By Pycella Woodberry 

By Lina Willowwood  

Joy of joys, the summer is here! And summer means time for food and drink! 
This summer, we'll visit the northern vineyards at Northcotton Farm! 
Get ready for this year’s Grand Summer Picnic!  

Date: Sunday June 30th 
Time: 7:30PM UK/BST (2:30PM servertime)
Location: The vineyards at Northcotton Farm, outside Oatbarton

We are pleased to invite all hobbits and good friends to this year’s summer picnic! Activities to look forward to include music, dancing, games, food, drinks and fireworks. And wine, lots of wine. Perhaps yer will be able to start making yer own?
This year, we'll visit the Nortfarthing, more precisely Northcotton Farm just west of Oatbarton. The farm has some quality vineyards for us to peruse and learn more about northern wine-making traditions. For instruction on how to get there, see below.

Please bring your own food to share with the others, for the picnic potluck!

All hobbits are invited, except Lobelia and Lotho. We're still undecided over Ol' Flourdumpling, because he'll end up eating all the food.

There may be a pie rolling run as well, so bring an extra set of dry clothes...

((OOC:

This is certainly a hobbit-preferred event, but well-mannered dwarves and good friends from taller persuasions may surely pop around too. Just don’t block the view of the locals during the entertainment.

To reach the vineyards, follow the map below. Basically, once you go through the entrance (to the farm, not the adventure instance), turn left at the first main crossroad, then keep turning right along the path.

While the vineyards are safe, there are some level 30 shrews and crows around near the entrance. If you need help to get past them, please contact Lina or Pycella. ))

Our dear friend Rubysue has sailed into the west.
We will meet do the things she loved.
Fishing, adventures and an ale at the inn. 

Date: Saturday May 25th
Time: 7:30PM ((UK time / 2:30PM servertime))
Location: 4 Wending Way, Songburrow, Shire Homesteads

Our good friend and grand mathomer Rubysue has passed away. We wish to invite her friends and aquaintances to an evening where we remember her by doing all the things she loved.

We will meet at Rubysue's burrow at 4 Wending Way, Songburrow, Shire Homesteads. The plans for the evening are flexible, but will likely include:

• Fishing in the river near her burrow (so bring fishing poles)
• An adventure of sorts, where we travel into the wild and look for trouble (so bring weapons and sturdy clothes)
• An ale at her favourite inn, the Green Dragon.

During the evening, we want to remember the good times we had together with Rubysue. While the occasion is one of sadness, we aim for a fond and good-natured event where smiles and laughter are just as welcome as tears.

Welcome along to raise a mug of ale for a grand hobbit adventurer!

(( OOC:
This is an in-character event. The adventure part of the event will depend on how many wishes to join and their in-game level. It may be chasing Roving Threats in the North Down, going into a raid or just exploring dangerous territories. We'll see on the night.))

By Peppy Bristlebrush 

Last night, I met with the new Shire May Queen, Granmama. We had a nice conversation at a table in the Ivy Bush and enjoyed a few mugs of ale together. Here is a transcription of that interview. 

Peppy: Hullo Granmama! Or do you prefer "your majesty"? 
 Granmama: Oh, let's get this out of the way immediately! None of that formal nonsense on my behalf, please, me dear! Granmama will do fine. Miss Granmama is... not right, I think.
Peppy: May I ask, what is your full name?
 Granmama: Granmama is a title , just like Miss. I used to be called Miss ofcourse, in my younger years. They called me Miss Cleoma, which is my given name.
Peppy: So we can call you Granmama Cleoma?

 Granmama: If you so wish. I like that better than Miss Granmama. After my wedding I became Madam Proudfoot, as my husband was Bearhart Proudfoot, may he rest in peace.

Peppy: And your marriage was blessed with children?
 Granmama: Oh, yes. Quite a few of them, actually.
Peppy: That must have felt good!
 Granmama: Aye, it did, pet.
Peppy: And when they grow up and had children of their own, you became Granmama?
 Granmama: You guessed it. Clever lad! *smiles*
I never liked the the word Gammer, so I asked them to call me Granmama.
Peppy: And your husband became Grandaddy or Granpapa? Of just Gaffer?
 Granmama: Agh, sadly he has never known his grandchildren. He would have loved them, I am sure.
Peppy: Oh, that is sad! He died at a young age?
 Granmama: Too young, dear, too young! He was only 45 years of age.
Peppy: I'm sorry to hear that, Granmama.

We both raised our glass to the late Bearhart Proudfoot.

Peppy: So you were called Madam Proudfoot, not Missus Proudfoot? Where did you live? Where are you from, I mean.
 Granmama: Aye, Madam Proudfoot, as they say it in Oatbarton.
Peppy: Oatbarton! O, but then you must know Pete Proudfoot, the Onionfarmer?
 Granmama: Ofcourse I do, dear, as I know everyone in Oatbarton and they know me.

Peppy: You can often be found in taverns, is that right? Is that why you wanted to meet here, at the Ivy Bush?
 Granmama: I like the atmospere in the Shire's taverns. And each of the innkeepers I count among my friends. It's a nice place to meet your fellow-hobbit and enjoy a nice mug of ale.

Peppy: Green Dragon Friday?
 Granmama: Oh, aye! A wonderful gathering every week. Unfortunately I cannot go there each week, but I go as often as I can. You know, I heard they are running the Green Dragon Fridays for 11 years already! I wish I had known before. I am now a late adopter, you could say.
Peppy: Why doesn't Oatbarton have a tavern?
 Granmama giggles: O, a good question! I think we like things informal there and we gather at someone's burrow or barn occasionally, if not regularly. Especially when the harvest has been brought in. Also, nasty things live just North of Oatbarton, out of the bounds, so we tend towards the South and end up in the Plough and Stars.

Peppy: We must also discuss your election as Shire May Queen, Granmama.
 Granmama: Sure, pet, what do you want to know? I still put on my knickers one leg at a time, you know.
Peppy chuckles: May I interpret that as "I am Granmama in the first place and Queen only second place"?
 Granmama: O aye, well put, me dear. But that does not mean that I don't see the importance of  having and being a Shire Queen! I take it quite seriously and the importance lies in being there to help Nature in producing bountiful harvests. That is the May Queen in it's essence, in my opinion.
Peppy: I was wondering: how exactly is that done? Does the floral crown come with a user guide?
 Granmama shakes her grey head: No pet, no guide. Guidance.. aye! It is done first of all, by all the hobbits in the Shire, by electing a Shire May Queen. That is it, really. And as Queen it is my job to keep that spirit of togetherness alive. The Shire is not fed by the produce of farmers alone! We all play our part.
Peppy: You mean like: "Together we stand, divided we fall"?
 Granmama: Exactly! I already noticed you are a clever lad, Peppy dear!

Peppy: Are there things you'd like to change in the Shire during your period of reign?
 Granmama: Well, it is not the role of each year's Queen to make changes. And certainly not by enforcing them. But I do like to educate the youngsters so they grow up to be fine Hobbits.
Peppy: By sending them all to school or back to school?
 Granmama: No no, not like that. I like telling stories, as you may know. Stories that have a meaning, a message in them. Some are very old stories. I don't make them up myself, but they were told to me by my own mother and gammer. And I tell them to my children, grandchildren and everyone who cares to listen to them. In that sense, I regard you all as my grandchildren, my own kin. I be Granmama to each and everyone of them!
Peppy: So what will be the lesson of your next stories?
 Granmama: Well, an important lesson is: "Don't hoard, but share!" Even if you like something very much, it gives more joy seeing others enjoying it as well, than to keep everything to yourself like a real niggard.
Peppy: Oh, are you now addressing certain biscuit lovers or ore collectors?
 Granmama: Certainly not, but if the boot fits, the owner of the foot can choose to wear it. That's an old Stoor proverb.
Peppy nods: Wonderful. I think our readers will now know more about you, after having read this interview. Thank you very much for agreeing to having this conversation.
 Granmama: My pleasure, Master Peppy, me dear. May all your readers have a lovely Summer!

A quiet and quaint village.
Time passes slowly in Little Delving.
Until the Brandy Badgers come to shake things up! 

Date: Monday May 13th
Time: 7:30PM ((UK time / 2:30 PM servertime))
Location: Little Delving, The Shire

The Brandy Badgers never really play concerts, but them's pretty well good at having public rehearsals. And they're just burning in with songs they didn't manage to put into the May Queen musical earlier this spring. So expect a lot of songs yer didn't hear the Badgers play before. And the odd surprise!

Come to dance, have fun and shake up things in Little Delving!

((OOC:

This will be a public rehearsal with all the Queen songs we didn't find room for in the May Queen musical earlier this year. We'll likely play a few other songs as well.

As usual, we love it if lots of hobbits come to listen and chat with us. Should others like to show up as well, be very welcome, but make sure yer don't block the view of the hobbits!))

By Lina Willowwood 

Green Dragon Friday is 11 years old , and we must celebrate!
Welcome hobbits! Bring all yer hobbit friends!
Add yer drinks to Potty's tab!

Date: Friday May 24
Time: 7:30PM ((UK, 2:30PM servertime))
Location: Green Dragon Inn, Bywater, The Shire

Plans for the main party are still being sorted out, but here are some things to look forward to:

• The Grand GDF Anniversary Meal - food and drink aplenty!
• The Grand GDF Anniversary Speech - yer not getting away from it...
• The Grand GDF Raffle – win fun prizes!
• The Grand GDF Fireworks Display – boom!
• GDF-related entertainment – sign up in advance if yer have some!

Please note that Green Dragon Friday is an in-character roleplaying event for hobbits. Travelling dwarves are welcome as always.

))

By Acorne Oakley 

Hiya! 

It was great ta see so many of ya at the April OAKS ... 

Ya brought yer families....gammers, gaffers, aunties, uncles....and cousins galore   *giggles* 

We all had fun dancin and listenin ta the music of Harfang! 

At one point Master Sigmo said, "We never have been on stage with such a crazy party! "  
and then he had us all tryin ta dance like ..Goblins!

My dear Papa was there and he said it was lovely music and he had a grand time all evenin!

Miss Leddy had ta use a bunch of paint in her drawings that day..hehe... just look at these...                     

And now....

when the bands that have played over the past year come back ta each play agin fer 30 minutes..

Join us in Oldfurlong & we'll climb them OAKS t'gether   *giggles*

..... in the town square of Oldfurlong on Saturday May 11 ....