All tagged Guest Post

Guest Post: Lewis, Tolkien, and the Creative Power of Music

Music is powerful. Something inherently in music provides peace and joy amidst stress and turmoil. At least that is the experience I have when listening to music. There exists a certain universal quality to music that draws all mankind together. Below I will provide examples from literature and the tradition of Catholic Church to show evidence of music’s capacity to unite people through its creative power.

Living Like a Hobbit: The Art of Bread-Making (For Beginners)

Today we are welcoming Chas Burrell to the Tea with Tolkien blog! Chas is the incredibly talented woman behind the blog, At Home with Chas. After following her on Instagram for years and learning so much from what she’s had to share, I asked her to write this post for the Tea with Tolkien community. I know many of us are just beginning to learn about the wonderful world of bread-making, so I know you’ll love this introduction. I also recommend subscribing to her youtube channel for helpful how-to’s!

There are few things in this world more comforting or satisfying than making your own bread. Whether it be your first attempt as you watch the yeast activate and your dough come alive. Or as a seasoned cook that bakes most every day to grace your family table with warm, hearty goodness. Bread-making truly is an art form that everyone at any skill level can enjoy.

As a young girl I knew I wanted to know how to make food, REAL food. Not food from jars or cans or boxes. I wanted to know how to make things from scratch and that included breads! As I got older I began dabbling in the bread world. Making the simplest pancakes, sweet breads, muffins, and the like all homemade and from scratch…

Guest Post: 3 Reasons Leaf by Niggle is my Favorite Tolkien Treasure

As a Middle-earth aficionado, I have read J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion. Currently, I am navigating the land of Beleriand as I am reading The Children of Húrin. While these books are creative and profound, my personal favorite Tolkien work [so far this may be subject to change!] does not take place in a mythic land or through the medium of an epic adventure tale. Instead, a short story published in 1945 wins my personal Pulitzer. Leaf by Niggle does not follow hobbits, elves, dwarves, or contain any sinister evil such as Sauron or Morgoth. Instead, the plots details of a simple painter’s journey in the afterlife.

Film Review: Tolkien (2019)

When watching a non-fiction biographical film, there are two separate and fundamental questions which deserve to be asked – and answered. First off, does the film present genuine characters, a decent plot, and inevitably an entertaining product? High standards, yes. But cinema is an art form, and these points are just as good as any to begin a critique. Secondly, and primarily in regard to non-fiction productions, does the film portray historical events and figures accurately?