Editorial

Yuletide is a-coming in! - Issue 12 1428 S.R.

As the year nears it's end it is a period of many traditions that come to life. I'll mention a few here, but there are probably more! Miss Pycella will again make a Hobbit Yule Calendar, but with the contribution of all of you! There is the raising of the Yule tree in Songburrow where everyone is invited, not just the inhabitants of Songburrow. You could also call it : the raising of the Shire Yule tree! And there will be many concerts too, one in Oldfurlong, one in Sootcrest and many more.  Another fine tradition is the making of a large Yule drawing. Miss Lina asks you all to join in and assures you (again) that baths will not be involved. Or will they?? I also  think the Badgers might go wassailing again in Winterhome, another fine tradition.

But there is also a first. And perhaps it will be the start of another tradition. Only time will tell. I am talking about the Wintertide Poetry Competition, organised by our one and only Nannie! Brave the cold of Frostbluff and recite your best poem about  the given themes. But do sign up beforehand.

I wish you a Merry and Happy Yuletide and a good start of the New Year!


A fine month for coronations - Issue 5 1428 S.R.

Let me start by congratulating our new Shire May Queen and King!  Queen Louisalotta and King Arigo, may you have a good year of reigning over the Shire and may the harvests be bountiful while you are in office! And congratulations and thanks to our dear and beloved Nannie too, for helping us find the next Royal Couple! Nannie, if there would be such a rank, I am sure you'd be our Shire May Empress for life!

May is not only about coronations, ofcourse. We are looking forward to the Forest of OAKS in Oldfurlong where the bands who played at the regular OAKSes of this season will come back and play for you once more! And I've heard that all you lasses who are someone's Mom are specially welcome and there will be a surprise for you all!

Another Grand festivity will be the Anniversary of the weekly Green Dragon Friday gatherings! For 15 years it has been the reason no hobbit has felt bored or lonely on a Friday night! Many bands made their debut there, many love stories started right there and many friendships were forged. And many gossips originated around the fireplace of the Green Dragon. Is that waitress expecting a little one? 

Will 15 years be enough?? No, ofcourse not! They will already be planning for the next Anniversary the very next day, I am sure! And that is no gossip!!


Gazette is still struggling, but in operation - Issue 4 1428 S.R.

As you have seen we are able to print new announcements, so the Gazette is still the trustworthy source of information for all Hobbits.

But we do need to implement big changes and we need you help with that. Please write to us and let us know what you think are the most importants thinks about your Gazette. And what things do you not read or what can be missed.

And if you have knowledge about setting up a new form of the Gazette, then let us know that too. You may be able to help. Write to the editors, please!

What is on many Hobbit's minds right now is who will be our next Shire May Queen and King! You can already nominate candidates who you think are suitable. Drop a note to Nannie or tell her if you meet her. You have until April 21 to do that. After that you will have the opportunity to vote for one of the nominees. More info on how to vote will be published here in the Gazette and on April 29th all will be revealed.

At the last OAKS Miss Acorne announced that in May there will again be a concert with all the bands of this season, called "the Forest of OAKS". It will take place on May 13th.

Have you seen that we have added a new section? It is called "Interviews and Reviews" and can be found under "News". Reviews are stories about events that have happened and can be a boon for those who were unable to visit them. Interviews contain information about a person in the form of a bunch of questions and answers.

Would you like to write a review or interview? Please do and send it to the editors' mailbox. Many thanks in advance!


Why the Gazette has not been available lately - Issue 3 1428 S.R.

The Gazette has been using a printing press leased from a firm called "Giggle(TM)". Now Giggle has decided to lease us another printing press which is not able to do things the way we were used to. It also cannot print the lovely Hobbit hands drawn by Master Speckles. Both readers and editors will have to get used to the new look and procedures. And boy, is it complicated! Luckily I have found help in the person of Miss Adamantja's husband, called Cube, (a.k.a. B4). He has been great in helping us to transfer the old Gazette to the new format. Thank you very much, Master Cube for all your help!!

But editing is another thing and I will need to learn it all over again. I hope that soon we will be able to announce events again and present them in a way that is easy to do and easy to read.

Best wishes for the New Year to all readers! - Issue 1 1428 S.R.

Weren't they absolutely spiffing and grand again? I am talking ofcourse about Pycella's Hobbit Yule Calendar and Lina's Magical Yule Drawing! Well done and thank you for making it possible, you two! And ofcourse many thanks go to all who helped out by acting or sending in things for the Calendar. It shows that our Hobbit Community is thriving and creative.

Talking of creativity, in this time of year I must always think of our former Art director, Master Speckles Tookburrow. He made the layout of the Gazette back in the day, with the little hands golding the Gazette. He had made a special Yule Layout too with the hands in mittens. Unfortunately he has not left behind a note on how to change between these different decors. But Master Speckles, where ever you are, I hope you are doing well and we all still enjoy your art work. Thank you!

The busy days of Yuletide are behind us now and the schedule of events is a bit less filled. But there is always something being planned for you to attend and enjoy. Beside the regular events we have many concerts, competitions and other gatherings to keep us occupied. As always, you can rely on the Bramblebury Gazette to let you know about them. And if you are planning something yourself, you can rely on the Bramblebury Gazette to write about it and let everyone know. Just send your article (accompanied by a nice picture if you have one) to our editors at brambleburygazette.com. This service is free of charge to all inhabitants of the Shire and has been free of charge since we started more than twelve years ago. Many thanks go to Yola and Byronbrand who started it in September 2010.

We hope you'll keep reading the Gazette in this New Year and that you will continue to have a good life as a Hobbit in our beloved Shire!

That time of year again - Issue 10-11 1427 S.R.

Alright, dear readers, it is time to be warned again: the dreaded clock fiddling is about to happen! In the night of October 29 to October 30 the clock of Michel Delving will be set back one hour ((meaning the clocks in Europe)). Since Hobbits on the west side of the Big Pond ((USA)) don't do that until one week later, the difference with Servertime will be four hours, not five! After the night of November 5 to November 6, when ALL clocks have been set back, we will return to the normal situation of 5 hour difference.

I find this all mightily confusing (and had to rewrite the above all over again) and I am sure many of you will too. So we've decided to indicate the starting times of the special events in the tables below with the colour red when the difference with servertime is NOT the standard 5 hours. And then we'll be good again until next year when the whole clock fiddling issue will confuse us all again!

Concurring with this all is the haunted season, as if it was not scary and confusing enough: Scary concerts, a haunted burrow opened to the public and many hobbits dressed to scare their friends and surprise them with frightening outfits. Even the Green Dragon will be filled with screams of fear on Scream Dragon Friday!

So as not to get lost in the Haunted Burrow, only to be recovered next year *shivers*, it is wise to let Nannie guide you through it. This is not to prevent you from being extremely frightened, but at least you will find the exit again.

Nannie promised there will be no surprise pre-Yule baths during the trip. This being more the realm of Miss Almi, and I am sure we will be reporting about that the next time. So hold on to your wits and don't be frightened too much until then!

A gate has been opened    Issue 4-5 1427 S.R.

Aye, but it was not the South Farthing Gate, unfortunately. The mayor confined us all to our burrows for almost an entire day while this new gate was constructed: the Rushock Gate in Needlehole. Being of curious nature many hobbits, incuding myself, have already sneaked a peek in that wondrous new place: Yondershire. My first concern was that some hobbits claim to be of "Lotho's bounders". Lotho as in son of Lobelia! No doubt we'll soon learn more about that.

Some expeditions have already been planned: a Historical field trip and a inn crawl! You'll read more about it here in the Gazette.

But wait, don't spend all your time in the new region! There is lots to do in the "old"  Shire as well! The Search for the Mysterious Singing Badgers will soon take place. Some claim they actually saw them last year and boast about that at the inns while enjoying a pint with their mates. The more pints they drink, the more badgers they have heard singing.

Another important thing: the election of the Shire May Queen and King! Don't forget to send your vote for one of the lovely candidates to Nannie and on May first we'll learn who will wear the floral crowns this year. And the last thing I want to mention is the Forest of OAKS. All the bands that performed at the OAKS this season will perform again for you on May 14th. Starting time is earlier than usual, please take that into account so you won't miss any of them!

O, and another gate has been closed. Closed for good now. I am talking about the Gazette Contact Form.  We really appreciate you using the Quickpost ((or e-mail)) way to give us your articles. The contact form was in comparison very unwielding and has been deleted now. I could not delete all references to the form, but the form itself is no longer there. Long live the Quickpost!

Again those clocks...  Issue 3 1427 S.R.

Aye, dear readers, it is time to issue that warning again: there will be clockfiddling and it will again be complicated and unsynchronized!

Let me get straight to it: West of the Big Pond ((USA)) hobbits will move their clocks forward 1 hour from March 13 on. East of the Big Pond ((Europe)) hobbits will wait until March 27 to start the so called Daylight Saving Time.

What does that mean for us? We talk about events with both Michel Delving time ((UK time)) and Servertime ((Eastern USA time)) and those clocks are on opposite sides of the Big Pond. The difference between them is usually 5 hours but until we all have fiddled it will be four hours. This goes for the period of March 13 until March 26. *wipes brow* Phew, complicated stuff and I hope I got it right again. You can check here for more and more local info and here for the detailed situation West of the Big Pond

Clock fiddling is not all that will be happening in the Shire. There are many events planned (double check that servertime!) and for us Hobbits a very important one is Bullroarer Took Day on March 17. Make sure you get your green outfits ready before that day. Green dyes tend to be low in stock leading up to the 17th. Hobbit Market is a good place to go shopping for green clothes or, if you are a tailor or a DIY type of person, all kinds of green dyes. We are still looking for poets who are willing to recite their "Bullroar-em" (that's short for a poem about Bullroarer, a term in the style of the famous poet Simbo Rumblebelly). Musicians were quick to sign up and we will present you a full program. Don't miss it!

A Belated Happy New Year! Issue 1 1427 S.R.

My apologies for again a belated Editorial! My mum always said: better late than never, Peppy, when I was late doing my chores for her. So here we go: First of all I want to convey my best wishes for the New Year to you all! May it be a good one, and especially a hopeful one with the hope that the crazy situation that we live in right now will end or become so mild that it does not impact our lives so drastically.

I think we have another great Hobbit year ahead of us again with many usual events and festivities and many yet unannounced surprises too. After all, what is life without surprises!

There will be OAKSes for you and Green Dragon Fridays, Bullroarer Took Day, the usual festivals organised by the authorities, burrow warmings and what not. Last year's harvests were plentiful enough to help us through to the next harvests. And to ensure that these will be just as succesful, the blessing of the Shire's orchards will be done in the form of a wassail by the Brandy Badgers and I am sure that Nannie is already thinking about how to organise the election of the Shire May Queen (and King).

And the Gazette will inform you of such events in a timely and accurate manner. Thank you for another year of reading the Bramblebury Gazette, dear readers! If you have anything worth reading for your fellow Hobbits, you know that you can always and free of charge let us help you to announce it to everyone interested.

Yule coming soon! Issue 11 1426 S.R.

As you see by the busy schedule below, Yule is firmly on it's way and there is a lot going on. Please pay attention to Pycella's Hobbit Yule Calendar and know, that it is much appreciated that you send in your own contributions!

I thank everyone who responded to my question if you missed the editorials. It seems that you do! So I'll try my very best to write one every month.

As I mentioned, there are many events in the upcoming months to keep you busy and to keep you in a merry Yule spirit. Winterhome will open it's gates again and again we'll have the chance to see "the Ode to Old Bloodtusk"! Or do we? Actors are fickle people when it comes to choosing what play to perform.

Closer to home there will be enough things to keep you busy as well: special celebrations at the Green Dragon, the raising of theYule tree in Songburrow and that lovely tradition of making a Yule Drawing with as much Hobbits as Miss Lina Willowwood can muster. Make sure that you are part of it! A little warning beforehand: Involuntary Yule baths are not ruled out! But else Miss Almi will make sure you go into the new year as clean as a whistle! I wonder what theme this year's Drawing wil have... but we'll have to be patient to find that out. Participate though, and you'll know before anyone who doesn't!

If you have the time and the inclination to travel to Bree, you can see a bunch of dwarves and other folk there, giving their version of Bilbo Baggins' story of his big adventure. I am mentioning this not only because I am the proud father of the one who plays the main protagonist!

I wish you a happy Foreyule time!

A New concept for the Editorials Issue 10 1426 S.R.

Dear Readers,

Some of you (may) have noticed, that I haven't written an Editorial for many months. Last one dated from Yule! I waited to see if readers would notice and report such an omission to me. Only one reader did, so I assume now that you do not care for a monthly word from your editor? If you do, please let me know now!

As you all know, the Gazette started it's life giving local news to the inhabitants of Bramblebury. Later we opted to cover the entire Shire. Articles that gave news about events outside of the Shire were politely refused. The reason is that Hobbits tend not to be adventurous and tend not to leave our lovely Shire to visit such events. But sometimes there lands a note on my desk of an event that takes place out of bounds, but is nevertheless related to Hobbits somehow and can be of interest. Maybe it is an event organised by Hobbits or concerning Hobbits. We have decided to open the Gazette for such announcements too! To prevent a cartload of applications, I must add the rule: Editors decision on whether to publish or not is FINAL!

