Landscape Paintings - A Distinct Genre of Painting

Landscape Painting is a distinct genre of painting that captures nature in its natural form. The paintings are reflections of the skies, seas, rivers, sun, moon and greeneries on the canvas. One of the earliest and traditional painting forms, landscape paintings touch the heart of the modern art lovers with all their purity, naturalness and aestheticism. Visual documents of the panorama of nature the paintings with their timeless appeal have grown over the years as inspirations to the generations of artists. Indian selection of landscape paintings are the treasure trove of India. Watch them and get engrossed in the wilderness and unspoiled beauties of nature. Take a tour and enrich yourself with interesting information on landscape paintings.

The word landscape originates from the Dutch word "landschap" denoting areas of arable lands. Depicting natural sceneries in a medley of lines, colors and tones was the outcome of the natural inclinations of human beings to reflect what they mostly found around them. The early civilizations with less industrialization and urbanization presented nature in its complete bounties. Artists and poets admired them in their creations. Life was not at all complex and it was only nature and its diverse facets that formed the central theme of the paintings.

Landscape painting in its antiquated form can be observed in the pastoral sceneries of the Roman times. The paintings gained prominence with the emergence of Renaissance Art. Nature was romanticized and portrayed as philosophical and spiritual elements. Various religious and mythological events were represented via nature. Though the spiritual tones were absent in the Reformation times the paintings became more uniform and realistic in this era. The seventeenth and eighteenth century led to the flourish of the paintings with some master artists like Watteau, Gainsborough and Thoams Girtin. The breathtaking creations reached their acme in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Various movements of arts like abstract expressionism, impressionism and surrealism influenced the painting and brought in some new styles and techniques. Nature was observed scientifically and more importance was given to its hostile aspects. In the modern and postmodern landscapes nature is synchronized with human psychologies and complexities of life. The various facets of nature resemble the moods of human beings in manifolds.

Landscape paintings have several classifications. The skyscape paintings depict clouds, skies and weather conditions. Moon is aesthetically represented in moonscape paintings. The rivers and seas find visible expression in seascapes and riverscapes. The images of urban landscapes, industrialized cities, towns and streets are carved in cityscapes and hardscapes. The aerial landscapes offer an aerial view of the objects in the ground. Inscapes are visual images of the psychoanalytical mind as a three-dimensional space. Roberto Matta, Ajmes Gleeson and Jane Farnk are the specialists in inscape paintings. Various innovations and experiments with the landscape paintings are still going on. The paintings with all their connotations and aestheticisms are a connoisseur's delight and a prized legacy of art.

For detailed information on these Landscape Paintings please visit Landscape Paintings

Las Vegas Golf Courses-A Guide To The Best Las Vegas Golf Vacation

Are you planning on going to Las Vegas?

Did you know that Las Vegas golf courses are some of the

best golf courses in the world? There are numerous amounts

of Las Vegas golf courses and many more are being built.

The majority of Las Vegas golf courses are open all year

round, very beautiful and known for their quality and

spectacular features. They are a must for anyone traveling

to Vegas on vacation. So if you are looking at planning a

Las Vegas golf vacation and do not know where to begin, let me

help you with this short guide.

First, The Legacy is one of the finest golf clubs in

Las Vegas. This is one of my favorite Las Vegas

golf courses to visit. What I enjoy about the Legacy Golf

Club is that it provides an unrivaled and most challenging

golf course because of its raised terrain, unparalleled

angles, configurations and lines, broad landing surface

area and excellent landscaping.

Second, The Bali Hai is another one of Las Vegas

golf courses that is noteworthy. The practice surface

area, banquet and clubhouse is excellent and has a great

family atmosphere.

Next, Reflection Bay is a wonderful golf club and people

continue to rave about it. The mission at Reflection Bay is to

provide all golfers a most pleasurable golfing experience.

Also, Lake Las Vegas Golf Club is a Las Vegas golf course

known for its awesome location. Located 17 miles from the

Vegas strip centered on a 320 acre privately owned lake.

