Middle Earth Archives - Cindy Goes Beyond

March 25, 2018

Tolkien Reading Day 2018

When I remembered this morning that today is Tolkien Reading Day, I knew just how to celebrate. I’ve enjoyed this unique holiday in the past, although it’s been a couple of years since I mindfully took part in the day.

Tolkien Reading Day is observed yearly, on March 25, the date in Middle Earth when the hobbits Frodo and Sam destroyed the One Ring. This special day was organized by the Tolkien Society, in 2003, to encourage fans to celebrate and promote the life and works of JRR Tolkien by reading favorite passages from his books.

Each year the society chooses a different theme. For 2018 the theme is Home and Hearth: The Many Ways of Being a Hobbit. That’s a theme I can wholeheartedly embrace! It fits right in with my hygge lifestyle.

The hobbit Bilbo Baggins, as portrayed by Martin Freeman in the 2012 film, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

I know hobbits. I have long been a fan of JRR Tolkien’s books, and then later the blockbuster films by Peter Jackson in the Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit trilogy. Hobbits are gentle, peaceful folks, who love good food and drink, afternoon tea, gardening, and smoking their pipes. They celebrate a simple, joy filled life, and appreciate a comfortable chair beside a crackling fire, a good book in hand.

Home and hearth and a well stocked pantry are important to the wee people who live in hobbit holes that tunnel into the ground. Their homes are not full of dirt and worms and oozy smells though. Oh no. Hobbits create comfort and beauty in their homes by using natural materials, wood and stones primarily, and an abundance of candles, fireplaces and round doors and windows on the exterior earth walls.

It was a bit cool to garden today, so I planned an afternoon tea, in honor of Professor Tolkien and the hobbits. I took great care in setting up tea beside my reading chair in my studio. Because hobbits love nature and candlelight so, I carried in my blooming purple hyacinths and a plain white candle.

I prepared a cup of steaming hot herbal tea…nettle leaf today…and a batch of wild blueberry scones. This was attempt number four, in creating a gluten, dairy, egg and refined sugar free scone that tastes good! I believe I finally succeeded.

I don’t have a fireplace but I was quite pleased with my cozy corner in my creative studio. Bilbo and Frodo would be pleased, albeit concerned about the lack of a feast. My cup of tea and healthy scone were perfect for me. Sunlight filtered in through the wooden blinds, creating a cheery atmosphere.

In keeping with the theme, I chose to read the first chapter in The Hobbit, the book that began the adventures in Middle Earth. I had the soundtrack from The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring playing quietly on my iPod. I loved that peaceful hour, reading, sipping tea, nibbling on a scone.

My cat Shy Boy sensed my quiet joy apparently. He settled in my lap, content to be held while I read about Bilbo, Gandalf, Thorin Oakenshield and his company of dwarves. I felt nostalgia as the story began. These dear characters are so familiar to me.

JRR Tolkien has had a tremendous impact on my life through his stories. The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion, Unfinished Tales…these stories are about transformation, redemption and becoming. I found myself within the stories of Middle Earth, and discovered more about who I am and about my own journey. I appreciated the opportunity today to revisit Middle Earth and pause in reflection for a while.

I always wanted to be elvish, like Arwen in The Lord of the Rings. She was beautiful, ethereal, magical and willing to sacrifice her immortality for the love of Aragorn. I think I am actually more like Bilbo. I love many of the same things that he does…gardens and tea time, coziness and good books, being in nature and celebrating with friends.

And like Bilbo, who preferred to explore the world by looking at maps while in his armchair, something awoke in me as it did in him. A great longing for adventure stirred. And life shifted to accommodate that desire.

“As they (the dwarves) sang, the hobbit felt the love of beautiful things made by hand and by cunning and by magic moving through him, a fierce and a jealous love, the desire of the hearts of dwarves. Then something Tookish woke up inside him, and he wished to go and see the great mountains, and hear the pine trees and the waterfalls, and explore the caves, and wear a sword instead of a walking-stick.”

And so he went on an adventure, that changed his life. And so have I.

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December 19, 2014

Day 352.5 The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

It is my pleasure to post a second time to my blog today, a first itself, so that I can do a full review of this amazing conclusion to the Hobbit Trilogy….and the Middle-Earth Saga. I watched the movie for the second time this evening, in the company of my daughter Elissa, grandson Dayan, sister Linda and my mom. We were a merry little troop that settled in to watch this epic film together. I handed out tissues before the previews rolled and the lights dimmed.

No spoilers in the review below.

