The magical gardens Of Marqueyssac, France

The Gardens Of Marqueyssac are one of the most gorgeous and lush garden designs I've ever seen.
These Italian styled gardens surround castles that have been around for centuries! They are comfortably located in the hills of Perigord and cover an area of about 22ha.

You can stroll around the gardens without a guide thanks to illustrated signs and panels which provide information on the history of the site and the fauna and flora throughout the park. It is also possible to follow a guide for no extra cost between the months of April and September. The domain also features a boutique and a “salon de thé” (open from Easter to the end of October) which both offer spectacular views over Beynac Castle.

Just Absolutely stunning and gorgeous. I will seriously visit this place next time when I'm in the Perigord, France!

www.marqueyssac.com

Almost weekend

Almost weekend. I am really looking forward to it. My plans?
Today some drinks with friends, maybe afterwords go out for dinner with them. On Sunday I am going with some girlfriends to Blue Jasmine, by Woody Allen. I have heard great reviews about it. Have you seen it yet?
But tomorrow, tomorrow I am going to do just absolutely everything and nothing... just enjoy my horse and dogs (walks and riding) and afterwords with a hot cup of tea, a blanket and a good book and just dream away!

Big life foundation, by Nick Brandt

Typically I write and show you beautiful things that make me smile. But this is something we should all be aware of, told by one of my favorite photographers Nick Brandt:

Announcing BIG LIFE FOUNDATION

The captions beneath the next photographs explain it all 
(just double click the picture):

Part of me was reluctant to tell people that these elephants had been killed. You want to believe that these beautiful elephants are still wandering the African plains. But in a very short space of time, most of the large-tusked elephants featured in my books have been killed by poachers for their ivory.

Since 2008, there has been a huge increase in demand from China and the Far East for ivory, and as a result, elephants are being wiped out at an alarming rate. The numbers are apocalyptic : it’s estimated that as many as 35,000 elephants are being poached a year, 10% of the entire population of Africa's elephants each year alone.

And it’s not just elephants. The lions are being poisoned at an incredible rate too. It’s become so bad that there are next to no lions left outside the national parks. Giraffes are also being killed at a faster rate for bush meat. There are even contracts out on zebras, as their skins are the latest fad in Asia.

With increasing population, widespread cell-phone service, and ever-greater road access, it’s getting more and more easy for the poachers. As things currently stand, it is no longer a matter of if a big-tusked elephant is killed, but when.

The Kenya Wildlife Service is underfunded and understaffed. The rangers and scouts employed to patrol the Amboseli ecosystem are few and far between, despite the efforts of a few good, but also drastically underfunded, non-profit organizations in the area. And on the Tanzanian side, where most of the poachers come from, there is almost no-one to stop the wholesale slaughter.

I simply can no longer watch this escalation of destruction of this extraordinary ecosystem and its animals. The time has come to act. With that in mind, I have started my own non-profit organization, called Big Life Foundation.

Our first appeal is a broad-scale anti-poaching plan for the Amboseli ecosystem with the intention of moving boldly, urgently, to get the money into place as fast as possible to halt the poaching.

In early August, the Foundation was conceived with a complete, comprehensive plan of action in place. At the end of August, Richard Bonham, one of the most experienced and highly respected conservationists in East Africa, was hired as Big Life’s Director of Operations in Africa. In September, the first $230,000 was donated. Literally days later, the first three anti-poaching outposts along the border were being bought and built and more anti-poaching teams brought in. A top training instructor for the all the scouts and rangers in the region has been hired. More equipment bought. Landcruisers for the mobile anti-poaching teams are on order.

It’s a great start, and we are already making a difference. But we need to do so much more and can only do so with more donations. We are operating with an urgency because we know that we don’t have time to wait. Within the last few weeks, several of Amboseli’s most amazing bulls have been killed. And those are just the ones that we know about. Every day, without exaggeration, it is getting worse.

We’re hoping that we get the poaching under control in Amboseli as fast as we can, and then start approaching the issues long term, and further afield across East Africa. There is so much to be done to protect some of Africa's most magnificent wild animals from being all but wiped out in the near future.

To learn about what we are already doing, 
and what we are going to be doing, 

please visit our website :

http://www.biglifeafrica.org/

Thanks for your time, and any donations that you can make.

Nick Brandt

 

Look at these beautiful animals .... and take a minute to think about what Nick has just told you.

 

http://www.biglifeafrica.org/

Totilas: power, beauty, grace... speechless!

There are no words to describe how incredible this horse is!

Last week I went to the European Chamionships Dressage and Jumping in Windsor and was left speechless, with tears in my eyes, after watching this athlete/ dancer/ acrobate/ entertainer perform… Just check it out for yourself:

Another Sir Oldenburg foal

Hi, last week I showed you some very cute pictures of a Sir Oldenburg foal some friends of mine had. But what do you think of Eliana, that's her name, she was born a couple of days ago at Arno en Judith's place - some other friends of mine. Isn't she very cute and beautiful? Her mother is by Metal x Zandigo, a full sister of Special D. and her father is by Sir Oldenburg the same sire as the other foal I showed you last week. For more info on Sir Oldenburg see my previous blog.

