Hot Cross Buns

<div style="text-align: center;">Imagine my delight</div><div style="text-align: center;">when I first laid eyes<br />on mythical 'hot cross buns'</div><div style="text-align: center;">sold in our grocery store<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaCLFWHyOK1DgajSssxHlCrGXkDByRbETIPcEPZBJ7KJIMhp80isSPyhYY1eBkx_p0o_wmC5Oobox3_5gOUBdED7g0hoGVqdKDfb24vnUB3v-F1KF45QBSgAAyJibBlxxI7QWgAzmMnFIQ/s1600/DSC05039-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaCLFWHyOK1DgajSssxHlCrGXkDByRbETIPcEPZBJ7KJIMhp80isSPyhYY1eBkx_p0o_wmC5Oobox3_5gOUBdED7g0hoGVqdKDfb24vnUB3v-F1KF45QBSgAAyJibBlxxI7QWgAzmMnFIQ/s640/DSC05039-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Thinking they only existed in a nursery rhyme,</div><div style="text-align: center;">they've been available in stores a few weeks now<br />to be consumed on Good Friday or Easter</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />The dough is spiced and fruited</div><div style="text-align: center;">and a cross is cut into it</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">According to a Church of England spokesperson,</div><div style="text-align: center;">'You have got the bread, as per communion,</div><div style="text-align: center;">you have got the spices that represent the spices Jesus was wrapped in the tomb,</div><div style="text-align: center;">and you have got the cross</div><div style="text-align: center;">They are fairly full of Christian symbolism'</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And they cost more than a penny ;)<br /><br />Happy Easter<br /><br /><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">- photo by me -</span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Source: <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8598312.stm">BBC</a></i></span></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/35/2FD701A88E1AB920883327F28E3E4BF9.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>

Hot Cross Buns

Imagine my delight when I first laid eyes on mythical 'hot cross buns' sold in our grocery store Thinking they only existed in a nur...

Read more »

A Day In The Houses Of Parliament

<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikVVQA7YXyD6Ahra-yp3FZxjshe3y5lRv0TX8-vtjVGFGZ2xoQ51TAGM8B4N9vRk0tMX5_0OxxLuR_yPWCkwTT3mkdWo4kRzbyFW3RRAx_Ab8vgZ5lX3MvWr7r0TTZRzibiamEST2ca-Wj/s1600/Westminster_Parlement.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikVVQA7YXyD6Ahra-yp3FZxjshe3y5lRv0TX8-vtjVGFGZ2xoQ51TAGM8B4N9vRk0tMX5_0OxxLuR_yPWCkwTT3mkdWo4kRzbyFW3RRAx_Ab8vgZ5lX3MvWr7r0TTZRzibiamEST2ca-Wj/s400/Westminster_Parlement.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Claude Monet's <i>The Houses of Parliament, Sunset</i> (1903)<br />-<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palace_of_Westminster">source</a>-</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">A gorgeous Gothic landmark with a famous Clock Tower,</div><div style="text-align: center;">I was really excited to see inside the Palace of Westminster</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Once a royal medieval palace and now a major center of politics,</div><div style="text-align: center;">this building holds a lot of dramatic history</div><div style="text-align: center;">including the unsuccessful <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunpowder_Plot">Gunpowder Plot</a> in 1605,</div><div style="text-align: center;">a gruesome ending for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Cromwell#Death_and_posthumous_execution">Oliver Cromwell</a> in 1661,</div><div style="text-align: center;">a major fire in 1834,</div><div style="text-align: center;">and many bombings during World War II<br /><br />The interior of the Houses Of Parliament<br />is just as stunning as its exterior<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCpGrOPA_U8LKbJiAoEDKKtxk8ZVLnmDX4J0Qeo4lvA6XV8QDeZMvW-oNgW-ArLb7hrmU9zrvsx52dx4Kf0HtmtqHd-VfCMVot7s0Ma47BBPxWU12klvKxIzokF-snkO-w7uoOVjnDNWrh/s1600/ImageVaultHandler.aspx.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCpGrOPA_U8LKbJiAoEDKKtxk8ZVLnmDX4J0Qeo4lvA6XV8QDeZMvW-oNgW-ArLb7hrmU9zrvsx52dx4Kf0HtmtqHd-VfCMVot7s0Ma47BBPxWU12klvKxIzokF-snkO-w7uoOVjnDNWrh/s400/ImageVaultHandler.aspx.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">After my tour, I was inspired to contact my local Member of Parliament (MP)<br />to request tickets for Question Time<br /><br />Every Wednesday for thirty minutes,<br />MPs fire questions at the Prime Minister in the House of Commons<br /><br />Wow - we have nothing like this in the US<br /><br />Reminding me of a schoolyard,<br />fingers are pointed,<br />the Speaker of the House yells 'Order!'<br />and<br />gasps, cheers and outbursts come from all political parties<br />in response to David Cameron's answers<br /><br />And they do it every week<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTg9FSK6Eivw_m-AGWjq9Ey7HFT6uSenq-8BfpQFMqSyXnJuY7CI83MGDApKcSB2RRhfDOdb8VN71twFvrfy2vzJCdBjmliDgu02RF_yXS-6uK6htKN0YX2MGIXJhO_Ag5NWAs-LOSb9xM/s1600/ImageVaultHandler.aspx+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTg9FSK6Eivw_m-AGWjq9Ey7HFT6uSenq-8BfpQFMqSyXnJuY7CI83MGDApKcSB2RRhfDOdb8VN71twFvrfy2vzJCdBjmliDgu02RF_yXS-6uK6htKN0YX2MGIXJhO_Ag5NWAs-LOSb9xM/s400/ImageVaultHandler.aspx+(1).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br />Ranging from housing benefits to Alzheimers to poaching in Africa to Syria,<br />it made me realize how numerous and vast the issues are<br />and that these are mere mortals working on the state of affairs<br />within the same 24 hours the rest of us have<br /><br />Interestingly, David Cameron often referred to other politicians by saying,<br />'As my friend ___ rightly said...'<br />which made me realize<br /><br />these (mostly) men have been groomed to be politicians from an early age,<br />often attending the same boarding schools and universities<br />(Oxford or Cambridge)<br /><br />Which means, there is not a huge diversity in upbringing<br />and it means they have known each other a long time<br />perhaps with old lunchroom grudges<br />or as dorm room buddies<br /><br />It made me appreciate the diversity of our US politicians,<br />many whom have not met each other until their first day on Capitol Hill<br />and cover a wide scope of professional backgrounds<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD-trMin0NxuMWjtl4-BwMwC42Hc9E2S5B17bbPN2H81BloYqsZ7-JGtPvBOPqhLbgXfttBqeb2F6S6qVVA872yeK9Ce2UI9psAe2Il_92rXSW8OxMgiEdi-mYzK1G8H_36w1wH18qn-33/s1600/ImageVaultHandler.aspx+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD-trMin0NxuMWjtl4-BwMwC42Hc9E2S5B17bbPN2H81BloYqsZ7-JGtPvBOPqhLbgXfttBqeb2F6S6qVVA872yeK9Ce2UI9psAe2Il_92rXSW8OxMgiEdi-mYzK1G8H_36w1wH18qn-33/s400/ImageVaultHandler.aspx+(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br />I was very impressed how solid David Cameron was throughout Question Time<br />He seemed very prepared and did not seem flustered by the jeers<br /><br />It would be fascinating to see American politicians grilled the same way<br />in such a format<br /><br />While the debates were lively, I'm not sure how much was accomplished<br />as they moved to the next topic quickly<br /><br />Unforgettable,<br />it was a huge privilege to see<br />including the three gentlemen wearing old-fashioned white wigs :)<br /><br />For anyone interested in history or politics,<br />the Houses of Parliament <a href="http://www.parliament.uk/visiting/">tour</a> is a must see<br /><br />If you are looking for amazing verbal jousting and quick comebacks,<br />Question Time is a must do<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Images 2-4 via Parliament <a href="http://www.parliament.uk/">website</a></span></i></div></div><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">(A non-sponsored post)</span></i><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/35/2FD701A88E1AB920883327F28E3E4BF9.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>