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (TBOTFA) has a huge cast which includes Richard Armitage, Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Orlando Bloom, Cate Blanchett, Lee Pace, Luke Evans, Hugo Weaving, Evangeline Lilly, Aidan Turner, Dean O’Gorman, Christopher Lee, Ryan Gage, Benedict Cumberbatch and a host of others. The fantasy adventure is directed by Peter Jackson. It is rated PG-13, for intense battle scenes, and has a run time of 2 hours and 24 minutes.

Beginning exactly where The Desolation of Smaug ends, The Battle of the Five Armies opens with the angry dragon, Smaug (voiced by Cumberbatch), closing in on Laketown, intent on bringing fire and death to the inhabitants there. As the townspeople flee, Smaug breathes out his wrath and flames, laying waste to the town. Bard the Bowman (Evans) has an opportunity to redeem his ancestor, who 60 years before loosened a scale on the thick-skinned dragon but failed to kill him. The survivors of Laketown, led by Bard, seek shelter in the ruined city of Dale, which lies before the gates of Erebor, where Thorin (Armitage) and Company have holed up.

Bard seeks a share of the gold horded within the dwarven fortress, as promised by Thorin Oakenshield, now King Under the Mountain. But dragon fever has taken Thorin and he refuses to honor his promises. King Thranduil (Pace), high elf of the Woodland Realm, also seeks to regain a portion of the treasure that he considers rightfully his. He is not as patient as Bard and he is quite willing to use force to take what is his.

Gandalf (McKellen), last seen hanging from a cage in Dol Guldur, is near death. He hears in his mind, “You are not alone.” The White Council…Elrond (Weaving), Saruman (Lee) and the Lady Galadriel (Blanchett)…arrives to drive back the darkness and free Gandalf. He appears in Dale to warn all that there is an evil and ferocious army of orcs on the march, intent on destroying men, elves and dwarves. Bilbo (Freeman) makes a desperate attempt to stave off war over the treasure of Erebor, but Thorin is not in a cooperative mood. Deep in gold lust, he would rather have war, than peace. Just as it appears that the elves and men will battle the dwarves, including Thorin’s kin from the Iron Mountains, the dark army, led by the pale orc, Azog, launches its attack.

The titular battle unfolds. The woodland elves, Legolas (Bloom) and Tauriel (Lilly) are present as well, performing courageous and spectacular feats of battle as they defend their allies. Thorin’s company of dwarves remains walled in their fortress, in spite of protests by his kin and followers. Thorin’s nephews, Kili (Turner) and Fili (O’Gorman) long to join the raging war outside their halls, feeling dishonorable in allowing others to fight their battles. All rests on the new king, whose greatest battle is within himself.

Tonight’s viewing was my second in four days. First viewings for me are about getting an overview of the movie. Sequential viewings allow me to see the details and note the things I missed the first time around. This is a BIG movie, with a great deal of action and several storylines that converge before the great walls of Erebor. And there were quite a few details that I missed! I find that each time I watch a movie, no matter how many times I’ve seen it before, I learned something new or see something I missed before.

Peter Jackson concluded his long and wonderful journey through Middle-Earth with a film that delivers powerful scenes and an emotional punch. I sat with a full audience tonight. As a group, we laughed….and we cried. The teary eyes started even earlier for me this time around, if that was possible. There is something very vulnerable and noble about Bard the Bowman. I love the way he is a quiet protector, of his children, and of his neighbors. Bard’s determined stance against the dragon , atop the highest tower in Laketown, brings redemption for him and cleanses away the blot against his family. Alfrid (Gage), the sniveling sidekick of the dishonest Master of the Town, provides sharp contrast to Bard, while also providing most the film’s comedic moments.

There is just so much to love about TBOTFA. The brief, but extremely powerful scene involving the freeing of Gandalf by the White Council is cheer worthy. I loved seeing the strength these keepers of the peace have when it comes to defending the light against the darkness. Thranduil also reveals more of his strength in this movie. We finally get a glimpse into his heart, and who he really is. I liked him so much better in this final film. Tauriel proves herself and caused the tears to flow as she goes to the defense of the dwarf that she loves. One of the most memorable lines in the movie is between her and Thranduil when she asks why love hurts so much, and he replies, with deep sadness and understanding….”because it’s real”.

Martin Freeman is brilliant as the Hobbit Bilbo Baggins. He has transformed during the three movies until by the final scenes, he is truly courageous. His friendship with Thorin is critical to all that unfolds. The mannerisms and signature sniffle that Freeman incorporated into the character have made Bilbo the lovable Hobbit that he is. I was very moved by a scene in which he shows Thorin an acorn that he picked up in Beorn’s garden. Bilbo intends to plant it when he gets home, so that every time he sees the tree, he will remember all that happened on his journey…the good and the bad.