For the ease of you, our readers, events that take place out of bounds will be marked in RED in the list of Special Events. What do you think of this idea?

Now as Summer is slowly but noticeably ending, the authorities will soon want us to mess with our clocks again. As usual I want to warn you about this and inform you of the dates to watch out for. No matter where you live, the clock will be changed back one hour.  Are you living by the Michel Delving clock ((UK)) then you turn back your clocks on October 31. Are you living by the clock they call servertime, then you'll fall back one hour on November 7th. The difference between MD clock and servertime clock is 5 hours most of the year, but from October 31 until November 7 it will be 4 hours.(I hope I get it right. This is utterly confusing to a Hobbit like me).

Finally, we give starting times in Michel Delving clock time. To get servertime, you have to do a bit of maths. Subtract 4 hours from that number in the aforementioned period.

All your announcements are welcome and will be printed by us as well as we can. Do add a suitable sketch or painting if you can. And please, please, please: Do not use the Contact Form anymore! Send you letters by Quickpost. That is so much more convenient for us.

Postmaster Ambrinna has assured us that letters never get lost in the mail, as far as she can tell. This is backed up by the fact that the "Lost and Found" has yet to be found and is rumoured not to exist at all!

Just a short one - Issue 12 1426 S.R.

Dear Readers,

We at the Bramblebury Gazette, we hope you've had wonderful Yuledays, in spite of certain troubles you may have experienced in your life lately. Keeping the Green Dragon open all day on ForeYule and Yule was grand and we thank Barmy, but especially his waitress Pycella for this. Thank you very much for your efforts, Miss Pycella! Pycella has been active for us in another way too: she brought us the Hobbity Yule Calendar, with a little help form many who sent in their recepies, cards, pictures and what not! Another  honourable mention goes to Lina who brought us another fine Yule Movi(ng picture), also with the aid of many actors from our community.

Hobbit Yule would not have been the same without these two features and I am already looking forward to the next installments!But.. curb your enthusiasm: that will not be for another year.

Enjoy the remainder of this year and keep reading the Gazette in the New Year too! Just send in your article to the Gazette's Quickpost address editors[*]brambleburygazette.com and put the right character where it says [*]. You know what I mean.

Upon that Night when Fairies light... - Issue 10&11 - 1426 S.R.

Finally, another editorial! Sorry about the lack of those these past few months. I blame a mild(?) case of writer's block.

You will have noticed that several events around November 1rst, have a spooky theme! This is because of Halloween or, by it's old name Samhain (/ˈsɑːwɪn, ˈsaʊɪn/). The first line of my editorial is a quote from the poem Halloween by poet Robert Burns. Basically Halloween is a feast to celebrate harvest coming in and the dark days of Winter lying ahead.

I've heard farmers all around the Shire saying that the harvests were plentyful and so there is enough reason to be cheerful. So why the dreariness and gloom? It is said that this is to scare off the bad spirits. By acting more scary than they are, we hope to chase them off and keep the harvests safe to get us through Winter. So please, help out and dress up so your own mother would not recognise you and the poor lass might even faint. But it is not about scaring your mothers and mother-in-laws (however tempting that might be), it is to drive any bad spirits away. Remember that and be nice to your own kin!

It seems that in spite of me not warning about clock fiddling in an editorial, people did what they had to do on the East side of the big pond, as will people on the West side coming November first. And then all is back to normal, so to say.

I still can't get my head around why Mayors on West and East side cannot decide on having the same date to change to and from Daylight Saving Time. No, it could even get worse: there is a plan to have each Farthing decide by themselves when and whether they will have Daylight Saving Time, and if not, whether they will stay on "normal" time or on "saving" time all year. Can you imagine the chaos coming from that? Traveling from Stock to Michel Delving could require you to change your clock, each and every time! Making appointments would be extra difficult. Let us hope that it will never be implemented that way!

Chief editor no longer indisposed - Issue 6&7 - 1426 S.R.

An update is long overdue, but here it goes: My hand has fully recovered now and I am back at work! I thank you all for all of your kind wishes and letters and special thanks go to our second editor Miss Tibba, who kept things running during my absence. Much appreciated, Tibba! Flowers are in the Quickpost... I hope they don't lose them.

Meanwhile Summer has peaked and our leap year day, Overlith, is also behind us now. We've had a lovely Summer picnic and a just as lovely Summer Poetry Competition. Remember, Poets, it is always great if you send in your entries so the Gazette can publish them for the benefit of all who were not able to attend.

We have arrived in the Lazy Days of Summer, which means that there will be less events to write about and to attend. But before the crops require our attention again, it is lovely to just sit back in the sun, enjoy the view, a slice or two of pie and, if you are so inclined, a pipe filled with the finest pipeweed your money can buy.

Looking forward, I can already see many fine things peeking over the horizon. There will be another Masquerade Ball, not to say the least.  Time to think about your next disguise! There will be our annual Bard's Day in the Ivy Bush, where you can enjoy the writings of Ronald Dwale, both in poetry and songs. There will be Festivals galore and before you know it, we'll be decorating the Yule trees again.

But in the meantime, enjoy to the full the good things that Summer brings us! Cheers!

Chief editor indisposed - Issue 4&5 - 1426 S.R.

I must keep this short this time: I had a nasty fall and hurt my hand(s). Now I can not operate the printing press by myself anymore.

I hope that my second editor, Miss Tibba  Stoutfoot, can take over and add new articles and maintain the schedule of events.

Meanwhile, for you, the contributors, it is important to send to the address of the editors[at]brambleburygazette.com and not to my personal address.

I've heard some very sad news - Issue 3 - 1426 S.R.

Aye, the sad news is, that a fine hobbit, a good friend and a talented musician has passed away. It is dear Master Pipes, also known as Geoffroi. Our thoughts are with his family, his musical friends and anyone who knew him. He will be dearly missed! There will be a tribute to him on March 15 in Bree (See the announcement below).

Ack, it's that time of year again where everyone can get confused over what time an event will start. I'm talking about the clock fiddling, ofcourse! Clocks will be set forward one hour to have more daylight, but not every clock at the same time! From Sunday 8 of March until and incuding Saturday March 28, the difference between the Michel Delving clock ((UK time)) and the clock called Servertime ((Boston time, or Eastern Standard Time)) will be four hours and not the usual five. Please bear that in mind this month!

What can be expected this month? There is PIE-day ofcourse on March 14 and there is Bullroarer Took Day on March 17. The Spring Festival will start on March 19 and will last almost an entire month. We close the month with the March OAKS on the 28th. And ofcourse there are the usual Hobbit Markets, the Nights of the Muses and the Green Dragon Fridays!

We hope to meet you on one or more of these occasions!

The Tribute and Memorial for Master Pipes will be held on Sunday March 15 at 18:30 ((UK, 2:30 pm servertime)) on the stage in front of the Pony ((on Landroval!))

Calendar fiddling! - Gazette Issue 2 - 1426 S.R.

Aye, I am not talking about the clock fiddling this time. That is a subject for next month. No, this year is a special year: a leap-year. To explain what exactly is a leap year would be out of the scope of this editorial. However, I am preparing a Green Dragon Friday Lecture on the subject. It will be brought to you on Friday February 28, at the Green Dragon. Many more things will happen that night, so come and see!

In the calendar we use at the Gazette, the leap day will occur after that Friday, on February 29. And there will be a fishing contest that day, organised by my good friend Master Ponso: the Salmon-leap fishing contest.  The official Hobbit Calendar has another date for it's leap day: the day after Mid-Year's Day and we call it "Overlithe". More about that later.

February is the month of Lover's Day or Heart's Day. It has already passed at the time of writing and we had a lovely masked Romance Ball to celebrate it. Thank you, Nannie, for organising it! I wonder if it already has sparked any new romances...  The monthly OAKS has also already been (thank you Acorne, for organising that) and the next one will be near the end of next month. If you suffer from withdrawal symptoms because of that, you can always visit other concerts, like the weekly Night of the Muses (thank you Little Wanderers for organising that). The bi-weekly public rehearsal of the Brandy Badgers cannot be visited this month though. They are preparing for their annual Spring Project at an undisclosed location (Thank you Badgers for organising that). When it is finished and ready to be performed, we'll let you know ofcourse!

Speaking of organising, I'll be busy organising the annual Bullroarer Took Celebrations next month and I am also eager to see the second Laurelin Festival of Folk Music! Bands who would like to perform there can let me know. But remember that the theme is Folk music, not just any kind of music, although all music is lovely  and has it's own merit. But for this Festival we require you to play Folk music! There is a rumour here at the office, that the famous Songburrow Strollers may make their appearance this year! We'll see, but fingers crossed!

And finally, I would like to thank every single hobbit who helps organise events in our Shire. And all you Hobbits who visit them too. Show your appreciation for the organisers by showing up and enjoying their efforts! It's what makes the Shire so very special and so dear to many.

A new year is about to begin - Gazette Issue 1 - 1426 S.R.

First of all, I am hoping that you are having a

Merry Yuletide!!!

It's a time of year with many events and parties. How can Hobbits not like that!

It is also a time to think about and preparing for the New Year. Do you formulate your 'good intentions' or do you just wing it and see how it al ends? It does not harm to think about it a bit.

With the arrival of the New Year, Spring is just around the corner and our farmers will be busy again preparing their fields for the sowing of a new harvest later in the year. Nannie will be thinking again about helping us find a new Shire Queen and, hopefuly for this year, a Shire King. In my opinion Queen Granmama did an excellent job without a king by her side, but tradition dictates we should have a king too! It is not for the lack of fine lads, that we don't have one.

Also, next to a search for a Shire May Queen and King, there is the annual search for the Singing Badgers to look forward to! I wonder where that musical adventure will lead us this year! And talking about music: the First ever Laurelin Folk Music Festival was well received  last year, so we'll be aiming for a second edition! And ofcourse Miss Acorne will treat you to a monthly OAKS in the New Year too.

We at the Gazette wish you a very

Happy New Year!!!

and we hope you will keep reading our Bramblebury Gazette and that you'll keep sending us your announcements and creative writings and pictures in the year to come. 

Get ready to fiddle your clocks! - Gazette Issue 10 & 11 - 1425 S.R.

That's right! It's clockfiddling time again and we start as usual at the East side of the Big Pond: You set your clocks backward one hour in the night of 26 to 27 of October. This diminishes the difference of Shire time ((UK time)) with the servertime clock by one, so the difference will be 4 hours.

But not for long as Hobbits and other folk on the West side of the Big Pond will follow suit and set their clocks backward one hour in the night of November 2 to November 3. This includes the servertime clock, so the difference will again be 5 hours from then on.

The authorities still have not decided on whether to stop DST altogether or have permanent DST all through the year. Some deluded soul even suggested to put the clocks back half an hour to get the best of both systems!

Well, if now they cannot even decide to switch clocks on the same date worldwide, what would the situation be if some in the world are on a x+half hour difference? It would make things more difficult to plan and to announce, I can tell you that!

Speaking of announcements, a grand party has been announced for October 26: The Grand Order of the Lost Mathom celebrates it's 12th anniversary! And another yearly ritual is the walk through the Haunted Burrow, for the bravest among us. You'll be quite safe, I've been assured, under the guidance of no other than Nannie herself! Not a yearly event, but a monthly one is the OAKS concert with the Andune Ensemble this time. Last month the series made an excellent start of the new season! The second will be special again as the Andune Ensemble will bring you the tale of the most famous Hobbit of us all. No, not Bullroarer Took, but the tale of Mad Baggins and how he got abducted by a gang of dwarves lead by no other than Gandalf the Wizard! Come and see for yourself. You won't be dissapointed!

The Mayor in Bywater? Fall must be nearing!  - Gazette Issue 8 & 9 - 1425 S.R.

That's right: the Mayor visits Bywater during the Farmer's Fair. And boy, is he enjoying all that the farmers produced for us ("all" almost to be taken literally. There is no end to Ol'Flourdumpling's gluttony). During this time, it is customary that the gatherings on Friday, better known as Green Dragon Friday, be held elsewhere. As usual your Gazette informs you of the where and when.

And talking about Festivals, they have added a Summer Festival Encore from 9/26/19 - 10/7/19 September 26 to October 7.

Also the OAKS series of concerts is about to start a new season! Yay! You can expect one in October, but the date has not been set at the time of writing this. But all will be announced in your Bramblebury Gazette, ofcourse.

Next time I'll mention the clock fiddling again, not this time. O dang! I already mentioned it. Forgive me, dear readers, the hot Summer was great, but played tricks on my mind a bit.  I should not spend too much time in the direct sunlight, I think. Next year, I might visit Forochel in stead of a warm Cape in the South. Keeping my head cool and my thinking clear!

Lazy Summer days are great!  - Gazette Issue 6 & 7 - 1425 S.R.

