A day for play - and some serious thoughts

Today was a day for play.

The elves explained to the gnomes and the dwarves the rules of quagnog, their favorite game. Then they split them up into teams.

At first dwarves just played dwarves and gnomes just played gnomes. The elves thought it would be unfair for them to play against elves who had more experience with the game.

I watched them with interest.

He dwarves are not as fast and graceful as the elves, but they are strong. I saw one dwarf throw the guagnog ball almost the entire length of the field!

Their games ended up with near fights, and several minor injuries.

The gnomes, on the other hand, are faster, more graceful, and, for their size stronger than the elves (though not as strong as the dwarves).

But they have to do everything together. This led to clumps of players all together, but no one else anywhere else on the field, making impossible to pass the ball. Sometimes the goalies left their hoops to join with their teammates in the middle of the field.

I think the elves were right to not play them yet.

The dwarves then set up bowling lanes on the ice, and started teaching the elves and gnomes how to play.

Unfortunately, because of the icy ground, the balls kept sliding out of the lanes. Sometimes they bowled over spectators!

The dwarves were very frustrated. They have determined to figure out a way to bowl, ice or no ice.

This evening, the gnomes got the elves and the dwarves to join in on one of their favorite activities: singing.

The gnomes are very good. They are able to sing such wonderful harmonies. There were times when I almost wanted to cry, they sounded so wonderful.

Elves are also very good singers. But they are used to singing alone. They like to listen to songs that tell stories. Their songs are simpler so that the words are clear. They had a hard time singing in harmony, but the gnomes were very patient and I think I actually heard some voices blending.

Dwarves love to sing, but their songs are loud and wild – the kinds of songs suitable for taverns.

Melody for them is something you aim at, but you don’ have to get exactly right. What counts is volume!

So harmonies are, at best, accidents, because two or more dwarves happen to sing the right notes at the same time.

All different styles. All beautiful in their own ways.

But listening to them, it made me wonder how we will all work together.

It also made Shulun howl several times!

Hmm. I’m getting too serious.

Time for some hot chocolate, and working on my greenhouse forest idea.