Clotted cream is a marvelously British thing…I’m an American but my mom used to
work in a tea house so she tells me all about the little traditions associated
with tea (both at regular time, though I can’t remember the real name for it,
and high tea). When I was little we used to always have tea parties with
tiny scones and crumpets (alas, never the cream though…I don’t know where you
could even get that in America). That tiny reference always makes me
smile though…I love how Tolkein works in references like this! Makes me
want to fly to London immediately…
I love the smoke rings…they remind me of the softer side of Gandalf that the
hobbits tend associate him with…like his fireworks. They are probably
here a remnant of a story written specifically for children with no larger
purpose really in mind, but I find it lovely. We see a wizard with
immense power who still delights in simple joys like blowing smoke rings…so
great!
"I'm absolutely removed from the world at such times," he said. "The hours go by without my knowing it. Sitting there I'm wandering in countries I can see every detail of--I'm playing a role in the story I'm reading. I actually feel I'm the characters--I live and breathe with them."
--Flaubert (Madame Bovary)
