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grammaboodawg
Immortal
Sep 3 2020, 1:08pm
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Walk to Rivendell... and Beyond! September 3
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Greetings Fellow Walkers!
Welcome to September! :D Once again our seasons are beginning to shift gears as we approach Fall or Spring.... depending on where you've set down your drink.
I'm in a horrible dilemma! This weekend (Friday and Monday), there are 2 MAJOR annual flea markets open that I will not attend *twitch* They're held every Spring (Memorial Day weekend) and Fall (Labor Day weekend). They each cover several acres and long rows of individual booths/setups of goods. One even has a classic auto show/sale! I usually allow 3 hours to walk the market and never have finished seeing everything! Lots of miles gathered :D The only problem this year is Covid. The markets were cancelled this past Spring, but they're open this weekend. The crowds are incredible! Often shoulder-to-shoulder packed with people all pulling wagons or toting the treasures they've purchased. Hence... my dilemma... which is really not. Too risky. *sigh* So I'm playing in the yard ;)
 (shows about 2/3rd of the market)
Do you have plans to pursue your Quest this holiday weekend? Hopefully the weather in your world is pleasant and encourages some really great walks / bike rides / boating / bird watching, etc. Do share what you're up to and what your goal is! What's your favourite way of accumulating mileage? Remember, this "Walk" is really open to so many different ways to get that action in AND your journey is your own to do as you wish. We're here as your cheering section :D
I've started my next chart and leg of my journey with Gandalf and Bilbo. We finished travelling around the northern border of Mirkwood from the Lonely Mountain to Beorn's home. Now we're heading out for Rivendell... and ultimately Hobbiton. Bilbo and I are quite antsy to get home; and I imagine Gandalf is, too. I've always thought Hobbiton was one of his favourite places to hang out; but now he has to be careful of how often he shows himself since his Baggins friendship is not approved of by the residents.
*waves fondly* Have a great weekend/week.... and I'll see you on the Road! Stay Safe!
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
Immortal
Sep 10 2020, 1:22pm
Post #3 of 13
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Walk to Rivendell... and Beyond! September 10
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Greetings Fellow Walkers!
I hope the world is treating you well and that you're enjoying great achievements... or at least moments of peace and smilies :)
How are you coming along on your Quest? Remember... you're not limited to bench-pressing your car or climbing Mt. Ruapehu! Any kind of activity counts towards gathering mileage. Check out the Resources post to see several alternatives. This is a personal journey to approach your way :D
I'm starting to make headway on my 1/4 scale hobbit hole environ in my yard. I'm guessing it's about 1/4 the normal size. Now... figuring the scale of that is means doing math... sure... I'll do that later! As with any project, there are hours of messing around with getting things ready. In this case, lots of rocks (small to boulders), pulling weeds, and moving dirt. THEN I can get back to building the face of the hole. I've already got some cinder blocks in place (foundation concrete blocks) to hold back the dirt/sand and where the façade will be.
So do tell if you have a project or enjoying some great walks during these milder-weather days, etc. Be sure to shoot some positive thoughts and prayers out to the western US being ravaged by out of control fires. The skies above my head here in Michigan are tinted orange from the smoke of those fires over 2,000 miles away!
Meanwhile, in Middle-earth, Bilbo, Gandalf and I are well on our way to Rivendell. We're carrying enough provisions to get us there through the generosity of Beorn. While I'm anxious to get back to Hobbiton, I'll never forget his powerful presence and comfortable home. There's no one like Beorn :D
Stay safe, everyone! And I'll see you on the Road!
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
Immortal
Sep 18 2020, 4:23am
Post #4 of 13
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Walk to Rivendell... and Beyond! September 17
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Greetings Fellow Walkers!
I hope today is finding you well and on the move! We're already halfway through the month of September... and there's a very special Birthday on the horizon. Tuesday is Bilbo and Frodo's joint Birthday, which mean we're having a Party! Be ready to enjoy some games. It also means I'll be working off some Birthday Cake ;)
How are you coming along on your Quest? I hope you're happy with your progress and that your effort is something fun that you can enjoy. I'm playing outside with clearing and moving several rocks, so watching out for my toes is a huge focus!
Bilbo, Gandalf and I are on our way to Rivendell after spending the tail-end of winter at Beorn's wonderful home. Funny how trudging along in the elements comes right back to you and makes you miss a soft seat straight away ;)
*waves fondly* Stay safe... and see you on the Road!
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
Immortal
Sep 24 2020, 1:20pm
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Walk to Rivendell... and Beyond! September 24
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Welcome Fellow Walkers!
