treeskin

Posted by Nancy "Mithril" Steinman

https://www.theonering.net/torwp/2025/09/25/120890-one-picnic-to-rule-them-all-bilbos-and-frodos-birthday-gathering-turned-griffith-park-into-middle-earth/

https://www.theonering.net/torwp/?p=120890

On Sunday, Sept. 21st, TheOneRing.net marked another turn around the sun by celebrating the birthdays of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins with our annual picnic at Griffith Park.

Friends from near and far, old and new, joined us for a day of merrymaking and good food. Attendees journeyed from as far as Massachusetts and Chicago, but most were local SoCal Hobbitses, Elves, Dwarves, Rangers, Gondorians, Rohirrim, Númenóreans, and Southrons. The weather was lovely–warm and breezy. Though at one point, the sky threatened rain, it never materialized.

TORN staffers Clifford Broadway (Quickbeam), Cathy Udovch (Garfeimao), Kristi Fojtik (Saystine), Justin Sewell, and Nancy Steinman (Mithril) were on hand to organize the games and contests, but to also enjoy the day. Cliff was our Master of Ceremonies–you may know him (and his voice) from the weekly TORN TUESDAYS webcast. With our new amplified speaker and microphone (thanks to last year’s picnic-goers’ generous donations), Cliff's reading of Bilbo’s Birthday Speech rang out loud and clear among the trees, delighting all the Bagginses and Boffins… Tooks and Brandybucks… Grubbs, Chubbs… Hornblowers… Bolgers… Bracegirdles… and Proudfoots (PROUDFEET!) in attendance.

The picnic is a potluck, and guests brought a wide variety of delights for the table, including Detroit-style pizza, cheeseburger pie, fried chicken, potato salad, lavender lemonade, and lots of baked goods including Honey Cakes and Lembas…the list goes on. A brand new tent, also acquired with last years fund-raising efforts, shaded the food table and kept the bees at bay. Separate enclaves set up by attendees, with food spreads of their own to sample, turned our festival into a real corner of Middle-earth.

This year’s cake contest was a tough but tasty decision for the judges to pick winners; all the entries were beautiful and delicious.

After everyone had a chance to relax and enjoy the repast, the games commenced. First up was a Lord of the Rings movie trivia contest. There were three rounds of fantastic questions prepared by Garfeimao and a final playoff. The competition was stiff, often resulting in all participants still standing getting the answer correct, which only made the game more fun and longer lasting.

We played Golfimbul, a time-honored tradition thanks to Pippin’s ancestor, Bandobras "Bullroarer" Took and its modern re-inventor, staff member and Tolkien Forever founder Kristi.

And there was Dwarf Tossing (thanks to Gimli, Legolas, and Peter Jackson).

There was a most excellent costume contest, and the winners included Eowyn donning her starry cloak, a Hobbit lass wearing her hand-made autumnal patchwork dress, Lobelia and Otho Sackville-Baggins, and three (very young) Hobbits whose Hobbit Mom said they resemble Merry and Pippin in their natures. Our annual talent show featured songs, readings from Tolkien’s books, and recreations of movie performances. We were treated to two beautiful songs, one by Hobbit Christina and one by Elf Arwen, along with some heartfelt readings and light-hearted acting. This year's judges were @stellabridgeofficial @zalkegeroth and @nancyinwanderland

Thank you to the judges and all who participated in the fun and games! We also want to give a shout out to Functional Mud for donating two gorgeous ceramic mugs as prizes, to Justin for the animated Bilbo and "Prancing Pony Club" t-shirts, and to all the other staff who gathered prizes for the event. Also thanks to Jeffrey Lindsey and staffer Mithril for taking the photos posted here (so many to choose from!) And a big thanks to Vik from @socaliquendi (a new SoCal Tolkien Society Smial/Chapter) for the birthday stickers and her help, and to everyone else who helped out or volunteered to help next year.

