Trilogy Saturday ~ The Accoutrements

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Paul participated in Trilogy Saturday in 2006, and ever since he has joined us in spirit. That first year he had made a gift to Bill/Lou of the sword he named 'Dragon Hammer', and arrived with "Prancing Pony" ale. Now both of his swords hang in the hall next to his picture.


With part of her gift money from Paul, Jan commissioned some fitting hand-thrown clay pitchers and drinking vessels from her potter friend.

Jan also crafted two banners to furnish the hall -- one for Rohan and the other for Gondor.
Young Zach has returned each year. He loves Tolkien's stories; by age nine he had read the Silmarillion twice! He receives his 2007 packet for the trip home from Chris (below, right) as Day and Ryan check out theirs (left).

2007: We all toasted Paul with a fragrant golden draught poured from an elven flask. Sue had spent some hours refining a secret blend for the occasion that seemed to change color depending on the light.

 

"Pippin afterwards recalled little of either food or drink, for his mind was filled with the light upon the elf-faces, and the sound of voices so various and so beautiful that he felt in a waking dream. But he remembered that there was bread, surpassing the savour of a fair white loaf to one who is starving; and fruits sweet as wildberries and richer than the tended fruits of gardens; he drained a cup that was filled with a fragrant draught, cool as a clear fountain, golden as a summer afternoon."

--from Three Is Company, Fellowship of the Ring

In 2007, when we parted each person received a travel packet created by Chris with a small flask of the same drink, along with some lembas and a little box of special salt with herbs cooked up by Day.

 

"[Sam] still hopefully carried some of his gear in his pack: a small tinder-box, two small shallow pans, the smaller fitting into the larger; inside them a wooden spoon, a short two-pronged fork and some skewers were stowed; and hidden in the bottom of the pack in a flat wooden box a dwindling treasure, some salt."

--from Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit, Two Towers

" ‘I thought it was only a kind of cram, such as the Dalemen make for journeys in the wild’, said the Dwarf.

‘So it is,’ [the elves] answered. ‘But we call it lembas or waybread, and it is more strengthening than any food made by Men, and it is more pleasant than cram, by all accounts...’ ‘... One will keep a traveller on his feet for a day of long labour, even if he be one of the tall Men of Minas Tirith.’ "

--from Farewell to Lorien, Fellowship of the Ring

Our 2008 gift packets included Chris' lembas for the road, the "Leave the Washing-Up for Lobelia" refrigerator magnet, Jim's oatcakes and a small gilt bag with a single beryl stone:

' They hurried along with all the speed they could make, and after a mile or two they saw the Last Bridge ahead, at the bottom of a short steep slope. They dreaded to see black figures waiting there, but they saw none. Strider made them take cover in a thicket at the side of the Road, while he went forward to explore.

Before long he came back. "I can see no sign of the enemy,' he said, 'and I wonder very much what that means. But I have found something very strange."

He held out his hand, and showed a single pale-green jewel. 'I found it in the mud in the middle of the Bridge,' he said. 'It's a beryl, an elf-stone. Whether it was set there, or let fall by chance, I cannot say; but it brings hope to me. I will take it a sign that we may pass the Bridge; but beyond that I dare not keep to the Road, without some clearer token.'

-- from The Flight to the Ford, Fellowship of the Ring

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The Fellowship of the DVD [] The Food [] The Accoutrements [] 2008 [] 2009
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last modified 14 Jan 09