In addition, other Las Vegas golf courses such as the

Painted Desert Golf Club, Desert Pines Golf Course

and the Silverstone Golf Club continue to get great

reviews.

Last, but not least, Las Vegas Golf vacation packages can

range from low-priced to very high-priced. With their

increasing popularity Las Vegas golf courses are becoming

more and more popular so you need to know how to beat the

crowds.

As you can see, Las Vegas golf courses have become Shangri-

La for golf enthusiast worldwide. With a little advance

planning you should have a wonderful Las Vegas golf vacation.

Holiday Ideas For September

Holiday Ideas for September, well its back to school and so prices will begin to drop, but across most of Southern Europe it should still be sunny and warm or hot right up until late September. Therefore its also a good time to searching out those late Summer bargains.

To help you find your ideal holiday for September we've split this into sections:

• Sunny Beach Holiday Ideas - Short and Mid Haul
• Sunny Beach Ideas - Long Haul
• Active and Activity Holiday Ideas
• Cheap September holidays

Short and mid haul would be up to 6 hours flying time, long haul is anything over this.

Sunny Beach Holiday Ideas: Short and mid Haul

Croatia, Makarska Riviera A great September holiday idea is to visit the Makarska Riviera, 85km from Split (fly to Split) with its perfect semi-circular small harbour. Makarska lives up to its too-good-to-be-true appearance. The wide promenade, bursting with fashionable cafes, restaurants and boutiques, is backed by an old town of narrow, stone-paved streets. The modern hotels are built just outside the bay with their own curving, pine protected beaches. An excellent mixture of old and new: sports, relaxation, culture, sightseeing, shopping and eating out.

Most resorts offer a spectacular choice of watersports such as waterskiing, boats rides and scuba diving in the crystal clear waters of the Adriatic is a "must". Tennis, table tennis, bowling, mini-golf and volleyball are just as popular. Mountain-climbing is also a local tradition dating back to the early 1800s with a stunning unspoilt landscape, this is hiker's paradise. Croatia has the advantage that is is not part of the Euro zone, so prices will not have inflated due to drop in the pound against the Euro.

Marrakech, Morocco The ancient Berber capital is rich in history, culture, and French-inspired restaurants. Set against the dramatic backdrop of the Atlas Mountains, Marrakech is traditionally Moroccan. By day, the main square of Djemaa El Fna buzzes with stalls selling everything from mint tea to cast-off teeth. By night, groups of exotic Berber dancers claim it for their own. Cyprus Mythical birthplace of Aphrodite, Cyprus offers a welcome as warm as its climate. The holiday season lasts all year long here, but in September temperatures will start declining from their Summer peaks (which could be well into the forties degrees centigrade) and will probably be in the thirties.

This should be more than hot enough for most sun lovers. Try heading for the resort of Limassol a good blend of beach life and night life which will still be in full swing. Villas in Cyprus are ideal for exploring the rich historic legacy of this island, sitting at the crossroads of three continents and bearing traces of many great civilizations. There are Greek and Roman remains to discover, as well as reminders of the island's Ottoman past, just a short trip from whichever villa you rent.

Sunny Beach Holiday Ideas: Long haul

One area to probably avoid at this time of year is the Caribbean/ Florida, this is the peak of the Atlantic hurricane season (from June and going into November), 6 hurricanes occurred in September 2008, two category four (almost the worst). This was big proportion of the total, so they are more likely in September than other months. Also avoid Southern India and Goa as this is the Season of the The Retreating monsoon (September) for this same reason also rule out Sri Lanka and The Maldives. So in September we should look for Holiday Ideas in Africa, Australia, South Africa, Brazil and the Southern India Ocean like Madagascar, and Zanzibar. Gambia is brilliant for pure beach holidays.

Activity and Active Holiday Ideas If you are looking to do more than just Sun yourself on the beach we have some fantastic ideas for you in September its a really great time to be getting out and travelling in many parts of the world.

Fall in New England The leaves start to turn towards mid September and are at their best at the end of the month and through October. The unpredictable factors that influence the rate at which leaves change colors are rain, the amount of sugar in the leaves, the number of daylight hours and temperatures. Peak foliage in New England works its way down from the north. The further north you go, the earlier the peak.

For Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, your best bet is anywhere from the last week of September through the first week or two of October. Make your trip about more than just leaves so that you won't be disappointed. There's more to autumn fun in New England than peak foliage. Sip hot cider, pick apples, take a hay ride, hike, bike or attend a festival. Keep in mind, too, that even a hint of colour can be beautiful.

Kenya / Tanzania Receiving dry warm weather throughout August, with average temperature reaching 25 degrees celsius, and rainfall just measuring to 60mm, Kenya is a magnificent country to take a trip to. With two of the most famous game reserves in East Africa; the Masai Mara and the Amboseli, this country promises a safari experience second to none. Herds of wildebeest can be seen sweeping across the African savannah, whilst watching in awe as the wild elephants graze in the Amboseli. Revered by the local Kikuyu tribes, Mount Kenya, an imposing extinct volcano which is covered in forests, moorland and ice glaciers, is the highest peak in Kenya, towering over 5,000 metres of the African landscape.

All of the fascinating wildlife, the coral reefs, forest reserves and a rich historical heritage make Kenya a captivating country. The best game viewing you can fit into 13 days - elephant, lion, wildebeest, black & white rhino, antelope of every kind, zebra and giraffe can be seen through the Great Rift Valley and in the confined space of the Ngorongoro Crater. Meet the Masai people and if you're lucky, experience a migration. See Mt Kilimanjaro's snow capped peaks from a distance or for the more adventurous, add on a Kilimanjaro Climb.

Alternatively for those with less time , or who want to pack in a bit of beach time too, there is a 7 day tour, meeting in Nairobi. You leave Kenya swiftly behind to enter Tanzania; home to the highest peak in Africa Mt Kilimanjaro, two of the largest wildlife sanctuaries on the continent, and the unique Ngorongoro Crater. This visit has us concentrating on the north west corner of this vast country, seeking out migrating herds of plains game and searching for the endangered Black Rhino on the crater floor. Add on a Zanzibar extension to make this tour a true environmental and cultural experience, one to invigorate and release the stresses of everyday life.

Istanbul, Turkey The mysterious city straddles East and West with fine affordable restaurants and tantalising glimpses of the Orient. The Arcadia is a recently restored hotel in the old city, with the Blue Mosque and Grand Bazaar nearby. As Europe's bridge into Asia and the Middle-East, Turkey is a uniquely diverse country in which to enjoy an activity holiday. In Turkey modernity meets tradition and east meets west: Byzantine folk music and contemporary rock music, ancient Hittite sites and Roman remnants, glorious palaces and towering skyscrapers, supermarkets and bazaars, and churches and mosques, all sit happily side by side.

With delicious cuisine, gorgeous architecture and people whose reputation for hospitality is well-deserved, Turkey will has a richness and diversity that will appeal to all, whether you are looking for a destination for your singles, teenage or family adventure holidays. Boasting high mountain ranges punctuated with clear lakes and rivers, picturesque villages enveloped in olive groves, deep valleys and canyons, and over 4,000km of beautiful Mediterranean coastline, Turkey provides endless opportunities for exploration.

After an exploration of exotic Istanbul's labyrinthine bazaars and ancient mosques, you fly Kayseri and travel to the Taurus mountains to enjoy great opportunities for remote trekking in Europe. Nine days of walking takes you from the Emli Valley into canyons, through woods, over high passes and alongside high mountain lakes, reaching a high point of 3723m. Each night is spent camping among the wild landscape. After the trek you head into Cappadocia, a bizarre landscape of eroded spires and underground cities created over thousands of years.

Nevada, Las Vegas While the bright lights of Las Vegas might be Nevada's headline attraction, the Silver State is also home to a myriad of other exciting activities. September temperatures are in the mid thirties degrees, rainfall should be minimal.