You have had to wait for a long  time to get a new Editorial and I apologise for that. But I've been enjoying the Lazy days of Summer to the full! I even extended my stay out of bounds because it was so lovely there! Drinking fine ale by the waterfront, delicious pies being served by a couple of nice and friendly Hobbit lasses... what more does one need?!

But now that I have returned, the Shire looks just as friendly as was my Holidays destination. And, I must admit it, I am glad to be back home.

The warm Summer weather made both my plants and the weeds grow in abundance, so there is enough work to be done in my garden. It was not as bad as it was some time ago when shrubs grew all over the place, not in the least on the field in Oldfurlong where the OAKS concerts are held. Talking of OAKS, during Summer there are no concerts. But come Fall, a new season will start. I can´t wait to visit one again!

Other events are usually also postponed during Summer months, so the list on the front page is nearly empty, sometimes fully empty, this time of year. But you did have a grand Summer picnic, I heard! And for some great entertainment, you could go and see the Brandy Badgers rehearse. Usually they do this on the Mondays that have no Market and usually in the square of Michel Delving. Well worth a visit.

And for a chat, a tale, a riddle or a song, there is ofcourse Green Dragon Friday on every Friday, no matter what temperature it is outside! Barmy keeps the ales stored cool and, unfortunately, the prices high.

Enjoy the wonderful Lazy days of Summer!

And we have a new Shire May Queen!  - Gazette Issue 5 - 1425 S.R.

But will we have a king tomorrow?? I believe I paraphrased a well-known song there..  But first things first:

This year's Shire May Queen is known to you all as Granmama! She won the election this year, despite her senior age. In fact, all candidates have been around for many a year now. But what happened when Nannie wanted to announce the King? None of the candidates was present! So Nannie decided to keep the results of that election to herself. It looks like there will be no Shire May King this year. Miss, now Princess, Almi, the other candidate who was at the election, promised Queen Granmama that she'd help here with her tasks at any Royal request.

Not much is known about our new Shire Queen, so I have written to her requesting an audience with the purpose of interviewing her on behalf of our readers, so that you may learn more about who she is and how she sees her new function.

May is a month of anniversaries. There is the Anniversary Festival centered around fireworks and invisible books, but there is also the eleventh anniversary of Green Dragon Friday, centered around a rather yucky rug! And it is still going strong and could well see it's fifteenth anniversary in a few years! But let's not get ahead of ourselves: on May 24th, which is a Friday ofcourse, is the grand party. You can read about that in it's own article.

Another anniversary this month: that of Hobbit Heart, the musical duo. Ah, that brings back memories, as I was at the birth of Hobbit Heart myself, together with Amorey. Well, we did go our seperate ways, but Amorey kept the flame burning. Perhaps we could have a reunion performance this year? We'll see. And you'll read all about it in the Bramblebury Gazette if it is going to happen.

Tis that time again! - Gazette Issue 4 - 1425 S.R.

We've all done it now, the fiddling with the clocks that is, so "normal" times have returned. Normal in the sense of the difference between server time and Michel Delving time. You'll be asked to turn the clocks back one hour again either October 27 or November 3, depending on where you live.

I'm not sure if it is the clock fiddling that triggers it, but dear Nannie is again preparing to guide us through the election of Shire May Queen and King! It is important, that we now send her the names of suitable candidates. Do this before April 19th. On April 19th make sure you visit the Green Dragon, as Nannie will then tell you who will be the candidates you can vote for. That list will also be published in the Gazette, but then you will not see the surprise on the faces of the candidates! After April 19th Nannie expects to receive your votes. How to vote she will tell you when the candidates are announced.

Now another thing: you may have noticed, that the Bird & Baby Yard Party is no longer in the list of recurring events. Miss Bilbeto, the driving force behind these lovely parties is too busy to organise it every week. But perhaps she can be persuaded to organise one every now and then? These will then be announced in the Gazette, ofcourse. Perhaps to start with, a splendid "Farewell to Yardparties"-party?

Another thing of note is the annual search for singing badgers. This year on April 14. Once again we will be lead to some part of a forest, in hope the badgers will appear and indeed sing. Results of previous searches vary: some have actually seen them and others haven't. The discrepancy could perhaps relate to the consumption of berries, of the fermented kind! Best come and see for yourself!

The darn clocks again - Gazette Issue 3 -  1425.S.R.

Well, dear readers, no prizes for guessing what the subject of this month's editorial will be! It's about clock fiddling, ofcourse. It's that time of year again, where the authorities ask us to put forward our clocks by one hour, so there will be more sunlight in the evenings. Mornings will be dark longer, but you can't have everything. Now, the problem each time is, that hobbits west of the Big Pond choose another day to forward their clocks than their cousins east of the Big Pond. In the West it happens on March 10 and East has us fiddle on March 31. So for three entire weeks, the difference between Michel Delving time ((UK time)), as we use in our announcements, and the clock called server time will be 4 hours and not 5, like it is most of the rest of the year. So take that into account when you come and visit one of the events in that period of time.

Enough of that! There is more ofcourse in the lovely month of March. Just as in the previous months there is an OAKS concert! The Gallic Frogs Band will get you hopping and dancing! More music will be played at the first edition of the Laurelin Folk Music Festival. We hope it will fill the niche next to all the Metal-, rock-, horror- and general festivals that people can visit and at the same time give the Lands of the Golden Tree, Laurelin, a special festival of it's own. This year it will take place on or around Bullroarer Took Day. Hobbits will gather dressed in green, not only to make music and listen to poetry, but also to celebrate the victory of the Battle of the Greenfields. There will be ale aplenty, thanks to the cooperation with Master Halson Tubwort, publican of the Plough and Stars Inn.

About surprises - Gazette Issue 2 -  1425.S.R.

Before I remind you of the clock fiddling of next month again, I'll remind you of the upcoming Sweetheart's Day on February 14th. And who else reminded me of that but my own sweetheart of a daughter, in her article about the upcoming OAKS! So buy something nice for that special person in your life. Or persons, ofcourse. *counts on his fingers: daughter, sister, niece..* That'll be four (one extra in case I forget someone... But don't start any rumours there, dear readers!) boxes of sweets for me, please, Mr Shopkeeper! But... O dear, they are all avid readers of the Gazette, so I can forget about the element of surprise now!

Luckily there is more to be surprised about this month: the announcement of the February OAKS (on the 23rd) is very mysterious and full of intrigue: a case of multiple murder: the murder of crows! Not hobbits, so that is a relief. So we know who or what will be murdered, but not by whom... We'll soon find out! Best leave any flying pets at home, to be on the safe side. And have a bunch of bounders standing by, dear Shirriff!

My predicted busy days are just that: busy, so the editorial is a bit short this month as well. And these busy days have been prolonged. I'm even not sure yet, whether I can be available to prepare for Bullroarer Took Day. Any suggestions and offerings to help are very welcome! Just send it to the Gazette's address. I know I can rely on my dear readers, to come up with a solution. Thanks in advance!

What else was there? Clock fiddling? I'll leave that to next month's editorial, shall I? You'll get all the details then. Have a lovely month of February!

New Year has just begun - Gazette Issue 12 - 1424 S.R. and Issue 1 - 1425.S.R.

Let me begin with wishing you all...

a Happy New Year!

It has only just begun and no one knows what the New Year will bring us. Well, we can predict some things ofcourse: A Winterhome Festival Encore *chuckles*, many other festivals (and their encores), a Badgers Spring Musical (hopefully), many parties, a dozen or so OAKSes in Oldfurlong, A May Queen and May King election (much to the great relief of our present Queen Lina) and more elections: the Bramblebury election for Deputy Mayor and Local Shirriff (as their official titles are) are long overdue. Not because we have a lousy shirriff, no, we have an excellent one in the person of Nimelia Stoutfoot and she would have a good chance to be re-elected. No, they are mainly overdue, since the elected Deputy Mayor, Master Byronbrand Stepwise, has retired and we have no Deputy Mayor right now.

Mayor Will Whitfoot does not like the idea of elections in Bramblebury, as they remind people of his own mayorship running long overdue now too! He will likely storm out and call it all fake news! And I'll be in his book again as that upstart from Bramblebury who might also bring up the idea of a General Election in the Shire... Old Flourdumpling's days as our Mayor may be numbered in that case. And that South Gate might finally be opened. But anyway, you'll be able to read all about elections and many other upcoming events here, in the Bramblebury Gazette!

My editorial was also long overdue and I must apologise for that. I've been very busy lately and it looks like I will be busy the upcoming months as well. I hope my fellow editors will be able to keep things running here as I might even be unable to reach the offices of the Gazette for some time. But they are capable enough, so I won't worry about that.

One more thing then. You know that we only write about happenings in the Shire and in the Lands of the Golden Tree (Laurelin), but I'll make a exception here for all you fans of the Brandy Badgers: They will play at Winterstock, a music festival in the Lands of the Eagle ((Landroval server)) on January 20th at 19:00 ((UK time)). To read more about the Winterstock Festival and who else will play there, you'd best see their special announcements.

One more time, please! Can we have another? - Gazette Issue 11 - 1424 S.R.

So the clock fiddling is behind us now, but it wont be the last time we'll have to do it. The council needs more time to decide and to consult how it will exactly be done. We'll report it when they do decide.

With a fine Harvest Festival behind us, eyes are eagerly looking forward to the end of the year: Yuletide! A busy time for everyone, including your editors, because we will announce every event that is being planned: from tree raisings to plays and concerts. Just let us know the details in time.

Announcing in time can also prevent that another event will be planned on your desired date. There is no law against two events om the same day ofcourse and this still may happen. But a wise organiser will check the Gazette pages before announcing something and not plan on a date that already has another event. Remember: Hobbits are resourceful, but no hobbit can be at two places at the same time! You'll be sharing your intended audience with the competing event. No, it's better to reschedule in that case.

But before the Yule Festival there will be a Harvest Festival Encore! These encores are a steady reoccurrence these days. It means that there will be no month without some sort of Festival going on, sometimes even two in one month! Will we ever get tired of Festivals? No, we are Hobbits and love to celebrate! So have fun at the Encore of the Harvestmath Festival, starting on November 28.

A fine evening at the Ivy Bush - Gazette Issue 10 - 1424 S.R.

Before I tell you about developments in clock fiddling, let me tell you something else: the dwarven Harnkegger Games have been concluded and peace and quiet has returned to the Shire. To be honest, most of the activities were NOT in the Shire, but some were. So if you have seen large groups running, walking or even swimming in the Brandywine river, you have likely witnessed an event of the Harnkegger Games. Another Shire-based event, and one of my favourite ones, was a poetry and storytelling contest held in the Ivy Bush. And it is why I brought up the Games in the first place.

Many people of all races visited the Ivy Bush that night. Among the contestants for best poem or story were a number of hobbits, as well as dwarves and an (elf?)woman. They were given 3 minutes each and especially the storytellers were struggling to stick to that rule. But the overall quality was amazing! SO much so that I would like to share them with you, our readers, with the consent of their creators, ofcourse.

So I asked all participants to send in their poem or story for inclusion in our Art's Corner (as you know: no need to bribe our editor of the muses, Art!). It was quite noisy in the Inn, so twice I climbed the stage to do my request. A few have already sent their work, the others either haven't or it is lying somewhere in a QuickPost Office and may or may not appear in the near future. But three times is a charm, so I do my request one last time, right here: Poets and storytellers of the Harnkegger games 2018, would you please share your entry with the readers of the Bramblebury Gazette and send it to our office? Include a sketch if you like, but this is not mandatory.

Now then, when Issue 10 comes out, we are nearing the moment again that the authorities make us fiddle with our clocks, just like they do in Spring. And because not all regions do this at the same time, this has consequences for the clock we all call "Servertime". I'll soon write a seperate article about the what and when because this editorial should not be too long.

But we were given hope by the Council of Mayors, namely the idea has arisen to stop the clock fiddling, at least east of the big pond. NO more of that clock fiddling. Hooray! But there is a snag too... The Mayors have decided that each region can decide whether they change to the time we had in Winter, or to keep the time we had in Summer. As you can imagine, there will be chaos all around if they all decide differently. But I can predict that the Gazette will stick to whatever time it is in Michel Delving ((we'll use UK time))  for our announcements and all other villages will have to calculate their own time. And we'll mention the Servertime, ofcourse, as we do now.

But end of this month, things will still be as they used to be: clock fiddling at two different moments for West and East of the pond  and a different difference between Michel Delving Bells and Servertime for a week or so. For details, see my (soon to be published) followup article in the News section.

More victims of overzeallous ruling - Gazette Issue 9 - 1424 S.R.

I'm most angry at our Mayor! But let me start with what happened last night..

Here I was, in Oldfurlong visiting the excellent concert of the Purple Pipeweed Parlor Band, when all of a sudden the singer lost her voice. It was not a sore throat or laryngitis. No, she was punished for repeating the same words too often in a short period of time. Such are the rules of our idiot Mayor: We can no longer sing the same line again and again, even if the music and lyrics so dictate. It is punishable by losing your voice for an entire day, 24 hours!

