calls them all 'little ones'. He likes them, but I don't think he really respects them… post 1536 - JenB

Yes... Tolkien told us not to trust Boromir right off the bat when he began to laugh at Bilbo, until he realized that the Council obviously held this hobbit in high esteem. What a pompous dolt… post 1538 - HairOfTheDog

…I think almost every fault of his can be traced directly back to his blindness to anything spiritual or unseen. He considers the halflings as children, because that is what they look like. He considers the only hope of the ring to be in taking it and using it for a victory in the physical realm. He cannot see what the hobbits are truly made of, he cannot see the unseen hope of what the destruction of the ring might mean--the destruction of Sauron himself, and he cannot see the unseen danger that lies in the use of the ring itself… I just feel sorry for Boromir--he is like a blind but honorable man, trying to take the right path on the road but missing the right path entirely because he simply cannot see it… post 1548 - Penny1

Boromir isn't a jerk, he's a jock… post 2401 – Overtaxed

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Oh, I think by the time Frodo reaches the Cracks, he's not even himself anymore! I think he's not only on the brink of a dangerous place physically, he's on the brink of losing himself completely during the exchange with Gollum. But for some reason, the take-over isn't complete till he actually has to throw the Ring in. The person speaking to Gollum is not Frodo, but the "Wheel of Fire" that Sam sees. After the Ring is destroyed, Frodo not only comes back to himself, but comes back with the unbearable (to him) knowledge of what it's like to be completely without compassion. I think that's why it's so important to him to be compassionate in the Shire… post 2506 - 2Jedismom

…Regarding Frodo's compassion... it's a little too much at the end. Even Merry tells him that he's going to have to quit being so darn nice. But you're right. He's learned a lesson about evil that very few ever learn since it wasn't an external lesson but an internal one. (Those kinds of lessons have the greatest impact) Not only did he totally succumb to it, but he was rather ruthless to my little Smeagol… post 2516 - carton253

Well that Frodo was a big mean bully! (to Smeagol)… post 2519 – Overtaxed

So as you can see, everything JRR Tolkien (and Peter Jackson) is welcome here in our New Row, our soon-to-be familiar New Hobbit Hole…; philosophy, opinion, good talk and frequent silliness.

[2Jedismom]

Congrats! Now can I be #1?

[Overtaxed]

Of course you can be #1! Do you have problems with deer in your garden?

[HairOfTheDog]

If you visited home more often, you could visit me too!

You hangin out here tonight? - I am over on the bitter wimmin thread trying to sound cheery for the cause!

Is your DSL workin yet? - I have about a hundred TTT screencaps to send you!

[Sam Cree]

I like having wildlife around, I get one for eating once in awhile, but it makes me happy to have the animals around.

There are many more now than when I was a kid.

[SuziQ]

BUT, the best part is that we saw the TT trailer on the big screen. Woo Hoo! I can't wait!!!

Oh Man I am SO jealous!! We saw MIB 2 on the 3rd, and they didn't show the TT trailer! GRRR!

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

We have tickets to see MiB2 tomorrow... don't know if they're going to have the TT trailer or not... hope they do!!

[HairOfTheDog]

Even when my Labrador was not too old to hunt, the pheasant that escaped the release area nearby and made it here had safe harbor. I love having them around, and my bunnies, and my deer. It makes me feel more connected, and a better steward of the land if I have made it so they feel welcome.

[SuziQ]

I believe God created the Earth and all things in it, on it, and over it, and it might have taken Him 6 days. I'm always amused, though, at the folks who say it had to have been in 6 EARTH days. How do WE know how long God's days are, and who are WE to LIMIT Him to OUR knowledge of days? I'd be interested to see a timeline of Evolutionary Biology compared with the timeline of Creation in the Bible.

[SuziQ]

For what home school academy does Mrs. Stormhands teach?

[2Jedismom]

Six literal days woulda been no sweat for Him! I wonder what took Him so long actually! He could have spoke it all into being instantly. So when I get to Heaven, if I have any questions (which I doubt), I'll ask "Why did You dilly-dally around with six days?" LOL!

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

You know, I really do like animals... even squirrels (sorry OT). I just think deer are especially stupid and destructive. Even if they are pretty to look at.

I didn't even hate the squirrels who made a habit of coming down our chimney into our house.

[HairOfTheDog]

How is it stupid to eat all the easy pickins you happen to plant around the yard?

I love watchin' them when they venture into my pasture. A doe, probably has a fawn stashed in my woods, tentatively tiptoing out of the trees.

My dad has filmed a doe that travels down through his yard regularly this year with her two little fawns.

[2Jedismom]

I had a coon do that once! LOL I just opened the front door and out it went!

I don't have a problem with deer...love venison (but of course I'm sure you all knew that!) These bunnies did a number on our garden, we didn't get one single cruciferous veggie out of the whole thing. Probably 12 brocs, cabbages, and cauliflowers gone. And about 30 garlics. But they don't seem to like the other things we have planted and have taken to grazing in the grass again. For the fall garden we are going to fence in the particular bed that hold the cruciferous plants with 2' rabbit cage wire.

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

How is it stupid to eat all the easy pickins you happen to plant around the yard?

That's not the stupid part, that's the destructive part. The stupid part is when they run at an angle to get in front of your car, so you can hit them at 50 mph and kill them.

Idiots.

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

I had a coon do that once! LOL I just opened the front door and out it went!

The squirrels weren't that bright... had to lure them out. One was actually 3 feet outside, and when he saw me trying to close the door behind him he ran back inside and into the fireplace before I could get the door closed.

We had a couple of raccoons appear in our fireplace once. We didn't mess around with them... called animal rescue and had them taken out. Well, one of them anyway... the other had apparently made it back up the chimney before animal rescue arrived. The next day I put my foot down and demanded our landlord put a cover over the top of the chimney.

[HairOfTheDog]

No, not idiots! Just not prepared for the invention of the car! - It doesn't act like the other predators!

At least they are in motion and just not sure where to run... I feel bad for the possum... The whole playin' dead thing worked great for every other predator in history, now all of the sudden, they are dropping like flies no matter how well they perform it.

[2Jedismom]

This rent house where we lived was in downtown Tyler. It literally was there and the town built up around it. It was a log cabin (no kidding!) with a stone fireplace. It was where we lived when Matthew was born.

There was no flue (sp?) and no cover on it. We stuffed insulation up it. I forgot and had to call after we moved out to have the insulation removed before someone started a fire!

I have some of the best home movies from that home...Matthew getting his first hair cut, learning to walk. My greyhound used to catch the raccoons and kill them.

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

I dunno... I just don't see how getting in front of the predator is a survival trait.

As for possum, they seem to be doing pretty well here in Texas. And as for them playing dead, I never understand that trait either... if I were a wild predator, I'd just look on that like a free meal...

[SuziQ]

Sounds like a reading list from which the parents and teachers could construct some real TEACHABLE moments!

[HairOfTheDog]

Well, they just don't understand it.

I never understood why playing dead worked either, but it does, except with oncoming cars.

I am tired hobbit. The weedwhacking beat me up today, and I am gonna hit the couch! - Good night all!