A Coven of Witches – derrickjknight

Advent Day 5

Burley is a small village in Hampshire’s New Forest often featuring on my posts, with a reputation for witchcraft and demonology based on legends which are given in https://derrickjknight.com/2013/06/22/witchcraft/

It is a venue popular with our visitors, especially the younger ones, for what is to be found in its shops, especially ‘A Coven of Witches’ opened by Sybil Leek in the 1950s, shortly after the UK’s prohibition of witchcraft was lifted. Inside this shop I had a good long conversation with the owner who was hanging decorations. Last year we had bought a polished malachite stone for Malachi, so it was fascinating to learn that there are many fakes on line but that the provenance coming with those supplied here is guaranteed.

Here is my gallery from our visit at twilight this afternoon;

and here is Jackie’s.

This evening we enjoyed more chicken and vegetable stewp and crusty bread rolls, with which I drank Vina Albali Valdepeñas Gran Reserva 2017

Witches And Waterstones

This morning when Sam, Holly, Malachi, and Orlaith arrived from Elizabeth’s I travelled with them on a shopping trip, first to Burley, home to lunch, then off to Waterstones in Lymington.

It wasn’t until early afternoon that the threatened precipitation. plummeted down.

After investigating the few open shops in Burley we settled on

A Coven of Witches, where , having checked out

the windows, the children spent a considerable amount of time selecting presents from me and purchases of their own. They decided to wander around the village again to ponder a little more and to return for final decisions.

The precipitation in the form of large ice marbles bouncing off our bonces soon sent us scuttling back inside. Final choices were made. Orlaith chose a pair of silver earrings from me and a ring from herself while Malachi selected an egg shaped polished malachite stone from me and a ring from himself.

We stopped for a drink in The Queen’s Head before returning for one of Jackie’s cold meats and salad buffet lunches.

Rain kept up its deluge during the Waterstone’s visit. Again a generous amount of time was spent deliberating on book choices. The two grandchildren each settled on two books with which they were very pleased.

Elizabeth joined us all later when we dined, courtesy of the Culinary Queen, on succulent roast chicken; flavoursome sage and onion stuffing; crisp roast potatoes and Yorkshire pudding; firm carrots and Brussels sprouts; a tasty vegetable bake, and meaty gravy. White wines were consumed by Jackie, Holly, and Sam, while I finished The Guv’nor.

My sister then impressed us all by engaging in a game of Champed Up with the Australian branch of the family, while Jackie and I pleaded age and limited reactions.

A Day For Ice Cream

CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE. REPEAT IF REQUIRED

This splendidly spring-like day was conducive to more autumn tidying in the garden, after which we went for a drive in the forest.

We hadn’t been down Pauls Lane before. We hoped we wouldn’t meet anyone approaching from the opposite direction.

From a little further on we noticed that, despite the temperature in the teens, all the horses in a field were wearing their winter rugs. There was just room, on a bend, for Jackie to squeeze the Modus onto a bend for me to take these photographs.

Ponies sheltered under the trees outside the entrance to Settorn’s Caravan and Camping site.

One must have trampled on

this group of toadstools.

Burley was so congested with traffic that we struggled to find a spot in the car park.

The families of visitors made us realise that it was half-term.

Previous posts about this village have mentioned the focus on witches, none less than on the approach to Halloween, as demonstrated by this cleverly carved pumpkin. ‘Witchcraft’ tells the tales of the legends of Burley.

A Coven of Witches was a great draw for many.

New Forest Cycle Hire was doing even brisker business than usual.

This gentleman towed a trailer.

One could imagine that small children having first selected their favourite ice cream flavour,

and stood containing themselves while the purchase was made,

might have had difficulty not rushing into the neighbouring Country Wines. This shop sported a notice on the open door indicating that the cones were not welcome inside.

It was definitely a day for ice creams.

Perhaps this lad needed to consume his before entering the 18th Century home of A Coven.

Others licked theirs on the move.

As we left the village the Burley Wagon Rides customers were being returned to base.

A mile or so later a pair of piglets snuffled among the mast.

This evening we dined on Hordle Chinese Take Away’s flavoursome fare, with which Jackie drank Hoegaarden and I drank more of the Corbieres