He claims this rule serves a higher purpose, but it affects normal daily life too extremely. Well, especially if you are a musician or a lover of music. And it happens time and time again. Last night was no incident! Good friends of mine and fellow bandmembers fell victim of this and one of them is now so angry that she has locked herself into her burrow, vowing not to come out until this no-repeats rule will be lifted. Last night it happened to an lady elf minstrel, visiting our lands with her band. And bystanders gave evidence of similar incidents that they had witnessed.

Whatever will be next? A mother repeatedly calling her stubborn child by it's name to make it come home and eat it's veggies, being struck with muteness? Everyone at a party singing "For he's a jolly good fellow" to the birthday lad, getting gagged? That will ruin a party, I can tell you! More concerts being disturbed by governmental griefing (I have no other words for it)? Everyone watching carefully what they say or sing to prevent being mute for an entire day?

It does not apply (yet) to the written word, so I dare to call this way of dealing with whatever they are trying to beat with this: stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid!!!

Next time more about the daylight savings clock fiddling. They may have listened to my letters about that after all, but the plans they are hatching may turn out to be worse than the present situation. We'll see.

Meanwhile, forgive me my ranting, brought on by true anger, and keep reading the latest Shire News in your Bramblebury Gazette!

A Lazy, but especially HOT Summer! - Gazette Issue 7&8 - 1424 S.R.

First, I must apologise to all readers for taking the expression "Lazy Summer" a bit too literally! After my stay out of bounds, I found the Shire suffering under a blanket of hot air and I decided to move to my humble Summer Home at the Cape of Belfalas. There is nothing like staying near a body of water when the weather is hot! Well, perhaps a stay up north in the Forochel region or high up in the Misty Mountains?

Another opportunity to be in a cooler environment has recently been opened: We can go and celebrate Yule in Frostbluff now! Celebrating Yule in August: What a silly thought! I wonder who came up with that one. Was it the Mayor of Winterhome, perhaps? Or was it Bramblebury's own Deputy Mayor Byronbrand, who, according to his own letter, is close chums with his colleague of Winterhome? Not that he's been spotted by anyone who took up the invitation to visit Frostbluff, but at least we now know that he is alright.

After this silly re-kindling of Yule in mid-Summer, we can prepare ourselves for another upcoming Festival: The Farmer's Fair. Again with a Mayor playing a leading part. But as Villain or Star of the Show?? You make up your own mind, while you help him stuff his face with food. Time for new elections! That is my personal opinion. I'll probably go into his book as "that upstart from Bramblebury" now, but I don't care. I probably already am in that book as such.

Anyway, time to pick up myself and my job again. Keep sending in all your fantastic event announcements and we'll make sure they get the attention they deserve from our readers.

 

Spam? We don't give away spam (or any other kind of food)! - Gazette Issue 6 - 1424 S.R.

O dear, the month of May ended in chaotic situations at the Gazette's Office. Our distributor did not deliver new issues to the usual selling points. All was solved within a day, luckily. We filed a complaint and someone must have seen the error of their ways: Most likely someone seemed to think that we give away freebies with the Gazette in the form of perishable foodstuff (spam). We would never do that, ofcourse! All we want to do is give our readers the latest news on what is going on in the Shire. And that is a freebie in itself, as you do not have to pay for reading it.

Well, I sure am glad this was sorted soon, as I am planning on leaving on a trip out of bounds. I'll be out of bounds for three weeks starting June 16, but the other editors will make sure the Gazette is kept up to date. So it's lazy days for me and my family in a warm environment. Not the Lonelands, no, that is a bit too warm to my liking!

But as you may have noticed, by looking at the Event Schedule, the month of June is a quiet month with just a few events. However, we do have the Summer festival to look forward to and before that another fine fishing contest organised by the Shire Angling Club! They will be aiming to have you catch salmon this time.

But remember that it is only natural that life takes it's pace down a little during Summer. Maybe more readers are planning for a little adventure out of bounds themselves. Meanwhile the abundant rays of the sun will make our crops grow into bountiful harvests, with the blessings of our Shire Queen and King.

Enjoy Summer!

The results are in! - Gazette Issue 5 - 1424 S.R.

Last night the results of the election of Shire May Queen and King were announced by Nannie at the coronation party in Brightdown.

This year's royal couple will be:

Queen Lina and King P̶o̶ .. Simbo!!

Congratulations to you both! May you rule wisely and without a vengeance. One thing's for sure: taxes on biscuits, pies and yellow dye will go up! On the other hand: taxes and fines will preferably be paid in biscuits and/or pies. The ruling on drum permits has not been made clear yet, but this seems to be a bounder matter.

Our new King treated us to a couple of poems, as was more or less expected of him. Hobbit Heart provided party music to dance to and their kinship Shire Rose hosted the party at their grounds. They also celebrated their seventh founding day. That is Shire Rose AND Hobbit Heart. Congratulations!

More news! Yola has been able to track down and establish contact with our, previously thought of as missing, Deputy Mayor of Bramblebury, Master Byronbrand Stepwise! A letter of his hand will be published here in the Gazette for you all to read. You can read where he was all that time and why. An important hurdle has been taken towards the election of a new Deputy Mayor, later this year. I mean, it is only fair that the old one knows about it and has a chance to run for the office again, should he wish to do so.

You will read all about Bramblebury's local elections and more in our Bramblebury Gazette and you can send in your own announcements to us for publication.

The mittens are off again! - Gazette Issue 4 - 1424 S.R.

As you can see, the Gazette has put away it's winter livery again and I thought that would be enough cause to follow up on the three most wanted persons I mentioned last month.

First, there was our graphics editor, who we need to change liveries just before Yule and after Spring sets in: Master Speckles did a great job designing those and quietly changed them again just in time *cheers*

Secondly, every musician was on the lookout for Master Digero who laid the foundation of their widely used tool called "Maestro". Unfortunately Master Digero himself could not find opportunity to adapt Maestro to the use of the new fiddles, but a team of dedicated users decided to help out. They are (in no particular order) Bruzo, Adarbyem and Aifel *cheers* Well done! The fruit of their labour can be found here and is regularly updated.

The third person on the list is Bramblebury's present Deputy Mayor (by election in 2010), Master Byronbrand Stepwise. This is what editor Yola Plumblossom found during her search for him...

Unfortunately she could not find Byronbrand himself, but stumbled on a perhaps disturbing message in a foreign newspaper:

 

Mr. Byron Brand

Passed away quietly on October 12.

Now, our Deputy Mayor always wrote his name stringed together as in "Byronbrand" And had a surname that was not "Brand". So Yola is not 100% sure, that this is an obituary of the person we are looking for.

But be he alive or dead, he is not fulfilling his duties in Bramblebury anymore and even if he did, it would be time to have new elections. Now, we also elected a Shirriff at the same time, who is still in office and fulfilling her duties in an excellent fashion. We should also have Shirriff elections again, says Yola, but she would welcome Miss Nimelia to apply again and be a candidate. But I am getting ahead of things here. Yola will announce the elections herself in a soon to be published article in the Bramblebury Gazette. So keep reading your favourite Newspaper and if you have announcements to make yourself, remember that we will publish them for you, free of charge!

That time of the year again - Gazette Issue 3 - 1424 S.R.

It almost took me by surprise this year, but in the weekend of 10 and 11 of March there will again be the dreaded clock fiddling to be taken into account! Starting time indications have now been corrected where needed. From March 11 until Saturday March 24 there will be a 4 hour difference between our regular time ((which is UK time)) and the clock called Servertime. After that it will be 5 hours difference again. That is.... up to and including November 3rd! But you'll get another warning from me by that time.

Meanwhile, our mucisians have an new instrument to play with (and on): the fiddle! I've already heard it play at gatherings and ofcourse I've tried it myself as well. It is a nice addition, but it will take some time to master it fully. We hope, that the maker of one of the most important tools for musicians, Master Digero of "Maestro" fame, will find the time to update his tool.

Last month I announced a new member of the editorial staff: my sister Yola Plumblossom. Readers may find that they have not seen any sign of her yet, in print anyway, and here is why... It is because to prepare for the upcoming elections for Deputy Mayor of Bramblebury, Yola is trying to contact the hobbit who is officially still holding that position: Byronbrand Stepwise. No one has seen him in a very long time, but leave it to my sister to find him. I mean if anyone can, it will be her!

Another hobbit who seems to be hard to reach these days is our graphical editor Master Speckles. Out of the blue, the hands with mittens holding the Gazette appeared. By now it would be time to take the mittens off again, after even two Yule Festivals. But it is hard to reach Master Speckles, who is the only one with the knowledge of how to do that. We, the other editors, have no idea. Well, I hope Master Speckles reads this and helps out. And perhaps he can teach me one day how to do it, but then I'll need to get hold of him first.

Well, busy days for our bounders, with at least three people on the "most wanted" list! We'll keep you informed here at the Bramblebury Gazette.

What will the New Year bring?  - Gazette Issue 1 & 2 -1424 S.R.

And no, we did not get to see the "Ode to old Bloodtusk" in Winterhome. But for some reason, the gates of Winterhome will be reopened from February 22 till March 5! Could it be that the actors of G.L.O.B.E. have finally learned their parts? You'll have to go and see.

Another reprise of sorts is the Historical Field Trip that will be held in Tuckburough. Hobbits did do a field trip there earlier, but that was quite a few years ago. Time to see if the information gained then, has settled in our minds and if not, to refresh it.

Next, I do apologise for being so late with my new editorial. Due to all sorts of distractions of a personal nature, I did not get around to writing it.  So I do wish you a belated Happy New Year on behalf of the entire staff of the Bramblebury Gazette. May it be a good one for all of you!

You know that I always like to include a teaser at some point to make you peek at the full story on another page *smiles*. Well, this time I can announce you that the staff of the Bramblebury Gazette will be enhanced by no other than my sister, Yola Plumblossom. Aye, one of the founders is back in office!

One of her tasks will be to prepare for elections of a new Deputy Mayor of Bramblebury. Master Byronbrand Stepwise is on a prolonged journey out of bounds and we need someone to take over his Office. So keep an eye on the Bramblebury Gazette for more news about the elections of 2018 (Man reckoning).

Ending a good year well - Gazette Issue 12 -1423 S.R.

We have arrived in the last month of the year again, traditionally a month with many festive activities and celebrations, one of them being my own birthday, but that is behind us already. I thank everyone who congratulated me and/or played a special tune for the occasion. But no, the festivities that I mean are centered around Yule. Soon, the gates of Winterhome will be opened again, giving you the opportunity to visit that fairy-tale like place again. Will they now play a proper version of "an ode to Old Bloodtusk"? The Shire-based actors of G.O.A.T. showed them how! There will be concerts too, both announced and spontaneous. Winterhome wassailing is something you should not miss out on!

Unrelated to that all, I am glad that I can tell you, that the technical troubles we have experienced at the Gazette Office, have been temporarily! They vanished just as sudden as they began. But measures have to be taken. I had not started deleting old content yet, so the historians and studiers of recent Hobbit history can relax. But I have become a bit wary, ofcourse, lest the troubles return again. When possible, I will reduce the size ((file size)) of pictures wherever possible. As long as they do not become blurry or otherwise unattractive. Cropping them is another possibility: stripping off any edges that do not contain vital information.

Technical troubles hamper the editors - Gazette Issue 11 - 1423 S.R.

Something odd is going on at the Gazette's Office: For some reason I can't add any new content!

Master Bovso, if you're reading this, could you try to help out?

It somehow has to do with too much content. And after 7 years of publishing articles, that is quite a lot of content that we've gathered!

We may have to delete the older content, so readers, if you are Historians who study recent history, take a quick last peek and copy what you need for your research!

We will start with deleting the oldest pictures, as pictures take up more space than text. But not until after the weekend of November 11 and 12

Edit: Just as sudden as they came, the troubles have vanished again. All seems to be alright now. Let's hope it will stay that way!

A good start of the Fall season - Gazette Issue 10 - 1423 S.R.

Oh, I am still  a bit tired from last night's OAKS concert! What a show! The Chapel of Musical Friendship brought us, beside their friendship, many a fine and danceable tune in a variety of musical styles! They were all fine musicians and their leader(s) made fine work arranging the many tunes. And they all looked alive and merry. "So good to see a non-bot band!" Someone exclaimed. I had to think about what that meant, but I had to agree that it was a good thing, judging from what I saw and heard.

A special mention here of Master Brandebras, a fine lute player who, at the OAKS concert, played short intermissions while the other musicians were paging through their music collections to find the right tune. Unfortunately for Master Brandebras (and us) the bandmembers were quite competent at finding their right parts, so his performances were very often cut short by the band leader. You could see his dismay, but he kept stepping forward every time with a new lute tune. Bravo!

So yes, OAKS's new series has begun with a flying start. The next one will be in October and you'll read more about it in this Gazette.

But the month has more to offer than that:

On the 7th you can visit a concert by a band that is seldom seen playing a full concert: the Evendim Hillbillies! And you can save yourself a trip all the way to Oatbarton this time, as they'll play at Longo Burrow's farm as you can read here. Bring your good cheer and a straw hat!

