Gladsome Time

This past weekend was a much-needed, enervating family gathering. Delicious food was eaten, gifts exchanged and there was much laughter and merry mayhem.  Gladsome times!!

Of course, again I was remiss in my photo-taking! Terrible of me, as I would love to have gotten a nice group picture. I must have been having too good a time to think about my camera.

I do want to share something though, a picture taken after the fact.

My daughter gave me a special present. A book, of course. It represents a favorite subject shared by both her and me. Our love for Tolkien and all things Hobbit.

The Art of the Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, written and edited by Wayne G. Hammond & Christina Scull explores the complete artwork by Tolkien for his book, The Hobbit. It includes more than a hundred sketches, drawings, maps, paintings and plans. Some of the artwork has never been published before. The illustrations added an extra dimension to this amazing work.  I am thrilled to have this book and know I will spend a lot of time with it.

What I wanted to share, though, is the inscription my daughter wrote to me in the book. It is very moving and just makes me so happy. I don't think she will mind if I share it.

You can click on the picture to make it larger. She is referring to my old battered and much-read copies of the Tolkien books, the ones I very first read, and which she read too for the first time.

In other news, it is friggin' cold! Our temps have dropped down into ridiculous numbers, and we are getting a lot of snow. Yes, I know it is January and that it is winter.  And I live in a northern clime. But I would still like to complain, if you don't mind. Being Wiccan I rejoice in all Seasons, taking each day as a Gift from Nature and the Goddess. Thank you, Mother Earth for the gift. Perhaps a bit less gifting would be also gratitude-inducing.

All for now. Bright Blessings from Robin.