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In Remembrance and In Song  by Mirkwoodmaiden 2 Review(s)
shireboundReviewed Chapter: 1 on 12/22/2020
It is a night of memory. But also,” He averred, “It is a night of rebirth, of the new light of day when we look forward to what we bring with us and what we will leave behind. It is DûTaen. Our hearts are open to hope."

What a moving ceremony! Thank you for sharing this beautiful story at our own time of hope and remembrance.

Author Reply: Shirebound!

Hello! The thought did cross my mind as I was trying to think when and where to set this story. I thought about Solstice 3020 in the Year of Plenty and all the Fellowship could be together but 3019 seemed more fitting for this year, where we are hopefully ending this year with hope.

I hope you and your family are safe! Here's hoping for a better 2021!

((hugs)) Mellon nin!

MM

Author Reply: And thanks again for writing. It is really appreciated and I am happy you like the story!

MM

LindeleaReviewed Chapter: 1 on 12/22/2020
How lovely to see this! I admit, I have not read it yet, but I have put this at the top of my list for Christmas Day. (It is nearly 1 a.m. right now, I have been working all evening and my eyes are closing of themselves, and I will be busting my buns right up until Christmas Day afternoon, when I must upload this latest project...hard deadline, no getting out of it.)

But I saw a tweet early this morning from the Tolkien Society that said:

Happy New Year (in the Shire)! According to #Tolkien, on roughly the 21st December, Hobbits celebrated "Yule", their winter festival for the new year. When journeying back to the Shire, Bilbo and Gandalf spent Yule of 2941/2942 with Beorn, as shown in this image by MirachRavaia.

And if I weren't behind schedule on a pressing deadline, I would have sat down and written something. At the very least, the Fellowship in the snows of Caradhras, very apt considering the weather back East. I am so glad to see someone else was celebrating the Solstice as well. Shortest Day is behind us, and we can celebrate the return of the Light.

I cannot find your last email to me. Would it be too much bother to send me another, letting me know you and yours are well?

Blessings,
Lin

p.s. At the risk of sounding... something... self-absorbed? Please bear with me as I send my good wishes for the Solstice in the form of a snippet from a story set long before the Shire came to be.

‘Is it Last Day already?’ the Thorn said in surprise.

‘Already!’ Lily bristled, and several of the other expectant mums laughed. ‘Each day my burden grows, and you speak as if the time has flown! I will welcome the passing of the ever-longer nights and the promise that the babe will arrive with the Sun’s return.’

‘Last Day?’ Elladan said, lifting an eyebrow. ‘It is a special day of observance?’

Blackthorn laughed. ‘We observe no days,’ he said. ‘Seasons, more like, and moons, though I have not seen the Moon since coming here. We might have been here a few days or a lifetime for all I can reckon.’

‘Then what is Last Day?’ the son of Elrond asked. Just when he thought he’d learned all there was to know about the Fallohides, simple straightforward folk that they were, they’d surprise him again.

‘The days grow ever shorter as the year slows,’ Blackthorn said. ‘The nights grow longer, devouring the light, and it seems as if Darkness must triumph and cover all...’ His hand tightened on Lily’s as she shivered, and he added, ‘but always there is the hope that Light will return.’

‘The Sun retreats under the onslaught of Darkness, pressed backwards, wounded, failing,’ Holly murmured, remembering her father’s teaching. ‘But then the Lady lends her grace and she returns renewed to fight for the sky.’

Coming back to Elladan’s question, Blackthorn said, ‘Last Day is not a day, actually,’ he said. ‘I mean, it is a day, but we know it only when it is behind us, already passed.’

‘The days grow longer as the Light returns,’ Lily said simply. ‘And so we know Last Day has passed and First Day has followed, and the Darkness has been driven away once more.’

‘I see,’ Elladan said slowly. The Little Folk were sensitive to Light and Darkness, more it seemed even than the Elves, who gave more attention to the time of Quickening than the winter solstice.

‘And there is a grand celebration to welcome the Light,’ Holly said firmly.

‘Indeed,’ Elladan said. ‘The feast this evening will serve to welcome more than returning Elves, I think.’

Author Reply: Lindelea!

It is so lovely to hear from you! I love this Solstice snippet that you have enclosed. Lovely to think that Fallowhides had pleasant relations with the Elves of Imladris.

Email soon to follow. We are well.

Stay safe, Mellon nin!

many virtual ((hugs))

MM

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