Friday, November 16, 2012

The Magic of Tolkien

We're experiencing Tolkien Fever at my house
as we await the release of The Hobbit this December.






The decomposing tree trunk above should have reminded me of those poor uprooted trees used to fuel the fires that made Saruman's weapons in Lord of the Rings.

Instead, its dark, craggy shape brought to mind Mount Doom.


Here in the woods I found the Ents Tolkien imagined.
Tall ancient-looking trees, alive and ready
to protect Middle-earth.

"A large Man-like, almost Troll-like figure,
at least fourteen foot high, very sturdy,
with a tall head and hardly any neck.


Whether it was clad in stuff like green and grey bark,
or whether that was its hide, was difficult to say.


At any rate the arms, at a short distance from the trunk, were not wrinkled, but covered with a brown smooth skin.
The large feet had seven toes each.


The lower part of the long face was covered with a sweeping grey beard, bushy, almost twiggy at the roots, thin and mossy at the ends.

But at the moment the hobbits noticed little but the eyes.
These deep eyes were now surveying them,
slow and solemn, but very penetrating."


From: Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers

34 comments:

  1. Those trees took me right back to Middle Earth, a real uncanny resemblance! Well done! Have a good weekend (if you can sleep after taking these pix!)

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    1. Hi Gringo, trees speak their own language for sure and Tolkien's Ents are unforgettable! I feel completely at home in the company of trees :)

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  2. Hi Rosemary, an amazing post. Love these photos!

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    1. Thank you Linda, trees have a way of touching our hearts, don't they?

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  3. What a remarkable eye you have for the evocative, Rosemary. And, the talent to share it. Cheers.

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    1. Hello Lee, thank you so much, I find we all have so much in common. It's a wonderful thing!

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  4. Hello Rosamary, it's really like the world of The lord of the Rings.
    Especially that eye!

    Greetings from Holland

    Willy

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    1. Hello Willy, yes, Tolkien really touched a lot of us with his magical world :)

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  5. Rosemary, pictures like the Lord of the Rings.
    Your photos are fantastic.
    Have a nice weekend.

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    1. Thank you Lucia, Lord of the Rings is an inspiration in many ways :)

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  6. I loved the Ents with the little Hobbits sitting in their branches being taken for a ride. Your Ents resemble them so closely and that eye!!! Brilliant stuff.

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    1. Thank you Rosemary, I am a true tree lover and there was no escaping that eye!

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  7. great shots. i love that tree eye ... neat!! i'm super excited too see the Hobbit... can't wait to see it. it will be great, i know it!! (:

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    1. Hello Beth, so nice to meet you! Glad to see we all have Hobbit fever :)

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  8. We are so small... Nice shots! Have a nice weekend!

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    1. Yes, we do feel very small next to these old trees :) Hope you have a wonderful week!

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  9. I felt like I have just finished watching LTR movie!
    Great shot Rosemary...and that 'eye' is so real!
    Is it too much to say you'll be the next Tolkein ;)

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    1. Hello Ash, trees have so much history and character in their form, bark, branches... Tolkien got it right with the Ents! No one can touch Tolkien, he speaks straight to my heart when it comes to nature :)

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  10. Loved the photos. The eye is amazing!

    Our family can't wait for The Hobbit movie to come out.

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    1. Hi Connie, isn't it wonderful to still have movies out there for "the whole family." We've read the book all together twice, can't wait to see what Peter Jackson is going to do with it!

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  11. I so look forward to your posts! Your eye (not just the one in the photo) is fabulous and your words are thought provoking! So glad I found your blog.

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    1. Awwwww, thanks so much, I'm glad to have found yours as well :)

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  12. Hello Rosemary,
    Nice shots of this very special trees. Nice to see from this low position to the top.
    Many thanks for your help. I think that the translate button works at my blog,..yeahhh..!!

    Greetings, Marco

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    1. Hello Marco, the translate button works - Yay! I'm so glad to be able to read the words that go with your awesome photos :)

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  13. Niesamowite drzewo i zdjęcia. Piękne :)
    Amazing tree and photos. beautiful :)

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  14. I'm with you on this one. I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THIS MOVIE!!! The books and extras are epic. Your shots and write are very cool.....I love that you love Tolkien as well:) Great stuff!

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    1. Thanks Chris, Tolkien speaks directly to those who love nature :)

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  15. Rosemary, those are really great images. I can imagine those trees coming to life and walking the streets of Montreal (middle earth). Ha!

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    1. Hi Daniel, we are so lucky to have Mont Royal with all its fabulous old trees right in the middle of our downtown area!

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  16. Hi Rosemary,
    You are quite obviously a kindred spirit, as I too am so looking forward to the coming of The Hobbit. Your photos are excellent, and again, I was inspired by The Lord of the Rings just like you, in a previous post of mine here:

    http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=106418510267458618#editor/target=post;postID=4860078822282702191

    Have a good week!

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    1. Hi Gary, just read your blog post, we are kindred spirits indeed :) Tolkien speaks for a lot of us - Long live the Ents!

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  17. Wow, these trees come to life in your photos! I love seeing"eyes" on trees. I seem to find them often:)

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Thank you so much for your kind words :)

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