Hiking and biking to fishing and hunting are all available amid the stunning National Parks, including the infamous Death Valley, while the winter brings snow and the possibility of skiingi at Lake Tahoe's 15 resorts in the north of the state. Moving into autumn, Hearts O' Gold Cantaloupe Festival and Country Fair will take place between September 4th-7th. The event will feature concerts, parades, a livestock show, mud volleyball, entertainment, kid's games, and cantaloupe foods and contests.

Head out to the Churchill County Fairgrounds in Fallon to taste the sweet fruit of the season and take part in the fun. The Annual Virginia City International Camel Races are also set for September. While not known for their speed, these desert troopers hit the racetrack as a nostalgic reminder of the Comstock Lode's bonanza days. This family event features camel and ostrich races for a hilariously good time.

Later in the month, the Wild West Extravaganza brings a 'boomtown' to life in the historic town of Pahrump with a gambling hall, stable, blacksmith's shop and sheriff's office. Gunfighters keep the crowd on its toes, while they browse vendor booths and listen to music. Don't miss the Civil War Re-Enactment or the dinner-theatre performance.

A couple of days later the Ruby Mountain Balloon Festival will see the sky over Elko fill with more than 40 brightly coloured balloons. Admission is free. However prepare yourself before you go, by finding out what to do/not to do: 7 ways to have a bad time in Vegas http://govegas.about.com/od/lasvegasvacation/a/badvegas.htm

SharePoint Development for Investment Consultants

How SharePoint Can Help Investment Consultants.

Investment Consultant Roles

Investment consultants formulate strategies and guide investors to make correct long-term and short-term investments. They manage and constantly monitor clients' portfolios to meet desired results. Their aim is to preserve and grow clients' investment/asset over the long term and keep them abreast of the latest financial products. Further, they have to manage a large pool of documents/artifacts and seamlessly mentor their clients over a long period of time.

Role of IT and Challenges (SharePoint Helps fill these gaps)

With a dynamic economic landscape, Investment experts face a lot of challenges before them - both at macro and micro level. They need to survey possession distribution more often because of the unpredictable and dynamic market swings. They need to evaluate the magnitude of losses and continually track macroeconomic variables. Their current innovation set up is inadequate in more ways than one to handle these intricacies.

Internally, they have to maintain a large pool of information, archives and artifacts pertaining to each of their clients and also interact with them to meet their monetary objectives. At present clients require personalized and focused services from these investment consultants. An elevated turnaround time in responding to customers' queries might bring about competitor switch and in nonappearance of synergistic correspondence might hamper connection with clients.

Apart from the above challenges there are several in-house challenges that linger in current investment consulting firms:

• Investment Research
• Investment product evaluation and performance measurement
• Customer relationship management
• Lack of Value added services offered to clients
• Usage of Obsolete/Legacy Systems to manage clients data
• Unstructured Data Management
• Downgraded system performance
• Single Point Access to Data
• Low collaboration with clients

How a SharePoint Set-up helps?

A SharePoint set-up renders a collaborative platform in the form of Intranet portal for investment consultants to share information related to clients' activities, better interact and engage with clients, enable value added services by providing customers with research reports, whitepapers etc.

It can build a central repository of data and can allow single point access to fetch relevant documents pertaining to a specific clients' portfolio and prevent the system from any unauthorized access. Apart from these SharePoint 2010 offers a host of other features to manage document types, retention policies etc. Investment consultants can also utilize other SharePoint features like document versioning, task listing etc. to improve task visibility, employees' collaboration, configuring indexing services, building custom search service for faster and accurate search results.

SharePoint Integration

SharePoint Consultants can help integrate existing CRM with SharePoint to overcome native functionality limitations of CRM by creating a central repository of data. They can facilitate integration of SharePoint with other in-house customer LOB application used to generate research col-laterals.

SharePoint integration enables consultants to have a consolidated view of data residing systems to improve TAT and user experience.

SharePoint Portal, Development & Customization

Apart from host of in-built features, SharePoint can also be customized and developed according to clients' requirement. SharePoint Custom Scripts can help monitor database growth and compartmentalize database to keep system performance optimal. It can also help in migrating obsolete clients data from legacy systems to SharePoint for better exception handling and control. SharePoint can also be developed using custom codes for data clean up and maintenance to reduced maintenance overheads.