A Day In The Houses Of Parliament

Claude Monet's The Houses of Parliament, Sunset (1903) - source - A gorgeous Gothic landmark with a famous Clock Tower, I was really ex...

Read more »

English Garden Tips & Trends

<br /><div style="text-align: center;">With Spring taking it's time this year</div><div style="text-align: center;">to show its lovely face,</div><div style="text-align: center;">I am chomping at the bit for some warmth and sunshine :)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I've collected pages from magazines and such over the years</div><div style="text-align: center;">to remember English garden tricks and tips</div><div style="text-align: center;">for when I return 'home' to a garden I can play in<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTwufYBYDhFsoK0uiRuSgNOb9R-9WIARqfIj3LU0_4sX61gNahhszufbeisDCYFN5WAnUFG_TxN77A9ish9v0vGU3Aqu49ldZVoE39Zy0NHndvgby_P8UrXQHKxpToU5XtW8X_3bupfwd9/s1600/London+Florist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTwufYBYDhFsoK0uiRuSgNOb9R-9WIARqfIj3LU0_4sX61gNahhszufbeisDCYFN5WAnUFG_TxN77A9ish9v0vGU3Aqu49ldZVoE39Zy0NHndvgby_P8UrXQHKxpToU5XtW8X_3bupfwd9/s1600/London+Florist.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Here's a few ideas...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />- Plant 'biodynamically' by checking the lunar calendar<br />to see when the water table will be closer to the surface<br />similar to the ocean tides<br /><br /><div>This makes for better root development and</div><div>requires less 'watering in' new plantings<br /><br /><div>- If growing seeds, place a used tea bag at the bottom of each pot</div><div>to hold moisture and to give trace nutrients</div><div>Use more tea bags for larger pots</div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">- Dig a square planting hole, not round, for better root development<br /><br /><div>- Liquid feed all berry and flowering plants with tomato fertilizer, which contains potash,</div><div>to improve flowering and productivity</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">- Square pots are less tippy than round ones in the wind</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div>- Consider the 3 R's: Repeat, Rhythm, Regularity when planting a new border</div><div>Limit color and number of species used<br />Mirror plantings across pathways when possible</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">- Pebbled and stoned areas are more rain-friendly than harder surfaces</div><div style="text-align: center;">Not only do they look more attractive, but also allow rain to soak right through them</div><div style="text-align: center;">(England has mastered rain-management here)<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPXso6lFV5ZzT4XcGj7q5VqBDspGtf9mx6dl2FZjG_6mUR6zt2CLVV62fIlNVPRuwXei2RB3sSla6uwVBIi7IPDWrHHPpux0q2S53VOWwUnysDHL3K6nSXONrxqejVCR73lJFkmR1vEAiY/s1600/DSC_0204-0012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPXso6lFV5ZzT4XcGj7q5VqBDspGtf9mx6dl2FZjG_6mUR6zt2CLVV62fIlNVPRuwXei2RB3sSla6uwVBIi7IPDWrHHPpux0q2S53VOWwUnysDHL3K6nSXONrxqejVCR73lJFkmR1vEAiY/s1600/DSC_0204-0012.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Here's a list of current trends:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Peat moss is harvested from bogs and fens </div><div style="text-align: center;">in the Republic of Ireland (70%) and within the United Kingdom (32%)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Peat has been THE affordable and reliable growing medium in the UK since the 1940s,</div><div style="text-align: center;">but with an increased awareness of the importance of peatlands</div><div style="text-align: center;">and its unique supporting habitat,</div><div style="text-align: center;">gardeners and nurseries search for better alternatives<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuv-_l4cuSJN-UJ_4ud5Z7MqePoMbyWMumNpo3wCAp5dvL3Uzv5rxbKcHnFQ2LUlIfSigZg9tWPJqV-U2uldAhwkZe3lbRpqt2V9XhyphenhyphengXdc5sskZRvTrPxW99ynYDTkebu4hx7aRA6RKxm/s1600/DSCN5438-0011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuv-_l4cuSJN-UJ_4ud5Z7MqePoMbyWMumNpo3wCAp5dvL3Uzv5rxbKcHnFQ2LUlIfSigZg9tWPJqV-U2uldAhwkZe3lbRpqt2V9XhyphenhyphengXdc5sskZRvTrPxW99ynYDTkebu4hx7aRA6RKxm/s1600/DSCN5438-0011.