Tuesday morning

At the entrance to Mirkwood

I left Bilbo this morning just starting out through the Old Forest, Mirkwood, on his journey east with the company of dwarves to the mountain of the dragon. The dwarves had been forced to free the ponies given them by Beorn and now have to carry on with all of their supplies on their own backs.  Gandalf had just left them to go on alone because he had 'pressing business away south.' 

Entering Mirkwood *

I read The Hobbit every morning after I’ve finished packing lunches and am waiting for the lazybones to come down stairs.

It is a cold and gray day here in Westerville today. The weatherman is promising a lot of rain by this afternoon. I suppose I should go and let the dogs out one more time before R & M get home because after it rains I can’t bring them in. They will be all wet and getting them dried them off good is more than I can do when they are really sloppy. Winter is coming.

I don’t think anyone will be taking a sleigh “over the river and through the woods” this year though. At least I will be surprised if there is that much snow.

* I forgot to say that these illustrations are by Ted Nasmith, another Tolkien illustrator.  To do a superior job, the artist has to love the stories.  And Mr. Nasmith must!