Hot days and blessed rains
While the spring was all about change, both in terms of the weather and the Big Move, the summer in the Shire seems mostly the same as in previous years. The gammers expect many beautiful and hot summer days when hobbits will turn on their lazy mode and spend long hours beneath a blooming apple tree, reading a book, rehearsing their songs on lute, or scribbling down poems inspired by the beauty of nature. The innkeepers expect a good turnout at their watering holes, because sitting outside in the hot summer air makes folk thirsty. Even when the weather is bad, the inndoors conditions are always optimal – provided that the roof is still intact. The farmers have been working hard on their fields, trying to take advantage of every good working day to secure a good harvest. The Cottons claim that the prolonged anniversary festival and the many loud fireworks from the Methel Stage have driven all shrews far away from their fields, and maybe other hungry critters too. However, they kindly point out that folks celebrating their Friday evenings with fizzers in Bywater should not take this as an encouragement to make even more noise, since the Cottons need some sleep from time to time too (especially now, to recover from the festival).

The hot weather also has other effects. The hobbits who are out in the sun are sweating hard, while those inside the inns spill their drinks happily all over, also over themselves. That can lead only into one thing (according to some nannies): a bath! Even during the warm months, some younger hobbits are reluctant to dive into the cool waters, which, in turn, leads into another thing: nanny tricks. There are rumours that they are up for something this year as well, preparing a new way to get the dirty youngsters into a bath. The local tailors seem to be involved in it somehow, if the rumours are to be believed. Whether they are weaving a brilliant bath trick or not, one thing is for sure – the nannies have yet another trick up their sleeve this summer.

Bounders on patrol
After the Big Move, people have finally settled in their hobbit holes. It also seems that many have gotten back items that were lost in the Quickpost. The most popular villages at the moment include Songburrow, Bramblebury, Merryvale, Bartunnel, Oldfurlong, Shortshot, among others. In these villages, hobbits have also set up inns, pie shops, crafting stations, farms, and many other attractions. It might not be exactly the same as before the move, but still, the community is resuming its life and routines and welcoming new opportunities. The free-roaming pigs are also happily exploring the new oinking grounds, while some dogs are eagerly snooping around for any available steaks left unguarded.

Not only pigs and dogs roam in the villages. The bounders are also back on duty, making sure that everything is in order in the hobbit settlements, the ore is kept safe, and there is no unauthorised drumming. The Shire Bounder Hermann Snorkintree, who is a frequent sight at the Green Dragon inn on Fridays, watering the rug, is more concerned about his fellow hobbits rent payment situation. Here is his message to hobbits who have settled in the Shire villages:

After the shenanigans with the housing writs it seems that a lot of Hobbits are feeling unsafe in their newly acquired burrows. No blame should be cast as times can feel unsure and troublesome, and after all none of us like such tumultuous changes if we can avoid it.

The thing is that the bounders are patrolling and everything is as safe as ever, if not even more than prior to the move. But many still keep their doors locked and their writs well hidden in their coffers or under their pillows. This is of course up to any individual to do so if they please, but I will encourage all to open up for others to help on payments of fees to their burrows as some might not have the means or some might forget to make their due payment in time and the bounders are actively working to not let that happen, we don’t want anyone to be barred from their homes once again.

I myself am regularly patrolling Songburrow, Bartunnel, Bramblebury and other homesteads.

Sincerely Hermanniadoc Snorkintree, Songburrow Bounder.

New May Royals, new events
In May, the flower crowns were passed on to a new May Queen and May King: Rosenbleume and Saelo. Both of them are eager to make the best out of their reign by organising events in the Shire. As a lover of arts, Queen Rosenbleume wants to make new musical pieces bloom around her, and so she is bringing writers together at monthly meetups where they can find inspiration and get ideas for new songs with a certain theme. The first meetup was held in early June, and we might soon hear the results at various venues, not least at the Dragon on Fridays.

Meanwhile, King Saelo has other plans for the community. He is organising a Royal Snowball Fight at his grandparents’ distant burrow, where there is plenty of snow to haul at others and have some wintery fun – in the middle of summer on 28th June. He has gotten the idea from Mayor Whitfoot who once opened the Winterhome gates in the middle of summer in the past. So if hauling ice blocks and spitting water into the air is not your thing to deal with the heat, you might want to join the cool company and charge to the snow-white battle fields instead.

Picnics, paw prints, parties aplenty
In addition to lyrics writing sessions and snowball fights, there are also many other chances to meet up with other hobbits in the summertime. The traditional summer picnic is coming up soon, with the popular pie rolling race where hobbits storm down The Hill to the party tree and crawl back up, all using their own preferred style – the bravest might even stop to greet Lobelia (just beware her umbrella, she might give you an unwanted speed boost with it). Also, a new celebratory pie will be revealed at the picnic by Miss Pycella who wants to celebrate the ten years of being part of the community.

Other celebrations are in plans as well, for example kinship anniversaries. These include Knife and the Tree kinship’s 3rd anniversary party and The Hobbitry’s anniversary in Merryvale which will feature a burrow crawl and more merry-making at the Dancing Coney inn. The Hobbitry is currently aiming at celebrating on 19th July.

Should you run out of energy to bounce-test other people’s beds during burrow crawls or running after pies at picnics, there are also other relaxed gatherings to visit. Miss Julie is working on a satirical play about a dragon with other hobbits and welcomes anyone to join in on stage – either as a musician or an actor. Places are still available for budding performers. The show itself should take place later in autumn. This summer, enthusiasts of ancient artifacts will gather at Songburrow Hall again to enjoy a mathom tale tea. Everyone is welcome to bring an item for inspection and evaluation and share the story behind it. This time, there might be a possibility to put the item up on display on a platform where it is easy for all to see. As always, there will be tea and plenty of tasty grub to enjoy, if the pastry tower guards just let you pass.

Summer is also a good time to prepare for the Four Farthing Bree Combine Dog Show that happens later in autumn. Masters Hartten and Willywinkle are organising dog training sessions, first of them happening on 19th June at the Hobnanigans fields in Breeland. All shapes and sizes of dogs can enter the show. If you do not have a pup to enter in the race, you also have the opportunity to join as a judge or as a vendor, if you have some grand things for sale. Just come to one of the training sessions to sniff out more information.

As always, more events might pop up as the summer goes on. So far, there are no weddings in the calendar, but one can always hope that there will be one, ideally with an abundant banquet. It is best to keep an eye or two on the Bramblebury Gazette to stay up to date with events and other happenings. Even though the roads to the old neighbourhoods will soon be closed for good and there is no going back, the summer is a good moment to pick up the threads of a new life here where we are now and embrace the warmth, join in a merry dance – and maybe even have a bath.

((OOC: This is the seasonal Shire forecast where we aim to provide common pointers and ideas for hobbit roleplay in LOTRO. If you have ideas for upcoming issues, please contact Pycella (pycellawoodberry[a]gmail.com).  ))