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Although I believe xeriscape is a newer idea here than in the US,</div><div style="text-align: center;">there has been a need for it,<br />as parts of the country were in a drought last summer with a 'hosepipe' ban </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The roots of this movement seem to be from Dutch garden designer Piet Oudolf<br /><br />Increasingly popular prairie or meadow gardens<br />grow grasses and North American natives such as<br />California Poppies and Echinacea/coneflower<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDYIZ4-H4H2WbbBnlyhHilXPZLJsZ1XZL5F8J6k5djAj6BSXuj8dgXq-d8b8cpwy4mHfjUIOLBWdFfiZIVBaocEr6du4QLfAylg4EfE-m4a79Usqp-U-abtD7UFJkhRiAqOnjlCopaWDL4/s1600/DSC_0123-0141.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDYIZ4-H4H2WbbBnlyhHilXPZLJsZ1XZL5F8J6k5djAj6BSXuj8dgXq-d8b8cpwy4mHfjUIOLBWdFfiZIVBaocEr6du4QLfAylg4EfE-m4a79Usqp-U-abtD7UFJkhRiAqOnjlCopaWDL4/s1600/DSC_0123-0141.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Other European influences are obvious in grander gardens,</div><div style="text-align: center;">such as French <i>potagers</i> (kitchen gardens)</div><div style="text-align: center;">and Italian <i>parterres </i>with ornate clipped topiaries</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS8U6-s8iX-9QP-fUkaJTMdBwdSMUDO9Vm-c7f_krBurV7bqEjQwIYh6nCHv_J4C_i9pG4BSpF6Oz7s3MYh1t9S67kp40BSrhp575PjPJRGzWaTJYOhIu6-u0E2qFc9R_6CyOqU9sQWce9/s1600/DSC_0216-0011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS8U6-s8iX-9QP-fUkaJTMdBwdSMUDO9Vm-c7f_krBurV7bqEjQwIYh6nCHv_J4C_i9pG4BSpF6Oz7s3MYh1t9S67kp40BSrhp575PjPJRGzWaTJYOhIu6-u0E2qFc9R_6CyOqU9sQWce9/s640/DSC_0216-0011.jpg" width="424" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">In the last month, the Royal Horticultural Society rolled out its</div><div style="text-align: center;">revised RHS Plant Hardiness <a href="http://www.rhs.org.uk/News/Hardiness-rating-system-improved">Rating System</a> based on extreme temperatures</div><div style="text-align: center;">America has something similar with their USDA Plant Hardiness Zone <a href="http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/">Map</a><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">RHS gives plants distinguished 'Award of Garden Merit' (<a href="http://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/Plant-trials-and-awards/Plant-awards/AGM-plants">AGM</a>) based on local trials</div><div style="text-align: center;">This label helps customers select reliable plants with good general performance and form,</div><div style="text-align: center;">are reasonably resistant to pests and diseases, and are fairly easy to grow</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirCtlqfldwboZRSTNPHHDUeoIXpIft3rteKsiOGjZoYXC4pWsCugxke3XClJAtfbHZQvZF7HvXXBBm1jnDBx2aTm4sI5jPfR9h24LjCTA5lQfBJqDReOW4Zh8h95_9pcLoWbtu3WL1sKYG/s1600/DSCN5143-014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirCtlqfldwboZRSTNPHHDUeoIXpIft3rteKsiOGjZoYXC4pWsCugxke3XClJAtfbHZQvZF7HvXXBBm1jnDBx2aTm4sI5jPfR9h24LjCTA5lQfBJqDReOW4Zh8h95_9pcLoWbtu3WL1sKYG/s640/DSCN5143-014.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">AGM Trial Site at RHS Wisley Garden</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />RHS members can order <a href="http://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/Seed-list/Seed-list">seeds</a> for a minimal price,</div><div style="text-align: center;">with over 700 varieties from which to choose</div><div style="text-align: center;">including annuals, shrubs and trees</div><div style="text-align: center;">The list varies annually</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Such a brilliant way to keep quality plants in circulation around the country<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOct7fzYzSn2HsyWhNJHpbxyVnoNSCb0A1-IXuIFMmYoBy-xzy1xUnoAbWca4Kq2_gdfE0IsUhMidBfj2TLZl2JZp2LDIwZUvOaC-hGhVjOBVBfbXi42i1kL8gVPLnYFBL9-Ni8YAqUr6I/s1600/DSC_0237-012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOct7fzYzSn2HsyWhNJHpbxyVnoNSCb0A1-IXuIFMmYoBy-xzy1xUnoAbWca4Kq2_gdfE0IsUhMidBfj2TLZl2JZp2LDIwZUvOaC-hGhVjOBVBfbXi42i1kL8gVPLnYFBL9-Ni8YAqUr6I/s640/DSC_0237-012.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The elderly population grew up during World War II </div><div style="text-align: center;">and endured difficult living conditions post-war as well</div><div style="text-align: center;">They had their hands in the soil to grow their own food,</div><div style="text-align: center;">and this generation is the keen gardener of today<br /><br />They are the members of local garden clubs in villages</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">There is some concern that the gardening enthusiasm will wane </div><div style="text-align: center;">as the older generation passes on</div><div style="text-align: center;">Efforts are being made to foster gardening interest in the younger generations<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzctlvB2mkuxflkobEr5xxJUJhNA9RaGwL1ybKCNUE5bNYRc-lXD7E2XYTN5kvHvcOrA0O0x5-sJKVAsOx04yTJCBgca9Nc8pn0C5Aydyi9YyLHMFq7F_1Fe-QmrgYv_UHZJa6GtJIuxqR/s1600/DSCN5449-0131.