A new foal born

Hi, I just visited a friend of mine who's mare had, about a week ago, a foal by Sir Oldenburg (Sion x Contender) and I didn't want to withhold from you these pictures... isn't he cute?

And it is so hard, with these long leggs, trying to nibble the grass :)

Just having fun.

His daddy Sir Oldenburg (for more info on Sir Oldenburg, pictures and video's just go to: http://www.reesinkhorses.nl/ ).

Round Texel 2009, biggest cat race in the world

Last week I spend a couple of days at Texel, an island in the North of the Netherlands. It is a great place and a lot of fun to visit, especially during the "Rondje Texel" which took place last week. Since 1978 the Round Texel Race is the biggest catamaranrace in the world with over 500 catamarans. Participating the event is possible for all catamaransailors from all over the world and wether you are participating or just visiting it is always good for enjoying excellent sailing, a lot of music, parties, drinks and fun. If you want read and see more... just check out the space of some friends of mine who competed all week and have a great blog about catsailing http://teampaumen-deruiter.spaces.live.com/

Spring Country Fair - taking a break

These past couple of days have been quite hectic, I am moving to my new house. Packing, moving, painting, furnishing, decorating, etc. etc. and I have still a long way to go :). That is why this afternoon I decided to go to the Spring Country Fair near my new home - only 10 minutes on my bike - and I felt like I was on holiday. Came back totally relaxed and loaded with fun ideas for my new home. Just to give you an impression:

Dragon Sailing

This weekend I spotted one of the most beautiful designed small classic sailing boats, a wooden dragon.
The Dragon was designed by Johan Anker, Norwegian sailor and shipdesigner, in 1929. In 1948 the Dragon became an Olympic Class, a status it retained until the Munich Olympics in 1972. The Dragon's long keel and elegant metre-boat lines remain unchanged, but today Dragons are constructed using the latest technology to make the boat durable and easy to maintain. GRP construction was introduced in 1973 and the rigging has been regularly updated.

The Dragon Class is actively represented in over 26 countries in 5 Continents. There were 1444 boats registered in 2004 and the number of boats built has averaged 45 per year. There are many more which are used for day sailing or cruising. The World Championships are held in every odd year and the European Championships are held annually. The Gold Cup, which can only be held in certain specified European countries, is unique in that all six races count without discard. It is held annually and often attracts over 100 entries, usually starting in one fleet.

If you want some more info just check out the site of the Dutch Dragon Association http://www.dragonclass.nl/

Sweet Summer

swim, surf, sail and stare at the sea

Imagine a place where you can relax and escape the pressures of the world...

www.myburghdesigns.com

“Over the years our designs have formed a collection of original and beautiful swings. By combining contemporary with organic forms and skilled craftsm anship we’ve created magical pieces of interactive and functional sculpture which hopefully challenge your pre-conceptions of what a swing should be.” - Fletcher and Myburgh

Fletcher and Myburgh was established in 1999 when as two working artists, Stephen Myburgh and Caroline Fletcher met and fused their passion for blacksmithing and sculpture. Each shared a vision to create functional sculptures that people could interact with. Caroline having set up her own forge in Notting Hill had already produced a collection of one off furniture designs for Liberty, and when Steve, with an enviable background in grand scale sculpture installation arrived, it was the perfect partnership.



Inspiration
Both artists have been led by their desire for a natural and organic lifestyle and by choosing precious recycled metals they’ve achieved a just this. By drawing inspiration from the terrains in which they both grew up, South Africa and Surrey… rolling hills and curving lanes, heat and sunshine, the passion for form is evident. The result is uber chic pieces of copper and fire that work with all the elements, come rain or shine.


Product
Each swing is a usable art installation and with their soulful shapes and sounds a real escape from the norm. They were launched as the mood collection in 2000, stylish, sturdy and stunning and are the most precious gift you could give your garden.

Food Mapping

For those of you that don't know what food mapping is, it is the creative act of locating your own healthy, local and sustainable food sources. I just found a great, especially when living in the city, food mapping container. The food map container is an edible garden. Great to grow your ow herbs and vegetables and easy to move around. http://www.foodmapdesign.com/

Egg Bird Houses

Give birds a home and a place to hatch their young with the colorful and durable handcrafted ceramic Egg Bird House. The 1 1/8" diameter entry hole will attract chickadees, wrens, and smaller birds, keeping house sparrows out. Available in eight glossy colors. Or what do you think of one of Fortune Magazine's 25 Best Products of 2004, birds love the Egg Bird Feeder and so will you.Handcrafted ceramic Egg Bird Feeders attract many types of wild birds and the elegant design is a perfect addition to any outdoor environment. You can order them at http://www.jschatz.com/, prices US Dollar 135,=.

Spring flowers 2009

The Dutch Flower Council just announced the spring 2009 trends for flowers, the theme is "Participate to Create".
The following colors are hot right now:

And some more impressions of this theme: