The following event(s) took place in Middle-earth on October 6: Thorin requests supplies (1341) Gandalf heads for Rivendell…
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The following event(s) took place in Middle-earth on October 6:
Every gardener, homesteader, and hobbit hobbyist knows how frustrating it is to lose a crop to marauding birds, but did you know that you can still use the damaged fruit? Join Kili and her fearless warg Mischief (or Missy) to learn how to salvage bird-pecked plums to make a delicious sweet and savory sauce perfect for any hobbit to bring to Bree and trade with a Dwarf… that is, if you have any left! đ Watch the new episode here and check out the recipe below!
Sweet & Savory Plum Sauce
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Modified from a recipe by Caroline Russock
Happy Hobbit has brought Middle-earth to its viewers’ daily lives since 2012! Learn more hobbity recipes, crafts, and more by watching new episodes and/or perusing the 10+ years worth of videos on their YouTube channel. đť New episodes debut every other Saturday, so be sure you are subscribed to Happy Hobbit so that you don’t miss out!
Get even more slow-living hobbit content by following Happy Hobbit on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok! If watching the show has left you with an appetite for more, know that Kili (Kellie) has a podcast where Tolkien is often mentioned called Forests, Folklore & Fantasy.
The following event(s) took place in Middle-earth on September 29:
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On September 22nd, the very date of Bilboâs and Frodoâs birthdays, a large group of Hobbits, Elves, Dwarves, Men, Wizards, and well-behaved Wargs, gathered for a day of merriment, feasting, and activities.
The Party took place under the sheltering trees of Griffith Park, in the Mineral Wells picnic area, close by a meandering river. The day was warm, but not too warm. The sun high and bright. The leaves sparkled green and gold in a fair breeze which ruffled the Bagginsâ Birthday banner and the feathers adorning Hobbit hats. Tents dotted the landscape: an Elven enclave here, a Dwarven fortress there, a Hobbit hole beneath a tree.
The banqueting table was laden with dishesâpulled pork, barbecue chicken salad, spicy sausages, cheese samplings, Lembas, watermelon, pasta salad (I could go on and on, but it’s making my mouth water all over again.) There were even two big jugs of delicious homemade apple brew crafted from a long list of enticing ingredients.
Continue reading “The 2024 Baggins Birthday Bash was a Bull-Roaring Success”
Here at TORn we were delighted recently to make a new friend: Ian Leino from Geek Orthodox. Ian is a glass artist who creates incredible stained glass (and window cling replicas), and who has recently become licensed with Middle-earth Enterprises. So he’s launching a range inspired by Tolkien!
Staffer greendragon recently had a chance to chat with Ian, to find out more about his stunning creations, and his passion for all things Tolkien. Here’s what he had to say:
My parents divorced when I was an infant, but when I was four, my Mom started dating a man who would eventually become my step-father. When he would come to visit, he would always read to be before bedtime – but none of those [little] childrenâs books; he launched right into The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis, and introduced me to the world of fantasy. It took a few years to get through the entire Chronicles of Narnia, and by then they had gotten married and weâd established the routine of a family reading time.Â
With Narnia behind us, the time was right to graduate to the world of Middle-earth, starting with The Hobbit and progressing through The Lord of the Rings, which captured my imagination in an entirely new way. That bond over Middle-earth is one of the things that bound our new family together, and itâs a common interest that we still share.
My interest in stained glass started with my first job, which was sweeping up at a glass studio on the weekends when I was in middle school. And it intensified in college when I studied art history with an emphasis on gothic art and architecture. As a medium, stained glass has always been used to evoke a sense of wonder and grandeur. From the heroes of history to the religious parables in cathedrals – we use stained glass artwork as a way of venerating and celebrating what is important to us.
The world and characters of Middle-earth are such a foundational fandom for so many of us that I feel that they deserve a similar artistic treatment. From the sweeping vistas that call us to adventure, to the coziness of a pub sign where we know our friends are inside sharing tales, these moments and places absolutely shine through the medium of stained glass in a way that they canât in any other medium.
I likely have the same major touchstones as many other Tolkien fans my age – starting with the striking animation of the Bakshi films, later finding the stunning work of Alan Lee, and then being absolutely immersed in the world of Middle-earth by the amazing creative teams at WETA.
One of my absolute favorite sets of illustrations ever, though, is the 1976 Russian version of The Hobbit, illustrated by Mikhail Belomlinsky. The illustrations are bold and unique with a touch of whimsy, giving the entire book the feeling of a folk-tale. More than anything, I love the breadth of inspiration that is possible while still being true to the original text, and the huge diversity of artwork based around these stories.
It feels amazing! I feel like I should have a more sophisticated answer, but itâs so overwhelming that all I can think is: âamazing!â. Iâve long enjoyed being part of a worldwide fellowship of artists who create original art that is inspired by these books. So itâs an incredible honor to know that the stewards at Middle-earth Enterprises have selected my artwork to help officially represent that world to fans everywhere. I feel a responsibility to be worthy of that trust – being true to the original text and my own vision – to offer a new way of experiencing the world that Tolkien created.
Discover Ian’s gorgeous work for yourself – and maybe bring home a piece to adorn your cosy Smial!
Lots more Middle-earth on the way as new things are previewed and fans assemble on Bilbo & Frodo’s birthday this year.
Weta Workshop & Private Division gave select fans and gamers a playable demo of Tales of the Shire, a console & PC game coming to all platforms – Nintendo Switch, Xbox, Playstation, PC, and mobile via Netflix Games. Developers also announced the release date has been pushed to March 25, 2025. We have a full writeup and video playthroughs in another article.
Game producer Calliope Ryder was at TwitchCon San Diego this weekend for a panel on Tales of the Shire, and posted a “fun facts” thread about shirefolk on X.
It was also revealed that the duck with a dwarven helmet is a featured character, and its name is Ladle (sp?)!
Richard Taylor and the team at Weta Workshop posted a 20-minute behind the scenes video of the game in progress.
New Line Cinema’s feature anime film The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim debuted its theatrical poster for Hobbit Day!
Also announced, Warhammer is bringing Rohirrim into its Middle-earth⢠Strategy Battle Game with The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim⢠â Battle of Edoras starter set. The 56 piece package includes a board map, some Edoras structures, and a ton of miniature painted figures that the Tabletop RPG is known for. Get all the details over at Warhammer website.
The Hobbit Movie posted a charming little video to celebrate Hobbit Day.
Fans spotted that an orchestra concert of ‘The music of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit’ is coming to Pasadena in March 2025, and tickets are now available at Ticketmaster. (Note this is not the full scores being played with the movie – stay tuned for news of The Return of the King with live orchestra coming to NYC early next year!)
Also posting on Bilbo’s birthday was official accounts for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, focusing on Sauron. This fan wants to know: is Harfoot Nori’s birthday also September 22?
While a lot of your favorite Tolkien influencers are being featured in official The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power marketing, including our own greendragon, more fans are getting into the TolkienTube game. The newest is Makers of Middle-earth from Anna MarĂa, who has previously joined us for SDCC panels and livestreams. Her first interview is with the legendary Jed Brophy!
New Zealand fans visited Hobbiton with Red Carpet Tours.
Los Angeles fans got together for a potluck at Mineral Wells area in Griffith Park
Header photo is from Diane in the TORN Discord, taken under the party tree at Hobbiton! We hope all our fellow fans had a happy, hobbity day of fun and festivity – and are enjoying the riches of this era in the Tolkien fandom.