How to choose a SharePoint consultant for your organisation?

It is important to seek external SharePoint consultants' assistance before implementing SharePoint solutions for your organisation. Full scale implementation of SharePoint solutions requires in-depth business domain experience. Hence before you select a SharePoint consultant for your business, it is important to know whether the consulting company has prior knowledge and experience in the same domain.Besides, you should also take into account factors like projects handled by them, location of your consultant, years of experience in the field, pricing per hour, reputation in the market etc. If you are planning to outsource SharePoint consulting to get cost advantage you should take into account the location of your SharePoint consulting firm. For most of the companies situated in USA, UK or Europe, the best choice as a country is India due favored factors of IT policies, infrastructure, English language proficiency, time zone difference and a reputation of global leader in IT outsourcing landscape.

Awaken the KING in YOU!

Two years ago, our nation and the world witnessed the historic event of the inauguration of President Barack Obama. With this trust came great opportunity, responsibility and challenges. From the near collapse of major financial institutions, and automotive companies that required Federal bail-out money, to the housing industry and double-digit unemployment, which left many Americans homeless and jobless, President Obama took office at the peak of the Great Recession. In the face of brutal realities, President Obama persuaded Americans to trust that his leadership would usher in "CHANGE, WE CAN BELIEVE"! Throughout his campaign for the Presidency, he referred often to what "WE" can do together to create the change so many of us longed for. Two years later, President Obama continues to demonstrate an unwavering resolve to stay the course of creating positive change, in the face of great challenges and opposition. What about you? Edmund Burks stated, "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing".

What actions are you taking to contribute solutions to the vast array of challenges faced by your neighborhood, state and nation? Are you engaged in activities that are creating a positive impact OR are you standing on the sidelines, complaining about what hasn't change, what's not right, what's not happening and who isn't doing enough? Can we continue to approach our present level of challenges with the mindset of "business as usual" and expect to experience progress in our neighborhood's and in our nation? Einstein stated, the "problems we face today cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them."

As citizens of the great United States of America, we have a responsibility to take an active role in the governing of our nation and the quality of life we experience. We cannot rest on our laurels or leave our destiny solely in the hands of elected officials, business and community leaders. We have to nurture and sustain at the grass-roots level a spirit of collaboration. It is critical to our individual and collective progress that we consistently leverage our ideas, knowledge and experiences with open dialogue. The diversity of people that color the landscape of our nation is our strength. Within our diversity, we have a wellspring of potential which collectively we've failed to maximize in the best interest of our neighborhoods and nation. To move beyond our present challenges, we have to engage the vehicles in our respective cities and states, that will bring about sustainable growth and progress. We have to be willing to adapt and be flexible to our changing realities. We have to converse with those beyond our comfort zone for the sake of a greater purpose; the progress of our families, neighborhoods and nation. We have to make difficult decisions. Times such as this, defines a generation. What will be the legacy we create as a result of our response to the Great Recession?

Will the history books tell how we rebuilt our country on timeless principles; unwavering faith and persistence in a spirit of collaboration or will they read that we allowed political bickering, religious intolerance, racism and sexism prevent us from stepping up to the challenge with "ALL" hands on deck? This is our moment in time. This is our time of reckoning. Now is the time to awaken the KING in YOU! Martin Luther King Jr. stated, "each of us can be great because each of us can serve."

In the book, The 8th Habit, written by Stephen Covey, he writes, "...this new reality requires us to build on and reach beyond effectiveness. The call and need of this new era is for greatness". This dimension can be accomplished through the nurturing and development of The 8th Habit which is to Find Your Voice and Inspire Others to Find Theirs. Covey further explains, "It is the voice of the human spirit-full of hope and intelligence, resilient by nature, boundless in its potential to serve the common good. This voice...will survive, thrive and profoundly impact the future of the world". Our voice defined by Covey is "the unique personal significance that is revealed as we face our greatest challenges and which make us equal to them".

