The White Council

In a recent trip to a nursing home, I had discovered the home and its grounds to surprisingly similar to the Last Homely House of Rivendell. While driving through the woods, you take a sharp and rather unexpected descend to a depression. At first it seems to be little more than a small crater, but further exploring reveals the property expanse to a thick valley some mile & 1/2 long. There is first a small two-story cottage nearly hidden by the woods, and then there is a large, multi leveled mansion with a small tunnel under the front for what would have allowed horses to enter the main courtyard and to the stables, some 500 yards away. The house it's self is what is known as a half-timber, with several thick brick chimneys extending from the semi -octagon roof. In order to enter the central courtyard, one has to descend three steps through a short stone wall enclosing the open end of the semi octagon. The front door is some 5 feet wide and 8 feet tall. The inside hall is divided into several small chambers including one that contains a massive spiral staircase. This all opens to the final chamber, which is the dining room. Through some huge wooden doors at the rear of the dining room, one enters an enormous hall. (Sound familiar?) The great hall has little furniture and a gigantic fireplace on the right side. This fireplace is surrounded by a cast iron, velvet upholstered bench. There are several other rooms and chambers of great size, including a parlor and a raised, nearly hidden interior/exterior porch. In addition, every doorknob, sconce, etc. has a gold leafed, floral design, something I always imaged to be rather elivish. Sorry, no bridge. This raises two questions: did Elrond and his companions decorate for the holidays, as this House was? I think it would be a great thing to do, spend Christmas or "Yule" at Rivendell. Think about that, I think the Elves did participate in festivities and decorations, as did the Hobbits. I am inclined to think that the Dwarves and Men did not, although Beorn did host Yule for Gandalf and Bilbo at the end of the Hobbit. Rivendell would look beautiful with wreathes and trees and candles in the window. Don't think logical- well German tradition…: think of what would be characteristic of Tolkien's outlook and opinions. I think someone must have decorated… for harvest, spring etc. 2nd, has anyone been in a place that reminded them of the LotR, I mean really similar in atmosphere and stuff. This happens to me a lot.

Thank you for your time and responses.