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzctlvB2mkuxflkobEr5xxJUJhNA9RaGwL1ybKCNUE5bNYRc-lXD7E2XYTN5kvHvcOrA0O0x5-sJKVAsOx04yTJCBgca9Nc8pn0C5Aydyi9YyLHMFq7F_1Fe-QmrgYv_UHZJa6GtJIuxqR/s1600/DSCN5449-0131.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In a local garden, children planted up shower caps, socks, and pajama bottoms</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />Adopt a <a href="http://www.adoptahive.co.uk/">beehive</a>, <a href="http://pebblebed.co.uk/adopt-a-vine.php?ID=13&stylesheet=style">grapevine</a>, <a href="http://www.carshaltonlavender.btck.co.uk/Getinvolved">lavender row</a>, or <a href="http://www.rentacherrytree.co.uk/">cherry orchard</a><br />to support local farmers and to receive product<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7FNUuSJcLJkVYP20KmuOox23-uubrHAN_EoV6ja672D3ebTAA_wpV1JHaiy67ctLxJ7w_ubktz0LpSr03nIVvFDi8-b_covHi-Qh2uF8VlivDVCAl2WPz9GwAwgm7G-nbcHmlOdOgmNuy/s1600/DSCN5414-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7FNUuSJcLJkVYP20KmuOox23-uubrHAN_EoV6ja672D3ebTAA_wpV1JHaiy67ctLxJ7w_ubktz0LpSr03nIVvFDi8-b_covHi-Qh2uF8VlivDVCAl2WPz9GwAwgm7G-nbcHmlOdOgmNuy/s1600/DSCN5414-11.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />The US and the UK share similar trends, such as<br />an effort to use fewer pesticides/go organic, a concern about the drop in bee population,<br />and more mindful planting to attract birds, bees, and insects to the garden<br /><br />In America,<br />you find permanent sprinklers, mulched gardens,<br />and almost no use of peat<br /><br />In the UK, you see 'water butts' collecting rainwater,<br />more use of top dressing (easier when there is no mulch to move aside),<br />moss in the lawn (I think its pretty, but I guess it is undesirable),<br />nurseries selling annuals in styrofoam containers (?!),<br />and garden-waste-only bins for curbside trash pickup<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM8e-kB-IPeQCOUYfLx4uBxZBDvJrB3-1RvU-2t1SQkMStMHKK3Wla16q_qLL89h4HarSm3dd6h4RXQwa93c6bGAmVnLiw66yvaPXFsj5uuitGL8NGngWocAAZ0qpBNLI5V7Qgs8HQNOyN/s1600/DSC_0328-0021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM8e-kB-IPeQCOUYfLx4uBxZBDvJrB3-1RvU-2t1SQkMStMHKK3Wla16q_qLL89h4HarSm3dd6h4RXQwa93c6bGAmVnLiw66yvaPXFsj5uuitGL8NGngWocAAZ0qpBNLI5V7Qgs8HQNOyN/s640/DSC_0328-0021.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Growing in bags is seen in England, but not in the US</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />With England's perfect growing conditions<br />of cool summer temperatures, frequent rain,<br />and long daylight hours (closer to the North Pole)<br />it is no wonder this is the Garden Island<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJk5ff8jDgxSd0aXJ2X1FsuCGqlcpQDGaZ6OmUscbXL_zg2iFpT52zNl516BDTM7pJzVivGqdIdsvmLLnIaWtZjEn3K4AspH1KMAtrqWe3et8WdzQuKOoqp2VMWgMydVj4Vy5GJKj3rJTh/s1600/DSC_0127-0011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJk5ff8jDgxSd0aXJ2X1FsuCGqlcpQDGaZ6OmUscbXL_zg2iFpT52zNl516BDTM7pJzVivGqdIdsvmLLnIaWtZjEn3K4AspH1KMAtrqWe3et8WdzQuKOoqp2VMWgMydVj4Vy5GJKj3rJTh/s640/DSC_0127-0011.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />But no matter where you live<br />there is no question gardening is<br />food for the eyes<br />and the soul<br /><br />Do you have any unusual garden tips to share?<br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>- all photos by me -</i></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Related Posts:</span><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://happyhomemakeruk.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/england-garden-island.html">England, The Garden Island</a> (incl gardens to visit)</span><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://happyhomemakeruk.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/rose-by-any-other-name.html">A Rose By Any Other Name...</a> (different name, same plant)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">(an unsponsored post)</span><br /><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/35/2FD701A88E1AB920883327F28E3E4BF9.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>

