Our picture of the day takes us to the Swiss village of Lauterbrunnen, where the Staubbach Falls shimmers in the distance beyond a quiet alpine valley. This is the landscape a young traveler, J.R.R. Tolkien, crossed during a hiking trip in 1911, long before he became the storyteller behind "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit." Its soaring cliffs, silver waterfalls, and crisp mountain air left a lasting impression and are believed to have inspired his vision of Rivendell, the elven refuge hidden deep in Middle-earth.
J.R.R. Tolkien Day
Today in History
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The Cutty Sark turns 150
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Groundhog Day arrives—beyond a shadow of a doubt
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Sea Otter Awareness Week
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Happy International Astronomy Day!
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This reef is nowhere near the sea…
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Valentines Day
Bing Wallpaper Gallery