This film’s major story centers around Thorin, son of Thrain, King Under the Mountain, and his descent into madness….and ascent again into who he truly is. Richard Armitage does a magnificent job of portraying the mercurial Thorin. I can feel his performance in my chest, it so impacts me. Gandalf admonishes Thorin by telling him he is not making a very good showing at being king. And he’s right! His kinsman, Dwalin, with tears in his eyes, tells Thorin “You sit here with a crown on your head and you are less than you have ever been.” When Thorin rages, “I AM YOUR KING” Dwalin tells him quietly, “You have always been my king. You used to know that.” What a contrast to the man who, a short time later, leads the charge against the enemy, free from his madness and his heavy crown. His kinsfolk cry out, “To the King. To the King.” And he is, finally, king, perhaps for the first time fully embracing all that he is, and his men rally to him.

I also loved the references to the Lord of the Rings that are contained in this film. There is much foreshadowing about what is to come, and in a sense, the story comes full circle, this final movie ending precisely where the Fellowship of the Ring begins. It is so fitting. Fitting too is the final song, The Last Goodbye, sung by Billy Boyd, Pippen from LOTR. The credits are worth sitting through, as the song plays, for there are beautifully done drawings of the characters and locations to appreciate. Tonight, even the song brought a fresh round of tears.

Thorin’s words to Bilbo, during a very touching scene, are tucked away in my heart. He says, “If more of us valued home above gold, it would be a merrier world.” Home is where we create it. We are sheltered, nurtured, loved, and cared for there. We are in an environment that allows us to learn and grow. The love of gold can separate us from each other, and from the truest part of ourselves. Home, and hospitality such as Bilbo offers to the dwarves as he departs, invites and refreshes, comforts and restores. No matter where that home is. For me, I’d love my home to be in Middle-Earth. Or perhaps, a very Middle-Earth type setting that I create.

I am very grateful for the cast and crew, writers and producers, and most of all, for Peter Jackson for this amazing journey these past 13 years. I am changed because of these stories. I have grown as surely as the characters did. Thank you, PJ, for inviting me to journey with you.

December 16, 2014

Day 350: National Chocolate Covered Anything Day

What a fun day to celebrate, especially during the holiday season! While I’m not a chocoholic, preferring other flavors over chocolate, I don’t turn my nose up at it either. My grandson Dayan and I had already planned an event for the afternoon. This “holiday” provided the perfect excuse to stock up on chocolate covered snacks.

I picked Dayan up after school and we bought an assortment of goodies including chocolate covered donuts, chocolate covered peanut butter rice krispy treats and white chocolate covered Christmas tree shaped pretzels! Dayan went all out and got chocolate covered milk….otherwise known as chocolate milk…as well. With our stash, we settled into my daughter’s living room, to watch….The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, extended edition.

I can hear the groans. The Hobbit again? Didn’t I just do a Hobbit movie marathon yesterday? Haven’t I watched this movie enough? Yes….yes….and no. I never tire of the Middle-Earth films. As often as I watch, I learn something new, see something I haven’t seen before, hear a truth that escaped me before. In ways that are difficult for me to explain to anyone else, movies speak to me. They impart truth and knowledge and guidance. They reveal patterns and fuel my passion and creativity. Much like those who read the same book over and over again, I watch the same movie over and over to keep learning from it, and simply because I enjoy it.

I love watching movies with my grandchildren. Dayan, at 15, has been a long time movie companion. Our whole family took him to see his first movie when he was 8 months old. He sat in rapt attention during Toy Story, occasionally looking at me with his wise brown eyes before continuing to watch the story unfolding on the big screen. We’ve been to countless movies since.

We had a plan, Dayan and I, that we couldn’t execute until this week when the The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies released. We wanted to watch all six Middle Earth films, in chronological order. We began today with the first Hobbit movie, and after we watch the newest Hobbit movie, we will progress through the Lord of the Rings trilogy, the extended editions. In this way, we will get to see the whole story, told through film.

