Stories of Arda Home Page
About Us News Resources Login Become a member Help Search

Dreamflower's Mathoms III  by Dreamflower 5 Review(s)
Kaylee ArafinwielReviewed Chapter: 15 on 4/26/2022
Hi Dreamflower!

I was reminded of this ficlet when watching a "Tasting History With Max Miller" video on YouTube, "A Tudor Salad For May Day". I think the hobbits would have approved!

Anyway, I really enjoyed re-reading about Merry experiencing his First Salad Day, and I hope he got to enjoy many more! It's a wonderful Hobbiton tradition and makes a lot of sense considering the history of the Fell Winter. I've never yet been foraging but maybe someday!

Hope you're doing well!

Kaylee

AntaneReviewed Chapter: 15 on 11/14/2014
Finally getting around to some stories that got lost in my inbox. I enjoyed this sweet story. Great to see our hobbits happy and innocent! Love Frodo content between Sam and Merry. :)

AndreaReviewed Chapter: 15 on 3/29/2014
A wonderful and very hobbity way to welcome spring!

Sorrel is indeed very delicious. We also have wild garlic here in the woods, but it should be picked with caution because there other, similar-looking plants that are rather poisonous.

Author Reply: Thank you, dear! I'm glad you think so!

I do wish that I felt more confident in applying my research to RL, but I am always worried about misidentifying something!

LindeleaReviewed Chapter: 15 on 3/28/2014
What fun! We learned about foraging in our Wilderness Survival class. Sorrel is delicious!

Author Reply: Yes it is! I can remember nibbling on it as a child, though at the time I didn't know what it was called.

I think foraging would be an important part of any young hobbit's education, especially after the Long Winter and the Fell Winter!

LarnerReviewed Chapter: 15 on 3/27/2014
What a wonderful and properly Hobbity tradition for the region of the Hill! I love it!

I also used to eat wood sorrel and a number of other greens we'd find in our woods and fields as a child, and have several books explaining the types of plants our local Indian tribes tended to harvest and how they used each one. One of the classroom teachers with whom I worked had some books on the subject as well, and would take her class out each spring to search for some of the plants that were shown and described in it. She would have appreciated this tradition, I'm certain.

Author Reply: I wish I had learned more about foraging when I was young, and had the confidence to try it now. Most areas are so affected by pesticides and/or pollution these days!

Mostly I recall nibbling sorrel and clover, sucking nectar out of honeysuckles, and of course, berrying at the side of the dirt roads with my cousins. I didn't know I was foraging back then!

Return to Chapter List