buttercupstory

If you go through the village, past the duck pond and the school, you will come to a little leafy lane
that winds between the wood and the mill. At the end of that lane, you will come to a picket fence,
and a gate which bears these words; "
"Miss Clare Sage
Culinary herbs and
Natural Remedies"
Through the gate and up the path is the prettiest cottage, surrounded by all the herbs and flowers
that Miss Clare uses in her lotions and potions.

As you can see, the door is open, as usual, so shall we see if she is in?

As we follow the path round the side of the house, we can admire the delicate painted flowers, that Miss Clare has used to decorate the windows and doors, for, not only is she a skilled herbalist, she is also an artist!

Passing the bay window, we are checked out by Greebo, Miss Clare's rather cantankerous tabby tomcat, who is in his favourite spot on the window seat.


	Well, there is no sign of Miss Clare. Perhaps she is in the back garden, feeding her hens. But the house is not empty, for there is Duchess, a white persian, on Miss Clare's rocker. Too old now to to play with the knitting left temptingly nearby on the floor. Although the new kitten seems to be getting in a tangle!

And there is Jade, making herself most comfortable on Miss Clare's saggy old bed!

And just what does that naughty kitten think he is doing?

Let's wait in the kitchen, Miss Clare won't mind.

The walls are lined with shelves loaded with bottles and jars, containing all manner of herbs and spices, some that you use in the kitchen, like parsley, and mint, but also some with other uses, like agrimony, and digitalis.

On the stove, there is an evil looking mixture, bubbling gently, and on the table, is a bowl of ointment that she is putting into jars.

(She calls this "Thunder and Lightning Cream", and it is a sure cure for bruises.)

Miss Clare Sage is a lady of indeterminate years, who has lived in the cottage for as long as most people in the village can remember. Miss Clare (as she prefers to be called) used to live with her grandmother (also Miss Sage), in the same cottage, until the old Miss Sage died. The old folks would tell you, in scandalised whispers, that the old Miss Sage had a daughter (and no sign of a father!), who ran away with the gypsies when she was sixteen. A year later, she came back to the village, with a baby (Clare), left her with her grandmother, and vanished, never to be seen of, or heard from again!

The old Miss Sage, raised her granddaughter, and taught her all that she knew about herbs, and herbal remedies, so that when she died, at the ripe old age of 96, Miss Clare carried on the tradition.

Many years ago, she had a sweetheart, but he had to go away to war, and like so many other young men, he did not return. Miss Clare still keeps his picture beside her bed.

She now keeps busy, making herbal remedies for all sorts of animal and human ailments. Her customers bring her gifts; a packet of tea, a piece of bacon or ham, or some chocolate, of which she is rather fond!

She grows her own vegetables and fruit, and in the orchard at the bottom of the garden, she keeps a few hens and ducks, and the beehive. She uses the honey to sweeten her concoctions!

The children in the village suspect that Miss Clare is a witch, but their mothers know who to come to for cough syrup in the winter! The young lasses have been known to ask her for a love potion, or charm, when they have wanted to attract a particular young man, and Miss Clare never sends them away empty handed. Miss Clares' spells and charms have never been known to fail!

Well! There is no sign of Miss Clare! We'll leave some flowers on the table, and come back another day.