A Not So Boring Day

Greeting Dear Readers. Today was a peaceful day. We were recovered from the ice storm and the weather was actually quite nice today. Mirabella was settling into our household very well. Master Allanon was having no luck so far in finding Mirabella's shire, but Mirabella didn't seem unhappy at all about that. Quite the opposite. We think the poor dear was getting more attention here than she did being an orphan in a great hall and was quite enjoying her new home.

Tottie and I were catching up on our travel journal.

Ms. Hickory and Lucy were baking cookies and bread.

Rosina Fayette was entertaining Lottie upstairs. Rosina Fayette enjoyed someone listening to her talk about herself nonstop and Lottie just enjoyed hearing someone talk constantly, no matter what the subject.

In the academy, the younger girls were doing art projects and enjoying a midday snack. All were happy and content.

Well, almost all. The older girls were neither happy nor content. They were.....BORED...the bane of pre-teen and teenage girls everywhere. They were hoping to go outside since the weather was so nice for a game of hopscotch or jumping rope or jacks. However, they were told they could not venture out due to the terrible mud left behind by the melting snow and ice. So, they gathered in Amberle's room to discuss their plight. They decided to send representatives to Miss Merriweather and Master Allanon to gather suggestions for entertainment, then vote on the most popular idea.
Merilwen asked Miss Merriweather for ideas. She didn't think "Do your homework or work on your samplers or read something educational" would be popular suggestions with the other girls. They certainly weren't popular ideas to her.
Amberle fared a little better with Master Allanon. He suggested the girls go visit Mirabella to help her feel more welcome in her new home. Mirabella was sitting in the window seat helping our person sew.

That sounded like a good idea, so off the older girls went, inviting Lily to join them on the way. Our person was doing laundry, not sewing at the moment, so the girls chatted with Mirabella about life in the Shire and about being a Hobbit. Then they discussed the not so exciting day. Mirabella had been hoping to go outside too.

She looked out the window to check the state of the yard for herself, only to report it was indeed very muddy.

The girls heard our person coming upstairs and decided to use the "We're bored, can we help you with anything (fun)?" routine. It worked. How could our person resist all their little smiling, hopeful faces?Our person just happened to have a "fudge kit" on hand and wondered if the girls would like to help make some fudge. That is exactly the kind of activity the girls had in mind.

Amberle opened the box as Marley and Claire read the directions.

Everyone was given a job to do.

Lucy would add the milk after our person cut up some cold butter and put in the bowl.Mirabella would add the chocolate chips.

The older girls would stir.

Merilwen and Betsy would add the walnuts.

And everyone would help eat the finished product!

Lucy went first.

The girls waited a minute while our person microwaved the butter and cream.

Mirabella poured in the chocolate chips.
Marley and Claire took turns stirring.

Amberle ended up adding the vanilla. Merilwen and Betsy poured in the walnuts.
And our person poured the fudge into the box. There would be enough for everyone in the house! The girls were a bit disappointed to find out the fudge had to chill two hours in the refrigerator before it would be ready to eat.
But then, our person reminded them of the most fun part ofmaking fudge....licking the bowl!!!
So, it was a not so boring day for the girls after all!

Hitty Rowan

An Unexpected Arrival

Greetings Dear Readers.

My story today begins with a dark and stormy night. Dark because all electricity had went out around our town and stormy due to a "historic" ice storm. Not all history is good.

Both persons and companions of our household looked outside as the snow and ice built up.

The ice coated trees and sent them crashing to the ground with terrible groans.

Our poor tall, proud holly tree was driven to the ground under the weight of the snow and eventually snapped in two. We were quite fond of the tree and very sad to see what became of it as the storm worsened.

In the midst of all this chaos, I heard a small knock on the door. My goodness, WHO could be out in this bitter cold. I opened the door and in came a shivering......child, although there was something strikingly different about her that made me wonder if she were completely human.

Around here we have fairies, pixies, Elves, humans and all sorts of creatures that make their way to our home so finding a not quite human child at our door was not surprising. What was suprising is that this child was out in the cold with no shoes and dressed in a summer party dress. I quickly drew her inside just as Master Allanon came to the door to see who had entered our home.

He studied her a minute in the candlelight before asking, "Why, what is a hobbit child doing wandering about on a night like this?"

Through her shivering, the poor child stammered out, "Mirabella Brandybuck at your service my Lord and Lady."

"Well, Mirabella Brandybuck, however did you end up at our door? There are no hobbits in this part of the world. However did you get here?" Allanon gently asked.

With that, poor Mirabella began to cry. Between sobs she told us her story. She lived somewhere in a small hobbit shire...she wasn't sure precisely where. Mirabella was an orphan who lived in a great hall (underground as most hobbit homes are) with several families. She said no one paid her much mind generally and she tended to wander about in search of adventure. It was summer festival in her world and everyone was celebrating. Mirabella felt rather left out and wandered off. She wandered further than intended and became lost in the forest. Night fell and she saw a pecular shining light. She approached it and suddenly found herself whisked through a portal...and lost in a snow storm. She saw the candlelights in our windows and our little companion faces peeking out. She thought our cottage looked rather nice and cozy and decided to knock on our door. At the end of her story she began to cry even more.

Our person had been searching for more candles by flashlight in the basement with her husband. She finally emerged and caught sight of the hobbit child. We could tell that she was immediately entranced with the child. Master Allanon explained the situation and said he would try to find out where Mirabella lived, but it could be very difficult since hobbit shires are extremely well hidden and difficult even for him to find. In the meanwhile, he suggested Mirabella stay with us. Our person was delighted, as was Mirabella. She immediately whisked Mirabella away.

Unfortunately, our people had to leave the next morning to seek warmth at relatives' house who had a fireplace. She tucked Mirabella into her bed and we companions kept the child company until our person returned.

With nothing to do but sit by a fire for several days, our person was able to make Mirabella some warmer clothes. Hobbits generally don't wear shoes, although out person has sent away for some to see if she likes them.

So, another new member to our household. Around here you just never know who will show up next.

Hitty Rowan