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grammaboodawg
Elvenhome
May 30 2020, 3:18pm
Post #26 of 47
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I found I can make it to Charlevoix, MI and the Lake Michigan shore where the Mushroom House dwells on one tank of gas. So I went last week and gathered up a bunch of the incredible stones that cover the ground. It's a 3-hour drive each way, and Pickle is a wonderful rider/navigator... so it was a non-stop trek.
We have been there and back again.
“Courage is not having the strength to go on; it is going on when you don't have the strength." – Theodore Roosevelt
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grammaboodawg
Elvenhome
May 30 2020, 3:47pm
Post #27 of 47
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Dream for the day when the games (and parades) can begin again. A nice bowl of berries and cream (or shortcake) will be a pretty nice consolation :)
Your story about your family and your Mom's distress about her father is so touching; but to think of her carrying what she felt was a burden all those years is sad. I think she knows what you've found. It was so important to her, and it's family... I think she knows what you've found :) Well done!
I hope you have a great weekend!!
We have been there and back again.
“Courage is not having the strength to go on; it is going on when you don't have the strength." – Theodore Roosevelt
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grammaboodawg
Elvenhome
May 30 2020, 3:59pm
Post #28 of 47
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*warm hug* Thank you for the pics!
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That is such a magical place to walk. It is a perfect pic for bringing Rivendell to life. I actually found one of the leafs they made for the Rivendell set when I was there in 2010. *holds close* I'd love to go there again one day... but I think that would be a miracle. I'd love to re-visit a beach that has the most unique rocks I've ever seen ;)
I hope you have a wonderful weekend, m'dear. And I'm SO happy that you're able to get out and enjoy the wonders of the world you live in every day! *hugs*
We have been there and back again.
“Courage is not having the strength to go on; it is going on when you don't have the strength." – Theodore Roosevelt
TIME Google Calendar
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Greenwood Hobbit
Doriath
May 30 2020, 5:41pm
Post #29 of 47
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There are so many stories to be discovered
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once family history is explored; so many glimpses into how hard life must have been at times. My paternal grandfather was the youngest of ten boys; the only daughter of the marriage died when she was 12, which must have been desperately sad.
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dernwyn
Forum Admin
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May 30 2020, 5:45pm
Post #30 of 47
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I can imagine him enjoying it, the ride to a new place (and new smells), and prancing on the beach. How to make a pup happy!
Do you have a display area for all the stones you've collected?
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"I desired dragons with a profound desire"
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dernwyn
Forum Admin
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May 30 2020, 5:49pm
Post #31 of 47
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You've made it to your retreat! And that's all around you? How can you write, when there's so much birdsong to listen to! 
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"I desired dragons with a profound desire"
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Greenwood Hobbit
Doriath
May 30 2020, 5:57pm
Post #32 of 47
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D'you know I can't actually remember
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ever having made strawberry jam? I've made blackcurrant, damson and redcurrant jellies, but not strawberry or raspberry jam. My Mum used to make loads. Topping and tailing the currants for a jam would just be soul-destroyiing; with jellies the process is much easier, just strain the lot through muslin - no fiddly bits.
No, nobody had any idea of who Mum's paternal grandfather was - well, nobody who was prepared to pass down the information anyway! It must have been a bit scandalous, back in 1894. 'Someone at a party' was all my Mum was ever told. I found out a bit about the Scottish ancestry that took me to Dundee where my maternal gt-gt grandfather was born in 1829; following that lead took me further north to a place called St. Vigean's on the edge of Arbroath, where his parents had grown up. I've traced back as far as I can without starting to pay for certificates etc. Last year I holidayed in Scotland and visited the church at St. Vigean's where they were probably christened - it's the only one nearby.
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Greenwood Hobbit
Doriath
May 30 2020, 6:06pm
Post #33 of 47
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None of us knows when things will start to really move forward -
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some football games will be played behind closed doors from mid-June, but the roar of the crowd is half the thrill of the thing! I feel sorry for the players, celebrating goals to thin air. There are too many edible consolations around at the moment, but strawberries are healthy, right?! (It's what is put with them that's the problem... )
Mum's father was born in 1894 and there must have been a real stigma around illegitimacy then. She was always worried, generally, about 'what people would think'. All that baggage... I'd like to think she has it all straightened out now, over there in the spirit world, and realises how little it really mattered.
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Kimi
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May 30 2020, 9:28pm
Post #34 of 47
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the water shortage is over for now, although if it's a dry winter the worries will return.
The water storage lakes that serve the nearest city are still very much down from their usual levels at this time of year, and water restrictions are in force. But here in the countryside, our water tank is full to overflowing, and the grass has started growing again - hopefully time for it to recover before winter really strikes.
The tomatoes are over at last (longest season ever), but the beans are bursting out!
The Passing of Mistress Rose
My historical novels
Do we find happiness so often that we should turn it off the box when it happens to sit there?
- A Room With a View
(This post was edited by Kimi on May 30 2020, 9:29pm)
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Kimi
Forum Admin
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May 30 2020, 9:41pm
Post #35 of 47
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Chocolate Chunk Cookies
I can't say I agree that "they’re incredibly quick to make", as it seems to take me ages! And it has a fair number of ingredients that might be a bit hard to get hold of. But the result is very nice.
I use honey in place of the rice bran syrup, which makes them non-vegan, but I'm not vegan :). And I prefer to use local manuka honey rather than the imported syrup. I make the cashew butter (easy with a good blender), and use a bit more than the recipe suggests. I also use more chocolate...
The Passing of Mistress Rose
My historical novels
Do we find happiness so often that we should turn it off the box when it happens to sit there?
- A Room With a View
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Lissuin
Doriath
May 31 2020, 2:14am
Post #36 of 47
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This has been an exciting day watching lift off from the Kennedy Space Center. And so this is a shout out to cats16, remembering that other space crew vehicle named Endeavour, which we visited together at the California Space Center some years ago.
https://californiasciencecenter.org/exhibits/air-space
As the website shows, it isn't possible to visit the Space Shuttle Endeavour at the moment, but perhaps one day they'll have both vehicles, shuttle and capsule, for everyone to see up close. The next generation has a lot of dreaming to do!
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Lissuin
Doriath
May 31 2020, 3:33am
Post #37 of 47
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Rivendell arch revival, Kaitoke Regional Park
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No, actually the archway is a recreation of the film set one. It was opened with great fanfare by the Greater Wellington Regional Council and Upper Hutt City Council on March 7, 2015 and will remain as part of the park in the area used as the film set. Great for photos! http://www.gw.govt.nz/Rivendell/
YouTube video with "a ranger" about visiting Kaitoke Park.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7Q2M_uS-_Y
The opening festivities saw a splendid day: with costumed rangers (Aragorn was there, of course) and enthusiastic fans getting into the spirit; a guided walk with interesting Tolkien and film tidbits; Gandalf guarding the bridge and wearing an authentic film costume lent by Weta Workshop (Cheers, Weta!); and picnickers scattered around enjoying the fellowship and indulging in treats from Middle-earth.
I found this blog from local fantasy writer, A J Ponder, with some photos which give an idea of how well the day was celebrated.
https://ponderbooks.com/...er-a-world-of-magic/
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Lissuin
Doriath
May 31 2020, 3:54am
Post #38 of 47
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And congratulations and thank you to you, Annael!
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The choice of your topic will, itself, also contribute to moving the world along on its present very welcome changes.
I can imagine that having a forest and birdsong nearby was helpful in finishing the months/years of work you must have put in at your desk. 
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Lissuin
Doriath
May 31 2020, 4:19am
Post #39 of 47
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Here's another photo for you, gramma.
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If you have enough of them, you could do something like this. 
It was a great day at Paekakariki, indeed.
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dernwyn
Forum Admin
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May 31 2020, 12:26pm
Post #40 of 47
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I think I'm more fascinated by the Park itself, than by it having been Rivendell!
Thanks for the links!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I desired dragons with a profound desire"
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grammaboodawg
Elvenhome
May 31 2020, 1:17pm
Post #41 of 47
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Thank you! I'll let you know how it turns out. I tend to burn water... not a very good cook/baker; but I'll definitely give this a try using your adjustments! :D
We have been there and back again.
“Courage is not having the strength to go on; it is going on when you don't have the strength." – Theodore Roosevelt
TIME Google Calendar
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grammaboodawg
Elvenhome
May 31 2020, 1:22pm
Post #42 of 47
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Oh man, that's great! I didn't get very many, but what I did are cherished :D It really was a GREAT DAY! A true adventure on so many levels! *hugs*
Thank you for the picture. I can't stop smiling!
We have been there and back again.
“Courage is not having the strength to go on; it is going on when you don't have the strength." – Theodore Roosevelt
TIME Google Calendar
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grammaboodawg
Elvenhome
May 31 2020, 1:39pm
Post #43 of 47
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(large cloth ones) and have been sorting through the various sizes of small pebbles I also grabbed in plastic grocery bags. I do have the bigger ones on large trays to just ogle one at a time. They're brilliant when they're wet and the coloured ones really pop!
I do have plans to make crafty things once I get them sorted to size (especially the pebbles). Stone houses, lighthouses, birdhouses, mailboxes, wishing wells, etc. The large flat stones will be perfect bases for those. Many of those are larger than my hand and about 1/2 to 2 inches thick... usually blonde coloured. I'm thinking of making a coffee table that's like a shallow box where I can put an assortment of the larger stones and cover with a plexiglass removable top so I can switch them out now and again ;)
We have been there and back again.
“Courage is not having the strength to go on; it is going on when you don't have the strength." – Theodore Roosevelt
TIME Google Calendar
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grammaboodawg
Elvenhome
May 31 2020, 3:06pm
Post #44 of 47
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I couldn't help but smile at the streamlined difference in everything from the ship to the astronaut's outfits, to their dashboard! I watched Apollo 13 as a prelude to the original launch attempt a few days ago, and I laughed at how different the 2 capsules are :D I saw the Apollo capsule at the Smithsonian a few years ago and was aghast at how small it is!
These coming years of private companies collaborating with NASA and space flight is so exciting and so needed to lift our spirits with their liftoffs :D I had to run out and watch the Intl Space Station fly overhead this week and imagine what must be going on up there!
We have been there and back again.
“Courage is not having the strength to go on; it is going on when you don't have the strength." – Theodore Roosevelt
TIME Google Calendar
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cats16
Gondolin
Jun 7 2020, 8:51pm
Post #45 of 47
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Join us every weekend in the Hobbit movie forum for this week's CHOW (Chapter of the Week) discussion!
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cats16
Gondolin
Jun 7 2020, 8:53pm
Post #46 of 47
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Doing the long several hour hike to get there...running out of water...being stranded without cell service.
If only I had gone there with you and not my current-roommate! But it's a fun story. :)
Join us every weekend in the Hobbit movie forum for this week's CHOW (Chapter of the Week) discussion!
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cats16
Gondolin
Jun 7 2020, 8:56pm
Post #47 of 47
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Such a lovely day--I shudder at the idea of being around so many maskless people, but let's hope it can happen again sooner than later. 
Join us every weekend in the Hobbit movie forum for this week's CHOW (Chapter of the Week) discussion!
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Endeavour, cats16!
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