The health officials are advising people to do several key things to stop the spread of coronavirus. First to avoid social gathering. Second to have social distancing. Third to keep your hands clean i.e. wash your hands often.

 

I am staying home and watch Grey Grey doing his part in fighting the pandemic!

 

Stay safe and be well my friends!

 

Fuji X-T1

Fuji XF 23mm F1.4

The first shift crews are kindly advised ...

always nice to see my work in print! November/December issue of Spirituality & Health Magazine

Well I would advise you to ask a child, yes I feel the young ones are the truest of Artist amongst us, when you paint unmotivated, when you write without being commissioned, when you creat jewelry or sculpture not to meet a deadline, when it’s more eventful and gratifying to color before your dinner instead of entertaining your phone to pass the time, I remember all of the artistic passion that brewed in me from the earliest of memories, when I was young and someone asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, my answer would often be “I want to be an artist” growing up that objective became blurred by society saying you have to make money, you have to have your Art accepted, social media has helped to let people share our Art with the world but it also has done well at sharing it with critics and making it a numbers game, which Art should never be reduced to. Now that I’m older and I find my muses are never the obvious candidate, give me the old man with his dog who plays his guitar on his back porch with no audience, give me the adolescent who goes to all ends to make there bedroom exactly to match there soul with posters of there favorite bands or animals or authors ext. even though it’s there room alone, there only doing it for there Eyes, not trying to hold great Gatsby parties. I want the unpaid actor who performs at local theaters on a night when there’s only three people in the audience and still never misses a beat. I need the grownup who plays on the local softball team and with his friend and doesn’t keep score. I wanna see the the young lady baking on a Friday night for just her and her cat because culinary Is a Good Friday night, the young man who gives haircuts cuts to anyone that will them, because cutting hair is his passion. Give me the soulful woman who sings while she pumps gas at the convenient store, the upper aged lady who belongs to a bowling league, and plz plz plz give my all the people in there homes who dance when no one is watching. I want to possess the art of that Sway, I may never make a dime of my pictures or be featured in a museum, but I creat And recreate a masterpiece with every picture I upload, I get to share that part of me with you, despite the number of likes or comments ( or lack there of), I’m not motivated by that, ( though it is a beautiful thing when people also enjoy my art and cast there love to it) I feel I am living up to what that fearless brilliant little boy said when he said when he proclaimed he was going to be an Artist when he grows up, and at age 30 I am making art not because it’s making me friends or money or anything like that, I do it because it makes me happy, just like it does to ever child who colors and paints, and I will continue to, it’s the fastest way to stay young and true to oneself ~

Hi Everyone!! We are still running crazy busy!! We set up our photo exhibit at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge this past Sunday and that exhibit will run through the end of April!!

 

While Linda was setting up the exhibit with a close friend, I went out on the wildlife drive to see what I could find with another friend!! To our surprise, Ann and I saw something very special while we were shooting!! We were the first to see and photograph the first North American record of a Great White Pelican ever seen in the Americas!!

 

I knew when it was flying in it was totally different and much larger than our American White Pelican!! As it flew in to land, I took 33 images and then many as it setting in with the American White Pelicans!! It was a new species for me (and everyone else in the Americas) and my first rare bird alert!! Before we left that day the park biologist and many others had joined us!!

 

The bird has made national news and now the question begins on what was the origin of this amazing bird! It had no signs of bands or zoo tags at all!! This bird in native to Europe, Africa and Asia!! It was a fun day and we have been interviewed and provided images to everyone from Audubon, ABA, Cornell, to the National Park Service!! Timing is everything and we were in the right place at the right time!!

  

Mar & April: Photography exhibit at the J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge Visitor's Center, Sanibel-Captiva Road, Sanibel, Florida

  

Please be advised that our images are fully protected by US Copyright Law. The images may not be downloaded for personal, commercial or educational use, copied to blogs, personal websites, used as wallpaper, screensavers, or be deeplinked, etc. With NO Exceptions. If you would like to use an image, you MUST contact us to obtain written permission. Acknowledging the source of the copyrighted material does not substitute for obtaining written permission.

  

If you would like to use one of our images for commercial use or if you find a picture that you would like for framing, please contact us at klshells@mindspring.com for services we have available.

I would like to advise my friends that I will be travelling so may not be able to do anything other than fav and perhaps the occasional comment, I hope that you will understand. If I get the chance I might try to upload a work or 2 it all depends. So until the next time, I am not sure when I will be back! Sending you all love and friendship.

