Hope the weather is better now - the sudden changes sound alarming, and must be especially bad for the wildlife. We've had a lot of rain, and there has been flooding in Oxford and many other parts of the country, but it has been very mild (so far).

It's Bifur who has the axe in his head. I probably wouldn't have noticed myself if I hadn't looked at an online 'meet the dwarves' page.
Yes, I also rather liked Beorn, and was sorry they didn't make more of him, and like you, could have done with less time for the orcs. I liked Bard and his family too. I do like Radagast, and the hares are not a bad idea, but he just doesn't seem to be being written as someone who is the same kind of being as Gandalf and Saruman. I would perhaps expect him to be not quite in Gandalf's league, but he seems to be too much of a figure of fun too much of the time. As you say, the bird droppings in his hair are especially ridiculous.

And I've just heard that the project to edit and the heresy depositions has been funded, so as of May I will be back in York. I am hugely relieved!