On October 9th is the exact date that 10 years ago, the Grand Order of the Lost Mathom was founded. They will celebrate this on the 21st as you can read here, but if you have the time, please drop them a line in the mail on the 9th as well. Care of Miss Lina Willowwood or Master Simbo Rumblebelly would do the trick. And then come to the party as it promisses to be very, very special!

No October editorial without my usual rant about the mismatching clocks. It's still needed unfortunately. But I keep mentioning it as a warning to our readers who otherwise might show up at the wrong time at events in a certain period. This time it pays off to be careful between October 29 and November 4. During that period there will be a difference between the clocks on each side of the Big Pond of just 4 hours, where it usually is 5 hours. And ofcourse you'll need to remember to adjust your clocks on the right date. We will do our best to print the right times in the announcements, but these things can get very confusing even to a seasoned editor.. I need to lie down a bit now. 

Happy reading, everyone!

Jubilees and Jubilations - Gazette Issue 9 - 1423 S.R.

Well, that was a fine and extended Summer we had this year! And at the Farmer's Faire I had a conversation with some farmers, Master Tom Cotton among them, who were very pleased with how the soon to be harvested crops were shaping up! And my good friend Onionfarmer Pete Proudfoot said, there was good ground for celebrations! I think it has all to do with the election of a fine Shire May Queen and in addition a grand Shire May King, this year! Their Majesties can be pleased and proud of their subjects' good labour.

But it won't all be harvest related celebrations we'll see this Fall! It is the time of many an anniversary! I heard that the Grand Order of the Lost Mathom are already planning and preparing their Jubilee. And then there is ofcourse your own Bramblebury Gazette, who is now 5 years of age! And that means the Homestead of Bramblebury itself is also five years of age.

And for our Dwarven friends there is the sixth installment of their Harnkegger Games! Most of them take place in Far away lands, but some  of the competitions take place in the Shire or on it's edges. We've put those in the Calendar with a link to more information of the entire Games Program.

And there will be concerts, road trips to the seaside and perhaps even another play. That and your usual Yard Parties, Green Dragon Friday meetings and Muse inspired Nights in Michel Delving. Let's not forget to mention the  Hobbit Market either! Good deals to be had for all, but especially for the young starting adventurer.

They've opened up the wrong gate! - Gazette Issue 8 - 1423 S.R.

It's a long Summer this year. Well, judging from the lengthy Summer Festival it is! The Mayor prolonged the Summer Festival to such an extend, that it is almost immediately followed by the Farmer's Faire. Maybe the Mayor needed more time to preparare for that particular festival where, to the dismay of many, he displays a textbook example of gluttony and voracity.

Not a pretty sight, but the spectacle is always a good lesson for hobbit children who have a tendency to gluttony: "You want to look like Ol'Flourdumpling when you've grown up? No? I thought so!"

The not so pretty sight and the presence of many spectators has lead to moving the Green Dragon Friday event to other inns during the Farmer's Fair: To the Floating Log on August 25 and to the Ivy Bush on September 1st.

Another reason for the lengthy Summerfestival  could be to try and keep the more adventurous hobbits within Bounds. Rumour has it, that in far away lands a gate has been opened. But this gate does not lead into the peaceful and prosperous South Farthing. No, instead it leads into one of the (if not THE) most dangerous areas of our world! It sure was not Mayor Whitfoot who gave the order to open this gate. He likes his peace and quiet and six straight meals a day too much. Luckily the distance between this Black Gate and our burrow doors is enormous! No danger as yet. But it will be inevitable that Hobbit heroes will have to go there and turn the tide in our favour.

Remember the Fornost Fields!!

Another lazy Summer - Gazette Issue 7 - 1423 S.R.

Well, here I am again, with my family, safely back in the Shire. I had a great time and came back invigorated with hopefully enough ernergy for another year of editing the Gazette.

Things are busy in the Shire right now, as the Summer Festival is on and that concentrates around the Party Tree as well as that nice fishing spot in Bywater. Lots of strangers can be found on our roads and drinking heavily in our inns. Let's show them Hobbit hospitality, shall we? They'll be gone again soon enough.

As during every Summer, the event schedule is rather thin. I think more Hobbits have taken to travelling during part of the Summer. I hope you will all have a great time and will return safely.

We have just seen the premiere of that famous play "Ode to Old Bloodtusk". Expertly performed by G.O.A.T. Maybe they can be persuaded to do a another performance for all of you who missed it or want to experience it again.

Maybe it is more of a Summer Play than a Winter Play? That would certainly explain, why the Winterhome actors did not get around to it yet. Well, the Shire beat them to it, thanks to the fine actors of G.O.A.T!

Special credits go to Miss Lina Willowwood, who not only wrote the text, but also took on the lead role of Old Bloodtusk. Miss Tibba Stoutfoot was able to leave her burrow just in time to play the Adventurer (and eat lots and lots of pork, bacon and sausages). My niece Rubellita Brandybuck played the Bounder. Some may argue that she did not act at all! She is a bounder herself, you see. Master Potty Nutbutter played her helpful assistant, helping her and having to save her from the results if his "helping". Finally, Miss Anerra Happyheart was the narrator and sang a lovely song to close the performance.

Your editor takes a break -  Gazette Issue 6 - 1423 S.R.

No, I have no Took blood in me, as far as I know, but June again gives me the urge to go traveling, or as some would say: adventuring!

These days, far away places often have a reasonably good Quick Post connection, so most likely I can do some simple editing from out there. And else there is Miss Tibba, who can step in if needed at the Bramblebury office. So keep sending in your announcements, reports, gossips (Please, clearly mark them as such if you do), artworks and recipes.

The first month of reign for King Potty was one where you would not see him most of the time. It's not that he has second thoughts about his title and has fled the Shire. No, the poor lad has been locked inside his burrow for some time now. His friends bring him food and drinks, passed to him through a window, but the repair has to be done from the inside. Miss Nimelia has provided him with the tools for the job: "Careful, don't eat these!" she shouted after handing them over just after Miss Pycella delivered one of her delicious pies through the same window. I hope Master Potty will soon be able to step outside again. Someone urgently needs to take control of that Garden Dwarf again!

I'll be seeing you all again in the second half of this month of June. Meanwhile: have fun, dear readers!

 

And now we know! - Gazette Issue 5 - 1423 S.R.

We are happy to announce the names of our new Shire May Queen and Shire May King:

Congratulations to  Queen Dassa and King Potty!!

And also to the fine runners up Miss Ingenue and Miss Terrii who may this year call themselves Princess Ingenue and Princess Terrii.

Ofcourse the two other candidates for King may now be known as Prince Simbo and Prince Pontin. Congratulations to them too and a big thank you to all for being brave enough to enter this competition.

For they are also modest hobbits who'd rather do their good work half-hidden and without getting showered with credit. Don't be surprised if King Potty's first decree will be to "just call me Potty, like you're used to"

Our gratitude extends also to Nannie for organising the election again this year, to Shire Rose for hosting the coronation party, to Hobbit Heart for providing suitable and danceable music and to the poets and lyrics writers for their inspiring words.

 

Who will it be? We'll soon know.- Gazette Issue 4 - 1423 S.R.

May has arrived again, Spring is truly in the air! The elder Hobbits know: it's time for the election of the Shire May Queen again. Elder Hobbit par excellence (pardon my French), our very own Nannie, has taken it upon her again to organise the election. And this year not only for May Queen. No, we are voting for a Shire May King as well! You can read in the Gazette who are the brave young hobbits who have stepped forward (some say: were pushed forward) to be candidates. If you haven't done it yet, send in your votes today!

Having a Shire May Queen has been great in recent years: Everyone's luck seemed to have increased, harvests have been exuberant and everywhere the Queen entered, it gave allure to whatever the Hobbits there were doing, be it a concert, a conversation, or any other type of gathering. The year 1422 was the year of our Queen Pycella and her reign was as good as can be expected of one in this position. She also gave us pies, stories, plays and poems aplenty! Long live our Queen Pycella!

And now we'll elect a May King too. It's definitely been ages since we had a king and whoever will get elected, will have large shoes to fill.. literally! Because the last one to be entitled to call himself King of the Shire was a Man! Not that he ever visited the Green Dragon or the Party Tree.. no, he was an absent ruler and had assigned a Hobbit Thain to take care of the actual day-to-day government. If you'd like to read more about Thains, Lina Willowwood did a lecture on them some time ago and the text of the lecture can still be found at her burrow, the Biscuity one, not the Bramblebury one.

So what will be expected from our elected Shire May King? Time will tell, I guess. He can start by supporting the newly elected Queen as good as he can. Their harmony will reflect on the harmony in the Shire, is my prediction!

What if a month.. - Gazette Issue 2&3 - 1423 S.R.

I was thinking of a very old song by Thomas Champion that starts with the line: What if a day, or a month, or a yeare..

And it made me think: What if a month was named after it's most outstanding day? Then I am pretty sure that February would be called Sweetheart's month and March Bullroarer's  Month!

And we celebrate all those special days, ofcourse! We had a Romance Dance Night and we will have a Bullroarer Took Friday this year. And there were and will be many more gatherings ofcourse: like fishing for trouts, and concerts in the OAKS series every month and the usual social gatherings in Michel Delving and Bywater. All are announced in this very newspaper, the Bramblebury Gazette.

This month we need to be careful again because of the fiddling with the clocks. Town-hole must have an entire filing cabinet filled with letters about that subject by now, many written by me, pleading to have the clock changing on the same date on each side of the Big Pond. But do they listen to that? I fear not.

In fact, I would not be surprised if that filing cabinet is better known as "the bin" and that many letters concerning the desired opening of the South Gate, share the same fate. Shame on you, Mayor Whitfoot!

So beware! There will be a difference of four hours (where it is usually 5) between the clocks on each side of the pond ((UK time and Servertime)) from March 12 up to March 26. From March 26 on, things will be as usual: a five hour difference. But only until.. Well, I fear that will have to be the subject of another, future editorial.

Until then, watch your clocks and enjoy all the great things that are being organised here in the Shire and that you can read about in the Gazette.  And now excuse me, as I am going to enjoy that song again!

A New Year has begun! - Gazette Issue 1 - 1423 S.R.

From all the editors of the Bramblebury Gazette: A Very Happy New Year and Many Good Wishes to all our readers!

It was like a miracle and the wish of many coming true: The new year has started with the first performance of "Ode to Old Bloodtusk" in Winterhome! Now don't start writing letters to the Gazette, claiming that we are wrong because you definitely only saw "The Curious Disappearance of Mad Baggins," being performed at the Frostbluff Theatre. That is correct! The "Ode" was not performed by G.L.O.B.E. but by G.O.A.T., who beat them to it after fruitlessly waiting for G.L.O.B.E. to finally do their job properly! It was performed in the snow, close to a suitable treestump and "napping rock"

Ah, but you missed it?? Don't you worry! According to the members of G.O.A.T. (Grand Order Acting Troupe), this was the dressed rehearsal and they wil do the official premiere later this year, in the Shire.

You will read the announcement of this and many more events in the New Year, right here in the Bramblebury Gazette!

Do send in announcements of your own planned events. We will publish them for free! Do send in your stories, poems, songs or paintings for our Art's Corner and please help us revive our Cooking Section by sending in your favourite recipes! Our readers and your editors will be very grateful!

Let's make the last month of the year a merry one - Gazette Issue 12 - 1422 S.R.

The lands lie to rest, the trees have shedded their gown of leaves. Winter is nearing, as temperatures confirm. And with Winter nearing, there is also that lovely feast of Yule which is nearing. Decorations for the burrows and the Yule-trees will soon be hauled from attics and cellars, ready to be used.

Tradionally Yule is very much linked to special Yule music, which you can hear being played a lot this month. There are concerts, there is the traditional wassailing, there is a group of wandering elves who play their version of Yule music to anyone willing to listen on the night of the 24th.

So we all will be celebrating Yule in our own way. Maybe you like to immerse yourself in a Wintery environment? The Mayor of Winterhome will welcome you one and all. And maybe we will finally get to see "Ode to Old Bloodtusk" being performed in the Frostbluff Theatre.

We, the editors of the Bramblebury Gazette, wish you all a good time and a very, very, Merry Yule! We thank you for reading the Gazette again this year and we thank all who contributed their own articles, announcements and works of art. And we hope you will all be staying with us in the upcoming New Year!

Time for another festival and some clock twiddling - Gazette Issue 10&11 - 1422 S.R.

With the harvests nearly done, it is time to celebrate the Harvest Festival, which will start on the 18th of October and will last until November 2nd. I'm sure that there will be events planned around that spooky cellar beneath Bag End again, including a concert of scary music! That's not music FROM Scary, the village, but music that has it in it to scare you.

Do take care when planning anything in that period, because it is the time of the still unsynchronised clock fiddling again! The hobbits on each side of the Big Pond change their clocks back from Daylight Saving Time on a different day, so from October 30 until November 5, the difference between their clocks will be four hours, not five ((The difference between UK time, which is the time as mentioned in the Gazette and Servertime)).