English Garden Tips & Trends

With Spring taking it's time this year to show its lovely face, I am chomping at the bit for some warmth and sunshine :) I've collec...

Read more »

England, The Garden Island

<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">When I first moved to England</div><div style="text-align: center;">I was disappointed front gardens lacked the beauty</div><div style="text-align: center;">I'd expected from the Garden Island<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZc-GQE6pftUuW_kS2L0ALNpIh2iDt_LXTK5Jf_vmKlT2QXNuV8BTqlAAQsgnv8IESwvtge11DxhK6xN8iczR4srN1fPMyEYDU6THtEvDb7quvOUBh8DCxyBjXVP8psGEVmUmVc8EwyMa2/s1600/DSC_0026-012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZc-GQE6pftUuW_kS2L0ALNpIh2iDt_LXTK5Jf_vmKlT2QXNuV8BTqlAAQsgnv8IESwvtge11DxhK6xN8iczR4srN1fPMyEYDU6THtEvDb7quvOUBh8DCxyBjXVP8psGEVmUmVc8EwyMa2/s640/DSC_0026-012.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">But now I know care and attention is put into back gardens,</div><div style="text-align: center;">often a hidden oasis and private gem behind home facades<br /><br />So a plain looking home unsuspectingly could have<br />the most magnificent garden behind its fence</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Why isn't more attention put toward the front garden in England?</div><div style="text-align: center;">Perhaps it is due to the English sense of privacy while gardening,</div><div style="text-align: center;">no need to spend effort in an area where they won't be hanging-out,</div><div style="text-align: center;">or it is too showy to have an impressive garden in the front<br /><br />Nonetheless, this is THE Garden Island<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">First of all, let's talk English garden centers<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1GJCnUlob_WhSGroYJ22zN0givrzXN-NemOAg28vhZWvdqtFOt3mpPNpmpw1ZU5SeJkwPk5mcoumMhJkHXEYoFijKfSXlk9WjyssoBjlBBpfl5nrhYyjfpcyUfGn42bVcZxoGlIssKs-O/s1600/DSC_0041-022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1GJCnUlob_WhSGroYJ22zN0givrzXN-NemOAg28vhZWvdqtFOt3mpPNpmpw1ZU5SeJkwPk5mcoumMhJkHXEYoFijKfSXlk9WjyssoBjlBBpfl5nrhYyjfpcyUfGn42bVcZxoGlIssKs-O/s640/DSC_0041-022.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">They look very similar to American ones</div><div style="text-align: center;">with cement floors, nothing-fancy display stands, and simple signage</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">But the local garden center offers much, much more</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">It may include a</div><div style="text-align: center;">tea room (almost always)</div><div style="text-align: center;">book shop</div><div style="text-align: center;">gift shop</div><div style="text-align: center;">farm shop</div><div style="text-align: center;">outerwear clothing shop</div><div style="text-align: center;">pet supplies</div><div style="text-align: center;">fake flowers</div><div style="text-align: center;">outdoor vintage antiques</div><div style="text-align: center;">picnic benches to eat your lunch on</div><div style="text-align: center;">a playset for children to use</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Brilliant!<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhip1HsOdGGn09TnSe24ytUOF4_UNNcwHzK9GSusl57V_rJ8pkLsCi_Ic4f4H0-s0X0yIzqttWLXFitGGxcX3cJnrMtFD0nLXK3anQOErJThg8ZZvUp-qgSwNS729ooXjnZPeRKGXkyC08H/s1600/DSC_0055-022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhip1HsOdGGn09TnSe24ytUOF4_UNNcwHzK9GSusl57V_rJ8pkLsCi_Ic4f4H0-s0X0yIzqttWLXFitGGxcX3cJnrMtFD0nLXK3anQOErJThg8ZZvUp-qgSwNS729ooXjnZPeRKGXkyC08H/s640/DSC_0055-022.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">On a whole other level,</div><div style="text-align: center;">famous <a href="http://www.petershamnurseries.com/home.asp">Petersham Nurseries</a></div><div style="text-align: center;">offers not just lovely outdoor plants</div><div style="text-align: center;">and vintage home decor </div><div style="text-align: center;">but even a cafe which was awarded a Michelin Star in 2011</div><div style="text-align: center;">and is known for celebrity spotting</div><div style="text-align: center;">(not too far from London, if you come for a visit)<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd2pBFT8F8HvCm1F-wsQW47XP8KcI1DJaSL__0cyWpArdjnLl4FZtuDO_a0CMuGaM3A8xJUvwCYnu0SI_F8RlLr-yXSKKqMg5oZ-CDorJNsqDhns73mtjjk-nWtGM7QmIhLyrNMQKoH9pc/s1600/DSC_0081-0041.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd2pBFT8F8HvCm1F-wsQW47XP8KcI1DJaSL__0cyWpArdjnLl4FZtuDO_a0CMuGaM3A8xJUvwCYnu0SI_F8RlLr-yXSKKqMg5oZ-CDorJNsqDhns73mtjjk-nWtGM7QmIhLyrNMQKoH9pc/s640/DSC_0081-0041.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">But you don't need to own a garden</div><div style="text-align: center;">to enjoy one</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;">You can see some of England's most gorgeous gardens here:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.ngs.org.uk/">The National Garden Scheme</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/">National Trust</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.rhs.org.uk/">Royal Horticultural Society</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">If you seek gardens belonging to royalty,</div><div style="text-align: center;">you can see Prince Charles's <a href="http://www.highgrovegardens.com/">Highgrove Garden</a></div><div style="text-align: center;">and Buckingham Palace <a href="http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/event/the-state-rooms-and-garden-highlights-tour">Gardens</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4tpEHVhsEbupmYOw4fwYAxe59gMZmJQ8rwlY3piTiu5aNuHOX-HQvMF3fPYbIX2QQEoq-Q-fzf98G9fQeGh8GQHVE50Wqd1g2ExoNCW633Ev59rQadzDV01TEld72r3yjCStjJY8t5mrP/s1600/DSC_0160-099.