Hobbit Day

Today is Hobbit Day, the day fans of J.R.R. Tolkien celebrate his work. Why the 22nd of September? Because it is the date of the birthday of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins. It kind of make sense that their birthday is on the 22nd of September: autumnal equinox, time for change, call for adventure. How would you observe Hobbit Day? I guess most would read The Lord of The Rings, particularly the chapters surrounding Bilbo's birthday. Here I mark it with an illustration of Alan Lee: Frodo (or is it Bilbo? I do think it's Frodo) discussing with Gandalf. But if I could, I'd spend the day with my brothers playing a game of Dungeons & Dragons, set in a halfling village. Like for many people, Tolkien's world brought us to D&Dr and it inspired us a lot, so it would make perfect sense.

A Hobbit's home

I read this piece of news in the Metro today, it made me smile: a family in Wales built a house under a hill, just like a Hobbit's house. The geek I am sometimes (often) with (sometimes) hippy tendencies got envious reading this. Who wouldn't live in a Hobbit's home? You read Tolkien's books and you think that's stuff of fairy tale, modern fiction at best. And yet it is possible. And it looks like it does in fiction. I am not sure how eco-friendly this house really is, but it sure has character. Primitive, yet it seems quite cosy. I have been living in the attic for the last few years (properly in the attic since 2007), it is how I prefer to live, but I do find the idea of living undergrounds, or at least underhill, if there is plenty of light, very appealing.