Dede Sophie

The wonderful Star Magnolia – Magnolia stellata is arguably the best of the early, small ornamental flowering trees in the business. Native to the stream-sides and moist, boggy areas of Japan largest island, Honshū, Magnolia stellata is one of the smallest of the magnolia species and is a great addition for the suburban garden. However its most noticeable and ornamental feature are its blooms. It flowers very early on in the spring making it one of the first trees to break flower bud, the flowers are large and conspicuous and it produces its blooms before the leaves break bud which all together make for a very striking show – hence its ongoing popularity. Although not from the Ericaceae family it will require acidic to neutral soil conditions so plant in a deep hole backfilled with ericaceous compost. Plant it in a sheltered position so that the blooms are protected from freezing wind and rain which can damage the petals. The soil will need to be regular damp but well-drained. If you w

Papua New Guinea PRIME Minister James Marape is preparing to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping in a one-on-one exchange on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders Summit in Bangkok from 17 to 19 this month, November, 2022. Photograph Caption: PM Marape and Chinese Ambassador HE. Zeng Fanhua after the Ambassador’s briefing of the Prime Minister at Sir Manasupe Haus today. Credit: PM & NEC Media Office Prime Minister Marape welcomed the invitation to the meeting, calling it a “high honour for Papua New Guinea”, as PNG continues its “Friend to all; Enemy to none” position and China continues as PNG’s biggest trading partner. The meeting becomes the first high level talk between the two leaders since re-election to their respective posts – Prime Minister Marape in May and President Xi in October this year.  PM Marape said: “This is a high honour for PNG to meet with the President.  “We live in the Pacific and so we must deal with all Pacific nations – the US

Readers, please join me welcoming Deidre Knight, author of Butterfly Tattoo who’s guest blogging here today! Who is Deidre Knight? She’s a lady who wears many caps – a literary agent, mom, wife, novelist and southern woman – and proud to answer to all of these titles. Before she founded The Knight Agency in 1996, Deidre worked behind the camera in movies and television. During the thirteen years since she launched her literary agency, she has grown The Knight Agency to national prominence, shepherding authors on to every major bestseller list. She has been writing in one form or another ever since, creatively stalking Spartans, aliens, werewolves, and other sexy Alpha males who strike her fancy. Strictly on the pages that she pens, of course. Butterfly Tattoo is Deidre’s seventh published book. You can follow her on Twitter and also at her Ning social networking group . Today, Deirdre is here to answer some questions we’ve all been dying to get the answers for! 1 – What inspired you