Have fun at the Harvest Festival and at all the events mentioned in the Gazette. When planning an event of your own, don't forget to write to the editors and they will announce it for free. But remember that the Bramblebury Gazette is a newspaper for Hobbits and events mentioned usually take place in the Shire or are related to the Shire ((and the Laurelin roleplaying server)).

Harvest time equals party time! - Gazette Issue 9 - 1422 S.R.

Well, the harvests look promising this year and are being brought in as we speak. It will still take some time before all the produce of the Shire is safely stacked and stored in the several granges and warehouses in our lands. But the farmers are happy and have started their Farmer's Fair. So if you want to witness the shameful gluttony of our Mayor, then head over to Bywater. And while you're there, take the opportunity to do some fishing. But beware! Despite all the efforts of Master Ponso Pondhopper there seem to be a few bad fishes in the pond! Everyone tries not to catch them, but on the other hand: if you do catch one you'll help rid the waters of the pond of them! You will even earn festival Tokens if you show enough bad fish to the hobbit in charge. But ofcourse we hope you will catch a lot more good fish and delicious fish which can be turned into great meals by our cooks.

But there is more going on: up North too...  In Needlehole for example, where the dwarven Festival of the Harnkegger Games will have a fishing contest and many more contests. Some of them require a bit of traveling, but the dwarven community is always very hospitable and will welcome you with more ale than you can digest. So if you are not busy harvesting or need a break from that, go check them out. If you are of the more prudent kind and want to find out the what is what in the comfort of your burrow before you commit to any travelling, then you may find this a good read.

Summer should never end! - Gazette issue 7&8 - 1422 S.R.

Lazy Summer indeed! Was it forgetfulness, was it deliberate? Readers will never now, why Issue 7's editorial never came out. Well, in a way this is Issue 7's editorial, as we now combine it with Issue 8's.

With many hobbits going on a little big adventure out of the bounds, those who are staying behind have to work just a bit harder. A reliable source told me, that no matter how many hobbits are out of bounds, the amount of pies baked and consumed stays the same! Go figure that one out!

Meanwhile a veritable "Inn war" threatens to happen. This has nothing to do with the new inn  that has recently opened it's doors in the homestead of  Burrbridge, called "the Drunken Dwarrow". I am diverting a bit now, but that inn at Myrtle Court 4 has the finest collection of ales found in the entire Shire! It got the Bounder's Seal of Approval on opening night, courtesy of Shirriff Stoutfoot and her Deputy. The snacks are a bit... outlandish. Don't say I didn't warn you!

But back to the matter at hand. "War" may be a bit of an overstatement, but something is brewing (if you pardon the pun) between Barmy Rootknot and Hereward Loamsdown!

Barmy has learned, that Hereward will be hosting an event on a, get this, a Friday! And he was furious! He rode down to Hobbiton, cheeks all red and steam coming out of his ears. "Fridays are mine!", he shouted still standing in the door of the Ivy Bush. Hereward shrugged and offered him an ale. "It's just for this one time, Barmy". Still not fair, was Barmy's opinion. And he announced to have an "Extraordinary Super-duper-Green-Dragon-Friday-all drinks at slightly reduced prices-all food for almost free" on the date in question. He would even have the rug cleaned. That would be hard to beat for Hereward who then threatened back with even-more-slightly reduced prices and six ales for the prize of half a dozen. Arithmetic not being Barmy's strongest point, he riposted with "Five drinks for the prize of half a dozen!" (Still, a typical Barmy offer that won't surprise his regular visitors.)

Barmy angrily shouted that he'd bar anyone for life who visited Hereward's event. And that he'd allow only bagpipes indoors, just to spite Lina Willowwood who he thought was behind all this.

"But why? Why not have your do on a Thursday or any other day?" He desperately pleaded after Hereward declared he'd rather go bust and sell his ales that Friday at only a minute profit margin.

"It's the date, Barmy, not the day of the week", Hereward tried to explain, "For many years now, I've been hosting Bards Day on September 2nd. And this happens to be on a Friday this year."

This made Barmy think. He was a big fan of Ronald Dwale and somehow seemed to think he owed his very existence to him. "That is a different matter entirely. Why did you not say so in the first place?"

The two tavern keeps made peace and Hereward promised to share the profits of the night with Barmy. Barmy in turn shared some of his secrets on how to make the customers pay as much as possible and returned to Bywater with a smile on his face.

More about the Bards Day Celebration, will be published in the Bramblebury Gazette soon.

Nice and lazy in the sun - Gazette issue 6 - 1422 S.R.

Summer is settling nicely here in the Shire! Mind you, it'll have to go again eventually to make way for Winter, but no one wants to think about that right now. Traditionally a lazy season, there are a few less events perhaps, but there are still events and parties! To wear or not to wear (a hat), that is the question when going to the Socks Party. There is friendly rivalry between those who do and those who don't (wear hats). Now where do you stand?

Else, there is the start of a new season of OAKS this month. The third season it is and organiser Acorne manages to surprise us with another band each and every month of the year.

And then you have ofcourse the weekly gatherings at the Eldar Monument, the Bird and Baby and the Green Dragon. No wonder that some hobbits complain that they never see their spouses or children at home anymore! Well, to them I can give but one advise:

Join the fun!

With so many events being organised, it can sometimes happen that two of them are on the same time and day. Your editor will then try to mediate and see if there is a solution, which would usually be a re-scheduling of one of the events. This is not always possible and visitors and party-goers will then have to make hard decisions. So it is important to read the event tables on our frontpage: what is printed there one day, may have changed the next day!

Now it is time to lay down my quill, get this letter to the presses and rush home to gather my luggage. My family and I will be out of bounds for two weeks, but the Gazette's offices in Bramblebury will still be open to receive your letters, recipes, poems and other works of art. Do keep sending them in!

Preparing for a nice Summer - Gazette issue 5 - 1422 S.R.

Now that the Shire has elected a new May Queen, Pycella is her name, we are all set for Summer to arrive! We can enjoy the extra warmth and length of the days, the smells that fill the air... as long as it is not Pete spreading manure over his onions fields, that is.

Ever wanted to know how your neighbours have decorated their homes? If you wait a bit longer your curiosity can be fulfilled in Songburrow: they are having a burrow crawl there. Toasting and drinking to the good health of each inhabitant may make it a true crawl the further the evening goes! But it's a lovely idea and I hope that other homesteads, like Bramblebury, Oldfurlong, Elderglen and many others, will follow Songburrow's example. Wouldn't it be nice to end each month with a burrow crawl in one of the homesteads? Please write to the Gazette if your neighbourhood wants to be the next.

Summer usually is a bit slow when it comes to news, so this editor will take the opportunity to go out of bounds for a few weeks in June. You can still send in your recipes, stories, poems and announcements as they will be printed in my absence too. My fellow-editors will take care of that.

That must be it for this month.. Enjoy yourself at all the fine events that will take place, most of which you can read about here, in your Bramblebury Gazette!

Concerning Hobbits and their News - Gazette issue 4 - 1422 S.R.

Lately we've noticed a few times, that hobbits travel out of bounds more than their nature would dictate them. Having lived isolated for centuries, certain events in the world have induced a tendency to travel and go on adventure. Reversely, members of the other races of the Free People can be seen in the Shire more often. I could swear I saw an elf in Michel Delving! But then some readers again claim to have seen and heard singing badgers.. in Stock of all places!

We get letters sometimes from intrepid hobbits, musicians, who play concerts in far away places and unlikely locations. This led us to think about the goal and mission of the Bramblebury Gazette, which is to bring you the latest Shire News. In the early days it was just Bramblebury that we covered, then the entire Shire. Would the next step then be the entire world? Hmm...

Even if we wanted to, the workload would be enormous for just a few hobbits. So we keep covering just the Shire. You may find some announcements of events taking place out of bounds, but they will have to be exceptions. And therefore exceptional! Now, before you stage your hobbit band's next concert all the way in Forochel, please think again. If there is no demanding reason to perform there, we will no longer consider it to be Shire news.

Luckily for those who want to bring their art or craftsmanship to other parts of the world, the Gazette is not the only source of activities in our world. In all capitals of the world you will find the noticeboards of the Laurelin Archives, for example. You may even find  the same announcements there as well as in your own Gazette.

We never leave a reader's letter unanswered, but please consider our goals and mission, which is to cover the news of the Shire, before you send in a request to publish an article. And who knows, there may be a creative writer who could even make a story about climbing Mount Doom an entertaining read!

What that means is, that not all rules are absolute and we can even help you write or re-write an announcement so it becomes of interest to the hobbit community.

Hey diddle diddle, the clock needs a fiddling - Gazette issue 3 - 1422 S.R.

To be honest, I am a bit annoyed.. In spite of all my letters to Mayor Whitfoot, the authorities still have not found a way to make the clock fiddling (in this case: putting the clocks forward one hour) happen on the same date on both sides of the Big Pond. So this month we need to be careful again when announcing or planning events. Usually there is a difference between the Gazette's clock here ((UK time)) and the clock yonder ((servertime)) of 5 hours. But this year, from March 13 until March 27 the difference will be four hours.

Putting the clocks forward gives us more daylight during the evenings, so that is a good thing. And it indicates Spring is on it's way and after that, Summer! Spring is the time of special events, such as the possible re-appearing of these magical singing badgers (if they exist, which is still the subject of many a debate in the inns of the Shire), fishing contests, the election of this year's Shire Queen, the Spring Festival, many, many concerts and ofcourse..  Bullroarer Took Day!

You will see them all announced here in the Gazette, with the proper time indication, ofcourse.

February, a month to love (and for love) - Gazette issue 2- 1422 S.R.

Well, we all made a fresh start last month and it was a fine month, was it not? But February holds more promises to all good Hobbits of the Shire! Most notably on the 14th it is Sweetheart's Day: you let the one you love know about it. Either directly, or, perhaps because the love is so new and delicate, you do it secretly. One thing is for sure: florists will do good business at the Hobbit Market that week! But wait... Hobbit Market is AFTER Sweetheart's day?? Hmm.. Well, that means that if you don't get flowers on the day itself, your sweetheart may send them a few days later. Don't dispair!

I expect that many love songs will be played and sung at the various concerts this month. One bard once said: "Most songs are about doggies, but this one is about love". He must have been confused (perhaps in love himself?) because then he sang about.. a doggy!

Well, I hope you will all enjoy Sweetheart's Day  as well as all the other days (You get one extra because it is a leap-year) and I hope to see many happy faces at the various events of this month!

the New Year has arrived! - Gazette issue 1 - 1422 S.R.

To all our readers and contributors:

A Happy New Year!!

There will again be much going on during the new year and we are having great expectations of it! And ofcourse we will keep you informed about all that happens in the Shire and sometimes even things that happen out of our bounds. As long as it concerns Hobbits (this at the Editors' discretion). We hope, that this year we can be your guide again to many concerts, trips, plays, parties and other events. To do this, we also hope that the organisors will send a note to the Gazette editors and/or to Lina's Calendar.

Enjoy all the good things life presents to us, like a good Hobbit does! And help your friends when life is a bit mean to them, also like a good Hobbit does.. and we'll have a truly Happy New Year!

The Editorial staff: Peppy, Tibba, Lina (calendar), Speckles (graphics).

Preparing for the New Year - Gazette issue 12 -25 1421 S.R.

To all our readers and contributors:

A Merry Yule to you all!!

We thank you for reading the Bramblebury Gazette in the past year and we hope you will continue to do so. It's because of you, readers and contributors, that we feel the urge to continue giving you all the latest Shire news (and some gossip now and then). We hope to see you again next year!

The Editorial staff.

The days when Yule is approaching   -   Gazette issue 12 1421 S.R.

As Yule is approaching, many Hobbits are preparing for that lovely time of the year. Food is being prepared and ales are brewing in huge kegs. Entertainment must be prepared too: Partyplanners, songwriters, musicians, setbuilders, sketching artists, they are all very busy these days. As you can see, the list of events is very big this year! I hope you'll visit all these lovely concerts and plays and enjoy yourselves and forget about the daily chores while you're there.

And I promised myself to be brief this time, so if you want to read more, you'll have to turn the page!

The Dark Lord's menace is still present and bounders and town guards everywhere are more vigilant than ever. But we've shown him our weapons: friendship and fortitude, to not let him control us by putting fear in our hearts! It was an impressive and meaningful gathering, that Sunday evening on November 22.

And now: Live the good life, Vive la bonne vie! Hm.. that would make a nice song one day!

When the fright becomes real...   - Gazette Issue 11-13  1421 S.R.

Friday evening at the Green Dragon, November 13. Hobbits from all around the Shire are gathered to enjoy a merry evening of entertainment. Bards play and everyone dances. Then, all of a sudden minions of a Dark Lord enter the inn, heavily armed and they start swinging their swords and axes at those present. They kill and wound several hobbits. Some are able to flee, others fall to the ground, bleeding wounded beyond hope of survival, others are dead on first strike...