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4tpEHVhsEbupmYOw4fwYAxe59gMZmJQ8rwlY3piTiu5aNuHOX-HQvMF3fPYbIX2QQEoq-Q-fzf98G9fQeGh8GQHVE50Wqd1g2ExoNCW633Ev59rQadzDV01TEld72r3yjCStjJY8t5mrP/s640/DSC_0160-099.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Henry VIII's Hampton Court</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">RHS '<a href="http://www.rhs.org.uk/gardening/community-gardening/britain-in-bloom">Britain In Bloom</a>' is the country's most popular horticultural campaign</div><div style="text-align: center;">with over 1,100 cities, towns, and villages </div><div style="text-align: center;">competing against each other </div><div style="text-align: center;">as to which has the most beautiful public spaces</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Such a great community builder,</div><div style="text-align: center;">free seeds and support are provided by</div><div style="text-align: center;">the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS)</div><div style="text-align: center;">to registered groups<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIusIuJvOe0Za9ZVBZBo9g9gpvLRw4EvbPVlEr3nICHANRKMwljTYXwloS9q2yCWbXymT75-l31zq8RKcvjiPyYnXntFZ9ah9EIL78v7V8iOBizVKxTuwwleFTiMGZZYARRVgeyCQQjGaH/s1600/DSC_0095-074.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIusIuJvOe0Za9ZVBZBo9g9gpvLRw4EvbPVlEr3nICHANRKMwljTYXwloS9q2yCWbXymT75-l31zq8RKcvjiPyYnXntFZ9ah9EIL78v7V8iOBizVKxTuwwleFTiMGZZYARRVgeyCQQjGaH/s640/DSC_0095-074.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Affordable allotment plots (community gardens)</div><div style="text-align: center;"> are seen in almost every village,</div><div style="text-align: center;">used mostly for growing edible crops</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Believe it or not,<br />Indiana Jones-type plant hunters </div><div style="text-align: center;">continue to scour the planet for undiscovered flora to bring to the garden,</div><div style="text-align: center;">such as Tom Hart-Dyke who was kidnapped in Colombia</div><div style="text-align: center;">while hunting for rare orchids in 2000<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7sWgwF1a3JSLN7XZ5NLZ-K_-Mufmni_WRL7hxttHlwcL8wnn0Up3Lhw8SkavTbrnk2tjNJUGh3QeLCo923_bE4eU3Yl5z7D6Tcs6R8GZLj8f8LbQC0R21cQbvjesERKUs3yD51THt7sfc/s1600/DSC_0021-002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7sWgwF1a3JSLN7XZ5NLZ-K_-Mufmni_WRL7hxttHlwcL8wnn0Up3Lhw8SkavTbrnk2tjNJUGh3QeLCo923_bE4eU3Yl5z7D6Tcs6R8GZLj8f8LbQC0R21cQbvjesERKUs3yD51THt7sfc/s640/DSC_0021-002.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;">'Garden love' spreads</div><div style="text-align: center;">with informal plant and seed swaps between gardeners</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Countless garden courses are offered around the country,</div><div style="text-align: center;">including by <a href="http://www.sarahraven.com/">Sarah Raven</a> who has a Martha Stewart like status here<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">On the most formal level,</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.rhs.org.uk/">RHS</a> hosts the annual Chelsea Flower Show,</div><div style="text-align: center;">which is the catwalk for flowers and garden design</div><div style="text-align: center;">attracting competitors and visitors worldwide<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWTXmgfaT4z3_kWg_gg-FmacB7J-o1OWnnWgLvnttOhfppKKMPoVj5BIhF7aYd24xEuIKry3uB7gp_8_9VcWEaJ9iaxawrbajNF6fy4_D5ZcD9f7BmtwFf_GkhV47vUd_2zcwNN3-qY2eh/s1600/DSC_0031-007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWTXmgfaT4z3_kWg_gg-FmacB7J-o1OWnnWgLvnttOhfppKKMPoVj5BIhF7aYd24xEuIKry3uB7gp_8_9VcWEaJ9iaxawrbajNF6fy4_D5ZcD9f7BmtwFf_GkhV47vUd_2zcwNN3-qY2eh/s640/DSC_0031-007.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">What are some of the trends and tips from English gardeners?</div><div style="text-align: center;">Don't miss my next post :)<br /><br /><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">- all photos by me -</span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Related posts:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://happyhomemakeruk.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/a-visit-to-prince-charless-highgrove.html">Trip to Prince Charles's Highgrove</a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://happyhomemakeruk.blogspot.co.uk/2011/09/obscure-gardens-world-garden-of-plants.html">Meeting Tom Hart-Dyke</a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://happyhomemakeruk.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/rhs-chelsea-flower-show-2012-highlights.html">2012 Chelsea Flower Show</a></span></div><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">(an unsponsored post)</span><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/35/2FD701A88E1AB920883327F28E3E4BF9.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>

