Hobbit houses
Friday, June 26, 2009 at 10:13PM 
Leo's dad is reading him The Hobbit; both of them are enjoying it immensely. There is something special about reading a favorite childbood book with your own child. I'm not a Tolkien fan myself (I'll be reading the Narnia books to the kids, thank you), but I'll make an exception for The Hobbit: I would love to live in a hobbit house. This one, built to house someone's collection of Tolkien manuscripts and artifacts, is my favorite. Check out the interior shots of the round door, the "butterfly" window, the fireplace, and the library.
While googling "hobbit house" I turned up a reference to a hobbit house practically in our own background. The kids and I went looking for it at the Winkler Botanical Preserve in Alexandria, VA this morning. I had never even heard of the place, but I'm so glad we stumbled on it. There was a network of wooded trails; a stream, waterfalls, and a lake; a Craftsman-style building called the Catherine Lodge; and a mysterious series of book-boxes at strategic points along the trail, each inscribed with a single letter. Our real-life adventure seems to have criss-crossed with someone else's! What could be going on at the Winkler Botanical Preserve?
Oh, we also found an abandoned hobbit house, just Milly's size (she went in). It was nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there.
Reader Comments (6)
I've never heard of it either! We'll go check it out when we are next there.
Brian is reading The Hobbit to Fiona right now!
There was a housing development in Bend Oregon called "The Shire" that planned to build McMansions with hobbit styling (I know, huge houses and hobbits? Not exactly compatible!) but they went into foreclosure. I remember seeing some wild looking photos of what they wanted the place to look like.
I can't promise the book-boxes will be still be there, Charlotte (I think they were part of a camp activity, but I haven't been able to find any information about said camp on the internet).
And Kate, seriously?!
Yay! You found it!
Like many, I yearn for a hobbit house. That picture doesn't help! :)
My husband is itching to read The Hobbit to our 6 year old daughter. I'm not sure she's ready, but I'm willing for him to give it a go as long as there are good pictures.
Hey Annie :) love the site!!! I can't wait to read The Hobbit with the girls...as SOON as we get settled :) I also would love to take them to the Botanical Preserve. It looks lovely.