 

Thank you for your kind visit. Have a wonderful and beautiful day! xo💜💜

Downtown | San Diego, California

 

© Kent Mercurio

Street Shooter

12/27/2005 Car Advise was closed and the cars were weathering the cold as best they could!

 

Interestingness - December 30, 2005

Highest position - 197

Black & White Photograph Of The Journey From Souris To Îles-de-la-Madeleine (IDLM). I Loved How The Railing Lined Up With The Horizon Of The Sea.

 

Destination : Cap-Aux-Meules

 

Fourth Stop: Îles-de-la-Madeleine (IDLM) - Quebec

 

"Walk Places Where Feet Do Not Normally Go, Look At Things That are Not Normally Looked At."

 

On This Vacation I Set Out To Test My Composition, Creation & Thoughtfulness Of My Photography. I Wanted to Test My Skills And Learn New Ones.

  

REMEMBER:

 

Views Are Appreciated! However Faves & Comments Are Greatly Appreciated!;)

 

Thank You In Advance

Cheers.

 

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Advise please, I know it was windy today but what went wrong with this one

Please be advised that this is not my poem but rather one of the more notable poems in the English Language by William Butler Yates. I do have images with close to "50 and 9 swans" but it would have clogged up the image too much. haha

 

I like the idea of illustrating literature with digital art. In recent years digital artists have created some awesome book jacket illustrations.

  

The Wild Swans at Coole

W. B. Yeats, 1865 - 1939

 

The trees are in their autumn beauty,

The woodland paths are dry,

Under the October twilight the water

Mirrors a still sky;

Upon the brimming water among the stones

Are nine and fifty swans.

 

The nineteenth Autumn has come upon me

Since I first made my count;

I saw, before I had well finished,

All suddenly mount

And scatter wheeling in great broken rings

Upon their clamorous wings.

 

I have looked upon those brilliant creatures,

And now my heart is sore.

All’s changed since I, hearing at twilight,

The first time on this shore,

The bell-beat of their wings above my head,

Trod with a lighter tread.

 

Unwearied still, lover by lover,

They paddle in the cold,

Companionable streams or climb the air;

Their hearts have not grown old;

Passion or conquest, wander where they will,

Attend upon them still.

 

But now they drift on the still water

Mysterious, beautiful;

Among what rushes will they build,

By what lake’s edge or pool

Delight men’s eyes, when I awake some day

To find they have flown away?

  

(This poem is in the public domain.)

Master of the skies the powerful white tailed eagle.

 

A fabulous advert for conservation.

 

White tailed eagles were driven to extinction in the UK by the ill advised hand of man, with the last bird being shot on Shetland in 1916.

 

These gorgeous birds were reintroduced on Rum in 1975 with further releases on Wester Ross in 1993. Since then most of the eagle population has found it's way to Mull where a healthy population is now well established.

 

Once again the population is starting to spread out across western Scotland and the Isles.

 

White-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla)

 

Many thanks to all those who take the time to comment on my photos. It is truly appreciated.

Whilst I wouldn't advise leaning on the railing due to long overdue maintenance this still remains one of the most iconic views in the park.

 

The Knobbly Fig (Ficus sansabarica) occurs naturally in the Punda Maria area and these were planted here at Olifants. Besides the ones on the deck there is another one near the tv room as well. They are named for Zanzibar where they were first identified and occur in the African Tropics and sub Tropics.

 

Olifants Restcamp

Kruger National Park

Limpopo

South Africa

swim Straight This is what the mother Lesser Whistling Duck's advise to ducklings. Captured at Kimbulawala Sanctuary, Sri Lanka

Buffalo Zoo; Buffalo NY

A local antiques store stunned me with historic pieces collecting dust. Earlier, I had called these items "priceless", when a Flickr fan and contributor, "Shu 2011" advised me that she had photographed virtually the exact same items in her native China. And, they had a price roughly the same as the price I was shown in Stamford, Connecticut.

www.flickr.com/photos/shushutuan/

 

One of the items is an 8 foot long, 3 foot wide, carved jade "Dragon Boat", probably out of the Huangdi age, in my amateur opinion, made in the 1800s or early 1900s, but depicting the 200 BC era. It is intricate, delicately carved, solid jade as I can tell. It shows the ancient Greek era, Chinese maritime capabilities, of 200 to 300 foot long merchant boats that probably crossed the Pacific before the time of Christ. If you remember the legend, the Chinese actually sent a delegation to Rome, and the Romans I believe came back to see China, 1200 years before Marco Polo.

 

Note: The dragon head is a universal symbol, found all over the ancient and modern world, and actually found numerous times on the Temple of Quetzalcoatl at Teotihuacan, Mexico.