Here's to a HAPPY BIRTHDAY shout-out to Bilbo and Frodo on their joint Birthday Party. Feel free to join in on the Games taking place or just have fun reading what's going on :D
Guess What!? This is the last entry for September 2020. ZAP! Another month has flown by as we welcome Fall/Spring to our days. Personally, Fall is my favourite time of the year with its cooler temps and wonderful colours of wildflowers, trees and sky. *sigh* As I'm surrounded by farmland and travel on dirt roads, I also enjoy the mature fields of corn, grains, soy beans, sugar beets, etc. Glorious!
I'll be doing a lot more walks "around the block", which is 4 miles minimum. There's one farm I pass where the curious herd of cows will come up to the fence right next to the road and they'll walk along with me for a bit. As I approach the edge of their field, I'll call out, "Here kitty, kitty, kitty!" and they'll start making their way to the fence. So Fun! Especially early in the season with their little calves trotting to keep up.
So how are you coming along on your Quest? Do the change of seasons influence your goal? The fun part of this Walk is that you can accumulate your miles any way you want. It's the action and exercise you're getting that is the purpose of our madness.... so ENJOY! You have a cheering section here :D
Bilbo, Gandalf and I are coming along on our trip from Beorn's home to Rivendell. Here's the entry for where we are:
Before passing through the eastern gateway of the Misty Mountains, Bilbo and Gandalf turned to look toward the distant west. "Behind lay Mirkwood, blue in the distance, and darkly green at the nearer edge even in the spring. There far away was the Lonely Mountain on the edge of eyesight. On its highest peak snow yet unmelted was gleaming pale.
"So comes snow after fire, and even dragons have their ending!" said Bilbo, and he turned his back on his adventure. The Tookish part was getting very tired, and the Baggins was daily getting stronger." (Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 278 The Return Journey: The Hobbit)
I would LOVE to have a chance to enjoy that view sans the rugged walk to get there and leave there ;)
Have a great week, stay safe... and I'll see you on the Road!
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
(This post was edited by grammaboodawg on Sep 24 2020, 1:24pm)
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CuriousG
Half-elven
Sep 24 2020, 3:06pm
Post #6 of 13
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Finally left the neekerbreekers behind
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and now I'm "Camp by a stream, among stunted alder trees. Moon waxing." So Weathertop is still ahead of me. I wish Tolkien were better at using direct objects in sentences, because he doesn't say what the Moon is waxing, and it's as bad as saying "Person opening." Are they opening themselves, or opening a door? This is why Tolkien needs a visit from some grammar police to tidy up that little story of his and its grammatical loose ends. 
It's fall in New England, and I was all ready to post a photo of this standout tree across the street that is blazing red among its green neighbors, but resizing it to fit here turned it into a smudge, so alas, a link. I'm happy about it this year, because some years the leaves just turn brown and drop off, forgetting to put on a red show that I've come to expect.
I've been doing some "fall cleaning," modest in scale, but I have a couple of file cabinets that I'd like to reduce to just one. So I came across old receipts, and one was for "prodigy.net," an old way to access the information superhighway aka The Worldwide Web, and at one point it was #1 (beware thy pride, Google). It closed in 1999, I just read, and no one bothered even using that domain name when I checked today.
Should I bury the receipt in the ground for archeologists to discover 2,000 years from now? Which, by the way, reminded me of a densely-marked map I saw recently of Roman coin discoveries across Britain, and I wonder what it is about the British that they just throw money on the ground for historians to find rather than spend it. Do the British still throw money on the ground for historians, and could I make a living traveling the country and vacuuming up all those pounds? I guess the only way to find out is to visit and try it.
Happy walking, all.
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grammaboodawg
Immortal
Sep 25 2020, 11:14am
Post #7 of 13
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That tree looks like a beacon atop the mountains!
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Brilliant!!!! On many levels!
I love that you found your Prodigy receipt! I'd definitely keep it in a new file that would hold all of those momentoes of not just the evolution of the internet, but you're own personal journey and how you fit into all of that :D But then, I'm hobbity and tend to keep everything!!!!
And vacuuming Britain for fallen coin is one of the best excuses I've heard for travelling there to date! Go for it! :D
I wish Tolkien were better at using direct objects in sentences, because he doesn't say what the Moon is waxing, and it's as bad as saying "Person opening." Are they opening themselves, or opening a door? This is why Tolkien needs a visit from some grammar police to tidy up that little story of his and its grammatical loose ends.
I actually like all those gramma-tical speedbumps because it gives us a chance to make the story a bit of our own as we try to tie those up.
Well Done on making it to Camp regardless of what the Moon is doing! Wax on! Wax off? Party On, Dude! *plays air guitar*
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
Immortal
Oct 1 2020, 11:51am
Post #8 of 13
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Walk to Rivendell... and Beyond! October 1
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Greetings Fellow Walkers!