The above is fictional, but I wrote it down to try to comprehend what happened in that big city of Men they call Paris recently, at the time that we had a Lone Bards Night. At first I inserted names of Hobbits we all know and love: Tibba, Simbo, Lina, Hooh, Amorey and so on. But the analogy became too horrible to read and publish. But there are people out there who have actually  lost their Tibba or Simbo in one of several brutal massacres.

This Sunday there is a gathering in the lands of Sirranon to mourn those who perished and to give support to those who survived and lost a dear one. There's a Chicken Run Event here in our lands and I want to ask everyone visiting that event to have a moment of silence and contemplation before the start. My niece will be travelling to Sirannon to be one of the Free People to represent Laurelin at their gathering.

Scary Season is here.. Fright with all your Might! - Gazette Issue 11 1421 S.R.

As Hobbits, we are (well, most of us are) dauntless and resilient. We shy away from adventures, yet they seem to lure us many times. In this time of the year we need to show our dauntlessness close to our homes: in the Shire! Concerts, walks, and more concerts take place and are not for the faint of heart! Word has it, that even a gang of goblins is on their way to cross the Bounds to do a concert. All leave has been revoked for all Shirriffs and Bounders, just in case they plan misschief in stead of entertainment.. They, that's the goblins, not the Bounders in this case. So, have no fear and feel the fear creep upon you in this, the Scary Season of the year. O, and Nannie may seem old and frail, but she'll guide you through haunted burrows without you having to worry about your safety and sanity. Just watch out for that walking stick, if you plan to dress up as a goblin or other scary creature!

Glad that we're done with the clock fiddling again. We are all back on a solid 5 hour difference between UK and servertime. Next Spring we'll have to see: it may get even more complicated as the Mayor is planning on giving us two servertimes *moans*, a EUservertime and a USservertime. Whether that will be ready for the next clock fiddling is anyone's guess. We'll have to wait and the Gazette will inform you as soon as there is news about it.

Happy Shivering in the meantime!

Hey everyone, are you reading this?- Gazette Issue 10 - 1421 S.R.

Well, yes, you are! Right now you are! And we have seen signs that you, some of you at least, read it to the end, including the "Read more" part on that other page. But it's sometimes hard to distinguish if there is already another edition, or "issue" as we call it. So from now on there will be a caption!

It's been five years since Byronbrand Stepwise and Yola Plumblossom began publishing the Bramblebury Gazette. And that it's still going strong is partly due to readers and contributors from all over the Shire. Without you, the hardworking editors behind the scenes would have an almost impossible job! So thank you all, for five years of loyal reading and writing.

And there's another thing I want to tell you but then you'll have to turn the page and..  O, you already did! Thanks! You see, it's getting near that part of the year again when the clocks will be tampered with: "Daylight Saving Time" will end soon. And it's particularly needed to mention this, because not everyone changes at the same date. The Old World hobbits will go first, on October 25th. Then the New World Hobbits will follow one week later on November 1st. So, in that one week the difference between UK time and servertime will be four hours, not five! We'll make sure all announcements are giving the correct time. But it's something to be reckoned with if you are planning a party or other event yourself during that week..

I hope, that that brave fellowship of hobbits will return safe from their Grand Journey Home soon. What will they find in that mysterious hobbit village in the Gloomglens? Does it even exist? We'll soon know. Meanwhile, safe journey, there and back again, and let us know about your adventures!

- Gazette Issue 9 - 1421 S.R.

What is it, with this urge for travelling and going on an adventure? There is a lot of that going on and being planned these days. What have these hobbits been dreaming about during the lazy days of Summer?

First of all, there is this young lad, Bingo Boffin. Has he read the book Mad Old Baggins wrote? If so, he should have known better. But in that book there's no mention of dwarves running back to Bag End, because Bilbo forgot his hanky or his walking stick. Ill informed and ill prepared seems to be Master Boffin's situation. We urge all readers to help him out, no matter how trivial his problems seem to be to you. Hobbits should stick together when it comes to adventuring (if adventuring can't be avoided, that is).

Now, the Grand Order of the Lost Mathom prepare themselves better! They know that safety comes in numbers. And they too are going on an adventure! Not to find a lost treasure or to fight a dragon. No, they want to find other hobbits. Did someone shout "Green Dragon Friday, there you'll find lots of hobbits!" Well, for sure! But this time the search is for hobbits who, legend has it, live far away from the Shire. Our distant cousins who did not follow the migration to the Shire with Marcho and Blanco are in an unlikely place for a hobbit: The Gloomglens. That name alone makes you shiver! But the scholars of the Grand Order of the Lost Mathom are going to pay them a visit. And they want you to come along! It will be the longest Field Trip ever made, with the possible exception of Bilbo's adventures and we still don't know where that Bingo lad will end up..  Time will tell. But keep an eye on these pages for the latest news here in the Shire.  In future we may have to add a Gloomglens section, but let's not jump ahead right now.

Good luck to all of you who go adventuring. You're going to need it! On Friday September 4 at the Floating Log, there will be a special farewell party for the brave hobbits who will be undertaking this adventure. Green Dragon Friday will be held at the Floating Log that week because of the Farmer's Fair in Bywater.

 

- Gazette Issue 8 - 1421 S.R.

It's been a scary week.. It was foretold that perhaps the world as we know it would cease to exist!  But after a week of uncertainty, we now know this to be untrue. It's been old gammer's tales (No offence, Nannie! Your storytelling event and the tales told there, were absolutely great!). But the truth of the matter is, that these tales will set many hobbits, as well as men, dwarves and elves, adrift. These good people really have their world as they know it, coming to an end! Those hobbits may turn up at the Bounds of our Shire, seeking to build up a new life or continuing their life as if nothing had happened.

We must make them feel welcome and help them as well as we can. Try to realise what happened to them. Imagine how it would be if it had happened to us..

In their wake, there may be trolls too, utterly frustrated trolls, perhaps even more nasty than usual.. Rule number one in dealing with trolls is never to feed them. They feed on your anger, your interaction with them, be it friendly or annoyed, on your very acknowledging their existence. Let's hope they stay away, but if they appear the best thing to do is to ignore them and to inform the authorities. These Special Bounders will shine some daylight on them and make them go away. Or at least that's what's in their job description. They may in stead be inspecting inns or the dark side of some boulders..

So, yes, changes are on their way. Some time may pass until you'll see the signs, but the changes are coming. Something that will also change, is the common clock for hobbits on each side of the pond, the so-called servertime. But more about that in a later Editorial.

- Gazette Issue 7 - 1421 S.R.

This month will be a hot one, it has been predicted.  Flaming hot will be the 28th of this month as the White Flames visit Oldfurlong for the next concert in the series of OAKS. The heat will force many of us to a slowing down, almost to a stand still: the Lazy Summer! I hope you will all enjoy your holidays. If you go travelling, be careful and return safely to the Shire!

But don't let the heat get to your brains! We experimented with a puzzle, "Hobbity Hamlets", last month, but to our surprise no solutions were sent to Mrs Armerianna yet. So we give you an extra month. Not having to do your regular work, may give you some time left to solve the puzzle. Because we Hobbits love riddles and puzzles, don't we?

Even during Lazy Summer Season there is a lot to do and to go and see. I already mentioned that concert on the 28. If you want to give a party, a concert, a burrow warming or anything else you'd like to organise, make sure you write to the Bramblebury Gazette, and we'll print the invitation for you. Free of charge too!

- Gazette Issue 6 - 1421 S.R.

"Summer is Icomin in" is a very old song, that has been known to the Spinney family for generations. Miss Primmrose can tell you more about it and even sing it for you. And what better time to sing it than now, when Summer is actually "Icomen in"!

Preparations are being made for a Grand Summer Picnic, a true highlight of the Hobbit year that will take place on Midsummer Day, with food and drinks, music and competitions. Read all about it in the Bramblebury Gazette!

Exciting times for musicians too! The authorities have promised to revise the instruments again and are giving Gammer Took and other Bards two new instruments to sell: a new harp and an old lute. All coming soon! Almost a reason for me to stay home, but..

No, this here editor will be out of bounds for two weeks, for well deserved Holidays by the time you will read this. But rest assured: The Gazette is in capable hands and your news, stories, art, recipes, and so on are welcome as always. One of our readers promised to send in a puzzle. We all know that hobbits are partial to riddles, so let us know if you like that idea and we can end up making it a regular subject in the Gazette.

I wish you a good Summer and from my Holiday address, I'll be thinking of you all!

- Gazette Issue 5 - 1421 S.R.

You, our readers, will have noticed changes to the Gazette layout again. We are constantly trying to make reading your favourite Shire news magazine a better experience. This month, our graphical editor is trying out new ideas all with improved readability in mind. You can comment on them by writing a letter to the editors.

Now, next I have a story that all started with a hobbit feeling a bit lonely. He was living in the homestead of Elderglen, in a beautiful burrow but without ever seeing any other hobbits around. He had never had a single visitor. On top of that it would be his birthday soon. What happended next must have been beyond his imagination...  On his birthday many hobbits, alerted by the ones he had told of his plight, came to his home and they had a wonderful party time! And then there was another hobbit who was also feeling lonely in his neighbourhood. Well, they've joined forces and are now living in the same neighbourhood: Elderglen. And are feeling a little less lonely.. But they are wondering if there are more hobbits who live in "deserted" or inactive neighbourhoods. They are cordially invited to move into Elderglen which still has lots and lots of empty burrows. Contact Andy Brockhouse, Master Speckles or Master Fidgit for more information.

And there's more: Elderglen is planning on hosting the "Elderglen Games" sometime later this year. A festive sports event with all kinds of races and other games. Winners of a sports event get to call themselves Elderglen Champion of ..  backwards running, for example, or swimming or pony racing. More about that later.

And maybe as winning champion, you will get honoured by the new Shire Queen herself! Amorey Sweetrose has been elected Shire May Queen this month, a title well deserved.

- Gazette Issue 4 - 1421 S.R.

Again the authorities have attempted to improve our musical instruments. Not everyone is happy about it and it must be said that, although an improvement in some aspects, it is still not perfect. But it is usable when you are willing to adapt your music where needed. Many thanks to Master Digero who updated his musical tools to make this possible for us.

Meanwhile live goes on in the Shire. "Searching" is the word here. Searching for singing badgers (if they exist at all) and searching for a Shire May Queen. I know, we already have a very nice one, but as tradition has it, elections are to take place each spring.

And how about the search for a new rug for the Green Dragon? Come on, all you artisticly gifted hobbits! Send us your view of what the new rug should look like. The rules are simple and can be read in this article. Closing date is May 7. The designs will then be on display here in the Gazette and at the Green Dragon Friday's Seventh Anniversary Warmup party ((with a little imagination on your side)). The results of this competition will be announced at the Anniversary party proper on May 15. And then we can only hope Barmy Rootknot will take the next step..

- Gazette Issue 3 - 1421 S.R.

Spring cleaning at the Bramblebury Gazette! We've done away with the old brownish paper and now we print on much lighter paper. we hope this will greatly improve readability. We thank oour readers who pointed out it was hard to their eyes to read their favorite newspaper and also Master Speckles for re-adjusting the presses to accomodate for the new paper. The stock of old paper will be donated to Master Ponso for wrapping the salmons and other fishes caught in this year's Annual Brandywine Salmon Run.

This is ofcourse the month of Bullroarer Took and on his day (March 17) we hope to see you gather around his statue again for a great celebration of his heroic deeds. Bands will play, but hopefully we can find some Lone Bards to play as well. Because Lone Bards are doing great things, although it has been more difficult to spot them amongst all the big bands these days. That's going to change! There is to be a special Lone Bards Friday at the Green Dragon this month and beside that, we ask you all to stop and listen for a while whenever you see a person playing on a lute or harp, singing a tune or reciting a poem. They deserve it! And don't be too shy to share with us your own tune or poem. It's greatly admired and appreciated that you do!

- Gazette Issue 2 - 1421 S.R.

Well, the new year has had a lovely start with many events, concerts most notably. But wait, there is more to come! And you'll all read about it in your Bramblebury Gazette.

This month there will be a fishing competition again, another concert in the unsurpassed OAKS series and ofcourse all the regular gatherings at the Hobbit Markets, your Yard Parties and your Green Dragon Fridays! Did you know, that Green Dragon Friday will soon celebrate it's seventh anniversary? Keep a close eye on the Hobbit Calendar!

It seems not only hobbits read the Gazette. Some traveling dwarves have shown an interest in our newspaper too. One of them recently contacted me for advice about setting up a kind of Gazette aimed at dwarf news. Ofcourse Master Kandral got my assistance and that of our graphics designer, the acclaimed Master Speckles. It is still a work in progress, but I promised Master Kandral and Master Matassun advertising space in the Gazette, as soon as the first edition is out. Please tell your dwarven friends to keep an eye on this Gazette for this.

- Gazette Issue 1 - 1421 S.R.

Another year has passed. How time flies! The editors of the Bramblebury Gazette wish all their readers and contributors

a Happy New Year!!

No doubt, the new year will be packed again with things that interest us hobbits and you will be at the right address here, to learn about them. There will be concerts, burrow warmings and other parties, Hobbit Markets, Bird & Baby Yard Parties, Green Dragon Fridays, perhaps even Oatbarton Saturdays (more about that later this year), Festivals, fishing competitions, poetry competitions, baking competitions and many, many more lovely events!