 

Also note, I am concerned that the longer this historic piece sits as it is, I am guessing that it could be "parted-out" making the full picture incomplete. I have added 3 out of 4 calligraphic Chinese symbols, found vertically displayed on one of the main sails, with an empty space for one jade symbolic, no longer there. This set of four symbols was translated by Dora of Shu 2011 as meaning "Good Luck", so now I have a name for the ship.

 

The second item is a 3/4 lifesize Shogun warrior on horseback, again 1800s vintage, or early 1900, carved wood, I believe, historically accurate to the symbologies on everything. In my amateur theories, I believe the Shogun were the "Genus of Shu", probably a Semitic tribe offshoot engaged in the Spice route of China, ending up in Japan.

 

And third of 10,000 items they have in the store, a jade carved pendulum clock, standing 5 feet tall, needs repair of course.

 

Why aren't these in a national museum like the Smithsonian? Or in Shanghai? Or in Tokyo?

 

Am I the only one going berserk over these historic sensations, gathering dust in a Stamford Connecticut antique and collectibles store?

 

The carvings are so intense and compact, my camera could not do justice to their intricacies.

 

Do yourself a favor, be your own treasure hunter. Visit your nearsest antiques store, see if you can't top these finds.

 

With my second posting, I am now identifying the location of these priceless antiques, that of United House Wrecking of Stamford, CT.

www.unitedhousewrecking.com/

 

See also...

www.flickr.com/photos/10749411@N03/6374514889/in/photostream

www.unitedhousewrecking.com/antiques.htm

 

Regardless of everything I have learned, these items are still astonishing.

We are lucky in Florida to have the second largest nesting population of Bald Eagles in the United States behind Alaska. They are such a beautiful and amazing bird to watch, hear calling or simply watch them raise their young!! This one is making nest repairs and is on final approach!

 

Linda and I want to thank our Veterans for their service to our county and Veterans around the world for keeping us safe and free!

 

Please be advised that our images are fully protected by US Copyright Law. The images may not be downloaded for personal, commercial or educational use, copied to blogs, personal websites, used as wallpaper, screensavers, or be deeplinked, etc. With NO Exceptions. If you would like to use an image, you MUST contact us to obtain written permission. Acknowledging the source of the copyrighted material does not substitute for obtaining written permission.

  

If you would like to use one of our images for commercial use, if you find a picture that you would like for framing or any other use please contact us at klshells@mindspring.com for services we have available.

 

Featuring :

 

Star Sugar - Woodland Doctor Gatch

 

I advise you to look at my post as I write more infos.

airbethdawg.weebly.com/blog/time-for-check-ups

 

(copy/paste on google without space. I can't add direct link)

 

[ www.facebook.com/Airbethdawg My facebbok]

Advised this is a Marsh Tit but could be a Coal or Willow Tit, didn't get a positive identification from the pic's I took of this little fellow but its a Tit for sure! :)

 

Processed the background in B&W as it was quite distracting but kept the bird in colour.

.

Thanks to those who look and take the time to comment, it's very much appreciated.

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If you have a minute please do stop by my Photography Facebook Page which will have further info/details on the photos posted Click Here to Visit and give us a Like or grab the link below...

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www.facebook.com/NickUdyPhotography/

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You can also find me on: Twitter @Nickerzzzzz

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Please respect my wishes and Do Not post Icons, Links or Awards on my photo stream.

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Note: I only upload a minimal size and minimal quality image.

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Please do not use my images in any way shape or form without obtaining my explicit consent.

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All my images are: © All Rights Reserved

A sign at each end of this bridge advised crossing should be done by only one person at a time, and while I saw families, mostly with small children, go across together, most people followed that warning. As a result, there were long lines in each direction; we waited about fifteen minutes both times we crossed.

 

I'm sure there are far worse places to stand in line.

 

This suspension bridge passes over the Ohanapecosh River on the way to a wooded area called the Grove of the Patriarchs. It was calm and obviously very low on this day, but in November, 2006, the area received 18" of rain in only 36 hours and buildings, roads, trails and campgrounds were flooded and destroyed. Mount Rainer National Park was closed for seven months; the previous bridge at this site was washed away and not replaced for a full year.

 

Note that the Ohanapecosh is perfectly clear. It doesn't begin at the end of a glacier and consequently doesn't carry the volcanic material that clouds most of the other rivers here.

 

Mount Rainier National Park, Washington.

Las mañanas en Salamanca

 

and I would advise you not to wait ten years before admitting today was great. If you're hung up on nostalgia, pretend today is yesterday and just go out and have one hell of a time :-)

Art Buchwald

 

cosmos, j c raulston arboretum, ncsu, Raleigh, north carolina

Walking on the sand is not advised as some of it has the properties of quicksand, although it is mostly glacial silt from the frozen mountains.

We're here visiting Simply Indispensable

 

If you had told me a year ago I would be using hand gel and wore a mask ......

 

Be safe

Act responsible

This looks pretty horrific and - as someone helpfully advised when I posted a different view of this bus a while back - was the result of colliding with a shop front. It would be difficult to imagine an RM looking as badly damaged as this DMS but it`s not a fair comparison when a front engine vehicle offers a little more `impact protection` than the relative empty space at the front of a DMS. Picture taken on 18 February 1983. With no realistic prospect of repair, DMS 2415 went for scrap.

A team of Green Berets conducting an advise and assist mission in the Balkans in support of NATO's Stabilization Force in Eastern Europe (SFOR).

 

Dual post with Andrew's variant of my M-ATV. Go check it out!

I read recently that "glass is the most important investment",with this in mind if you going to invest in a lens to replace the Nikon 18-55mm kit lens which way would you go?

SuperModels: IT The NU. Face® Nadja Rhymes™ ~ (L) The London Show (C) The Enchantress (R) Fit To Print

Jackets: #Pop Allen

Skirt: #LaPetitePamplemousse

Accessories: #IntegrityToys

A stroll around the narrow alleyways of Stone Town is a great way to witness the life of the locals. These young lads had found an alleyway that wasn’t part of the tourist trail and made it into their football pitch. Who needs lush grass and goalposts? Meanwhile a couple of elder lads look on not wanting to get involved in playing against these youngsters. Maybe the Tanzanians do. When I spoke with a taxi driver his first subject as always is the case when I advise I’m English, is which club do you support. I don’t bother with football by the way. Either way he was dismayed to advise that not one Tanzanian footballer is good enough for the English Premier League. Apparently a few years ago Aston Villa had a player who made a small number of appearances.

As the song says:

 

"Now Irishmen, forget the past!

Whack fol the diddle all the di do day

And think of the time that's coming fast

Whack fol the diddle all the di do day

When we shall all be civilized

Neat and clean and well-advised

And won't Mother England be surprised?

Whack fol the diddle all the di do day!"

 

I deeply advise(recommend) to all the friends of FLickr to come to make this boat trip to visit the creeks from Bandol to Marseille, it is magnificent to see.

the cliffs at astwood park

I deeply advise(recommend) to all the friends of FLickr to come to make this boat trip to visit the creeks from Bandol to Marseille, it is magnificent to see.

(Advised to zoom in to see details + color hues with nail sharpness)

Milano Design Week - EuroLuce 2023 -

Cloud installation with interchangeable glowing colours, fading in all the shades of blue and purple, lighting from the inside.

Included in my new Album "Anteprima Design Week" (Salone del Mobile - Milano, Rho).

Spotted at the biennial Exhibition EuroLuce 2023. A great unmissable show for lovers of the Light !

Designer author of this installation is Maxim Velčovský who entitled it CLOUD.

Similar shot to another one, taken directly in black & white flic.kr/p/2oyDVLv where can be found an even more detailed description.

>>> My reportage will carry on...<<<

©WhiteAngel Photography. All rights reserved.

 

Ref._MG_9371 Nuvola affi VM DEFFF. Wide angle. Camera hand held without tripod.

 

Today on Fluidr : www.fluidr.com/photos/white-angel/53111414884/ # 474 > # 445

 

If you are planning to visit Rome, I advise you to look at the list of the best hotels and Airbnb, check the different locations on the centre of Rome city.

 

👇

 

Spanish Steps

 

Trevi Fountain

 

Piazza Navona

 

Monti

 

Trastevere

I should advise you that the original photo was not taken by me and in all honesty I have no idea who the photographer was, if he or she comes across this work and does not like what I have done I will delete it, or if they like it I will recognize them.

 

The Stick-Together Families

 

The stick-together families are happier by far

Than the brothers and the sisters who take separate highways are.

The gladdest people living are the wholesome folks who make

A circle at the fireside that no power but death can break.

And the finest of conventions ever held beneath the sun

Are the little family gatherings when the busy day is done.

 

There are rich folk, there are poor folk, who imagine they are wise,

And they're very quick to shatter all the little family ties.

Each goes searching after pleasure in his own selected way,

Each with strangers likes to wander, and with strangers likes to play.

But it's bitterness they harvest, and it's empty joy they find,

For the children that are wisest are the stick-together kind.

 

There are some who seem to fancy that for gladness they must roam,

That for smiles that are the brightest they must wander far from home.

