The Hobbit Hole III - Journey to the Cross-roads!

[HairOfTheDog]

Welcome to The Hobbit Hole!

Journey to the Cross-roads
The Two Towers Edition

Come on! Come in! -if you would like to have some seedcakes and a pint and relax a while. (If it is a special occasion, we still have a few bottles of the old wineyards left!)

Our first thread ( New Zealander builds Hobbit hole ) reached 4,100 posts, and we thought that was big. Our second thread (The New Hobbit Hole ) held us for over 48,000 posts, and we loved it dearly. We talked about moving to a new thread for the last 38,000 posts, but we are really slow to muster! Finally, the time has come. Tomorrow (at 12:01 am, to be precise!) The Two Towers comes out, and we start a new chapter.

[HairOfTheDog]

Super Neat! - I think birds of prey are cool!

[2Jedismom]

Is he still there??

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

I had to whine a bit to get a push weed eater. Our push mower had died this year anyway, and we had to get something. Every year that we have been out here what I mow has gotten bigger. We're probably at about 3 1/2 acres now. I use to have to do the pasture with a weed eater, that's why I finally had to ave push one. But I love to mow, even with the push one.

Becky

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

That's really cool.

I had a pileated woodpecker this spring. We hear them drumming all the time, but rarely see them.

Becky

[HairOfTheDog]

Hmm.... Yes, it is also more complex than children's stories written today!

I don't know how to answer about whether LoTR is "like it", because I don't particularly see them as "fantasy" stories, but character stories.

I don't have magic words based on what you have told us so far about what is making you struggle to keep on. Is it something you can put your finger on?

[HairOfTheDog]

Back in a while.... it is weed-wacker time!

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

What is "fantasy stories," vs. "character stories"?

I am keeping on just because from the talk here I think it must get better:) Maybe I don't have enough imagination, or maybe too much if it is not suppose to be fantasy.

Becky

[Scott from the Left Coast]

LOL...next week at this time I'll be in Boise...90 degrees and sunny, and dry as an old, old bone. It's summer, baby.

[JenB]

Becky,

A lot of people just don't like Tolkien. It's ok if you're one of them, but do keep trying.

Do you like mythology? Sometimes it helps to think of Tolkien as a really good myth.

Hi everybody, I'm in for ten minutes between work and choir!

[Scott from the Left Coast]

Not bad at all. And the perfect day for the deck staining job too, I might add (I don't always pick 'em so good).

BTW, I let the dogs out.

[2Jedismom]

Read this today, here:

"Part of the 10th Mountain Division from Fort Drum, N.Y., will replace selected staff members and assume leadership duties with coalition forces of CJTF 180. A brigade from the 10th Mountain Division is scheduled to replace the 82nd Airborne Division's 1st Brigade from Fort Bragg, as the lead U.S. conventional combat arms unit in Afghanistan."

I think these are our guys.

[Scott from the Left Coast]

You southeasters are off the wagon again, I see.

[HairOfTheDog]

Well what I mean is, I think the story is about the personalities and strengths and weaknesses of the characters. Their personalities are like people you know, and their reactions are those of ordinary people thrown into unexpected and un-asked for adventures. In other words, for me, the love of the story is in the characters and types of people more than it is about giant spiders and wizards and dragons. The characters are the draw for me, more than the 'fantasy' elements. Their reactions are very real.

(out of string so had to take a break. Don't you hate it when you just get started weed-wacking and you run out of string?)

[HairOfTheDog]

BTW, I let the dogs out.

Whew.... Thanks.... I was wonderin!

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Oh I will finish it.

My husband has been interested in my reading of these books. He has never read them, but he did watch the movie. He said it was a pretty good movie as far as that sort of thing went. I was talking to him about it before I read your post and it was along the same line as your post what I was saying to him.

I read tons of stuff as a kid, still do, but I have never been attracted to this sort of story. I read alot of "family stories" you know, Little House, Little Women, 5 Little Peppers, horse stories also mysteries. In high school I read alot of sagas, you know, Gone with the Wind, type books. But I can never remember reading anything like The Hobbit. Dragons, drawfs, etc. never caught my attention.

HotD commented that it was complex. That is why I think it is just me not having eihter enough imagination or smarts:), because it doesn't seem complex at all to me. It's a bunch of dwarfs on a trip to slay a dragon in a place full of different kinds of people.

What am I missing? Maybe if you clue me in to what the complexities are that I am not seeing, I will understand more what you all see in it.


Becky

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Yeah, I use to hate that too. My push weed eater just uses 18 inch piece that clip in real quick. I usually just cut me about 20 or so stick them in my pocket and go. Winding those spools use to make me crazy.

Becky

[2Jedismom]

Ok...I'm logging off since Steve will be home soon. I'm going shopping for the last of the care package items tonight...the jedis don't want to go with me!?!

I HAVE A QUESTION

I am thinking pretty much that this care package phase has come to an end. I was wondering...if we have any funds left over, what about getting the chaplain and his wife a "gift certificate" of some sort? Like out to a nice restaurant? Dinner and a movie, when the ROTK comes out, maybe? For when he comes home...

What do you think? It's your money and I may be out of line...so don't hesitate to tell me if it's not a good idea...

[300winmag]

Is he still there??

The picture was from last summer. The hawk still comes by every once in a while. I wish he'd go after the stupid *%#$(#'n pigeons, but he goes after small birds and mourning doves, it seems.

The hawk has an interesting way of hunting. He lands near the feeder, and scares all the birds away. Then he just sits there for 15-20 minutes, without even moving, but still in plain sight. After a while, the birds come back, and he tries to jump one. I have pictures of him trying to take down a mourning dove. The dove managed to get away, but I don't know for how long, because I found a couple of drops of blood on the ground.

The raw outdoors right here in a suburban Detroit area. Of course, Detroit is pretty raw and violent too, but it has nothing to do with birds.

[Overtaxed]

I have no clue how to put them on as diapers!

I tried to fold it the way the messed one was folded. It stayed on until she got back. Luckily whether it functioned properly was never tested. :)

[Overtaxed]

Steve was adament that we would use cloth diapers

My sister used disposable only away from home.