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Tag: Lord of the Rings

I Found The Real Mount Doom – It Isn’t Where You Think It Is

I Found The Real Mount Doom – It Isn’t Where You Think It Is

Do you know where Mount Doom is? You probably don’t. In the books Mount Doom is obviously in Mordor, which is – thankfully – not a real place. In the films, Mount Doom is an amalgamation of Mount Ngauruhoe and Mount Ruapehu in New Zealand. Ariel and I actually got to visit the film location during our somewhat ill-fated Tongariro Alpine Crossing adventure way way back in 2017. Little did we know at the time, but while this location was…

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It came to me on my birthday, my precious… Unboxing the incredible limited-edition Tolkien-illustrated version of Lord of the Rings

It came to me on my birthday, my precious… Unboxing the incredible limited-edition Tolkien-illustrated version of Lord of the Rings

Well not EXACTLY on my birthday, but the day before! And amazingly it was several days early. Folks I am so incredibly thrilled to share with you that I managed to snag one of the limited edition, UK-only, JRR Tolkien illustrated (!!!!!), leather-bound, single volume, Lord of the Rings. This wasn’t even supposed to be out until two days from now, but somehow my shipment came today! Look at this!!! Note that the type, in addition to your typical black…

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All that is gold does not glitter

All that is gold does not glitter

All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost; The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots are not reached by the frost. From the ashes a fire shall be woken, A light from the shadows shall spring; Renewed shall be blade that was broken, The crownless again shall be king. JRR Tolkien So much to discuss about this poem that has been done to death elsewhere so I’m not going to get…

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The Days Have Gone Down In the West

The Days Have Gone Down In the West

Where now are the horse and the rider? Where is the horn that was blowing? Where is the helm and the hauberk, and the bright hair flowing? Where is the harp on the harpstring, and the red fire glowing? Where is the spring and the harvest and the tall corn growing? They have passed like rain on the mountain, like a wind in the meadow; The days have gone down in the West behind the hills into shadow. Who shall…

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Hobbiton: A Review

Hobbiton: A Review

One of the highlights of our trip to Middle Earth (I mean New Zealand) was definitely our tour of Hobbiton. If you’re reading this, then it’s pretty likely that you already know that when Peter Jackson rebuilt the the Shire for The Hobbit films, it was done in a way that was intended to be permanent. If you are a fan of the Lord of the Rings – even if you only read the books – this is really a…

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Hey! Ho! To the Bottle I Go

Hey! Ho! To the Bottle I Go

Hey Ho to the bottle I go To heal my heart and drown my woe Rain may fall and wind may blow but there’ll still be Many miles to go… Sweet is the sound of the pouring rain, And the stream that falls from hill to plain. Better than rain or rippling brook, Is a mug of beer inside this Took. J.R.R. Tolkien Sometimes you just need a break from the road (or life in general). Whether at a local…

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The Green Dragon (song)

The Green Dragon (song)

Oh you can search far and wide, You can drink the whole town dry, But you’ll never find a beer so brown, Oh you’ll never find a beer so brown, As the one we drink in our hometown, As the one we drink in our hometown. You can drink your fancy ales, You can drink them by the flagon, But the only brew for the brave and true… …comes from the Green Dragon! The Return Of The King, Film Edition…

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O! Wanderers In The Shadowed Land

O! Wanderers In The Shadowed Land

O! Wanderers in the shadowed land despair not! For though dark they stand, all woods there be must end at last, and see the open sun go past: the setting sun, the rising sun, the day’s end, or the day begun. For east or west all woods must fail… JRR Tolkien Sometimes on a journey (or life in general!), it can feel like you’re trapped in the middle of nowhere. But all woods come to an end, rivers all flow…

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