When you are inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary project, all your thoughts break their bounds. Your mind transcends limitations, your consciousness expands in every directions, and you find yourself, in a new, great and wonderful world. -The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali-

When we remember Martin Luther King Jr., its his significant contribution to the Civil Rights Movement, which eventually lead to the realization of the Civil Rights Act that created his legacy of greatness. Dr. King's famous speech, I Have a Dream, prophetically spoke of our nation as one in which the character of a person would have more bearing on his or her opportunities versus the color of his or her race. He spoke of America at its best. The election of President Barack Obama is a moment in time in which America manifested its best self.

With a history of unwavering faith, passionate persistence and enterprising efforts, as a nation we have demonstrated time and again that collectively we are capable of overcoming insurmountable obstacles, defy odd to win in the end. This positive aspect of our nation indicated that when we set our minds towards a unified purpose, we'll not settle for "what is" when "what can be" is possible.

The time is now to Awaken the King that dwells within us, individually and collectively. In a unity of spirit, mind and body, we can usher in Change We Can Believe In. By becoming agents of change, we'll become the much needed catalyst to stimulate growth and progress in our families, neighborhoods and nation. Empowered by mountain moving faith, organized knowledge and effort, sincere concern for the betterment of one another, and our Nation, we can harness the power of our voice to inspire others to find theirs. The significance of our collective contributions will profoundly impact the legacy of our generation and the progress of our family, neighborhood, nation and world. In the words of Eleanor Roosevelt, "The future is literally in our hands to mold as we like. But we cannot wait until tomorrow. Tomorrow is NOW".

It's Your Move~Aspire Higher

Montegrappa Pens Symbolize Italian Finesse

Montegrappa Pens are the oldest and the most famous pens of Italy renowned for their extraordinary designs and superior quality. These pens were made by the union of Heinrich Helm, a German engineer and Alessandro Marzatto, a Veneto businessman. The pens are named after Italy's oldest fountain pen manufacturing company, Montegrappa which is originally named after a famous mountain in the landscapes of Italy. Montegrappa was founded as the "manufacturer of gold and fountain pens" in 1912. These pens embody the Italian heritage and legacy. The products are manufactured in the original company which is located by the river Brenta in the North eastern part of Italy. The company started gaining fame during World War 1. In 1930, the company enjoyed its key position, because at this period fountain pens were most widely used.

Montegrappa Pens gained popularity because of their quality and their sober designs. The precise manufacturing techniques of these pens have added to its credibility. With these beautifully carved pens in the middle of your finger, you will enjoy the bliss of beautiful writing experience. These pens are for people who are valued and reputed in the society as they are much more than mere writing instruments. They symbolize classical tastes complemented with modern luxuries.

After so many years of preserved excellence, the brand is still known for its A- class accessories and luxurious goods. Montegrappa Pens still continues to carry the legacy and maintains the superior craftsmanship and designs exclusive pens for every individual who values luxury. The brand manufactures a regular range of products for people who wish to indulge in the daily luxuries and a limited editions range which is inspired by the ancient passions for writing and some great moments of the past. The pens are available in variety of shapes, designs and colors. The high quality nibs which are generally gold nibs add elegance to them. The pens have exteriors which are manufactured with gold and other high quality metals.

Montegrappa pens are still known for their unsurpassed quality and the materials used for making these pens. The striking features and the ease and comfort of writing with them are remarkable. The limited editions generally are based on people or things which have historical importance such as classical Greece and tribute to ballet. The classic collection also features the best quality pens with fantastic features. The barrels of the pens are made with high quality materials such as Yellow celluloid, yellow gold and diamond or can also be silver enameled. The caps can either be silver enameled or made of yellow gold and silver. The clips can be of sterling silver or any other high quality metal depending on the theme of series. Thus, Montegrappa pens can add to the style and repute of an individual with its superior designs and features.

Historic Britain and Its Hidden Gems

200 Years of Charles Darwin

It was at Down House that Charles Darwin worked on his scientific theories, and wrote 'On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection' - the book which both scandalised and revolutionised the Victorian world. Today the house remains much as it was when Darwin lived here.