England, The Garden Island

When I first moved to England I was disappointed front gardens lacked the beauty I'd expected from the Garden Island But now I know care...

Read more »

Crime in England vs US

<br /><div style="text-align: center;">I witnessed a crime yesterday</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Actually, I witnessed 3 brave men chase down </div><div style="text-align: center;">a burglar who was fleeing by bike</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I think he had stolen something from the small corner grocery store</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">When they got him off his bike,</div><div style="text-align: center;">they held him on the street while they waited for the police to arrive</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Curiously, it was the policewoman who calmly talked to the perpetrator,</div><div style="text-align: center;">not one of the three policemen</div><div style="text-align: center;">Perhaps policewomen are seen as non-threatening?</div><div style="text-align: center;">I hadn't thought about this important role before</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The streets were filled with pedestrians when the whole thing happened</div><div style="text-align: center;">Sadly I saw many elderly people stand frozen, shocked, to see the event unfold</div><div style="text-align: center;">Clearly they were traumatized by what they saw</div><div style="text-align: center;">I hope they slept okay last night</div><div style="text-align: center;">I know I didn't</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Petty crime feels more pervasive in England than in the US</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">As an expat said to me about her home country,</div><div style="text-align: center;">when third hand stories about crime start to become first hand stories with frequency,</div><div style="text-align: center;">you know there is a problem</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">In the US, I never knew anyone who came eye to eye with a criminal in the act</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Here, I have a handful of friends who either witnessed a high street burglary</div><div style="text-align: center;">or were victims of home invasions</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I know that America looks like the Wild West with our ownership of guns</div><div style="text-align: center;">but I do think a potential burglar thinking someone *might* have a gun at home</div><div style="text-align: center;">prevents many home invasions in America</div><div style="text-align: center;">(guns are illegal in England - police don't even carry them)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Early on I was given the advice that if someone is burglarizing my home in England,</div><div style="text-align: center;">do not intervene - just let them carry on and they won't hurt you</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">In America, you can use whatever means to protect your home and family</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Yet here, the news reports crime victims being prosecuted for harming a perpetrator</div><div style="text-align: center;">- intentionally or not -</div><div style="text-align: center;">It makes one feel defenseless</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Do I feel safer in the US or in England?</div><div style="text-align: center;">I feel less likely to witness or be a victim of a crime in the US,</div><div style="text-align: center;">but if I do, it would be more violent</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">So I guess my safety-o-meter feels about the same, just different</div><div style="text-align: center;">Either way, not that safe</div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/35/2FD701A88E1AB920883327F28E3E4BF9.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>

Crime in England vs US

I witnessed a crime yesterday Actually, I witnessed 3 brave men chase down  a burglar who was fleeing by bike I think he had stolen somethin...

Read more »

