The Merry Month of May
Happy May Day! On the first day of a new month it used to be a game to be the first to say "Pinch, punch, first of the month" and do the accompanying actions (gently?!) then to prevent retaliation quickly follow up with the words "White rabbits, no return". The tradition, meant to bring good luck, apparently originates from medieval beliefs about weakening witches with salt. Which now reminds me to remind you again about Witch/Craft at St Barbe Museum & Art Gallery. Incidentally I was interested to learn that the word witch comes from the Old English 'wicce', which means simply 'wise woman' - there's no malevolent intent in the word itself!
Whatever, at the break of May here's wishing you all a very merry month - starting with a Bank Holiday Weekend. For gardeners and garden lovers it's getting off to a busy start with the BBC Gardener's World Spring Fair at Beaulieu, which opens this morning at 9.30 and runs throughout the 3 day weekend. Oakhaven Hospice has just been awarded a Silver Merit for its Beautiful Border, and has a fundraising raffle with a chance to win £300 in National Garden Vouchers. My borders need an uplift so I’ll be looking for some ideas there later - and will try and win those vouchers, too!
New Forest Activities invite us to paddle down the Beaulieu River Nature Reserve or for those who prefer dry land to learn Archery or play BattleZone - all great ideas for May, including looking ahead to the big summer half term at the end of the month.
Dreaming of a New Forest Wedding?
If you're starting to think about or already into the planning stages of a wedding, this May message from the Montagu Arms Hotel in Beaulieu is for you!
First, as if you need telling, with its medieval history and natural beauty accessible to all, the New Forest is perfect for a wedding! Factor in the lovely village of Beaulieu itself, and you have a unique wedding backdrop.
And then, the Montagu Arms invites you to literally take over its entire hotel. Its 'exclusive use package' means exactly that: the hotel is entirely yours for your Big Day!
'Every bedroom, every lounge, every corner of our beautiful English country garden. There are no strangers, no other events competing for attention, just your family, your friends, and the people you love most, held within the walls of one of the finest intimate wedding venues in Hampshire.
Exclusive use transforms your wedding into a truly immersive experience. Guests can wander between rooms, gather by the fire, spill out into the gardens, and inhabit the space as if it were their own. With 33 beautifully appointed bedrooms, your closest guests can stay the night and make a proper occasion of it, waking up together the following morning to share a leisurely breakfast in the very place where your married life began.'
FIND OUT ABOUT EXCLUSIVE WEDDINGS AT THE MONTAGU ARMS
News and Events Update
Hot off the press comes the announcement of this year's Music Weekend at Kingfishers, to take place on 'Midsummer Weekend' Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 June. Each summer, the stunning gardens in the grounds of Amanda Mann’s beautiful home are opened to the public for one unique and very special weekend of music and culture in order to raise money for worthy causes. This year two local charities working in the mental health arena will benefit: Hammersley Homes and Coda Music & Arts Trust. And the line up is on Saturday evening An Evening of Opera and on Sunday afternoon rhythm & blues band The Cosimo Matassa Project - which would make a very special Father's Day treat, too. Book this month for savings on ticket prices.
All the upcoming films at the Malt Cinema are now also listed in the Events Calendar and below, beginning this weekend with a tale of two Scottish brothers in Glenrothan,
There's live music at the Turfcutters Arms this evening with the Transitions and on Sunday afternoon for a Bank Holiday weekend treat in the garden with country, folk and classic rock from 'Hinterland'. The start of the outdoor season is well and truly here.
Register by midnight on Bank Holiday Monday 4 May for the wonderful Oakhaven Walk 2026 on the 16th - if you've been thinking about it, now's the time to commit!
Many lovely warm days are hopefully in prospect for the merry month of May but remember: 'Ne'er cast a clout till May be out!' In case of confusion a clout is an old word for a piece of clothing, however I've just learned that 'May' may not refer to the month but the May flower or hawthorn - which flowers in late April or early May. Hmm, I'm keeping warm clouts handy for the forsee-able future!
Best wishes Jane
PS A special shout out this weekend for Iain at Buchanans of Lymington. He always has the solution to any jewellery related requirement and yesterday came to my rescue in dramatic fashion by being willing and able to cut off my wedding ring after 'Achenbach Syndrome' had attacked my finger. (I'd never heard of it before either!) Thank you so much Iain.
Read the rest of this week's newsletter here
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