On the 13 February 2009 Down House will reopen after a few months conservation work with a new exhibition celebrating the bicentenary of the birth of Charles Darwin and the 150th anniversary of 'On the Origin of Species'. During a visit you will enter the study where 'On the Origins of Species' was written, get a glimpse of family life in the ground floor rooms, audio tour narrated by Sir David Attenborough and relax with a cup of tea or coffee in the cosy tearoom.
English Heritage has also restored the gardens to their appearance in Darwin's time, where you'll see honeybees working in the fascinating observatory beehive just as Darwin did almost 150 years ago. You will also follow in Darwin's footsteps on his famous path 'The Sandwalk' and marvel at the carnivorous plants in Darwin's garden "laboratory" and unusual varieties of vegetables growing in the vegetable garden.

Kennet's 5000 year treasure hunt

As you may not know where this area lies, find Bath on your map and then go east to Chippenham, Devizes and Marlborough. It is a place where you can delve deeply into past centuries, visit ceremonial landscapes and hills that are steeped in mystery myth and legend. Here you will find the World Heritage Site of Avebury which was built in around 3000 BC. Unlike Stonehenge, you can touch and feel the stones that surround this Neolithic spot. If you allow enough time, you can also take instruction in the ancient art of dowsing, prior to or after a traditional ploughman's lunch in the Red Lion pub which is located INSIDE the ancient stone circle. It is also reputed to be one of the most haunted pubs in the south west with Florrie, being that its most well known ghost. The well she is supposed to have been thrown down after being murdered can be seen inside the lounge bar, so no misbehaving while you're there! Proof that mankind has always had an urge to leave an impression can be seen in the White Horses which have been cut out of the chalk on the Wiltshire Downs. The story behind each one is fascinating. Another site of mystery and legend is the West Kennet Longbarrow, which is one of the largest Neolithic burial tombs in Britain and the nearby Wiltshire Heritage Museum in Devizes houses the world renowned Bronze Age collection from the barrows surrounding Stonehenge and Avebury. The Black Swan in the Market Place in Devizes goes back to the 16th century and has an interesting past and was featured on Living TV's "Most Haunted". With prior notice you can roam the cellars and search the blackness for orbs, detect energy and electro-magnetic fields. If you are seeking thrills of a different kind there is plenty of paranormal activity in the area. After a visit to the Back Swan, take a Ghost Walk around the town. This is NOT for the faint hearted and you will need that drink at the end of the evening...

Hastings Old Town

Just round the corner from the caves and shore lies Hastings Old Town, home to many famous smuggling gangs including Ruxley's Crew and the Hastings Outlaws. They were a violent bunch and in 1768, 13 of Ruxley's gang were hanged for their part in the gruesome murder of the master of a Dutch ship, off Beachy Head, near Eastbourne.

The Old Town is packed full of narrow streets, unusual shops and buildings. Its smuggling legacy remains with the annual bonfire celebrations during Hastings Week, where bonfire society members don the outfits of either smugglers or the revenue officers tasked to catch them.

Explore the Gardens of England's England
Whether you are a keen gardener looking for inspiration or simply appreciate the beauty of English gardens, make sure you take time to explore the gardens of Shakespeare Country.

From early spring to late autumn, discover a profusion of scents, colour and creation as the gardens of Shakespeare Country flourish with trees, shrubs and flowers. Even the winter months are exciting and you'll often come across gardeners working hard to prepare their gardens for the following seasons.

Shakespeare Country and the neighbouring Cotswolds are home to some of England's most enchanting gardens from almost every period of English garden history. From landscaped to cottage, exotic to herbal, the gardens are a delight to explore as they grow and change over the seasons and years.

Explore the gardens of England's England, enjoy the colour and the quiet, and remember where they are as you will almost certainly want to return.

