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.

[Corin Stormhands]

We've got woods to the back of our property. My problem is that we also have about 10 huge oaks in our back yard. So growing grass is almost out of the question.

I'd let it remain natural, but the kids need a place to play. Plus, without vegetation, when it rains, it all drains down and floods my neighbor's yard.

[JenB]

Woods are great for kids. Every kid should have access to a little bit of "wilderness" - and be homeschooled so he can properly enjoy it!

[Sam Cree]

"a lawn should provide cover for if I ever have to sneak out under a hail of bullets"

What a way to think! 'Course, you're probably right...

[JenB]

Life is more fun when you plan to live on the edge. As long as you don't actually go there.... the planning is all the fun!

Would it scare you to know that I have figured out ways to leave the house without using the doors - spent actual brain cycles figuring out possible escape routes?

[Overtaxed]

I don't do the beautiful lawn thing....I wait until the neighbors mow theirs before I cut my gra...er...weeds.

[Overtaxed]

Do you actually need to leave the house without using doors?

[Sam Cree]

"10 huge oaks in our back yard"

Those probably attract deer, in the fall, when the acorns drop?

[JenB]

I might. Someday. It's best to be prepared. The best "alternative route" is out the second-story window, onto the back proch roof, then down the corner (log home with convenient ladder-like log endings on the corners) - then right into the nearby dense woods for a clean getaway!

[Sam Cree]

"Those probably attract deer, in the fall, when the acorns drop?"

speaking of a hail of bullets.

[Corin Stormhands]

Those probably attract deer, in the fall, when the acorns drop?

My son has seen deer in the woods, but we're really in suburbia, just a couple of blocks from the highway. In fact the woods behind my lot is about 200 yards deep. On the other side is a six lane highway.

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

I have figured out ways to leave the house without using the doors

That's very sensible... fire safety courses always emphasize working out escape routes in case the doorways are blocked.

[Penny1]

This is beginning to sound like several dreams I've had, lol....

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

I need some of our gardners here to come over...

Seeing as how you're a dwarf and all, perhaps you should consider xeriscaping, or maybe a rock garden... ;)

[JenB]

I think we need to consult a dream expert here! (Or at least someone with slightly odd dreams...)

[Overtaxed]

The deer come right up to my house to munch on my hostas. They go for the varigated variety and leave the blue ones alone.

[Overtaxed]

Hint, hint, hint. :)

[Sam Cree]

Deer thrive in suburbia. I read where Canadian big woods deerhunting guides, when they're on holiday, and want to hunt for themelves, go bowhunting in the New Jersey suburbs. Deer typically hide during daylight, feed at dawn or sunset and after.

[Penny1]

LOL, they're actually quite fun dreams--I always wind up feeling like I've been in a movie or something...

As to analyzing the dream, I am quite sure I don't want to know why I've dreamt them...

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

LOL! I prefer to think of myself as a "curmudgeon." ;)

I used to think of myself as 'crusty' before a certain blue dress changed the meaning of that term.

[Corin Stormhands]

Actually, we'll be working more on landscaping this year.

We've been in the house for six years but have spent most of out time working on the inside. When we bought the house, cometically it looked very good. But I could tell some nightmare stories about what the previous owners did...

Let's just say I know my limitations as a handy man. The previous owner did not...

So, now that the siding is done, we can turn to the outside.