Creates a list of Squidoo lenses with most recently modified at the top http://pipes.yahoo.com/pipes/pipe.info?_id=KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA Sat, 21 Nov 2009 19:49:56 -0800 http://pipes.yahoo.com/pipes/ http://www.squidoo.com/dartmoordevon Dartmoor was designated as a National Park in 1951 and covers an area of 368 square miles. The landscape ranges from lovely wooded valleys to desolate but beautiful wild moorland interspersed with rocky tors. There are areas of bogs and rough pasture. The range of habitats found makes it important for wildlife and the moor's long history of human settlement makes it rich in archeological remains. Picture: Saddle Tor Copyright © Herby - Creative Commons License KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_c46e238e9db237a31ab45778a9b7cd88 travel http://www.squidoo.com/rudyard_kipling For many years Rudyard Kipling has been deeply unfashionable. He's been accused of jingoism, imperialism and racism as typified by this poem The White Man's Burden. Take up the White Man's burden- Send forth the best ye breed- Go, bind your sons to exile To serve your captives' need; To wait, in heavy harness, On fluttered folk and wild- Your new-caught sullen peoples, Half devil and half child. In spite of using the language of his time, which often does sound racist and jingoistic, there is evidence in Kipling's works that he admires and respects the people of India and other countries that were once part of the British Empire. Kipling, although he outlived Queen Victoria by more than 30 years, was a Victorian in outlook and it is unfair to judge him by our politically correct times. Nowadays we can't understand he could have used his influence to get his son into the army during the First World War when he was exempt for genuine medical reasons. Now most of us are not so extremely patriotic that we would see it as the right thing to do. Again we must make allowances for the era Kipling lived and the way men of his class were educated. His work became unfashionable and unpopular even before his death but there has recently been a revival of interest especially with people who can read it with an open mind and realise he was not the imperial apologist that he is often portrayed. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_18799b68480037b1571f6b21fda4312e books http://www.squidoo.com/collectingthimbles Most people who do much hand sewing will own and use a thimble, a simple, utilitarian object worn to protect the finger-tip. For collectors, though, it is much more than that and the thimbles they collect can range from the beautiful to the whimsical. Some collectable thimbles are old while others are brand new and made especially for the collectors' market. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_88f4e15848ac4691bbc493fc8d0c7615 diy http://www.squidoo.com/yorkengland York, the county of Yorkshire's major city and a magnet for visitors from all over the world. They are attracted by the quaintness of the streets, the city's beauty, York Minster and the city's long history which includes Romans, Angles, Vikings and Normans. York has many interesting museums including one devoted to trains and railways that displays fulls size train engines and carriages. There are festivals throughout the year that bring people from many different countries to take part and the city even has its own saint, Margaret Clitheroe. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_903f16afa8ee2fc9ec4b3566d1041b67 travel http://www.squidoo.com/enjoylondon Like many big cities, London can be quite intimidating for first-time visitors. Which areas are safe? What is the best  way to travel around London? Are all  the historic attractions expensive  to visit? What are the pitfalls and dangers for visitors? These are just a few of the questions that  visitors to Britain's capital city might have which I hope  I'll answer here. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_8bfaa29b93ca3c6a509556e86fcfacdb travel http://www.squidoo.com/christmas_collectibles Christmas is approaching fast and now is the time to think about gifts. How about buying Christmas collectibles for close friends and families this year? Not only are they interesting and decorative, they could well appreciate in value as well.Additionally, many people pass Christmas tree ornaments down through the generations so your gifts will become heirlooms. There are other Christmas collectibles that are treasured: cards and postcards, commemorative plates, as well as Disney figures and many other modern products. Some appreciate in value over the years while others are collected or treasured for their beauty or the sentiment attached to them. Whichever it is, collectors derive an enormous pleasure from displaying their collections during the Christmas period. Picture: Christmas card from 1940. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_69a36378adfc6c2195275d2cec79cb4f shopping http://www.squidoo.com/london_top_landmarks One of the great things about visiting London is that if you go to Trafalgar Square, you are within easy reach, on foot, by bus or on the London Underground of some famous and not so famous London landmarks. For example, for art lovers, the National Gallery is on the north side of the square while Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament are literally ten minutes walk away from Trafalgar Square and Nelson's Column. As you can see from the picture on the left, the big viewing wheel, the London Eye, is also close by. It's just a walk over Westminster Bridge and then a short walk alongside the river on the other side. On your way from Trafalgar Square to Big Ben, you walk along Whitehall right past Horseguards and Downing Street, the home of the Prime Minister. You also pass close to the Churchill Museum and the Cabinet War Rooms. If you use the London Underground or a bus, it's just a short journey to other famous attractions in Central London. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_605079c0564794af5d43be17e569009a travel http://www.squidoo.com/cornishware With its mild climate and beautiful scenery, Cornwall, England's most south-westerly county, has become famous for its artists and craftsmen including many potters. Ironically, the most famous of the ceramics associated with the county, Cornishware, also called Cornish Blue, has always been made in Derbyshire and has no connection at all with Cornwall apart from its name. We've all seen the traditional Cornishware - even if you aren't a collector, you will recognize its typical, blue hoops on a white background said to represent the blue of the Cornish sea and the white of its clouds. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_3aea21bdb9a214d81749045364e88bdf diy http://www.squidoo.com/preserving_summer If you have several good apple trees, you will probably find you have more apples than you know what to do with. There is a limit to the number of apple pies, crumbles and other apple desserts you can store in your freezer or give away to friends and relatives. Instead you can preserve them in the form of apple jelly, and with other fruit and vegetables, make chutneys, a kind of sweet pickle originating in India. In England we refer to making fruit and vegetables into pickles chutneys as preserving but I believe that in the USA it's called canning. Please let me know if I'm wrong about that. You can use up bruised and damaged fruit and vegetables in chutney, much better than just putting them on the compost heap. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_6e45d611b7d2964d68bfc4cca59ee288 food http://www.squidoo.com/battersea_dogs London, capital city of Great Britain, has many lost and stray dogs and cats and there are a number of rescue homes for them, many of them run by the RSPCA and other animal charities. The best known of these is Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, situated on the South Bank of London's River Thames, near Chelsea Bridge. It is the most famous rescue centre for dogs and cats UK, there is almost nobody in the country who hasn't heard of it and its work. Founded in 1860, it has been helping dogs and cats for almost 150 years. Picture: Copyright © Battersea Dogs & Cats Home KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_8d221e716799e3fcc4443da0a3758ac0 animals http://www.squidoo.com/angel-in-disguise How strange to become an Angel. My friends and family will laugh when I tell them as I'm sure they'll agree I'm a very unlikely candidate for Angel status - definitely an Angel in disguise. As I'm a volunteer, I can't complain that the role isn't for me so I will do my best to live up to the image of Angels. I won't have favorites but will endeavor to assess lenses impartially. You'll know if I give your lens a blessing it is truly blessworthy. Want to know what I think makes a lens worth a blessing? Just read on. You'll see what I think makes a dingworthy lens too. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_62b4bf106ab99d60ef67445f829dea45 squidoo http://www.squidoo.com/englands-seaside-towns When I was a child in the 1950s, only the very wealthy went out of the UK for holidays (vacations). The rest of us went to English seaside towns. After the schools closed for the summer at the end of June, families prepared for their annual migration to the coast in either July or August. Just like today, there was a great diversity in the places catering for holidays. There was the hectic fun of Blackpool or the more sedate charms of Brighton or Bournemouth (see picture, left). Both towns have livened up a lot over the intervening years and have an almost endless range of entertainment on offer. Then there were the very quiet seaside towns whose main attraction was the peace and quiet with uncrowded beaches and charming country walks. Some of these still exist today. Below you'll find a selection of English seaside towns showing the diversity available along the coast of England. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_909f0c0689ba6bbf554fe1a7eb74e895 travel http://www.squidoo.com/hampton_court_palace Hampton Court Palace, situated about 15 miles south west of Central London, has seen many dramatic events in its 500 years of history and there are many reports of ghosts. It is a popular place to visit both with Londoners and visitors to the capital. It also plays host to one of the country's biggest festivals of gardening, The Hampton Court Flower Show. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_e775ee38e375facb52c7865be5333bb8 travel http://www.squidoo.com/art_deco_age Art Deco, popular originally in the 1920s and 30s, took its name from the Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes, an exhibition held in Paris in 1925. There the style was first seen in the work of French designers who had been in experimenting and refining it for some years. The fashion for Deco spread throughout the world and examples in architecture can be seen as far apart as the USA, New Zealand, Cuba, Brazil, Argentina, France, the UK, Greece, Switzerland and the Netherlands, Vietnam, India, Malaysia and Thailand as well as many other places throughout the world. Not only did the style spread far and wide, it has also endured and now, in the 21st century, is more popular than ever. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_0995338e1e06f73bb2f7ca27fcf9a415 diy http://www.squidoo.com/moonflowers-night-blooming-plants Imagine sitting in your garden on a warm summer evening, a full moon overhead and beautiful moonflowers blooming nearby with their fragrance wafting on a light breeze. Several different plants are called moonflowers but the one most commonly referred to by that name is the Ipomoea alba, a twining, vine-like plant. The picture on the left shows a moonflower growing around a tree. You can see from the background that the photograph was taken at night. Others include Datura innoxia and Mentzelia pumila, although this one is also sometimes called Evening Star because of its night blooming habit and usually the flowers are more star-like in shape. Picture: Copyright © Benjamin Graves - Creative Commons License KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_ccea9e640475df104f743d001a6d80f1 home http://www.squidoo.com/portmeirion_pottery Botanic Garden is Portmeirion Potteries' most famous design but the company has produced a wide range from the sumptuous to the bizarre. Of course, designer Susan Williams-Ellis is the daughter of Sir Clough Williams-Ellis, the creator of the bizarre village of Portmeirion so it is no wonder that she has produced some extraordinary pottery designs. Perhaps the surprising thing is that the most popular designs use 19th century botanic illustrations and have been wildly successful in the UK, USA and elsewhere. Although Susan Williams-Ellis died at the age of 89 on 27th November, 2007, the company continues and still comes out with new designs and products so keeping to the spirit alive of its founder. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_f2b658f9b20f65a2d7bea9aef98ca621 diy http://www.squidoo.com/bleakhouse Bleak House is a satirical look at the complicated legal system in London as it consumes the minds and talents of the greedy and nearly destroys the lives of innocents. Dickens's tale takes us from the foggy streets of 19th century London and the maze of the Inns of Court to the peaceful countryside of England. Likewise, the characters run from murderous villains to virtuous girls, from a devoted lover to a 'fallen woman,' all of whom are affected by a legal suit in which there will, of course, be no winner. The story revolves around the mystery of Esther Summerson's mother and it involves a murder story and one of English fiction's earliest detectives, Inspector Bucket. Most of all, though, the story is about love and how it can cut through human tangles and produce a happy ending. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_70ac444170713ce986d03fa5edacd254 books http://www.squidoo.com/aquilegia-the-columbine The aquilegia or columbine is one of my favourite flowers. I love the way it comes in such an amazing variety of colours, the various shapes of the flowers and the way you can find it in the most unexpected places as well as growing in gardens. Its common name is columbine and it is part of the Ranunculaceae family of plants which includes buttercups, clematis and delphinium, among many others. The name aquilegia comes from the Latin aquila meaning eagle because it is thought that the shape of the petals resemble an eagle's talon. The name columbine comes from the word for dove because it was thought the petals looked like dove's wings. It also has the name granny's nightcap, again from the shape of the flower. Picture - Aquilegia vulgaris Copyright © BerndH - GFD License KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_ab6d17ada076e4adfdefdaba011b5e0a home http://www.squidoo.com/carlton-ware There is more to collecting British 20th century ceramics than Clarice Cliff and Susie Cooper. One of the growing areas of interest is Carlton Ware, popular with collectors for many years. Its strong, sometimes quirky, designs fit in well with 21st century tastes. It is most famous for its advertising ware like the Guinness toucan but it also made beautiful products like the superb Rouge Royale plate on the left. Although the Carlton Ware company failed in the end, for most of its life it was one of the great success stories of the 20th century leaving a legacy of very collectable pottery and porcelain. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_2d0db45bb11c10b6fa55ab01ce9a7527 education http://www.squidoo.com/chester_england Chester, county town of Cheshire, in the north west of England, stands on the River Dee, not far from both Liverpool and North Wales. The city is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country because it has kept many of its medieval features including tiered shopping galleries. There is also a lot to see and do - including a visit to the cathedral, boat trips on the River Dee or a day at the racecourse. There are also museums that tell the story of Chester's history going right back to the Roman period. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_5f97881b7a6adf5dc5373c56395fba6c travel http://www.squidoo.com/flowering-shrubs-for-shade- In my last garden I had two big trees growing quite close together. This meant they provided shade over about a quarter of the garden. Luckily it was partial shade so it wasn't impossible to find shrubs and other plants to grow nearby. The bigger problem was that the trees' roots made it a dry area with relatively impoverished soil. The roots just out-competed for water and nutrients. I enriched the soil with compost, horse and chicken manure, blood fish and bone and good thick mulches to retain as much moisture as possible. It's important to remember that the problem is not always lack of sunlight, it can be the soil nutrients and moisture. The flowering shrubs I suggest are probably not going to do very well in deep, constant shade but they should succeed in partial or dappled shade. Even a few hours sunlight a day can make the difference between success and failure. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_69fb2e9fbf79569b8f60e40dca4cdd1d home http://www.squidoo.com/i-had-a-mini-stroke I've thought long and hard before writing this lens. It's about my health and it's something I never discuss except with those very close to me. Even then, I talk about it infrequently. When I had a mini-stroke or TIA (transient ischemic attack) it was a terrible shock. What followed was even more shocking for me because six months later a specialist surgeon told me the condition I have is inoperable and incurable. Since then I've had to find a way to get on with whatever is left of my life and to do that without freaking out publicly or privately. The condition has had some effect on me and my life which makes things a little difficult sometimes. This is something else I've had to learn to deal with. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_c82ce69f39ae0d0de821ebea036ce2b5 aboutme http://www.squidoo.com/bestofchocolateontwitter Does your mouth water when you look at this chocolate cake? Now you've seen it, are you craving chocolate? If the answer to these questions is 'yes', then you are almost certainly a chocoholic. Feed your addiction by reading the best chocolate tweets on Twitter. Some of them just describe how much Tweeters want chocolate, what kind of chocolate they've just eaten or maybe the guilt they feel when they have eaten it. When you read the Tweets, you'll know you aren't alone in your enslavement to this wonderful candy. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_40939c16313d4ad6b955e82a00e901e8 aboutme http://www.squidoo.com/best-superfood-on-twitter The name superfood is usually given to foods that contain a high proportion of micronutrients that are supposed to help our bodies resist or fight illness, including cancer and heart disease. Some people argue that they may also confer other benefits like increased cognitive ability. Unfortunately, most trained doctors, dieticians and nurtritionists don't agree with the concept of superfoods. They say that no one food can supply all the nutrients that we need and that we should concentrate, instead, on eating a balanced diet. It also seems that superfoods go in and out of fashion. Sometimes blueberries are the number one miracle food, then it's pomegranates or blackcurrants or wheat grass or seaweed. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_b52a6d0a78f137c535950ed538095eba aboutme http://www.squidoo.com/savethedolphins Dolphins are generally one of the favourite animals amongst people worldwide. Because they look as if they are constantly smiling, they make us smile too which put us all in a happier mood even if we are only looking at a picture of a dolphin. We love their playful antics and the way they interact with us when we encounter them. People who have been swimming with dolphins have found it an uplifting and unforgettable experience but even people who have only seen them swimming alongside a boat or ship have been entranced by them. Many people only see them in captivity doing tricks. Even though these take advantage of the dolphin's natural behaviour, I personally find it offensive to see them in captivity having to work for their masters. I believe they should be living free in the world's oceans and rivers, living their lives naturally. Tragically, many of those that are free face dangers from man's activities. These include pollution, long line fishing and drift and purse seine nets. Then there are the rumours of research done to train dolphins in underwater warfare KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_fb60840026cf4c1ee6111041bfc3d646 animals http://www.squidoo.com/apple_pecan_brownies Award from The Hungry Squidz With Thanksgiving coming up, I'd say that Apple and Pecan Brownies are very appropriate. They are so quick to prepare and easy to bake that anybody can make them. If you are an inexperienced cook, just follow the recipe carefully. Even if they go a little bit wrong, as long as you don't burn them to a crisp, they'll still be tasty. This recipe uses apples and pecans which go well together, just one of the many variations on the basic recipe for brownies. Tip for British Cooks If you are English, like me, buy yourself some cup measures, they are much quicker and easier to use than scales for weighing ingredients. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_fc07ba7584ae251b57a31afe998b7738 food http://www.squidoo.com/dieting-over-christmas It's difficult to stick to a weight loss diet at the best of times but over Christmas and New Year you may feel it is impossible. It takes just 500 excess calories a day for a week to gain one pound in weight and at Christmas it is easy to overeat. Here is some advice to avoid gaining weight during the festive period even if you don't lose any that week. All it takes is will power which is not always easy to maintain when everybody around you is eating and drinking to excess. At times, you will probably feel like Scrooge because of your failure to join in the excessive amounts eaten and drunk. Look on the bright side, you'll be happy you did when it's all over. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_9c3c73be791ebfc645667f6780e33bde health http://www.squidoo.com/tower_of_london The Tower of London is one of the capital's best known and most popular visitor attractions, as well as a World Heritage site, but it's had a long and bloody history. It had a dark and sinister reputation, although it was used as a palace for a while, it's also been a prison, a place of torture and of execution - notably by beheading with an axe. It's no wonder that many people have seen ghosts in the Tower. Nowadays, visitors can see the places where executions took place, the Crown Jewels which Captain Blood attempted to steal, and the famous Yeoman Warders, nicknamed Beefeaters. Picture: The White Tower, part of the Tower of London Copyright © Crux - Creative Commons License KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_4893e80a1ab8597a269200c4100f3d10 travel http://www.squidoo.com/best-summer-fruit-twitter Summer is my favourite season for fruit. I love nearly all of it. Raspberries are the best, in my opinion, but then there are strawberries, peaches, apricots, cherries, different varieties of melon, blueberries, blackcurrants and all the rest. The great selection of summer fruit means that nobody has any excuse for not eating at least the recommended five portions a day of fruit and vegetables. Check out the recommendations from Tweeters who spend some time discussing their favourite summer fruit. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_0e44af2a83d7c4d49486dfb44357a99a aboutme http://www.squidoo.com/art-nouveau-beginners-guide During the last quarter of the 19th century, many artists and designers were disenchanted and bored with the fussiness of art, design, style and fashion. The first revolution in style was led by the Aesthetic Movement followed by Art and Crafts. With change, new design and style ideas appeared in many different areas of Victorian life, and designers continued to search for ways to reflect the changing world of the late 19th century. In Britain, in the last quarter of the century, international trade was more important than it had ever been. At the same time, there was a consciousness, particularly among artists and designers, that this was a new, modern age which should be reflected in their work; they needed a 'new art' or, as the French say, "Art Nouveau." This was not a purely British movement but was seen worldwide in Europe, Australia, the USA, Canada and Japan. Picture: An Art Nouveau storefront in France. Copyright © Pixeltoo - Creative Commons License. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_b6914d35622a02d8b8f8e3da87e25f89 arts http://www.squidoo.com/best-garden-flowers-on-twitter Flowers are lovely and can cheer up a miserable day. They are even better when you don't have to spend a lot of money on them because you can just go into your garden and pick them. If you plan carefully, you can have flowers for almost the whole year. Find out what other people think about garden flowers on Twitter. Some Tweeters joke about them, others share what they are planting in their gardens while some bemoan the fact that they have to buy flowers because they have no where to grow them. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_52890360b3f331716149405b1e0db1f7 home http://www.squidoo.com/windsore Windsor is an ancient town in southern England, just about 23 miles from London. It is dominated by its famous castle, home of royalty for almost a thousand years. It is reputed to be the favourite home of the present Queen and it is said that she was devastated when part of the castle was badly damaged by fire. The town of Windsor has many quaint and interesting buildings, a Victorian railway station. Its other main feature is the River Thames running through it and dividing it from Eton with its famous public school, Eton College, England's most famous public school and the place where many of England's most famous men were educated. *Picture above Supplied by FreeFoto.com KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_934e3ad38ccc5e4b7bcf4588a772ab48 travel http://www.squidoo.com/i-love-lilies My best friend doesn't like lilies. She says the look of them and their scent reminds her of funerals. I know what she means but I love them anyway. I love the way they look, the myriad of varieties as both cut flowers and garden plants and I love the way they perfume a room. I agree their pollen is a nuisance if you get it on your clothes because it can be hard to get off but that's a small price to pay. You can avoid that inconvenience by being careful anyway. I grew lots of varieties of lilies when I had a garden, now I just buy them as cut flowers. Whenever I went to the garden centre and saw another variety, I'd buy it, take it home and plant it even though I was running out of space for another lily. By the way, did I say that I Iove lilies? KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_ce48e9ec2af55aa58fa2a2c32af8cd6f home http://www.squidoo.com/saffy_paw My English Springer Spaniel, Saffy, endured pain and depression when a simple problem developed into something not only more severe but life-threatening. All this because the veterinarian made a misjudgement. If I hadn't disagreed with the vet and insisted on a second opinion from another vet, Saffy might have lost her front leg or even died. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_720942639a447a0d170d08c62a2b6e6b animals http://www.squidoo.com/newforesthampshire The New Forest, in Hampshire, Southern England, is the largest tract of lowland common land in Britain making it of great importance for the environment and conservation as it covers a range of habitats from boggy valley bottoms to dry heathland. Due to its long history and in spite of its name, the New Forest, has a large area of heathland as well as ancient mixed forest including oaks and other native species and more recent plantations of trees managed by the Forestry Commission. The New Forest is extremely popular for recreation from days out to camping holidays as well as with sports enthusiasts like horse riders, runners, golf and much more. Although it has been popular with visitors for many years, it was only made a National Park on 1st March 2005. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_1de73f1dea45db4cbccfe3447be47027 travel http://www.squidoo.com/favorite-dog-poems Many families have a dog and they are usually a much loved family member. They bring us pleasure, love and fun. They get us out of our armchairs and away from the television or the computer to take them for walks. It's essential for them and for us too. It might be the only exercise some of us take. Stroking our dogs calms us and helps to reduce our blood pressure. They comfort us when we are sick or unhappy. They play with us and keep us young. They break our hearts when they die. Worse still, we might be called upon to take the terrible decision to end their suffering. Then we not only have the sorrow of losing them but the nagging guilt about whether we made the right decision. When dogs are such an integral part of the lives of so many of us, is it any wonder that there are a large number of beautiful poems written about our best friend? Here's a small selection. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_025141c41d7628ccb9cc42b49f397796 animals http://www.squidoo.com/great-english-breakfast I have to admit that English cooking has had a terrible reputation in other countries even though there are many great Michelin starred restaurants here now. Our full English breakfast, however, is one meal that most people around the world agree we do well. Most of us natives would agree it's not a healthy meal. It's full of fat and calories, to put it mildly. Here, it's jokingly referred to as 'a heart attack on a plate' - that's our sick English humour. Oh, but it is delicious and a great way to start a day occasionally, especially after a luxurious lie in bed late on a day there's no rush to go out. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_924418f11a8e0c3e350a551a63104756 food http://www.squidoo.com/english_food We English have had a terrible reputation for our cooking. I don't believe it's truly deserved especially if it was being judged by food served in our homes in years gone by. In fact, our reputation for bad cooking made us a real joke in France where food is of paramount importance. We are improving, though, and some of our traditional food is good when cooked properly using good quality ingredients even if some of it, like black pudding, is an acquired taste. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_947223fef7c6e697a903d4138c8b1012 food http://www.squidoo.com/english_recipes Traditional English food is often described as 'good plain cooking', particularly by the people who like it. In fact, most of us over about 30 or 40 years old have been brought up on it in the days when home-cooked meals were a regular occurrence. At its best, it can be nourishing and delicious, at its worst it is horrible. The thing to remember about traditional recipes is that they've been handed down from mothers to daughters (in the days before many men cooked!) and they were good for people who were doing hard manual labour and using a lot of calories. Nowadays, a regular diet of many English dishes is a guaranteed way to put on weight and possibly increase your cholesterol levels. Even here, we eat this kind of food very seldom. It's just that we really enjoy it when we do - for us English, it's the ultimate comfort food. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_4971f35fcc6c55e00c849fc8eb432b2d food http://www.squidoo.com/classic-funny-poems-for-kids I can still remember some of the humorous poems that were read to us children at infants school. Some, like The Jumblies and Matilda (who told such dreadful lies), can still make me smile today. What makes them so memorable? Is it the rhythm and the rhyme or is it the amusing stories they tell? They can appear quite heartless, for example, Matilda perishes in a fire at the end of the poem. No child I've ever known seems to have minded one little bit. They do pick up on the key phrases, though, and repeat them. I've read these poems to my own children and others too and I've always had a great response. My own two girls both love to read and love poetry - not just humorous poems either. This is a small selection of my own favourite funny poems. I hope you'll like them too. Remember, books of chilren's poems make great Christmas and birthday gifts. I've always given them to the children in my life. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_bce592e6bafc11a3b2f8e2b3372a6056 parenting http://www.squidoo.com/explore-england Although England is a small country, it is a land of contrasts. There are major cities like London, Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester, historic towns like York and Windsor, then there are the villages with odd names - Middle Wallop, Piddletrenthide and Queen Camel - just three examples. Even with global warming, much of England's countryside is still a green and pleasant land - a patchwork of green fields separated by hedges or drystone walls. There is more dramatic scenery as well like that found on Dartmoor or in the Peak District National Park. London is still the place that attracts most foreign visitors but more are now visiting less well-known places too. I hope that the information here will encourage more to do so as well as show the English what attractions they are missing by not seeking out new places to see here at home. As for the English - we've never forgotten we once ruled most of the known world and are having difficulty coming to terms with being a small country on the edge of Europe. We have an image of being emotionless and unfriendly while our sense of humour is often unappreciated by foreigners. Irony doesn't seem to translate well. I hope you will get a better idea of England and the English after reading this page and looking at some of the other pages associated with it. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_caf463903d4360e66517639ffbfc5816 travel http://www.squidoo.com/maybe-queen-saved-my-life In 1984 I was deep into a year long major depression. I wasn't really interacting with people around me, my internal landscape was a black desert with the leafless remains of dead trees. As part of the depression, I was concentrating on losing weight - so yes, I was heading into anorexia. Combined with not eating, I spent hours walking, just walking around London where I lived at the time. Then it got serious. I was considering suicide. I spent much of my time looking for ways and means. Almost nobody in the UK owns a gun and certainly nobody I knew did so that was definitely out. I won't bore you with all the methods that went through my mind but it was getting more real to me and I felt it was just a matter of time. This will sound really silly but one day I heard Radio GaGa by Queen played in a pub. It caught my attention, a very unusual occurrence at the time. I asked my friend who was singing - I didn't have a clue, Queen had never made much impression on me before. I started listening to the radio again, hoping to hear it played which it was because it was a big hit here in the UK. I was hooked and my downhill race to oblivion was at least slowed if not halted. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_35f0abf00855c1b85de001788cf2eedb music http://www.squidoo.com/william_morris As William Morris and Edward Burne-Jones were walking down a street in Oxford in 1853 they were instantly captivated by a painting in a shop window - The Return of the Dove to the Ark by John Everett Millais. It was a turning point in the lives of the two young men. They had both been destined for the Church but instead Morris decided to become an architect and Burne-Jones a painter. It wasn't, however, quite the Damascene conversion that it appears as both men had been interested in the work of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood before they saw the painting by one of its leading lights although it led to Morris starting the Arts and Crafts Movement in 1861 KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_088f449341bfa0ccb51162660b19a0bb people http://www.squidoo.com/henrys-biography-small-dogs-tale This was written before Henry died on Friday, September 25th, 2009, at the age of 11 years and 4 months. He had a stroke and the veterinarian said that there was no chance for him and the kindest thing we could do was to allow her to put him to sleep. It was a terrible decision but the only one we could take as he was never going to regain consciousness. We miss him very much. He was a very sweet and loving dog. My name is Henry and I'm a cavalier King Charles spaniel. I'm a small dog in size but I'm big inside. I'm sure I could be fierce if I really tried and frighten everybody but I have a nice nature. I live in England which I believe is in the UK - I'm not good at geography. I don't understand maps at all. I am 11 years old and very cute. You can see I'm not lying about being cute by looking at my photograph. How much more cute can you get than that? I don't look my age, do I? My two-legs think I'm stupid. They say things like "Henry's only got two brain cells. He was bred for cuteness not cleverness." Huh, what a nerve! How can they possibly say that when they can't tell when a dog has used a lamp post. I can tell just by sniffing it when it was to the nearest hour or less. This is my biography, as I remember it, told in my own words. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_69c514a5910262eed20a6cd34e1a5f4b animals http://www.squidoo.com/recipes-for-bananas I eat a banana almost every day of my life. I either have it cut up with my breakfast cereal or as part of my lunch. Occasionally, I use them in one of my favourite recipes for bananas. As children, we were often given bananas, sometimes cut up and made into a sandwich. I was born in 1948 and, of course, my parents had gone through the war years in the UK without ever seeing a banana. I think they loved being able to give them to us and eat bananas themselves. Here I give you a few recipes for bananas that I particularly like. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_006aacc5f81c80279f29274a4b1b8b9c food http://www.squidoo.com/my-father-in-memoriam As old as I am now, my father is still Daddy to me and always will be. Somehow 'Dad' doesn't feel right, it doesn't reflect the love I still have for him even though he died 22 years ago. I still miss him so much. He was what we call here in the UK, a "lovely fella." He was far from perfect but then who is? He had a great sense of humour and if you were with him you had to be able to take a joke against yourself. He didn't only dish it out, though, he could take it too when he was the butt of a joke. He was affectionate, but not in a soppy way, and he was there when somebody needed practical help. Then he would get embarrassed and offhand when thanks were given. I'm going to share some of my memories of my father, Donald Llewellyn Fisher, chef, family man and joker. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_3d89865c4eb7e4ea85e1f82969063e57 aboutme http://www.squidoo.com/wind_in_the_willows This classic tale about animals of the riverbank has delighted children and adults for 100 years with the adventures of Mr Toad, Ratty, Mole and Badger. It is a lovely story with excitement but without being too frightening. It can open the door to the world of books for young children and show them that their own imagined visions of a tale can be as gripping as anything on television or their computers. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_7b08247eaec77e26e68b3973410439c8 books http://www.squidoo.com/oscar-wilde-writer-and-wit Oscar Wilde (16 October 1854 - 30 November 1900) was one of the most successful men of the late 19th century. Born in Dublin, Ireland, into an Anglo Irish professional family, Oscar Wilde was famous as a playwright, poet and for his great wit. He went from being one of the most famous men in Victorian England to disgrace, prosecution in a criminal court and then a sentence of hard labour in prison. If only, if only... Could he have avoided it if he had never heard of the Aesthetic Movement or if he had stayed in Ireland? He had opportunities to avoid his ultimate fate just before it finally broke upon him but he refused to take them. Instead it broke him like a butterfly on a wheel. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_7eabcff8724265da36c1139da4bd390a people http://www.squidoo.com/blackcurrants-a-superfood The blackcurrant is another great summer fruit. I love the smell of blackcurrants and their foliage when they are growing in the garden. The berry has a strong, delicious flavour but without being too sweet or cloying. In fact, most people eat it cooked and sweetened. It's not just their flavour, though, that makes them such a favourite in Europe. They are a very good source of vitamins and antioxidants to the extent that they are often promoted as a superfood. Blackcurrants make lovely summer desserts, preserves and jellies and I'll share a favourite recipe with you here. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_7192cfd8fe19d9047fc8aa73ee3017f8 food http://www.squidoo.com/chocolate_brownies It's true, everybody loves brownies whether they are the regular ones or any of the many variations. This recipe is great because it combines chocolate and butterscotch which go together like coffee and cakes. It's really quick and easy to prepare too. You should be able to understand the ingredients whether you are English, like me, or American because I've used both languages in the recipe! Picture: Copyright © Gdr - GNU Free Documentation License. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_63563b9bddcc3c15258f0933c87f3a22 food http://www.squidoo.com/cockneys When you hear of Londoners, you probably think of Cockneys but not everybody who is born or lives in the capital city is a Cockney. The tradition has been that it only applied to somebody born within the sound of Bow bells. There are traditions and activities associated with Cockneys: the Pearly Kings and Queens, rhyming slang, a great sense of community and neighbourliness, quick humorous repartee, sense of humour, market trading, taxi drivers, criminals, stock exchange traders... KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_7a437635a1b2b443d75b6a4804c2a7bc travel http://www.squidoo.com/bath_england I moved to Wiltshire, just 12 miles from Bath, in 1993. Since then I've fallen in love with this beautiful city in south-west England. We still live in Wiltshire although much further away from Bath but I still visit it often. It is popular with visitors from all over the world. They are drawn to see the Roman baths and other Roman remains, the Georgian terraces including the famous Royal Crescent and Circus and its 15th century abbey. Situated on the River Avon, it provides lovely walks and parks, a variety of cultural activities, festivals and many activities for both visitors and tourists. Bath has the distinction of being the only entire city in the UK to be designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO reflecting the number of perfectly preserved Georgian buildings, 5000 of which are listed. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_802fbde450035403bf3893a07ccc68ac travel http://www.squidoo.com/glastonburysomerset Glastonbury, Somerset in South West England is heavily associated with the legends of King Arthur and Camelot. There are many other legends connected to the town and its surrounding area. This has made it a centre for 'new age alternative' culture and a magnet for people interested in the spiritual aspects of the town. On a more mundane level, it is also a very popular destination for visitors to the area. Outside the town, near the village of Pilton, the annual Glastonbury Festival takes place attracting thousands of rock music fans. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_895368fb0917b8c6f043dac1382f9ab4 travel http://www.squidoo.com/quick_fruit_cake These cakes are quick to prepare for the oven. Preparation should only take a few minutes. Try the recipes and you will see I am right. That's the good news. The bad news is that some fruit cake recipes take quite a while to bake while one of the ones here goes in the freezer overnight. You could always read the latest novel, watch television, or talk on the phone to your friends with a perfectly clear conscience while you're waiting - you are multi-tasking as you are home baking at the same time! Picture above: Copyright © Stuart Spivack - Creative Commons License KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_73091667418f454810187c02e43abaa8 food http://www.squidoo.com/my-top-ten-musicals My parents were big fans of musicals of all kinds. They bought the long playing records (we call them albums now), went to see them in London theatres when we lived near enough and saw them as movies too. As kids, my brothers and I were brainwashed at an early age to love them. By the time we were allowed to use the stereo on our own, we would as often play My Fair Lady or West Side Story as anything else. The musicals are in no particular order. I couldn't possibly choose between them. The pity is there are so many more I could have included but then it wouldn't have been a top ten. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_a0e3760a73c20b862425fedea1c79d16 entertainment http://www.squidoo.com/chocolate_fruit_pudding The familiar dome of a steamed pudding is usually greeted with pleasure in most British homes. Because fewer people cook nowadays, they are sold in supermarkets and still enjoyed by most people. They can be either sweet or savoury. The most famous savoury one is Steak and Kidney Pudding which is made with a suet pastry pressed to the sides of a traditional pudding basin (see picture below), this is then filled with cubes of beef, kidneys and sliced onions with a little gravy. A suet pastry lid is then put on top. Steamed desserts include Traditional Christmas Pudding, Sussex Pond Pudding, Jam Roly Poly and Chocolate Fruit Pudding - see the recipe below. There is no doubt, both sweet and savoury puddings are not recommended for people on a diet. In this country we say they are 'rib sticking' food because you put weight on eating too many of them. Traditionally, it is more customary to make or buy them in the winter when people want hot, comforting food. *Picture above: copyright .Fabio. Used under a Creative Commons License. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_1fe0dcdaa094d9799f3e8667a9cd45c6 food http://www.squidoo.com/the-lamps-of-louis-comfort-tiffany Mention the name Louis Comfort Tiffany and most people immediately think of his lamps with their beautiful jewel-like shades and unique designs. Considering how famous and popular they have been since they were first put on sale, it's surprising that this is the first book in many years devoted exclusively to Tiffany lamps although a couple have been published since this one. Two of the authors, Nancy A. McClelland and Lars Rachen, are experts in Tiffany's work and run their own company in private of sales of Tiffany lamps and other important 20th century decorative arts. Martin Eidelberg is Professor Emeritus, Art History, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, and has written extensively on Tiffany while Alice Cooney Frelinghuysen is Curator of Decorative Arts at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_b0aa7eaf6594f71840d4e57643a0e7e9 shopping http://www.squidoo.com/recipes_garden_produce What could be better than strolling out into your own garden and harvesting fresh fruit and using it immediately? You can choose not to use chemical fertilisers or pesticides so, not only are they as fresh as can be, they are free from pollutants too. If you grow fruit in your garden, there can come a point where you just don't know what to do with it all. Harvest time can become difficult as friends and relatives refuse to answer the door when they see you with another bag of apples and thank you through clenched teeth when you sneak up on them and present them with yet another 10 pounds of plums. Instead of pressing fruit on people who don't want it, why not try these recipes which taste good and some of them freeze well too? You can makes them into desserts like pies, crumbles and cobblers or preserved in jars like brandied peaches. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_4382f420b2b01d3c511e4d1e1ee9a475 food http://www.squidoo.com/cranberry_glass Because ruby and cranberry glass is so beautiful and has been made in so many different styles, from the simply elegant to the ornate, it looks good in even the most modern homes. Although its origins go back to Roman times at least, it became very popular in the 19th century in Britain, Europe and the USA. Today, both antique and new ruby and cranberry glass remain popular with collectors. It has a wider market than just collectors, though. Because it is so beautiful, many people choose it for wedding and anniversary gifts as well as for themselves because they love the look of it. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_c07a941de5cb194fb916e8fdc86e119f diy http://www.squidoo.com/st_pauls_cathedral St Paul's Cathedral is one of London's most famous buildings. It may come as a surprise to learn that, although there has been a cathedral on the spot for 1700 years, the present building is only just over 300 years old. It has been used for major state occasions like the wedding of Prince Charles to Lady Diana Spencer, later known as the Princess of Wales, and the funeral of Sir Winston Churchill. It has been a sanctuary, a landmark and a symbol of London's resistance and determination to fight on during the Second World War. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_c4c49103d1aeef5eb81b4ba4936a1e91 travel http://www.squidoo.com/a-crazy-quilt-with-a-difference I don't suppose my method of crazy quilting is unique but I did think of it for myself. I am quite an impatient person so you might think that making crazy quilts is the last thing I would want to do. In fact, I love making quilts but once I've done the patchwork, I lose interest. I don't like putting the backing and padding on then having to quilt the three layers together. I feel I've done the creative work and the rest is finishing off. I know it all takes skill, particularly some of the beautiful quilting designs that people are able to do. It's just that this part of the process bores me. Instead of having to beat myself up to finish quilts, I came up with this method of doing all three parts of the process together. I sew the patches, padding and backing all in one go and, incidentally, end up with something that looks like quilting even though I don't achieve the lovely quilting patterns that others achieve by doing this at the end. The picture shows part of one of my quilts. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_f51649427393743c67b8e66a38b97fa4 diy http://www.squidoo.com/cooking-for-christmas Cooking for Christmas can be a terrible chore or it can be fun. I think it all depends on your frame of mind and doing as much as possible in advance. I don't like last minute rushes on Christmas Day. There are so many recipes I use only at this time of year and I find it a pleasure to make them. It's the only time of the year I cook a turkey with all the trimmings: two kinds of stuffing, cranberry sauce, small sausages wrapped in bacon, giblet gravy. I make cakes, mince pies, sausage rolls, spiced peaches, boiled ham and much more. Of course, the quantity depends on the number people we have coming for the holidays. Picture above: Christmas Turkey Copyright © Simon Doggett - Creative Commons License KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_57c702b8e068a450a395101e850e6c50 food http://www.squidoo.com/sugar_friend_foe Sugar is an intrinsic part of a western diet. It is found in obviously sweet foods like cakes and in less obvious places like baked beans and salad dressings. It provides the preservative for jellies (jams) and makes some foods more palatable. As well as sugar found in various foods, we add sugar to drinks like tea and coffee and sprinkle it on our breakfast cereal. So it's a real enemy, isn't it? We know we should cut down on the amount of sugar we eat. We know that it makes us fat and gives us diabetes...or does it? KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_0a35bbd33ac20a80ddd22d0d9b56ae74 food http://www.squidoo.com/easy_chocolate_recipes These recipes are easy to prepare and even easier to eat. After all, there aren't many people who can resist chocolate. They are the kind of cakes you can make anytime - you don't need to wait for a celebration. Put a portion of the Chocolate Apple Slices in your kids' packed lunches, that way you know they will eat some fruit. Even if you don't give them the apple slices, with home baking you know that your children are getting good, wholesome food that isn't stuffed with additives! KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_d29d8784b858a0b508b305cf1f5c9947 food http://www.squidoo.com/christmas_cakes The traditional British Christmas Cake is full of fruit, nuts, and spices, usually with added alcohol in the form of brandy or rum. It's a rich mixture, covered with royal icing (a kind of frosting) and decorated. It's often the centrepiece of the Christmas tea table or sideboard. Like Traditional Christmas Pudding, it is customary to make the cake well in advance of Christmas so it can mature before being iced (frosted) and decorated. Just wrap the cooked cake in 2 or 3 sheets of greaseproof paper and then store in an airtight container. My favourite variation uses tropical dried fruit - see the second recipe below. This is a recipe I have used for the last five years and is very popular with everybody who has tasted it. This one keeps well too. If you have health problems that require a low fat diet or you are trying to lose weight, there is a recipe for a version of the Christmas Cake that has only 2mg fat and 225 calories per portion. The other two recipes are for an Economical Christmas Cake and a Light Christmas Cake. These three recipes don't keep as well as the first two, unfortunately, but often the whole Christmas Cake gets eaten quite quickly so that isn't a problem. *Picture above and alongside recipe: Copyright Currybet. Used under a Creative Commons License. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_d860f0966fc0489cced413ce274d9a33 food http://www.squidoo.com/unusual-novelty-teapots Collecting teapots has been growing in popularity for many years and now collecting modern unusual novelty teapots is particularly popular. Many American and British potters specialize in producing weird, wonderful and beautiful teapots, many of which are never meant for use and are completely impractical. The point is that they are art, many of which make a statement about the world as it is now, for example, the Industrial Waste Teapot, shown below. Making teapots in unusual shapes is not new. Teapots were first made in China in the 16th century and within 200 years they were making them in lucky shapes like pomegranates and peaches. Around the same period, Wedgwood, English pottery, was also making them to look like cauliflowers and pineapples. Picture above: copyright © cliff1066 used under a Creative Commons license. Title: Van Gogh/Mona Lisa Teapot KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_56e57826311ecc7afc6e97a6e9837a62 arts http://www.squidoo.com/local-time-and-railway-time Throughout the ages, the way to measure time was usually by the movement of sun - daily, monthly and annually. Right up to the 19th century the majority of people didn't need a more precise measurement of time in their daily lives. It was the spread of railways that made an exact universal measure of time important. Until the coming of the railways, towns just a few miles apart would set their clocks to a different time according to their local sundial. Places in the same country a considerable distance apart would have an appreciable difference in their local times. In Britain, the difference between the east and west of the country was around 30 minutes. It didn't take long before railway operators realised that this was no way to run a railroad and used railway time for their timetables. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_3f7f2be959ea6850b33453b279002da4 education http://www.squidoo.com/tasty-fish-recipes Many children grow up not liking to eat fish which is a shame because there is no doubt that it is a healthy food for both children and adults. The best way to make sure your kids are happy to eat fish is to serve it to them as soon as you are weaning them. If they eat it regularly before they develop food fads, there's a good chance they will grow up enjoying more fish dishes than mass produced fish fingers. By experimenting with different recipes, you might find that the most confirmed fish-haters, both kids and adults, will find one or more dishes they like. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_6b2d1d9efcd8422394b9513941620f56 food http://www.squidoo.com/tobyjugs Love them or hate them, most people can identify a Toby jug. They depict a multitude of characters from historic times to the present day and come in a range of sizes. Popular for more than 200 years, in the 20th century they enjoyed renewed surge of interest with the introduction of character jugs made by one of the best known ceramics makers - Royal Doulton. Many people collect them just because they like them without worrying whether they will increase in value but, buy with care, and you might find they have been a good investment. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_a291acfac805e1e4fcde00f309c9a6f8 diy http://www.squidoo.com/squidoo-lenses-using-pictures-effectively Have you ever landed on a web page and found it was either completely or almost completely text only? If you have, did you stay and read it or did you bounce out to find something that looked less dry and unfriendly? Occasionally, I have stayed and read a page that had no illustrations or graphics of any kind but only because it contained information I wanted very badly. It's harder work on a screen to read a lot of text that isn't broken up with pictures or at least changes in font size and colour. Most of us writing a Squidoo lens or other web page aren't giving many people information that they want enough to work through a lot of text to read. We have to make our pages as attractive as the page of any popular magazine. Publishers don't pay for photographs and other illustrations for their editorial pages so they look lovely. They do it to encourage people to want to read their publications. We have to take the same attitude with a lens or web page. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_1ba109cbee4c17aaf6a73630e7ce72c0 squidoo http://www.squidoo.com/mowing-your-lawn When lawns in gardens first became fashionable in the 16th century, the only way to cut them was with a scythe, shears or with grazing sheep. The first lawn mower was invented in 1830 and began to be manufactured thirty years later. Of course mowing your lawn keeps it looking good but it also encourages healthy growth. You need to choose the right height to cut your grass, depending on which variety you have and how you use your lawn. You should always choose the right weather conditions and the correct seasons for mowing. One of the most important aspects of lawn mowing is buying the correct mower for you and your garden. I can remember when I was a young teenager being given the job of pushing the mower round the garden. My goodness, how I hated that job. Now there is a wide range of mowers to choose for the task - it doesn't have to be one you push. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_96412f8d8844d254bb19ee8bfef8e531 home http://www.squidoo.com/beautiful-garden-and-pets Some keen gardeners think it is impossible to have a beautiful garden and have pets. Dogs can run across flower and vegetable beds, crushing and breaking plants. Many dogs like to dig holes and flower beds are a great place to do this. Both dogs and cats will use the garden as a toilet. So what do you do if you love dogs and cats and your garden? This is a question I have had to face. At the time, I never seemed to find much in gardening stores to help so we had to come up with some ideas of our own and those of other gardeners nearby. Even if you don't have pets of your own, you might have problems caused by neighbours' cats. There are steps you can take to reduce damage and annoyance. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_76d267fa3c2c58f3091cd34d752c333d education http://www.squidoo.com/stazjias-stars I originally made this lens in summer 2009 for the September Squidoo Giant Challenge for Stazjia's Stars, my tutorial group in Willow's School of Wonders, better known as the Wiwon Team. Our mission was to help people who wanted to qualify to become Giants or Giant 100 Clubbers by the September 30th deadline. The members entered their new lenses as they completed them. We also had a forum where the lenses were critiqued to make them as good as possible. The Wiwon Team won the Challenge by a considerable margin. Our members made considerably more new lenses than any of the other teams. Squidoo decided to change the system to a centralized one and so get rid of the individual teams. Wiwon hasn't died, though. Instead it has been converted to Fresh Squids, specially aimed at newcomers to making lenses on Squidoo. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_e6e29efbc1d6f1f227166c86f8c05606 squidoo http://www.squidoo.com/stonehenge-and-sites The county of Wiltshire, in the south-west of England, is most famous for Stonehenge, the stone circle where Druids still celebrate the summer solstice. Then there are the huge Avebury stone circles, among which a village has been built. Other associated sites include barrows (ancient burial mounds), Silbury Hill and other smaller and lesser known remnants of prehistoric religion. I live near these monuments and see them often. The one I like best of all is Avebury because you can walk among the stones. The more famous Stonehenge is impressive but I find it more impersonal. These ancient sites are so important that they form a UNESCO World Heritage Site. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_67c322ac1e487ed6b5d36947fdec7233 travel http://www.squidoo.com/antiques-collectibles-of-the-future If people in the past hadn't bought good quality furniture, ceramics, glass, and other items, then kept them, loved them and looked after them, there would be very little for the antiques trade to sell. The question for many buyers nowadays is, "What can I buy that will eventually appreciate in value and one day qualify as a desirable antique or collectible? Would you look at this rocking Mickey Mouse and think it worth buying as an investment? Perhaps you'd look for individually made unique pieces from a crafts person or prefer valuable jewellery with intrinsic value in gold and precious stones. Whatever you choose, you are relying on your judgement to one day make a profit for either you or your descendants. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_b8226a1f73c27284b1b06e289d8f7b6f education http://www.squidoo.com/meccano-one-of-my-favourite-toys I was a relatively sweet looking little girl, according to my relatives and even the old photographs seem to confirm this. The truth was, though, I was a real tomboy inside. I didn't like dolls and never had any idea of what to do with the stupid things. I pulled the head off my teddy bear. I climbed trees, ran around with little boys playing cowboys and Indians instead of playing 'nice' games with little girls. Above all, I liked boys' toys. When I was a child in the 1950s, there was a definite distinction between the sexes when it came to play. One of my absolute favourites was my brother's Meccano set. Picture: Some pieces from a 1970s Meccano 2 set. Copyright © Lady Alys - Creative Commons License KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_7d418a5715b2031485b8da861bedbf1d parenting http://www.squidoo.com/best-desserts-twitter Don't you just hate desserts? No, neither do I, unfortunately. They usually look beautiful especially those you see in restaurants and the frozen food section in supermarket. Come to think of it, the desserts in the bakery sections look too good for comfort as well. I know somebody who is as thin as a stick and she loves desserts. When she eats in restaurants she has just a small starter like a green salad then the yummiest dessert on the menu. I'm not totally convinced this is a balanced healthy diet but it suits her. Personally, I love most kinds of desserts from creamy, fruit ones to rich chocolate to more homely ones like apple pie and crumble. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_023713928b7669a2595037c43f0b5ab5 aboutme http://www.squidoo.com/historic-england In spite of fires, civil wars, enemy air raids and redevelopment and modernisation, many of England's cities, towns and villages display evidence of their history. Some of it is obvious like a well preserved castle or cathedral while other evidence requires sharp eyes or the knowledge to recognise what you are seeing. Some places like Bath, York, Chester and Windsor attract visitors from this country and abroad simply because of the wonderful historic buildings and other memorials left from the past. In other places, you have to look harder to see the signs. Perhaps there is a buttercross - an open sided construction where butter was sold in a market, perhaps you have to raise your eyes above modern store fronts to see the Georgian or Victorian frontages that still stand, or maybe there's an odd drain running down the centre of a very narrow, pedestrian only, shopping street. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_ba740a01ecf0a153dddac80b39a50367 travel http://www.squidoo.com/lose_weight_diets Almost anybody can lose weight - there are no fat people in a famine nor overweight athletes. The only thing that stops us losing weight is ourselves. It's not enough to stop eating carbs or count calories. Even if we lose all those extra pounds on these diets, when we go back to our usual eating pattern, it's quite likely we'll put it all back on again plus a few extra pounds. Then you've got yo-yo dieting. How can we get out of this vicious circle? We don't only have to lose weight, we've got to find out why we eat too much and deal with that too. It's only by recognising our bad eating habits and our compulsive behaviour that we can become the slim people we'd love to be. We also need to remember that it's not only what we eat that is a factor, it's also the amount of exercise we take. We can eat healthy food and still gain weight if we eat more than we need to fuel our bodies. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_27940a0a9b42fd7b46df36b7f9560b36 health http://www.squidoo.com/legends-of-the-old-west This week's Senior Squids' Challenge is to write about the legendary real life people of the American Old West. As a child and teenager living in England, I was entranced by movies showing the Wild West - ones like High Noon, Gunfight at the OK Corrall and Cheyenne Autumn. While many of the characters in movies and television westerns were fictional, some were based on and used the name of real people. Gunfight at the OK Corrall is a case in point. Wyatt Earp and his brothers really existed and they really did take part in that gunfight. Without a doubt, Wyatt Earp is a legend of the American Wild West. You can see him sitting second from the left in this picture of the Dodge City Peace Commission June 1883 (from Wikipedia). KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_83648db38dab5944d904c300ff3f021a people http://www.squidoo.com/sacred-scarab-beetle The beetle in this picture doesn't look to me like a bug anybody would want to worship but I'd be wrong. This is Scarabaeus sacer, one of the varieties of dung beetle and its image is found in ancient Egyptian temples, the Pyramids and other Egyptian archaeological sites. It looks quite threatening with those large pincer like legs at the front but this is one of the beetles that does a very useful job in clearing rotting material and helping to fertilise the soil. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_a8d0be1db69e28ffff5ff5855f67275f religion http://www.squidoo.com/kew-gardens-uk-world-heritage-site Kew Gardens, as the Botanic Gardens are usually called, are situated on the south west outskirts of London about 7 miles from the centre of the city. It is one of the most interesting and beautiful places to visit in the capital with almost forty Grade 1 or Grade 2 Listed Buildings, set in 300 acres (121 hectares) of beautiful grounds. It is internationally important for botanic research and the conservation of plants. It has the world's largest collection of living plants and over seven million preserved plants. The Gardens are also home to huge botanic library and collection of drawings and prints of plants. It was one of my favourite places to visit when I lived in South London and only 30 minutes away by car - not bad in London's traffic. I've always loved it because there is so much to see. There are the most amazing plants and trees. The architecture of the various buildings is stunning and anybody can spend the whole day in Kew Gardens without a moment of boredom. Above all, no matter how many visitors are there, you can always find quiet, peaceful places to sit and refresh your mind and spirit. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_57bd4ad04780723692392e4370b3ccc0 travel http://www.squidoo.com/make-do-and-mend-from-the-1940s It's seventy years since Britain declared war on Germany after Hitler's troops invaded Poland in 1939. It quickly became apparent that Germany's u-boats were going to threaten Britain's ability to import enough vital supplies for its people, industries and to fight a war. The answer was rationing. Food rationing started four months after war was declared in January 1940. At the beginning only a few types of food like butter and sugar were rationed but later many more were quickly added to the list. From June 1941 clothes were also rationed and this meant that people had to make the clothes they already had last longer. The government started a Make Do and Mend campaign to encourage people to recyle and reuse old clothes and other fabrics and resources. Now we are experiencing a recession, these old skills are useful again for many of us who need to save money and want to recycle as much as possible for the sake of the planet. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_467ee07a165a4fb1f59736bbb751096e education http://www.squidoo.com/torbay_brixham I spent my early teenage years in Brixham, the pretty, little fishing town on the south side of Torbay, opposite Torquay. Although it's more than 40 years since I lived there, I still have a soft spot for the place. It is a working fishing port with terraces of houses rising up the hills above the harbour. It is very picturesque making it popular with artists who can always be seen in summer sitting on the stools on the quayside, painting their hundredth picture of Brixham Harbour. They are usually surrounded by a swarm of holidaymakers who flock into Brixham all through the summer. They are attracted by its charm, places of interest, activities and beaches there and nearby. Brixham has a long history centred around the sea and the harbour. The town made important contributions to the British fishing industry and played a part in naval defence during the centuries. One of the best-loved hymns, Abide With Me was written by the local vicar. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_7602fa56b58e255f15ff6ff28ceaea90 travel http://www.squidoo.com/revelation_space The Revelation Space Universe was created by science fiction author Alastair Reynolds. It is the setting for most of his novels and short stories and takes its name from his first novel. It is also one of my favourite SF series of books. The novels and stories are set at least 200 years in the future and many go way beyond that period. They are thrilling, interesting and have that 'must read just another page' feeling that all the best novelists can engender in their readers. The characters feel like real people that you can care about, love or hate. They aren't the cardboard cut-outs that we see too often in some science fiction. All this adds up to a recipe for great reading experiences. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_d009d50ba47b7699e28e0ea7ff92ed6f books http://www.squidoo.com/fall-season-of-mellow-fruitfulness Many people feel that fall, or autumn, is the most beautiful season of the year. With the leaves on trees and shrubs changing colour from green into shades of yellow, orange and red, the countryside, parks and gardens look as if they are celebrating "the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness." The effect is especially enhanced late in the day when the sun is lower in the sky and shines through the wonderful colour of autumnal foliage. We are probably genetically programmed to love the fall. It's the season when harvest is gathered in. Our ancestors would have relied on a good harvest to get them through the winter so the colours of ripening crops must have given them great joy. This is still reflected in Harvest Festivals and Thanksgiving. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_18f53a0948b9270d49d6761410bff092 education http://www.squidoo.com/gardening-jargon-what-it-really-means You hear gardeners using jargon like 'vigorous' or 'free seeding' to describe the attributes of plants but do these terms describe desirable or undesirable qualities? Should you be pleased when you read that the plants you just bought are 'strong growing'? Would you worry if descriptions says 'moisture loving' or 'drought tolerant'? Stop worrying. I'm going to tell you what these and other gardening terms really mean. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_2a41db92376c41d7a03ce344204e1100 home http://www.squidoo.com/thomas-tank-engine I wonder if, when the Reverend Wilbert Vere Awdry wrote the first story, he would have believed how his tales of Thomas the Tank Engine and his friends would still be going strong in the 21st century, more than sixty years later. Like many other children, my two year old nephew is one of the latest converts to these magical books. He loves the toys and DVDs too. Thomas and his friends seem to have achieved immortality. For young children, the primary audience for the books, they don't seem old-fashioned, just fun. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_50feecf831497764c48c3a615301d320 parenting http://www.squidoo.com/quicker-squidoo-lens-building I'm not going to tell you how to build a Squidoo lens in 20 minutes. You might be able to do one that fast but the trick is build a good quality lens as quickly and efficiently as possible. We've all seen lenses on Squidoo and web pages elsewhere that look as if they've been thrown together with the minimum of time and effort - and it shows. If somebody can't be bothered to do their best with a lens or page, why should I bother to read it and I certainly won't buy from it. Even so, there's no need to spend hours and hours slaving over every lens. Preparation, organization and efficient working methods can save time and effort. Additionally, some of Squidoo co-branded lens formats can help you to build quickly. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_4d1a10bb0d1ed464c45a7505c8d86e94 squidoo http://www.squidoo.com/torbay_devon Torquay is the largest of the three main towns on Torbay on the south coast of Devon in the south of the UK. Torquay stands on the northern side of the bay, Paignton is in the middle and the smallest, Brixham, is on the south side. The three towns are now almost one conurbation around the bay as they have grown over the years. Torquay has ancient caverns, a medieval abbey, famous residents as well as its harbour, beach, beautiful countryside, and many places to visit nearby. All this makes it the most popular seaside resort on the South Devon coast. As well as being the name of the bay, Torbay is also the local authority county borough. The boroughs of the three towns were amalgamated in 1968. It is also the first borough in the south west of England to have its own elected mayor. Torquay was a small village right up until the 19th century when, first naval officers started to visit, then the mild climate attracted sick and convalescing patients. Nowadays it is still plays a part in the town's popularity bringing in a lot of holidaymakers and elderly people who retire here. It is also a popular area for foreign students learning English. Picture above: Torquay and its Harbour Copyright © Averoxus - Creative Commons License" KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_82cc8aae783c3b343a0783ab5dcaf9d4 travel http://www.squidoo.com/tea_black_green I'm English so I drink tea all the time. I think it's natural that everybody loves it. It's hard to believe that it's a comparatively recent introduction and for centuries it was largely unknown outside China and Japan. The history of tea is long and interesting as are some of the stories, myths and customs attached to it. There are many varieties of tea, each with their own distinctive flavours and characteristics. For many years there have been anecdotes of the healthy qualities of tea and recent research seems to be providing scientific evidence to support some of them. As tea first arrived in Europe in the 17th century, it is only natural that there is a good collectors' market in tea related antiques and collectibles. For a simple drink, tea has had an amazing impact on our culture particularly here in England. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_b43bbc8072ea3a9acb7d01b11f18ee73 food http://www.squidoo.com/chocolate-drinks-for-summer If you like chocolate, what could be better on a hot sunny day, sitting outside, chatting with friends and drinking a long cold chocolate milkshake or smoothie like the one here? If you are watching your fat intake, skip the piped cream on top, use skimmed or semi-skimmed milk and you still get all the beneficial nutrients from the milk. Add some fruit as well, and it's even healthier. Unfortunately, the ice cream rather detracts from the healthy properties of milkshakes so they are not to be recommended if you are trying to lose weight. The recipes here are quick and easy to make so they don't require a lot of effort. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_9bd21b2ed0b48b976e2fd1d858f82a14 food http://www.squidoo.com/squidoo-lens-structure-and-balance When I visit a lens or web page for the first time, I quickly scan down it to see if it covers material I want to read or look at. If it doesn't, or it's hard to tell, then I bounce off to look for somewhere that makes it easy to see it has what I want. Although I love to think I'm unique in many ways, I'm realistic enough to know that most people do this so I attempt to structure my lenses and web pages with this in mind. I like to have a clear idea in my head of what I will cover and the order I will present my information, pictures and other material. I try to take advantage of font: size, bold, italics, boxes and modules to make the most important points stand out. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_c49a1736b763816b8463ad14a74abb7a squidoo http://www.squidoo.com/paperweights_collecting Who can resist paperweights? Made by master craftsmen, they are objects of supreme beauty. Is it any wonder that they were hardly ever used for such a mundane task as securing loose papers? In the 19th century, educated ladies and gentlemen sat at their desks writing letters and making entries in their diaries. Of course, this opened up a market for manufacturers to produce desk accessories including paperweights. Although paperweights had been produced in Venice, probably as early as the 15th century, the major period of production was between 1845 and 1860 by the great French glass making factories of Baccarat, Clichy and St Louis. During this period and later, they were made in other countries like the UK, the USA and Bohemia but these generally did not match the superb quality of the three French factories. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_8e0b3083f2d5426e5abd5d744411810d diy http://www.squidoo.com/classic-poems-for-kids Poems, with their rhythms and rhymes, can engage children's attention while the often vivid images conjured by the words feed their imaginations. Usually, classic poetry has a richness of language, even that written with children in mind, so enlarging a child's vocabulary and giving an appreciation of good writing. They are ideal for reading aloud to kids, in fact, they can encourage a child to like bedtime, knowing there will be poems or a story. Some great poets of the past have written for kids - Robert Louis Stevenson, G.K. Chesterton and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow to name just three. Illustrated books of poems make lovely, colourful Christmas and birthday gifts for children especially the collections from different poets. They are always on the top of my Christmas gift lists for kids in my family. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_546a1f12186ebcf51da34f08b5f39fa6 parenting http://www.squidoo.com/quick-and-easy-blueberry-cake This is one of my favourite cake recipes because I can mix it up in about 15 minutes from getting out and measuring the ingredients right through to putting the cake in the oven. I am a very impatient person and love quick and easy recipes, particularly when I'm trying to fit making a cake into the middle of a busy day. Another reason I like it is because I can use any berries, not just blueberries. In fact I use blackberries more often at this time of the year, rather than any other kind of berry. It's the quantity of berries that is the most important thing rather than which kind you use. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_7a26459f32f49e5160b694243d9c99c8 food http://www.squidoo.com/wilkie-collins-novelist Most famous for his novels The Moonstone and The Woman in White, writer Wilkie Collins (1824-1889) has been credited with inventing the detective novel genre although most of his books could be described as 'sensation novels'. In fact, it's probably Edgar Allen Poe who really invented the modern crime novel with Murders in the Rue Morgue. His earlier work was extremely popular when published and some of it has stood the test of time. He was a friend of Charles Dickens and worked closely with him. Collins was also an unusual Victorian who refused to conform to the social norms. When the appearance of living an upright life was essential, he lived openly with two different women, one of whom had three of his children. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_7bb3b12c54442d8ae307364c24ac3b2a books http://www.squidoo.com/glastonbury-music-festival Did you know that The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts is the famous festival's correct name? Maybe you didn't realise that it's not actually held in Glastonbury but on a farm in the small village of Pilton, about a mile south of the town. It began in the 1970s as a reflection of the times of hippies, love and free music festivals. I guess founder Michael Eavis must be amazed how it's grown in size and importance since then. It is now the biggest green field music festival in the world. The Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury Music Festival Picture from Wikipedia and in the Public Domain. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_604eea7ebab9f8cf6134c462ef9e7bac entertainment http://www.squidoo.com/salisbury_wiltshire Salisbury Cathedral's famous spire is the first glimpse that most people have approaching this city. A quintessential English scene, it has been painted by many famous artists, including Constable, and engraved by Whistler. It's origins are lost in the mists of time as there have been settlements here for thousands of years although they started on a bleak easily defended hillside, rather than the kinder valley. The present city of Salisbury is a centuries old 'new town' and laid out to a pre-determined plan, unlike most towns of its age. It is just a few miles from one of the most famous prehistoric places in the world - Stonehenge. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_2e426090e61b4955cf56050085ebf4ea travel http://www.squidoo.com/the_english If you visit England, you may have preconceived ideas of what the English are like, although some of these may be quite contradictory. Are they upper class lords and ladies or servile peasants and servants tugging their forelocks? Maybe they are mostly bowler-hatted city gentlemen with furled umbrellas and stiff upper lips or jolly working classes, singing in pubs while swigging pints of warm beer. Perhaps the pictures of drunken football hooligans is more representative of the English. Perhaps English people are all of these or none of these, or more likely, some mixture of them all. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_c26518dc44f8d540e42a55b7398c8c0b travel http://www.squidoo.com/christmas_pudding The British Christmas Pudding is a very rich traditional dessert, served as part of Christmas Day dinner. Of course, many people just can't manage to eat it then, so often it's served later in the day and for several days following because, unless you have a large family gathering, it is too big for one meal. Because it is so rich, most people only eat small portions. The pudding is made as much as three months before Christmas because, stored correctly, the flavour matures. In fact, some people even use them when they are one or two years old. There are several traditions associated with the British Christmas Pudding. One is 'Stir-up Sunday', the last Sunday before Advent, when every member of the family took a turn to stir the pudding and made a silent wish. It got its name from the Collect (prayer) for that Sunday which says: "Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people; that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may by thee be plenteously rewarded; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen" Another tradition is that an old silver sixpence or threepenny bit was stirred in the pudding and whoever got it on Christmas Day would come into money. Nowadays, it's more likely to be a 5, 10 or 50 pence piece. In these more hygienic times, people often wrap it in foil before putting it into the pudding mixture. Although you can serve Christmas Pudding with custard, cream or ice cream, it is customary to serve it with a white sauce or brandy butter. If your family don't like the traditional pudding, below there is a recipe for an alternative, Cold Chocolate Christmas Pudding, made with fruitcakes, spice and cookies and homemade ice cream. It looks a lot like a traditional pudding and the spicy fruity flavours give a similar taste. The advantage is that it's much lighter especially after a big Christmas Dinner. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_d9195da68c3bf6bcdd4e0d6d4292e4d0 food http://www.squidoo.com/should-art-antiques-be-restored Have you ever been to an antiques fair and seen a beautiful desk or table in pristine condition? The top has a shine to rival any mirror. It is impeccable - but that is the problem. The desk or table might be 18th or 19th century and it obviously has not survived the years without a scratch or other mark so it must have been 'restored'. When is restoration justified and when is it vandalism to destroy the marks of history and to replace them with a modern sheen that completely destroys its original character? This is the question posed by Richard Philp, a well respected and long established art dealer based in London. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_4451419e192e5a3d3fc4fc550bc7404a arts http://www.squidoo.com/susiecooper How did the youngest child of a middle class family become one of the most influential designers of the 20th century? Although, small in stature, Susie Cooper became one of the giants of 20th century design in a career that spanned more than seventy years. Her work has been somewhat eclipsed by the popularity of Clarice Cliff's ceramics in recent years but Susie Cooper's work throughout her career was innovative in both designs and techniques. Even as an old lady, she still experimented and was willing to try new ideas. Picture above: Kestrel Teaset by Susie Cooper Copyright © Museum of Wales - Creative Commons License KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_d9f81457d1aedafff442416c4646062b people http://www.squidoo.com/christmas_turkey In Britain, dinner on Christmas Day is usually turkey with all the trimmings. The trimmings are the traditional accompaniments like cranberry or bread sauce, stuffings as well as gravy made from the giblets. On one bird there is enough to feed a large family gathering and the meat is palatable served cold, in sandwiches or made up into other dishes after Christmas Day. It is essential, though, that you know how to store and cook your turkey as well as defrost it properly if it is frozen. If you don't you and your family could end up with food poisoning. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_a4d67c8b19e91b0582d2a157be880e13 food http://www.squidoo.com/bengal-tigers The Bengal Tiger or Royal Bengal Tiger was once found through a large area of India, Pakistan, Nepal, Tibet and other countries in South East Asia. Now its distribution through these areas is patchy as may be seen from the map below. There were eight subspecies of tiger but only five remain as the other three became extinct during the last 100 years. These five subspecies, including the Bengal tiger, are endangered. Their habitats have shrunk as man's activities have encroached, they have been hunted for sport and for the use of body parts in traditional Chinese medicine. What a tragedy if these beautiful animals were to disappear in the wild. Even if most of us will never see a wild Bengal tiger living a natural life, many of us take pleasure in knowing that they exist and will mourn their loss. Picture Copyright © Sujit Kumar, used under GNU Free Documentation licence. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_d7df4d4f142366bab7dc96772bdab3ea animals http://www.squidoo.com/le-creuset-fabulous-cast-iron-cookware I was given my first Le Creuset cast iron pan way back in 1989 and since then, I've never wanted to use anything else. I love their traditional designs made with French flair, adding a degree of sophistication to pans and casserole dishes. I also like the colours available - most of mine are a deep blue but I like the red ones shown here too. Even more than their look, I appreciate the great way the cast iron holds the heat and distributes it evenly thoughout the pan. You don't get hot spots in Le Creuset cookware so  food cooks evenly. For more information on the set featured in the picture, see below. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_7ca96b5580925b4b7004b9b775570d30 food http://www.squidoo.com/secrets-of-job-seeking Looking for a new job is usually not easy. Even in prosperous times, it can be stressful to find the right employment but in a recession it can seem like a nightmare. Many employers are laying off workers, others are cutting hours for existing employees, fewer and fewer are taking on staff. People do find jobs, though. Sometimes, it's just pure luck but according to research in the UK's Guardian newspaper published January 2009 and conducted in the summer of 2008, it seems that some people have more successful strategies than others and it is these that find a new job. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_018ab217996c1e7f2709b5dab0c4bb3c education http://www.squidoo.com/celebrationdesserts There are special occasions, like Christmas, anniversaries, birthdays, christenings and other big occasions, when only a special meal will do to celebrate and that's the time you need a really delicious and fabulous looking dessert. The good news is that these desserts are not difficult to make and most are not especially time consuming either. That really is the best of all possible worlds. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_451e80b5c1ff1a022c5b139d2db23006 food http://www.squidoo.com/care-for-antique-collectible-glass Whether glass is valuable in monetary terms or if it's precious for sentimental reasons, the way you handle it and keep it clean can mean the difference between an accidental breakage or other damage and preserving your glass in good condition. Really, most of this is just commonsense but it's worthwhile making sure that you get into good habits every time you handle glass that is precious to you. If you always follow the same routine every time you pick up, wash or dust your glass, then it is less likely that a second's distraction or inattention will result in an accident. It is especially distressing when a piece of glass that has been passed down to you by relatives or is antique and so has survived for many years, is damaged when you are its custodian. I hope that by following this advice, antique, collectible and expensive modern glass will be preserved to be enjoyed and admired by future generations. All pictures on this lens are copyright © 2009 Carol Fisher KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_b778f192e42e3d67ae2a2c61886957a2 education http://www.squidoo.com/somerset_levels In the heart of the county, the Somerset Levels and Moors are an internationally important wetlands habitat. Across the area, 25ft above sea level is the maximum height attained. A coastal clay ridge protects the area from sea flooding. The moors usually have peat soil while the Levels are usually marine clay. The Polden Hills run through the middle like a backbone while the northern edge is bounded by the Mendips and, to the west, are the Quantocks. Situated in the county of Somerset to the south west of Bristol and Bath, the Levels and Moorland were once covered by sea which retreated 6000 years ago. Gradually peat and clay were laid down and then man arrived and has had the greatest impact on the landscape since earliest times to the present day. Gradually, the local residents learned to manage the water allowing the Levels to be farmed and the floods controlled - at least some of the time. Nowadays the importance of the wetland habitat is recognised as a precious and important habitat for flora and fauna and local farmers are rewarded for managing the water levels to maintain it. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_42a150004fabaf185e739af6fe6f71f4 travel http://www.squidoo.com/wade_whimsies The original Wade Pottery in Stoke-on-Trent, England, began in 1810 and took over several companies in the area and in Northern Ireland. It wasn't until the 1920s it started producing figurines and the 1950s when it started its famous Whimsies which have enchanted people ever since. Now these cute little figures are a major area of collecting in the UK, USA and Canada as well as other places worldwide. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_4b6ecb3f10c2a46373a94b3c18e10cd6 diy http://www.squidoo.com/blackpoollancashire Blackpool, in the north-west of England, is one of the country's most famous seaside resorts and it was almost literally built on fun. From the introduction of the railways in the 19th century right up to the 1960s and 1970s, it has attracted working people to spend their summer holidays (vacations) to have fun there. Situated on the Fylde coast of north-west England, it is famous for its sandy beaches, Tower and numerous other visitor attractions. It's also famous for the strong winds that blow off the sea through the town. Sometimes they are so strong that you can see people hanging on to lamp posts to avoid being blown along the street! Picture: Blackpool Tower and Beach Copyright © Ingy the Wingy - Creative Commons License KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_091920523f00ca39697989d9d43e8e29 travel http://www.squidoo.com/dickwhittington The legend of Dick Whittington is the archetypal 'country boy comes to the big city and makes good' story. It is well known to most people in the UK and is performed on stage regularly as a pantomime during the Christmas period. It is also a popular 'fairy' tale told or read to young children. Many people don't know, though, that Richard Whittington, to give him his full name, was a real person and his story is as interesting as the legend. You can still see memorials to him in London. They include a stone with his cat sitting on it at Highgate, a big mural at Archway station illustrating the legend and a blue plaque marking his house near the church of St. Michael Paternoster Royal, College Hill, London EC4. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_83508eb07ca56d3243a60a6efeb99726 people http://www.squidoo.com/raspberries-my-favorite-fruit Although I love most summer fruit - strawberries, blackcurrants, blackberries, cherries and the rest, my absolute favorite are raspberries. I will eat them fresh off the bush: - one in my mouth, one in the basket; one, two in my mouth, two in the basket; and so on. I have to admit, more end up in my mouth when I pick raspberries. I love them fresh with cream, in pies and tarts, in smoothies and milkshakes, and in many other ways. I have grown them in the garden and fought with the birds to eat them when they ripen. I have made them into jam, put them in cakes and desserts and even preserved them in liqueurs for Christmas. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_ce150f99048284bab1f93f07269c2089 food http://www.squidoo.com/christmas-and-nonbelievers Some Christians are offended by the secular nature of Christmas now. It seems to some to have lost it's religious meaning. At the same time, non-Christians see Christmas as a festival that celebrates family and friendship. I guess most people fall somewhere between these two extremes. Have your say below. Tell us what you think about this topic. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_7ae8d0972baf3efafd47926f73008cf1 duels http://www.squidoo.com/pesticidesinsects Imagine waking up one morning and discovering that all the insects and other pests in your garden have disappeared forever - no more slugs and snails, aphids, lily beetles, caterpillars and all those other creatures that chomp their way through your flowers, vegetables and fruit. It sounds like a dream come true, doesn't it? Now comes the nightmare - the force that took out the pests has made all the other insects disappear too. Imagine your garden without bees, hoverflies, butterflies, ladybugs, dragonflies and other beneficial or harmless creatures. Would it really matter if we didn't have them in our gardens? Wouldn't the benefits of getting rid of slugs outweigh the loss of butterflies, beautiful as they might be? What would the practical consequences be if we lost the beneficial insects as well as the pests? KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_6737dfb3b16ddb2db98af74df8b28174 green http://www.squidoo.com/chocolate_recipes Celebrations are a time that everybody wants their favourite food and for most people that includes chocolate. Of course, these recipes are very popular at Christmas - the big family occasion but most can be used for any important occasion. Some take more skill and time to prepare while others are relatively easy and quick. All should be well within the scope of most cooks if they take their time and follow the recipes. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_dabd81b90dfcc0d311fb1f7ddc18cc9c food http://www.squidoo.com/fun-side-of-work In these difficult economic times, it's so easy to see work as a very serious business, particularly if you are looking for a job without success. Work can be funny, though, it does have it's lighter, humorous side. Many of us have a love hate attitude to our jobs or careers. We need to work to pay our bills and it can help us feel as if we have a purpose in life. Even so, we still laugh at jokes about it like "A job is nice but it interferes with my life." At least, I find that amusing, if not side-splitting even though I've worked my whole adult life until I retired last year. Humor helps us on those difficult days that we all have doing our jobs. Even those of us who are luck enough to have careers we love have bad days when we feel like we should have stayed in bed. Here's some humor to help you through those days. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_91f1a5987823fb7bcb1d61e5daba0f5f humor http://www.squidoo.com/stazjias_lensography Now I live in Wiltshire, in the South of England. It's a very rural county, apart from the city of Swindon, it's almost entirely small towns and villages with nobody living more than 15 minutes from the real countryside. I have two dogs, a springer spaniel and a cavalier King Charles spaniel. My two daughters are now grown up and both live in London, about 100 miles away. My interests are travel, history, the environment and healthy living. I love to read particularly murder mysteries, thrillers, real science fiction (not so much fantasy), travel books, the back of cereal packets if I can't find anything else to read because I'm a real book addict. I love writing too and I particularly like making Squidoo Lenses. I find the format and tools encourage me to write more than when faced with a regular HTML webpage. I've been commissioned to write articles for magazines here in the UK and also to write a couple of books. Now I'm not as healthy as I was and am semi-retired but I can't give up writing and researching for articles so I do it all online now because I can't guarantee I'd be well enough to meet magazine deadlines. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_5950fee192fd7901246bc283473273ea aboutme http://www.squidoo.com/my-life-in-antiques I got involved with the UK antiques trade at the end of 1977. I was offered a job on a specialist antiques newspaper compiling a weekly antiques auction calendar for publication and to help selling advertising space to auctioneers. Then I had no interest in antiques but it was a better job with a higher salary than I was getting as assistant to an editor of a magazine for an association of women's clubs. Money didn't so much talk when I was offered the new job - it screamed in my ear. Little did I know that I would spend 31 years involved with antiques dealers, fairs (shows) organisers and other members of the British antiques trade. I never guessed I would become a recognised expert on the trade in this country and people would contact me for information of all kinds on the subject. Guess what! After all these years involved with antiques and collectables, I'm still not interested in them just because they are old and/or collectable. For me, they have to have some merit of their own too. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_9cffba8d229c8e13d32e1ac23ba6d447 aboutme http://www.squidoo.com/dissolutionmonasteries By the 16th century many of the monasteries of England and Wales had become rich and powerful institutions. At that time they were all Catholic. They provided employment, charity for the poor, hospitals for the sick and education. Henry VIII had broken away from the Roman Catholic Church over his desire to divorce Catherine of Aragon so he could marry Anne Boleyn. He also wanted to acquire the wealth of the monasteries for himself and his favourites. This led to the Dissolution of the Monasteries and a great change to the countryside and way of life.Picture: Fountains Abbey, North Yorkshire - Part of a World Heritage Site. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_170aaef4360f02b7e2e0a91bd504ccac religion http://www.squidoo.com/summer-lose-weight If you are concerned about your health, or maybe you are a little (or a lot) overweight, summer is an ideal time to improve your diet and re-educate your stomach, tastebuds and mind to appreciate a more natural and low fat diet and maybe smaller quantities of food if weight is your problem. In summer, most people wear fewer, lighter clothes making it harder to cover the bulges and making us more self-conscious about them. They are even more conspicuous if we want to wear a swimsuit or bikini. When I was fat, I'd lie in the bath and think I looked like a beached whale so nothing would have persuaded me to bare a lot of flesh to go swimming no matter how hot the weather. When it's hot, we are less inclined to eat big, stodgy meals. Our bodies seem to crave lighter, fresher food. All of this makes it a good time to change our eating habits and lose weight if we need to do so. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_a18d719d52c8669b4f22b54d3f0a0dd4 health http://www.squidoo.com/charles_rennie_mackintosh Charles Rennie Mackintosh was one of the most influential designers of the 20th century. Multi-talented, he designed buildings, furniture, textiles, interiors and painted unusual and dramatic watercolours. In spite of being probably the most gifted designer of his generation, he died in obscurity and poverty. It was only after he died that his genius was recognised. His iconic designs are now instantly recognisable. It's just a shame that he didn't live to see how admired, successful and influential his work became. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_52abe464b21205f08d98f15fb1a6a3f8 people http://www.squidoo.com/brighton_sussex Brighton and Hove have formed a single conurbation for many years now. Brighton still appears much racier than the more genteel and sedate Hove but, even so, you would be hard pressed to know when you are crossing from Brighton into Hove. In 1997, as part of local government reforms, the two towns were officially joined together to form one borough. Three years later, in 2000, they were given official city status and is now correctly called the city of Brighton and Hove. Brighton is the most famous of the Sussex seaside resorts. Originally called Brighthelmstone, Brighton's pre-eminence is due to the Prince Regent who first visited the small fishing village in 1783. Here he built the Royal Pavilion, an enduring landmark and symbol of the town. Nowadays many of Brighton and Hove's residents work in London and the city is particularly popular with actors and people in the media. With a sophisticated local population, it is famous for its nightlife, restaurants and its gay culture. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_47e94180e0f86258824e1864a71d60bd travel http://www.squidoo.com/dark-is-rising This sequence of five novels, is a favourite of adults as well as children. They are among the few special books like The Hobbit and the Harry Potter novels which bridge this gap. Like those, The Dark is Rising Sequence of books are fantasy novels. I first read the series when I was about 35 and absolutely loved it and everybody I know who has read it seem to include it in their lists of favourite books. Written by Susan Cooper, the first book in the series Over Sea Under Stone was originally published in 1965 with the last book being published twelve years later in 1977. The whole sequence has stood the test of time and now parents who read it when the books first came out, are buying it for their children and even their grandchildren, especially at Christmas and for birthdays. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_709fbea2087f77b42ce501919055cf26 books http://www.squidoo.com/my-own-collectibles-and-art I accidentally stumbled in to the antiques business at the end of 1977. I applied for a job on a specialist antiques newspaper in London, where I lived at the time. When I got the position, I learned about antique dealers, fairs (shows) organisers and auctioneers. Almost against my will, I acquired some knowledge of antiques, art and collectibles - probably not even enough to hold an intelligent conversation. I really had no interest in antiques or collectibles although I've always like various forms of art. Now it's 32 years later and I've spent all those years in work related to the UK antiques trade and publishing. I've learned an awful lot. I'm still not a big fan of collecting antiques or collectibles just because of their age or because other people collect them. However, I have bought and been given things that qualify as collectibles and art. Many of them are new and all the ones I've bought or been given and kept are things I like. I look at them and they give me pleasure. I position pictures on the walls so I can see them from my usual position in a room. The three D picture on the left is above the sink in my kitchen so I see it everyday. If I don't enjoy looking at something, then I give it away or sell it on eBay if I can. This way it doesn't matter how much or little I pay for something or it is worth because its value is the pleasure it gives me. I hope the selection I show here will give you pleasure too. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_c553ee8b62791dd15c7d17fd9051c68a arts http://www.squidoo.com/richmalcrompton Although Richmal Crompton wrote 41 novels for adults and 9 collections of short stories, it was her 'William' stories about an 11 year old boy and his gang the 'Outlaws' that she is remembered for. Even during her long life, much to her annoyance, these were always the most popular of her works. There was something about this mischievous English schoolboy and his friends that touched a chord in girls and boys as well as adults. Maybe they all wished they could be like William. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_7db20fedfc6500730910234087946109 books http://www.squidoo.com/my-favorite-climbing-plants Flowering climbing plants are among my all-time favourites in the garden. I've grown them up walls and fences as well as through shrubs and trees. They soften and brighten the look of walls and fences. If your fences or walls are low, put trellis on top so climbers can give height and vertical interest to the garden. By growing them higher, you get more flowering space and privacy in your yard. In one of my gardens I inherited a very boring evergreen shrub. I used it for a beautiful, fragrant honeysuckle (lonicera) which grew through and over it. It was very close to French doors at the back of the house and so we had the benefit of seeing lovely honeysuckle against the dark green conifer together with the scent of the flowers coming into the room. Many people use climbers along the outside walls of their houses and they can be very effective in improving the appearance of a home. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_ed21913534890203374c832e81f2b08c home http://www.squidoo.com/collecting_teddy_bears Old teddy bears are not just loved by their owners, now they are highly sought after by collectors too with over £100,000 British Pounds being paid for one notable bear. Even though most teddies will not be as valuable, they are still profitable enough to attract the fakers. The history of the teddy goes back over one hundred years although there is some debate about exactly who and how they came into being. So how do you find out if your old teddy is valuable or just lovable? If you want to collect teddy bears, you need to know how to sniff out the genuine ones from the fakes. KuK1L_gi3hGIabz_dfQQIA_5f147fc71d1aca282f7cb12fef09eed2 diy