Explaining the Name.

I have nothing to write about tonight because Uttoxeter was mostly grey and uneventful today. (Unless you count the vision of an attractive young woman wearing a most unusual dress. It was white and made of some lightweight fabric which clung to all parts of her body and gave the distinct impression that there was nothing underneath. The middle part of the front of the dress was missing – not just open, but missing, as though a panel had been removed, revealing her bare legs from ankle to upper thigh. I can honestly say that I’ve never seen anything quite like it. She was wearing no coat, in spite of the February weather being dry but quite chilly, and her face suggested a hint of Middle Eastern antecedents. And because I’m becoming ever more of a gentleman as I grow older, I restricted my observation to an extended glance rather than a stare. Was that slightly interesting?)

So anyway, since I have nothing to write about tonight, I thought I’d re-post a picture which first appeared on this blog around twelve years ago:

 

This is the entrance to the Harry Potter wood, which has been mentioned several times down the years. The track which winds around to the left is deceptive because it only goes into a relatively recent – maybe 30-50 years old – conifer plantation. The main track goes straight on, and then bends right to run downhill. And in case you’re wondering why I call it the Harry Potter wood, here’s the explanation:

Unless you happen to be one of the three people in the world (two from Bhutan and one from Mongolia) who’ve never seen the Harry Potter franchise, you might have noticed an interesting feature about scenes set in woods. In those involving the gang or assembled multitude going into a wood for non-threatening purposes – such as to meet the beast which gives nasty little Draco a much-deserved injury – the walk through the wood is made on the level. But in sinister scenes – such as Voldermort sucking the unicorn dry of blood, or meeting the giant spider, or taking Dolores Umbridge to suffer the wrath of the centaurs – they’re always walking downhill into the trees. And so it is with this wood. The track continues downhill for about a quarter of a mile before opening onto farmland.

My own fondness for the wood, however, comes from walking in it on one occasion with a special lady and her special dog. I speak of no less than the Lady B and Inca, the cocker spaniel. And the gate which appears in the foreground of the photograph is the very spot where the Lady amused me with her most potent expression of Hermione nature. So there are two references to everybody’s favourite tale.

I really mustn’t end this post, though, without mentioning that dear little Inca came to the end of her days a few weeks ago (I think she was around fifteen.) That was this week’s sad news. But she had a good life in a safe home surrounded by much affection, and repaid the favour by giving just as much back.

I wrote a post in praise of Inca many years ago. It’s here if you want to read it. I sent a link to the Lady B in the hope that she might consider it a fitting obituary to her faithful companion and my valued little friend.