A year is far too long a time to have to wait until the next picnic! But we look forward to seeing you there. Keep brushing up on your trivia and practicing your Golfimbul swing in the meantime. Be sure to follow us for more photos and updates @theoneringnet on Instagram and Facebook, and check out our DiscordChannel. Namárië, for now.

https://www.theonering.net/torwp/2025/09/25/120890-one-picnic-to-rule-them-all-bilbos-and-frodos-birthday-gathering-turned-griffith-park-into-middle-earth/

https://www.theonering.net/torwp/?p=120890

Posted by grammaboodawg

https://www.theonering.net/torwp/2025/09/22/29949-today-in-middle-earth-september-22/

http://www.theonering.net/torwp/?p=29949

The following event(s) took place in Middle-earth on September 22:

• Birth of Bilbo in the Shire (1290)
• Bilbo and the barrels reach Lake-town just after sunset (S.R. 1341)
• Birth of Frodo in the Shire (1368)
• A long expected party!! (S.R. 1401)
• Bilbo and Frodo's birthdays (S.R. 1418)
• The Black Riders reach Sarn Ford at evening (S.R. 1418)
• Gandalf overtakes Shadowfax (S.R. 1418)
• The hundred and twenty-ninth birthday of Bilbo and Frodo's fifty-first birthday (S.R. 1419)
• Sharkey in the Shire (S.R. 1419)
• Bilbo's hundred and thirtieth birthday. Frodo's fifty-second birthday (S.R. 1420)
• They meet the Last Riding of the Keepers of the Rings in Woody End (S.R. 1421)
• Master Samwise rides out from Bag End (S.R. 1482) 

• September 22, 2890 (S.R. 1290)

  1. Birth of Bilbo in the Shire.

  (from the appendices-no text)

   Bungo Baggins and Belladonna Took celebrate the birth of their only child, "Bilbo Baggins of Bag End."

• September 22, 2941 (S.R. 1341)

  1. Bilbo and the barrels reach Lake-town just after sunset.

  (not from the appendices)

   "...a barrel was cut loose by Bilbo and pushed to the shore and opened. Groans came from inside…"

  (Tolkien, 1966 Ballantine, p. 186-187 TH)

• September 22, 2968 (1368)

  1. Birth of Frodo in the Shire.

  (from the appendices-no text)

   Drogo Baggins and Primula Brandybuck celebrate the birth of their only child, "Frodo Baggins of Buckland, the Shire.)

• September 22, 3001 (S.R. 1401)

  1. A long expected party!!

  (not from the appendices)

     "The sun got up, the clouds vanished, flags were unfurled and the fun began.

     Bilbo met the guests (and additions) at the new white gate in person. He gave away presents to all and sundry—the latter were those who went out again by the back way and came in again by the gate.

  (Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 50-56 FotR)

• September 22, 3018 (S.R. 1418)

  1. Bilbo and Frodo's birthdays.

  (not from the appendices)

  "Thursday, his birthday morning, dawned as fair and clear as it had long ago for Bilbo's great Party. Still Gandalf did not appear."

  (Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 102 FotR)

  2. The Black Riders reach Sarn Ford at evening.

  (from the appendices-no text)

  A presence of old crept through the forest which the Ranger felt long before he heard the sound of galloping hoofs….

  3. Gandalf overtakes Shadowfax.

  (from the appendices)

  "I took the best horse in his land, and I have never seen the like of him..."

  (Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 343 FotR)

• September 22, 3019 (S.R. 1419)

  1. The hundred and twenty-ninth birthday of Bilbo and Frodo's fifty-first birthday.

  (not from the appendices)

  "After the celebration of Bilbo's birthday the four hobbits stayed in Rivendell for some days, and they sat much with their old friend…"

  (Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 327 RotK)

  2. Sharkey in the Shire.

  (not from the appendices-determined from text)

  "'…since Sharkey came it's been plain ruination.'" [tells Farmer Cotton]

  (Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 360-361 RotK)

• September 22, 3020 (S.R. 1420)

  1. Bilbo's hundred and thirtieth birthday. Frodo's fifty-second birthday.

  (from the appendices-no text)

  There was a quiet gathering of friends and family at Bag End.

• September 22, 3021 (S.R. 1421)

  1. They meet the Last Riding of the Keepers of the Rings in Woody End.

  (from the appendices)

  "They camped in the Green Hills, and on September the twenty-second they rode gently down into the beginning of the trees as afternoon was wearing away."

  (Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 380 RotK)

• September 22, 3082 (S.R. 1482)

  1. Master Samwise rides out from Bag End.

  (from the appendices)
  [at ninety-nine years of age] "On September 22 Master Samwise rides out from Bag End…"

  (Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 472 RotK)

https://www.theonering.net/torwp/2025/09/22/29949-today-in-middle-earth-september-22/

http://www.theonering.net/torwp/?p=29949