Sherlock Holmes In London

<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Determined this year</div><div style="text-align: center;">to walk in the footsteps of famous British authors,</div><div style="text-align: center;">I started my quest with Sherlock Holmes,</div><div style="text-align: center;">created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkbhsi4okfC5kwDBszx1hEdO4oze9ZgAZM5kKKGQNegha0gF8oVjK5un_F4RuPszTnVFqS2aUSp3anfD0s9m030p2Dm0aMlKiTetbbCLiuR-zHKe6RMhEhlJ_YS5a9LExE8K6q11zMkj5s/s1600/DSC04555-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkbhsi4okfC5kwDBszx1hEdO4oze9ZgAZM5kKKGQNegha0gF8oVjK5un_F4RuPszTnVFqS2aUSp3anfD0s9m030p2Dm0aMlKiTetbbCLiuR-zHKe6RMhEhlJ_YS5a9LExE8K6q11zMkj5s/s640/DSC04555-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wall Tiles at Baker Street Tube Station</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><u><br /></u></div><div style="text-align: center;">Sherlock Holmes continues to be on bookshelves today,</div><div style="text-align: center;">as <u>The Hound of the Baskervilles</u></div><div style="text-align: center;">was awarded 128th place in the BBC's <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/bigread/">Big Read</a></div><div style="text-align: center;">as a treasured book by three quarters of a million voters</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwKqdR5K7K4m8VtOcrYBl4Sb5AI4qkQpb43r3f4-sR4N82UbfvbVLmwXmpmXJ7dc_yCWqIxscwxFTMCg44k6oZpuAmeno1DIF9NZcsPXD8G6Spms9T48Q6jvJ0VMylsM_6YashRLv_W48Q/s1600/DSC04566-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwKqdR5K7K4m8VtOcrYBl4Sb5AI4qkQpb43r3f4-sR4N82UbfvbVLmwXmpmXJ7dc_yCWqIxscwxFTMCg44k6oZpuAmeno1DIF9NZcsPXD8G6Spms9T48Q6jvJ0VMylsM_6YashRLv_W48Q/s640/DSC04566-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Did you know Sherlock Holmes's Deerstalker cap is not mentioned in any of the books?<br />It is one of many Holmes's trademarks created by actors and/or illustrators</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">An interesting fact about Doyle is</div><div style="text-align: center;">he was a Scottish physician without many patients</div><div style="text-align: center;">so he starting writing stories and novels in his office</div><div style="text-align: center;">in Portsmouth and later in London</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">(I love examples when an apparently bad situation </div><div style="text-align: center;">turns out to be a good thing)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaKpKJLlhucfrcEAltj2EAWB2E9TscmJLYB7CXf8cIe_QLYavuZMs8ajSIP0sznRl0aQxYLj7hIEdZjfMfs3KoUSc2muk3kK8ZItq5TNW2huA0aPFwWUY_mw7OTVuGNyF4YLQo8sGRoCup/s1600/DSC04540-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaKpKJLlhucfrcEAltj2EAWB2E9TscmJLYB7CXf8cIe_QLYavuZMs8ajSIP0sznRl0aQxYLj7hIEdZjfMfs3KoUSc2muk3kK8ZItq5TNW2huA0aPFwWUY_mw7OTVuGNyF4YLQo8sGRoCup/s640/DSC04540-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Original gas lights from Doyle's era are still dotted around London</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;">Conan Doyle was first published in 1886</div><div style="text-align: center;">and continued to write until after World War I</div><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPOEekNm9PxRP6xpVPNIZkDBbxeTk4OeBK9BTmkJSK2ugtksSefjPRTUX_zDAklwNZ9QbW1eZpFecYEFHG9dJvWbE0SdxnJWbBA_Tv4N_bui70CToCIJPiCcEPSI7bZvqf8dAE6TCYCPbl/s1600/DSC04528-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPOEekNm9PxRP6xpVPNIZkDBbxeTk4OeBK9BTmkJSK2ugtksSefjPRTUX_zDAklwNZ9QbW1eZpFecYEFHG9dJvWbE0SdxnJWbBA_Tv4N_bui70CToCIJPiCcEPSI7bZvqf8dAE6TCYCPbl/s640/DSC04528-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As a playwright, Doyle also brought his popular Sherlock Holmes to the stage<br />(including to the Adelphi Theater seen here)</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Sherlock Holmes was a unique idea at the time</div><div style="text-align: center;">with his character reappearing repeatedly</div><div style="text-align: center;">in novels and short stories</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Not only were his contemporary readers </div><div style="text-align: center;">entranced by Holmes and his sidekick Watson,</div><div style="text-align: center;">but Doyle was clever to throw in tidbits </div><div style="text-align: center;">that would have been current, possibly to the week,</div><div style="text-align: center;">in his stories published in The Strand Magazine</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWbvRr6knslHmbcd9qnKWIOqnqEpW4dg9ilLPWSOfN0mcju5T0xntnd1uEPhanGGK6Ud3Ntm2Q8p-Wdt0LvYb6haMPvf_VHmQSVKtXbddT0M0GgVfNuTQXt_E4juPMtfkNcq_7pErhW3wx/s1600/DSC04530-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWbvRr6knslHmbcd9qnKWIOqnqEpW4dg9ilLPWSOfN0mcju5T0xntnd1uEPhanGGK6Ud3Ntm2Q8p-Wdt0LvYb6haMPvf_VHmQSVKtXbddT0M0GgVfNuTQXt_E4juPMtfkNcq_7pErhW3wx/s640/DSC04530-001.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Previous entrance to The Strand Magazine office, which closed in 1950<br />The clock would have indicated wealth</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I read <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hound-Baskervilles-Arthur-Conan-Doyle/dp/0241952875/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1362119396&sr=8-2">The Hound Of The Baskervilles</a> recently,</div><div style="text-align: center;">which gives Sherlock Holmes and Watson </div><div style="text-align: center;">completely different personas from the film, 'Sherlock Holmes' (2009)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The book is a short, quick read</div><div style="text-align: center;">which I would definitely recommended if you are looking for a classic</div><div style="text-align: center;">(I had no idea there were quagmires in Dartmoor!)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip6mZvvDIkBQWuIGo8KaBKpUVRQYKdMf2Fs-Bb9uPucBjTAssm93vTbH2zJ5O_TjFf_OoF3y2c_zcrRMrVjZNQVxhSWIQQwy-sBgHRRHP80Mqk-DOTbHGM-fqvchGXYF4ulIsL2alu6jrw/s1600/DSC04546-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip6mZvvDIkBQWuIGo8KaBKpUVRQYKdMf2Fs-Bb9uPucBjTAssm93vTbH2zJ5O_TjFf_OoF3y2c_zcrRMrVjZNQVxhSWIQQwy-sBgHRRHP80Mqk-DOTbHGM-fqvchGXYF4ulIsL2alu6jrw/s640/DSC04546-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">As for Sherlock Holmes locations in London,</div><div style="text-align: center;">there is no shortage :)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">- all photos by me -</span></i></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">(an unsponsored post)</span><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/35/2FD701A88E1AB920883327F28E3E4BF9.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>

Sherlock Holmes In London

Determined this year to walk in the footsteps of famous British authors, I started my quest with Sherlock Holmes, created by Sir Arthur Cona...

Read more »