On the Wales England border

One lesser known area of England is the county of Herefordshire, where England meets Wales. It has been back drop for several well known films including Shadowlands with Anthony Hopkins, which was filmed in the Wye Valley - visitors can follow the Shadowlands Trail. More recently filming has taken place in the Black and White Villages of North Herefordshire for a new film "Unconditional Love" starring Julie Andrews, Cathy Bates and Rupert Everett. The film was launched in the fall of 2000. Literature has always been key to the county, Elizabeth Berrett Browning grew up in Ledbury and John Masefield was also born in this pretty market town. Poetry fans may like to visit Ledbury in July for the annual poetry festival.

Hatfield House - where Elizabethan history began

Henry VIII sent his children to live and be educated at Hatfield when Elizabeth was just three months old. Elizabeth spent most of her childhood at Hatfield, and it's said that she heard the news that she was to become Queen while sitting under an oak tree in the Park. Elizabeth: the Golden Age starring Kate Blanchett, Geoffrey Rush and Clive Owen was filmed at Hatfield House. Mary, Queen of Scots' house Chartley Hall was recreated in the Armoury and other state rooms were used for Sir Francis Walsingham's home. As Geoffrey Rush Commented: "The first day of filming, for me, was the death scene and we'd recreated Walsingham's bedroom in Hatfield House and we knew that she had walked there some 450 years earlier. It just ups your game because you play into it with a greater sense of relish." Visitors can see the Banqueting Hall of the Old Palace of Hatfield where in November 1558, Elizabeth held her first Council of State and also see the site of the famous oak tree.

2008 marks the 450th anniversary of Elizabeth's accession to the throne and as part of the celebrations there will be exciting new events for all the family to enjoy. Experts on the period will be talking about life in the Elizabethan times in a new series of lectures. Documents from the Collection will be on Display, together with the famous portraits of Elizabeth. For younger visitors, there is a chance to try on period armour and learn about life as a fighting knight. On Friday evenings, Banquets are held in the Old Palace. A sumptuous four course dinner and excellent entertainment set within wonderful surroundings. During the evening, the Players will entertain with period music, song and theatre from King Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I and their Courtiers followed by dancing.

Planting a Wildlife Food Plot

Developing your own plot of wildlife and fauna may sound just a bit over-reaching and foolish to some but be assured it is far from impossible! You can grow your own wildlife and sustain it with proper nourishment with the help of proper tools and equipment. The farming equipment is handy and can be transported and fitted into small spaces where even tractors can't fit into.

If anyone's wondering why you'd want to grow crops for wild animals...well, here are some good reasons:

• You care about wildlife and want to sustain the fauna close to your country home.

• You will be able to provide better nourishment for animals, particularly deer, than is available for them in the wild.

• You can buy bags of good seeds particularly suited for their nourishment requirements and help the animals to remain healthy.

• You can attract deer and other animals to your food plot and have the opportunity to observe nature wild and up close.

• You can instill in your children respect and love for nature and they can learn a lot about wildlife from observing these harmless animals from close quarters in their natural habitat.

• You can pass your wildlife knowledge as a legacy to your children and experience the pleasure of close bonding with your children and family.

Advantageous for Landscape Planting:

Feeding the local wildlife may be a good idea as they will help protect your beautifully landscaped garden. As the deer habitat is shrinking due to human activities and deforestation, the deer are forced to wander closer to our homes and will feed on whatever is available in your front yard. Even though deer are not particularly fond of being displaced from their wooded habitat and brushing shoulders with humans, they do find the lush greenery around our homes quite tempting. They love to munch on plants like your prized tulips, roses and hostas. So it is to your advantage that you plant crops like chicory, clover and buck beans in a plot of land away from your beautiful garden to keep them away from the yummy greenery you have waiting for them at your doorstep.

Source for good hunting:

The last but certainly not the least reason for you to maintain a plot of food crops for wild animals is the nurturing of a big pool of animals that can be used for the purpose of good hunting. So when hunting season comes round you will not have to travel far and wide to harvest for prize trophies. The animals will be right there close at hand so you won't have to travel and spend extra money on commuting. Added to that is the advantage of not having to lug the animals after you've made your mark. All these factors add up to a very favorable reason for you to plant crops for wild animals and help nature sustain her wildlife.