What do you "assign" to the Shire? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Farael · 09-15-2006, 03:09 PM

Feeling moderately content after two months of being rather down on oneself. Seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and knowing that things might just turn out well after all

Edit: Woot!! And also making my one-thousandth post on an assignment to the Shire! That's a good omen (I don't keep a close count on my posts, so it wasn't intentional at all)

the guy who be short · 09-15-2006, 04:47 PM

I assign second hand bookshops!

Lhunardawen · 09-17-2006, 12:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the guy who be short

I assign second hand bookshops!

Seconded.

littlemanpoet · 09-17-2006, 04:44 PM

Not anywhere near his eleventy-first year, but it's good to see the old man kickin' around at the age of 83 with high spirits and a bum knee but still vigorous and laughing. Folks have been up this week. THAT belongs in the Shire.

Lhunardawen · 09-18-2006, 02:49 AM

The words "very good." When you're not having the best day of your life, even those simple words mean a lot.

Kath · 09-18-2006, 05:38 AM

Making friends! Having someone to talk to while you're sitting through some health and safety lecture is absolutely vital if you need to be awake.

Also, being used as an example of what not to do in said health and safety lecture. The picture of our house came up and we all fell about laughing, poor talking man was so confused.

Lalwendë · 09-18-2006, 05:51 AM

Oxford Botanical Gardens. Very nice indeed, not just for a gardening freak like me, either. They're very different to the Sheffield ones - which are about four times as big and lanscaped with extensive woodlands and a bear pit - and have lots of 'educational' plant displays such as rows of big savoy cabbages and a display of sunflower varieties, some of which were enormous. Then of course there is 'Tolkien's Tree'. Now it might not seem like much to look at, going somewhere just to look at one tree, but its worth it. The tree is huge, very unusual, and seriously impressive. It puts Tolkien's feelings about trees into perspective - he loved them just as Trees, immense, towering organic presences.

But in the Botanical Gardens you now get the added bonus of finding Lyra's 'bench' from the end of The Amber Spyglass. Pullman describes it exactly and its easy to find, and a nice place to sit for a quiet hour smoking and chatting.

Take the chance now, as I'm sure once the films have been out you'd have to fight to get a chance to sit there. Oh, and you can also laugh at people struggling to punt on the river behind you.

I'm also sending hunting for conkers to The Shire. We walked round Deadman's Walk at the back of Merton College (very nice path overlooking the rugby fields) and decided to get conkers off a Chestnut tree that was said to have been a favourite with Tolkien. Projecting umbrellas are pretty good for this, and provide more accuracy than a mere stick thrown up into the branches.

Just make sure to run away fast when you realise that there are CCTV systems watching you...

I'll also assign sneaking into the private Fellow's Garden at Exeter when someone had left the gate leading into Brasenose Lane open by mistake.

09-15-2006, 03:09 PM	#1
Farael Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: In hospitals, call rooms and (rarely) my apartment. Posts: 1,538	Feeling moderately content after two months of being rather down on oneself. Seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and knowing that things might just turn out well after all Edit: Woot!! And also making my one-thousandth post on an assignment to the Shire! That's a good omen (I don't keep a close count on my posts, so it wasn't intentional at all) __________________ I prepared Explosive Runes this morning.

09-18-2006, 05:38 AM	#6
Kath Everlasting Whiteness Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Perusing the laminated book of dreams Posts: 4,533	Making friends! Having someone to talk to while you're sitting through some health and safety lecture is absolutely vital if you need to be awake. Also, being used as an example of what not to do in said health and safety lecture. The picture of our house came up and we all fell about laughing, poor talking man was so confused. __________________ “If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.”

09-18-2006, 05:51 AM	#7
Lalwendë A Mere Boggart Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: under the bed Posts: 4,737	Oxford Botanical Gardens. Very nice indeed, not just for a gardening freak like me, either. They're very different to the Sheffield ones - which are about four times as big and lanscaped with extensive woodlands and a bear pit - and have lots of 'educational' plant displays such as rows of big savoy cabbages and a display of sunflower varieties, some of which were enormous. Then of course there is 'Tolkien's Tree'. Now it might not seem like much to look at, going somewhere just to look at one tree, but its worth it. The tree is huge, very unusual, and seriously impressive. It puts Tolkien's feelings about trees into perspective - he loved them just as Trees, immense, towering organic presences. But in the Botanical Gardens you now get the added bonus of finding Lyra's 'bench' from the end of The Amber Spyglass. Pullman describes it exactly and its easy to find, and a nice place to sit for a quiet hour smoking and chatting. Take the chance now, as I'm sure once the films have been out you'd have to fight to get a chance to sit there. Oh, and you can also laugh at people struggling to punt on the river behind you. I'm also sending hunting for conkers to The Shire. We walked round Deadman's Walk at the back of Merton College (very nice path overlooking the rugby fields) and decided to get conkers off a Chestnut tree that was said to have been a favourite with Tolkien. Projecting umbrellas are pretty good for this, and provide more accuracy than a mere stick thrown up into the branches. Just make sure to run away fast when you realise that there are CCTV systems watching you... I'll also assign sneaking into the private Fellow's Garden at Exeter when someone had left the gate leading into Brasenose Lane open by mistake. __________________ Gordon's alive!

09-15-2006, 04:47 PM	#2
the guy who be short Shadowed Prince Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Thulcandra Posts: 2,343	I assign second hand bookshops!

09-17-2006, 04:44 PM	#4
littlemanpoet Itinerant Songster Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: The Edge of Faerie Posts: 7,066	Not anywhere near his eleventy-first year, but it's good to see the old man kickin' around at the age of 83 with high spirits and a bum knee but still vigorous and laughing. Folks have been up this week. THAT belongs in the Shire.

09-18-2006, 02:49 AM	#5
Lhunardawen Hauntress of the Havens Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: IN it, but not OF it Posts: 2,538	The words "very good." When you're not having the best day of your life, even those simple words mean a lot.