If you are planning an event of your own, remember that many hobbits will read about it, if you send it to the Gazette for publication. We'd be happy to publish an article about it. Also, don't forget to send your plans to Lina's Hobbit Calendar.  It will take a few days before it's actually on the calendar, so be patient.

If you find any errors, mistakes or omissions while reading the Gazette, please let us know. We are always trying to make the Gazette a top quality newspaper, but we are not infallible ofcourse.

Thank you for reading the Bramblebury Gazette and for all your letters and contributions over the last four years. Yes, that's right: we are heading for our fifth anniversary in September!

- Gazette Issue 12 - 1420 S.R.

The mittens are back on, as Yule approaches and the weather gets colder. With a warm thank you to our resident artist, Master Speckles!

As we approach the end of the year and the Holidays associated with that, many events are being planned to get you in the right mood. We hope you will read about them here and then visit and participate! It's always jolly to be silly! Who wrote that?! But seriously now.. Yule is also a time of retrospection: How was this year for us, what did we do that we want to do again in the New Year? What can be improved? NO HATS!!!

I think we may have a slight technical issue here. Let's continue, hopefully without further interruptions...

As I said, looking back is something we do a lot around Yule, but not only that. We also make our plans and good intentions and resolutions for the upcoming year. The OAKS series of concerts in Oldfurlong is one of them. Next year the series will continue and will present to you more fantastic bands with a diversity of music. Speaking of music, I hope the authorities have the fixing of our musical instruments high on their New Year's resolutions list! For now we will be given back our old ones which is a decision that has let to mixed opinions.

Well, readers, enjoy the remainder of the year with all it's special dishes and dedicated music. Spend the time with your friends and you could do a lot worse. Think of those less fortunate than ourselves too. Let us all have a Merry Yuletide!!

- Gazette Issue 11 - 1420 S.R.

Another storm.. It had been predicted and it came as such. Before the storm, the Mayor had us bring all of our musical instruments to the Town Hole. They were to be overhauled and retuned and given back after the storm had settled and the work on them was done. As you can imagine, many hobbit musicians were reluctant to comply with this request. Some of their instruments are heirlooms, true mathoms even, and have been in a family for many generations. But hiding them or ignoring the Mayor's call was not an option: everyone had to have  their instruments retuned and rebalanced, as the ones responsible for the job call it. Have they done a good job?

Some of us, most prominently Shire bard Miss Lina who had her clarinet and other instruments  dealt with before the storm as a test, don't think so. What will this mean for Green Dragon Friday, for example, in the near future?  How will these refurbished instruments sound together in a band? Will the musicians have to go through many efforts to get their music sounding as  it should? We will have to wait and see. Or hear, in this case.

As a musician myself, these matters go to my heart. But there are more things in life than music. We are nearing the end of the year again and Summer and Fall have been lovely seasons. Would you not wish that it could be Summer all year round? On the other hand, farmers will tell you that that would not be good: like we need our daily sleep, so does nature need it's yearly sleep. It reminds me of an old story.... but that one will be told next month!

- Gazette Issue 10 - 1420 S.R.

We must warn you, dear readers! The Harvest Festival will soon be held all over the Shire, but around the Party Tree in particular. This will mean more traffic on the main roads, more strangers about in the Shire. It also means Lobelia will let people into the mysterious cellar of her burrow. And they say it is haunted!! If all of a sudden hobbits who are usually around, let's say on Market Days, are not where you'd expect them to be found, they may well be trapped in that scary place! Phantoms in White Flames may suddenly appear and play haunted music. Makes one shiver at the thought!

Another thing we want you to be aware of is the half-yearly clock fiddling! It's nearly time for that again. Make sure you read on, or you may find yourself at the right spot but at the wrong time!

This fall clocks will be set back one hour. The tricky part is that not all hobbits do it at the same date. There's the Old World hobbits who will set back their clocks on the night of October 25 to October 26. But their cousins living across the Big Pond, will not do so until the night of November 1 to November 2. So for a brief period of time there will be a difference of 4 hours between the two regions ((between UK standard time and servertime)). The Gazette will make sure to list the right starting times for events, but if you are planning an event yourself, it is wise to take all this clock fiddling into account.

After all these warnings, what remains is to wish you all a merry Harvest Festival! It's all about the succesful harvests our farmers have taken from the lands and orchards and that's something we hobbits see reason to be merry and happy about.

- GAZETTE ISSUE 9 - 1420 S.R.

As Summer slowly comes to an end and leafs are starting to change colour gradually, it is a time of celebration in  the Shire. We've celebrated the life and works of Ronald Dwale and another Festival has started: the Farmer's Fair! And there are some birthdays and anniversaries coming up: Andy Brockhouse, Bilbo "Mad Old" Baggins, the Grand Order of the Lost Mathom and, yes, the Bramblebury Gazette! It was started in September 2010 by Yola Plumblossom and Byronbrand Stepwise. There will not be a seperate party, but on September 25 we invite you all to the Bird and Baby Yard Party where the drinks will be on us that night. Yola will tell you how it all started and you get to meet and greet her and the editorial team. O, and hopefully Miss Lina Willowwood will bring her lute and sing the Gazette song for those present. Bilbo's birthday celebration will be spectacular too, even for it's location alone. Hobbit Heart will play their musical based on Master Bilbo's adventures right under the nose of Lobelia Sackville-Baggins! We hope to see you at all these wonderful celebrations.

- GAZETTE ISSUE 8 - 1420 S.R.

The Summer festival has just ended and it is grand to see the young hobbits trying to learn our old traditional dances. Some even went out of the bounds to learn a couple of foreign dances. We are happy to report that all came back safely and unharmed from these expeditions. Because, yes, dancing is fun! Music making and dancing go hand in hand. One can't do without the other. A couple of creative dancers are preparing a brand new dance that's never been seen before, but they keep it secret until the end of this month. To learn more about it, you'll have to see it for yourself at the Traveling Bilberries concert.

Until then there is plenty more to do: there is another concert in Oldfurlong and the markets continue to be open. Although perhaps some of the much appreciated marketeers may be spending their well deserved holidays elsewhere. It'll put new excitement in the question: who will now get that last sale?!

Excitement too at the Hobnanigans fields near Bree town. Excitement in the expression on the players' faces, but some worried looks too with those who fear about the well being of the chucks that are participating. Referees tell them no physical harm will be done to them, but remain curiously silent when questioned about the mental health of the animals. And yes, some very odd un-chickenlike behaviour has been observed lately: groups of aggressive chickens attacking wolves and even killing them! Groups of obviously suicidal chucks that try to storm a goblin stronghold in the Greenfields.. What is happening to our egg-providing livestock? And what is the connection with the game of Hobnanigans? Will Farmer Sandson be able to stay in business? Will there still be omelets on our plates next year??

- GAZETTE ISSUE 7 - 1420 S.R.

The Shire is a tranquil place again. Make no mistake, it is still buzzing with activity but never too much, never too busy. That's how we hobbits seem to like it best. It is after all the season of the Lazy Summer now. After the chores are done, we can sit back  and bask in the afternoon sun (Some lazy so-and-so's do that even in the morning sun, as one ill-contented gaffer confided in us.) But the crops are growing  in the fields as are the fruits on their trees and our Shire Queen has recovered and leads us in the dance at many a happy occasion. That IS what Shire life must be in Summertime. Summer is also that time of year to briefly leave the Shire and see other places. Not on adventures!! No, adventures are nasty, as once remarked by a respectable inhabitant. But leaving your comfortable burrow for a short while to see what more is going on in this world, is fine. Worst thing can happen is that you get homesick.. or find your garden shrew infested upon return.. or get dry rot in your front door because you should have been painting it..

Just kidding! Your editor went away himself and has come back invigourated and well rested. Ready to fill your Gazette with loads and loads of articles. Hopefully quite a few of them written by you, our dear readers. Enjoy the summer to it's fullest!

- GAZETTE ISSUE 6 - 1420 S.R.

At the time of writing this, the news is dominated by the illness of our Shire Queen ((a real illness, not a roleplay)). As soon as more information becomes available we will pass it on to our readers, naturally. Where Fate may play it's tricks on one of us, it is important we all keep Hope alive, the hope that she will recover soon. We each know a way to do that best: Some pray, some keep their fingers crossed, some whistle tunes or speak of her. Do what you do, for Miss Acorne.

Onto other matters now.. Our editor in chief will be absent for two weeks, starting June 12th. But worry not! Other editors will keep you informed of all the happenings in the Shire, as always helped by you, the readers, who can send in their own news, art, announcements, recipes, anything that can be printed really, but with keeping common decency in mind, as always.

For a real good overview of all activities in the Shire, past , present and future, we recommend a visit to Miss Lina's excellent calendar at her Biscuity Burrow. And now you can even add your own entries to the Calendar! So, if are you planning a party, go to the calendar, see what date is best and fill in a form with the details of your event. It will not appear immediately as Miss Lina will first have to approve your entry. Also, do not forget to write that nice news article to be printed in the Gazette. The editorial staff will help you with it, if needed.

Have a good Summertime!

- GAZETTE ISSUE 5 - 1420 S.R.

Enjoy these wonderful times, dear readers! The little flower buds of Spring are now fully blooming. And the planned parties, concerts and other events are taking place as we speak. Soon we'll elect a Spring Queen again. Remember to send in your votes to Nannie or Miss Jadite! Voting is secret, as should be your identity at the annual Masquerade Ball. Hobbits are preparing their costumes and solo performances to amaze each other and to be a totally different person for one night only.

And just like Spring returns every year, Green Dragon Friday returns every week! Soon we can celebrate it's 6th anniversary! We hope to see you all there! The celebrations are spread over two Fridays. Keep reading your Gazette for more information soon!

- GAZETTE ISSUE 3 - 1420 S.R.

New! Everything smells of new! Fields have been tilled and newly sown in, the first flowers appear, tailors are busy making new clothes to sell at the market. Many green ones.. Is green the new colour this year? O, but wait! It's the month of Bullroarer Took's victory in the Greenfields. Do not miss the celebrations surrounding his day on March 17!  But what IS this years colour? That's what the lasses want to know. How about a voting? Send us a note telling us your absolute favourite colour. We'll add up all votes and in the next issue you will read the results. Don't forget to vote now! Send it to editors@brambleburygazette.com or by Shire mail to Peppy.

And soon there may be Spring Festivals again: your chance to learn how to dance, but also to play the fence game. The yearly Mystery Masquerade Ball is already being planned, there are reports about a pitter-patter of little paws in the Frogmoors and there may also be a Spring poetry competition again. Remember, you'll read all about it in your Bramblebury Gazette!

- GAZETTE ISSUE 2 - 1420 S.R.

My, what happened to Winter?? Is it over so soon already? According to the plans hobbits all over the Shire are making, one would almost believe it is: Spring Lovers Dance, an Oatbarton concert, a burrow warming, a wedding (although that actually is a dwarven plan, but it takes place in the Shire). But listen carefully to the old farmers who will tell you: "Don't count your eggs before they have been laid!" Winter can still come back with snow and the occasional storms.

But don't let that hinder you in making your own plans and in visiting all these lovely events that will take place. The Bramblebury Gazette will keep you informed be it Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall! Do have fun and meet your friends and family on many occasions.

O, I love being a hobbit! Do you too?

- GAZETTE ISSUE 1 - 1420 S.R.

 HAPPY NEW YEAR, DEAR READERS!!

Another year has begun and it already looks promising! Many events, festivals, birthdays, jubilees and other festivities are waiting to be celebrated this year. And ofcourse the Bramblebury Gazette will let you know in time where to be, when and why!

To let you get to the Upcoming Events a bit faster, the Editorial has been moved to it's own page now. You'll read the first few lines on the front page and the rest of it here. You can also browse back to previous editorials, if you wish.

We hope, that again this year, you will help fill the pages by sending in your letters, announcements, recipes or works of art. And we promise to give them a good spot in our, nay, YOUR Gazette!

Happy reading in 2014!

 - GAZETTE ISSUE 50 - 1419 S.R.

The time of Yule has arrived, dear readers of the Bramblebury Gazette! Time to slowly leave the Old behind and start afresh with something New. This is not always easy and not even always something to be happy about. But within the New lies Hope and that is what keeps us Hobbits afoot. And as we sit in the Bird and Baby's yard, mulled wine in hand, we gaze at the new statue, discuss our opinions of it and tell each other our plans for the New year ahead. May it again be a prosperous and happy year for all of you, our dear and respected readers.

For the occasion of Yule, our designer Master Speckles has made a very special look for the Gazette. We hope, you like it as much as we do. So start the new year good, by getting your mittens on the latest Shire News, brought to you by us, the editors and the numerous contributors of articles, letters, art and recipes. Keep sending them in!

Have a Merry Yuletide and a Happy New Year!

Bovso, Peppy, Lina (Calendar), Speckles (Graphical design), Tibba, Yllisa & Byronbrand and Yola (Founders).