We drove for miles ‘cross lush countryside, the majestic Kaimai Range in the background. Rolling hills in myriad shades of green were everywhere, always dotted in white. There are more sheep in New Zealand than people.
We finally reached the sprawling Alexander family farm, centerpiece of J.R.R. Tolkein’s Middle Earth. Setting out on foot to stroll the Shire, we were enthralled by the massive pine known as the Party Tree, the scene for Bilbo’s eleventy-oneth birthday. We walked along paths that led to vegetable, herb, and flower gardens – each different in shape, texture and color – next to thirty-seven colorful Hobbit Holes. Delightful miniature sheltered smials. Underground homes built into the hills, with roofs covered in grass and clover, and windows so low we had to crouch as if to take a peek. A clothesline was strung with miniature work shirts. A small wheelbarrow leaned up against a tree stub. We were giants walking through a magical world.
lily of the valley
miniature belled flower tops
tabby cat traipsing through
Written for Haibun Monday at dVerse where Toni is hosting today, giving us free rein in terms of a topic. Haibun: prose (not fiction) followed by a haiku (must have a nature theme). Photos from our wonderful trip to New Zealand. We visited the 1,250 acre Alexander family sheep farm outside Auckland, NZ, home of the mythical Hobbiton. The rolling topography, huge trees and lakes were deemed the perfect spot for 17th century Middle Earth immortalized in J.R.R. Tolkein’s The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.
lillian the home poet 
Oh how this made me smile! I love the last line of the haiku….
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Always happy to hand out smiles! 🙂
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The Shire was always my favourite part of LOTR.
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I just love the sound of the word when you say it aloud. And it is indeed a magical place!
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I was brought up in Yorkshire and when I read LOTR I assumed The Shire was based on the West Riding. It’s true, the word does have a lovely old English ring to it.
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Charming description leading up to that delicately flowered Haiku and the tabby cat inserts the whimsy that the whole scene requires. LOVE the photos! Thank you for sharing them.
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We so enjoyed our tour that day. And the ride out into the countryside was stunning! Just hill after hill…..and like dotted swiss material almost….sheep everywhere! 🙂
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What a wonderful walk through Hobbiton. Thank you for taking us along. The photos are wonderful.
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So glad you enjoyed. It was an amazing place!
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Your haibun makes me wish for a day outing there. The chances of doing so seem out of reach right now. Lovely place, lovely haibun!
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Well then, I’m glad I could take you along with my post! Glad you enjoyed.
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There really is a shire! Nice haibun and collage.
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And a beautiful shire indeed!
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I love this, thanks for taking me along!
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Glad you enjoyed! Come travel with me anytime! 🙂
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What a wonderful journey you’ve taken us on, Lillian, and what a treat to be ‘giants walking through a magical world’. I would live in a hobbit house at the drop of Gandalf’s hat! Hundertwasser designed a whole village of underground houses with grass, vegetables and flowers on the roofs, and I’ve seen one or two hobbit-like houses in books, and one on a TV programme called ‘Grand Designs’. New Zealand is indeed fantastic. I have relatives and friends there but it’s an expensive trip and rather a long way – not for intrepid travellers like you, Lillian! I love the haiku with the ‘tabby cat traipsing through’!
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That was the trip of a life time! And since we were going all the way to Singapore, to board a ship to go round Australia, we thought we should also do New Zealand, knowing exactly as you say, it’s so very very far from here, we would never get back to that area of the world again. We truly had a wonderful wonderful time!
We saw the Hundertwasser house in Vienna…..and Vienna is on our list of get-back-to places! 🙂 I have an art book of his that I purchased there — his imagination and work with nature within his painting and architecture was amazing!
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Oh, I’m so jealous! This looks so lovely. We were in NZ over 20 years ago, long before Peter Jackson got his hands on LOTR. You’ve brought me lots of layers of delight with this one.
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So glad to take you along Sarah. That was a magical and wondrous trip we took that included 5 days in Singapore, cruises with land excursions in Australia and New Zealand, and then ending with 5 days in Sydney. We are just now putting all our photos into an album and it’s like we are traveling again! 🙂
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gosh you went to NZ. Love that. I love the Haiku. Just back after 11 years there…XXXX
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We fell in love with NZ!!!! A magical country indeed.
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Another deeply jealous individual here. But reading this was like it’s own vacation. Lovely!
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Always glad to take you on a little vacation with me! 🙂 So glad you enjoyed.
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Looks like a wonderful holiday and a lovely haibun.
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It was indeed….so glad you enjoyed!
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Your haibun is a perfect complement to these lovely photos.
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Thank you!
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Oh how fun! Thanks for sharing the experience and photos. The haiku so perfect.
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Yes…..that big tabby cat traipsing in the tiny delicate flowers….and we used to have farm cats that did just that when we lived in the country! 🙂
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How fantastic! You were able to visit hobbit town. I guess some of the hobbit houses were actually more than just a front door. That sounds like a page out of Tolkien’s books. I’d seen it on a travel video, but just assumed it was little more than a stage setting. Wonderful!
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They are mainly the outsides only — you can go in one….and you can go in the Green Dragon to have a glass of ginger beer. But it is much much more than just a stage setting as it is in the original place, the glorious rolling hills, the actual party tree…it is truly a shire in its natural setting!
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Wow! I truly call this a magical journey! Love the photos.
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It was indeed magical! So glad you enjoyed.
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I love this! Despite being a huge reader, I have never set out to explore places from the books I’ve read, which is quite a shame. I like you adventure and your pictures.
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Many thanks for your response, Sascha. Sometimes I think when we see something after reading a book, it brings disappointment as our imagination has created such a vivid picture for us. This however, did not disappoint! It was charming and magical! And the farm lands themselves, 1,250 acres, are gorgeous! New Zealand is truly stunning.
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This is a wonderful haibun. Thanks for including photos. 🙂 How cool!
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So glad you enjoyed. It was truly a magical place!
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Magical indeed. I want to live in a hobbit house and have sheep all around. Gorgeous haibun and photos! Thanks for sharing!
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I absolutely adored this place….the countryside and the shire….and most especially the cheerfulness of all the colors in the doors! 🙂 It just exudes happiness when you see it like this!
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Right in front of the eyes in miniatures of the Lord of the Ring fame! What an experience!
Hank
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Glad you take you along with the photos. It was a wonderful day! 🙂
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What an Awesome experience and Magnificent poem! 😎😎😎
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If was truly an awesome day! Glad to take you along….and so glad you enjoyed.
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