Not only did we enjoy our movie, and our chocolate covered treats, we had great discussions about the films, Tolkien and Peter Jackson. I got to share with Dayan about how foreshadowing in this movie hints at what’s to come in the later films. And we tuned in to Howard Shore’s amazing soundtrack which subtly supports and enhances the movie. Dayan has a great ear for music and quickly learned to distinguish the different themes throughout the film. There is the Hobbit theme, Rivendell theme, Dwarves theme and many, many more. Each race and place has a musical theme that accompanies them and signals the arrival of key moments. When Gandalf speaks to Galadriel about the courage of Hobbits, the Hobbit theme plays softly in the background for a few bars. Even the eagles in the movie have a theme. We enjoyed connecting the information together that is woven throughout the films, creating an intricate, beautiful tapestry that tells such an amazing story. I joyfully anticipate watching each Middle-Earth movie again with Dayan and hearing his input.

This afternoon we laughed and talked and watched and wondered and snacked. It was a great celebration of all things Hobbit and of Chocolate Covered Anything Day and of life.

September 2, 2014

Day 245: The Hobbit Fan Fellowship Contest

I am a fan of the works of JRR Tolkien. It had been years since I had read the Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit, when Peter Jackson brought the stories to life on the big screen. I fell in love again with Middle Earth as I watched the first movie in the Lord of the Rings series. I read the books again, all of Tolkien’s books on Middle Earth. I watched each movie over and over as I waited, patiently, for the next installment to arrive in the theater. I found huge pieces of myself, my identity, within those films and books. I grew, with the characters, as they journeyed and I journeyed as well.

When I heard rumors that The Hobbit was being considered for a trilogy of films, I didn’t think Peter Jackson could do it again. I was not as big a fan of The Hobbit, since some of my favorite characters didn’t appear in this book and presumably wouldn’t in the film, but I welcomed a chance to return to Middle Earth. I was wrong about Peter Jackson. He so beautifully captured the story. The special effects were stunning. I fell in love with the warrior race of dwarves, which until The Hobbit movie, had been my least favorite characters in the LOTR films.

This December, the final movie in The Hobbit trilogy will be released. A part of me can’t wait. However, being familiar with the book, another part of me has been very content with the year long wait to the finale. I know it will be a deeply moving, gripping film. I will be the viewer in the back of the theater, sitting stoically by myself, watching the inevitable unfold on the large screen.

Peter Jackson is brilliant. He is gifted. He has created excitement for the upcoming release and found a way to give back at the same time. He has launched The Hobbit Fan Fellowship Contest, which I entered for my first. This isn’t just a share or like a page and get your name entered for a chance to win contest. This is done Middle Earth style, where characters and entrants discover who they are and what they are made of as they journey. This contest offers a challenge, four of them, actually, with one given out each week. Each part of the challenge must be met, for a chance to win. And the prize? It is very worthy of the challenges. The winner gets the opportunity to journey to New Zealand, the cinematic Middle Earth, to experience the epic conclusion to The Hobbit trilogy in the first official screening of the movie with director, Peter Jackson.

Yes, I am a fan. Ask anyone who knows me moderately well. But a year ago, before this amazing year of firsts, I never would have entered such a contest. I would have convinced myself that I had no chance. I would have balked at the challenges, which push me out of my comfort zone. Challenge One was easy enough: write a virtual postcard and send it to Peter Jackson, sharing what I would do on my prize winning trip to Middle Earth. Challenge Two, which I completed tonight, was to take a quiz about the locations used in New Zealand for the filming of The Hobbit movies. This one would normally give me pause. I am very familiar with the scenes in the movie, yet not so familiar with New Zealand. I don’t like to take a quiz if I know I am going to fail. I am grateful for Google and the opportunity to learn, via computer, about the breathtaking landscapes in that gorgeous country. I answered 9 out of 10 questions correctly.

Challenge Three scares me. I must create a two minute video to send to the judges, sharing my musings and recollections of my experiences of The Hobbit movies. Reading that would have caused me to pass on this contest, before this year. I am very self conscious in front of a camera, especially when it is video taping. I am learning to move beyond that, this year. I love that this challenge is a true challenge for me, pushing me. I will share from my heart and not over think this part of the contest. Challenge Four involves sharing exclusive art, mine or someone else’s, it doesn’t specify. I perhaps should be wondering more about this one!

I am grateful for the opportunity to enter this contest, and show my deep appreciation and love for these life shifting stories and films. And I am grateful for the challenges that move me beyond my comfort zone and further along in my journey. As Bilbo Baggins, the Hobbit hero of these films, says later to Frodo, “It’s a dangerous business, going out your door. You step onto the road and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.” Perhaps, on a powerful journey, with no promise of safety, but the guarantee of adventure and growth and the discovery of who I am created to be.

http://www.thehobbitfancontest.com/