Sammy 
There is a particular kind of joy in unlocking the door to the shop again after a spell of quiet.
Not the loud sort of joy. Not fireworks and fanfares. More like the warm glow of lantern light returning to old stone walls. The familiar clink of jars. The scent of herbs waking as their lids are lifted. The soft shuffle of people gathering once more around the table with cups of tea in their hands and stories tucked under their cloaks. After some much needed rest, Pippin’s Potions is open again, and it has been genuinely lovely to return to the rhythm of The Old Smithy once more.
Over the last few weeks we’ve shared a beautiful Blue Moon ritual evening, gathered for the moot, and welcomed both familiar faces and wandering new souls through the door. At our recent gathering we spent the evening weaving little solar crosses from willow, herbs and flowers beneath summer skies, each one slightly wild and wonderfully unique. There is something rather magical about seeing community grow slowly and naturally, like ivy curling around an old garden gate.
We have also quietly introduced our new range of handcrafted herbal teas, which have already begun disappearing from the shelves faster than expected.
🌙 Dream Tea
A gentle evening blend for winding down beneath sleepy skies.
🔥 Firelight Tea
Bright, uplifting and warming. A little spark in a cup.
☀️ Solstice Tea
Floral and golden, inspired by long summer evenings and sunlit hedgerows.
🗝️ Threshold Tea
Softly calming and restorative, for moments of pause and reflection.
Every jar is hand blended at The Old Smithy using carefully chosen botanicals, and packed with the same care we put into everything we create.
Last month also brought a bittersweet change just outside the shop itself. The old horse chestnut standing on the green in front of The Old Smithy sadly had to be felled to help reduce the spread of disease to the younger chestnuts nearby.
It felt strange seeing that familiar tree disappear from the view. Trees quietly become part of the landmarks of our lives without us fully noticing. It had stood through countless seasons, storms, passing conversations and village moments over many years.As we move toward midsummer, the shelves are slowly filling again with candles, salt sizzlers, ritual goods, herbs, teas and curious little treasures. The garden is buzzing, the kettle is almost always on, and the lanterns are lit once more.
Thank you, as always, for supporting this strange little woodland apothecary of ours. Whether you visit the shop, come along to a gathering, order online, or simply follow along with our ramblings, it truly means the world.
The wheel keeps turning. The lantern stays lit.
