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

A holiday to Madhya Pradesh traditionally meant visiting one of its famous national parks and watching its tigers up close in the wild. After all, it is where ‘The Jungle Book’, Mowgli, Bhalu, Bagheera and Sher Khan were born. But, there is so much more to Madhya Pradesh than just its tigers and national parks. Owing to its unique location in the heart of the Indian subcontinent, it is home to a variety of cultural and heritage sites that can be considered as the pride of India. This central location has been allowing civilizations, kingdoms, dynasties, rulers, warriors, traders, armies and many more people to overlap for thousands of years and it is due to this exchange that you see some legendary heritage sites here. Some of them have been recognized by UNESCO as world heritage sites, while the others are sites of national importance. Here are 8 such heritage destinations that you must visit on your next trip to Madhya Pradesh. Each of these heritage destinations have had a rich past

Security at the Sir John Guise Sports complex in Port Moresby is on heightened alert as counting officals prepare to go into the elimination stages before a winner for the Port Moresby North East seat, is declared. Security at the stadium was beefed up when tensions swelled amongst the supporters of rival candidates which led to a clash outside the stadium recently.  Election scrutineers at Sir John Guise stadium, Port Moresby, Police media photo Since then, soldiers were deployed to boost security at the counting venues and their presence has so far helped to defuse the tensions in NCD. We appeal to city residents to remain calm  and allow Election Officials to complete the elimination process. Police have also increased their operations across NCD Metro and they will not hesitate to come down hard on trouble makers. Police Media Next :  PNG Prime Minister’s Post to become vacant after 4Pm today : Kwa

Creature ABC Ages 4-8, 120 p, Chronicle Books, Isbn-0811869784 An elegant addition to any library, this deluxe alphabet book features 120 pages of Andrew Zuckerman’s breathtaking wildlife photography. From alligator to zebra, each featured animal boasts two striking studio portraits against a clean white background, offering a unique up-close view of the animal kingdom. Readers can flip to a helpful glossary in the back for extra information. From the sleek beauty of a smiling hippo to the powerful majesty of a roaring lion, this gorgeous new book is both a stunning work of art and a ferociously fun way for young animal-lovers to learn their ABCs. The book is good. The glossy photos – the details in them as if the creatures were about to leap off the pages – were just perfect! I just wish all the letters were represented by the appropriate creature. Don’t get me wrong – most of them are, but some aren’t. Like N is for nocturnal creatures (which is more the category than an actual creat

Today I’d like to welcome Author Jessica Dall to A Book Blogger’s Diary. A recent graduate of American University in Washington, DC, Jessica Dall enjoys producing works that are thought provoking and challenge traditional views. Her latest book, Grey Areas joins such previous works as The Me Culture, Gods Laugh, and One Man’s Heaven. Read more »