BOOM! Here we are landing on the first day of October. Fall is Falling or Spring is Springing... depending on where you're standing. Don't the days just fly by?
I hope you're having fun and great satisfaction with your progress on the Road... even if it's not literally a Road. These days of the change in weather always fascinates me and motivates me. Yesterday here in Michigan, the temps dropped 20 degrees from 2 days previously, and the clouds are a mix of huge dark deep blue peppered with white billowing thunderheads, colourful trees and a live bouquet of brilliant wildflowers. *breathes deeply* What a great walk with more to come!
How are you coming along on your action? Do you prefer walks, runs, yard work, Fall/Spring cleaning *urp*?? DO TELL! All efforts and achievements are praiseworthy ;)
Gandalf, Bilbo and I have FINALLY reached the end of the long tunnel and the spot where the goblins had captured the Company that seems like long ago. The bright sunlight after all that darkness takes some adjustment, fersher! So we're going to make camp and enjoy the warmth of the sun and ability to see all around us.
*waves fondly* Take care... and see you on the Road!
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
(This post was edited by grammaboodawg on Oct 1 2020, 11:53am)
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Eowyn of Penns Woods
Valinor
Oct 4 2020, 8:02pm
Post #9 of 13
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I haven't been posting, because I've become so sick and tired of checking my walking progress against the river journey, and wish I could abandon this cockle-boat!
Thank Eru, it's autumn! I feel renewed once again. I'm loving walking on these cool mornings by the light of a blue moon and stars, accompanied by the music of screech owls, followed by the racket of all the roosters and a gobbler up the hill as the sun rises over the ridge, and then the twittering of small birds and cawing of crows. I like walking through fallen leaves of gold, and having a nice breeze in my face, rain or mist or shine. Even riding around looking for wildlife photo ops later on the first morning of October put a smile on my face from ear to ear that just wouldn't go away. I felt like Sam: I could burst with joy. Changing foliage, meadows of goldenrod against purple asters, cornfields and apple orchards, rows of pumpkins on the vines, the first real sniff of decaying leaves... it's all good. This is my time of year.
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NABOUF
Not a TORns*b!
Certified Curmudgeon
Knitting Knerd
NARF: NWtS Chapter Member since June 17,2011
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dernwyn
Forum Admin
/ Moderator
Oct 5 2020, 12:12am
Post #10 of 13
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It all makes you want to pick up a walking-stick, and head out on an Adventure...
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"I desired dragons with a profound desire"
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grammaboodawg
Immortal
Oct 5 2020, 11:41am
Post #11 of 13
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I'm with you! I am so refreshed and calmed this time of year. I'm so lucky to live in the country where I'm surrounded by your most excellent description!! It's hard to describe, isn't it? I've got this huge smile on my face just picturing you briskly walking and just drinking in the sounds, smells, visions, and glee of these wonderful days :D
Yeah... I'd leave the River behind and run for it, too! That long slog on the water is endless!!!! Almost like sitting in on a Council meeting ;) I hope you have a wonderful week and many days of perfection!
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
Immortal
Oct 5 2020, 11:42am
Post #12 of 13
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with apples in your pocket ;) //
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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
Immortal
Oct 8 2020, 12:31pm
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Walk to Rivendell... and Beyond! October 8
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Greetings Fellow Walkers!
I hope this finds you well and massively involved in whatever makes you happy :D Even if it's only little fixes of happy... that would be a very good thing. I find that I can maintain energy and inspiration if I make sure to steer at least a few hours a week toward things that I truly enjoy. Surprisingly, those joyful things for me are usually the simplest to achieve. Going for a walk. Watching a favourite flick. Playlists of my "everything stops" music whilst working/driving/walking. Playing fetch with Pickle and his fish (squeaky-toy pacifier). But because of its simplicity, I often forget to slow the momentum of "life" and plug in those soul-feeding moments. What are some of your escape mechanisms?
It's been a busy week outside, and this coming week will be the same. The weather is delightful, the fall colours inspriring, the outside projects fun and easy. I've also got a trip to Charlevoix/Lake Michigan coming up next week to visit the Mushroom (Hobbit) House and unique stone houses built in the area. You wanna talk about soul-feeding! *breathes deeply* Ahhhhhhhhh :)
So how are you coming along with your Quest or goals? I hope you're finding great satisfaction on whatever it is you're spending your days on. Remember..."It's no bad thing to celebrate a simple life." ;)
Meanwhile, back in Middle-earth... Bilbo, Gandalf and I are steadily making our way to Rivendell and then our ultimate target of the Shire. We're on the Road on the downside of the Mountain after clearing the goblins' front door. We've got a long way to go.
Take care everyone and stay safe! *waves fondly* See you on the Road :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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