That the strange friend is the true friend, and they travel far astray

they waste their lives in striving for a joy that's far away,

But the gladdest sort of people, when the busy day is done,

Are the brothers and the sisters who together share their fun.

 

It's the stick-together family that wins the joys of earth,

That hears the sweetest music and that finds the finest mirth;

It's the old home roof that shelters all the charm that life can give;

There you find the gladdest play-ground, there the happiest spot to live.

And, O weary, wandering brother, if contentment you would win,

Come you back unto the fireside and be comrade with your kin.

Edgar A. Guest

 

Human Family

 

I note the obvious differences

in the human family.

Some of us are serious,

some thrive on comedy.

 

Some declare their lives are lived

as true profundity,

and others claim they really live

the real reality.

 

The variety of our skin tones

can confuse, bemuse, delight,

brown and pink and beige and purple,

tan and blue and white.

 

I've sailed upon the seven seas

and stopped in every land,

I've seen the wonders of the world

not yet one common man.

 

I know ten thousand women

called Jane and Mary Jane,

but I've not seen any two

who really were the same.

 

Mirror twins are different

although their features jibe,

and lovers think quite different thoughts

while lying side by side.

 

We love and lose in China,

we weep on England's moors,

and laugh and moan in Guinea,

and thrive on Spanish shores.

 

We seek success in Finland,

are born and die in Maine.

In minor ways we differ,

in major we're the same.

 

I note the obvious differences

between each sort and type,

but we are more alike, my friends,

than we are unalike.

 

We are more alike, my friends,

than we are unalike.

 

We are more alike, my friends,

than we are unalike.

Maya Angelou

 

With heartfelt and genuine thanks for your kind visit. Have a wonderful and beautiful day, be well, keep your eyes open, appreciate the beauty surrounding you, enjoy creating, stay safe and laugh often! ❤️❤️❤️

This is a "First Day of Issue" envelope, also known as a First Day Cover, commemorating the "Old Glory" stamp issued on January 9, 1963, in Washington, D.C. - The stamp on this cover is the 5-cent "Old Glory" stamp, which was part of the Prominent Americans series. The artistic design on the left side of the envelope is known as a "cachet" and was created by Boerger. Alfred "Al" Boerger (1911–2001) was a stamp dealer from Toledo, Ohio, who created and sold "A.B.C." cachets for first day covers. The "A.B.C." stood for "Alfred Boerger Cachets". Boerger hired a designer, Alton Weigel, to draw up designs for his cachets, which were sold through his business and were precursors to the Artopages brand of cachets.

 

U.S. (#1208) - 1963-66 5¢ 50-Star Flag

Issue Date: January 9, 1963

City: Washington, D.C.

Quantity: 3,066,890,000

Printed By: Bureau of Engraving and Printing

Printing Method: Giori Press

Perforations: 11

Color: Blue and red

 

U.S. (#1208) was the first stamp to meet the increased 5¢ domestic letter rate. Featuring the American Flag, it is also the only U.S. definitive or commemorative stamp not to have any lettering at all on it, although it does show the denomination that went into effect two days before it was issued. This stamp is one of the few U.S. stamps that doesn’t note the country that issued it, although the image of the flag makes it clear. Earlier in the year, Postmaster General J. Edward Day had noted that “only precedent” suggested that “U.S.,” or “U.S.A.,” or some other sign of nationality should be included.

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1. Richard Lamparski is an American writer. He was born on October 5, 1932 in Detroit, Michigan and he is still alive. Biography - Famous for writing the series Whatever Became Of, Manhattan Diary and Hollywood Diary, in his writings, focused on the lives of many Hollywood stars, he tells unknown backgrounds. For example, with regard to Marilyn Monroe, he dwells on when the actress was a stripper in the Mayan theater in Los Angeles or on the fact that Stepin Fetchit was the first black actor who managed to become a millionaire.

LINK to a blog - WHATEVER BECAME OF...RICHARD LAMPARSKI? - theshowbizwizard.blogspot.com/2010/11/whatever-became-ofr... This is a rare autograph!!

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2. Neil Simon - Marvin Neil Simon (July 4, 1927 – August 26, 2018) was an American playwright, screenwriter and author. He wrote more than 30 plays and nearly the same number of movie screenplays, mostly film adaptations of his plays. He received three Tony Awards and a Golden Globe Award, as well as nominations for four Academy Awards and four Primetime Emmy Awards. He was awarded a Special Tony Award in 1975, the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1991, the Kennedy Center Honors in 1995 and the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2006. Simon grew up in New York City during the Great Depression. His parents' financial difficulties affected their marriage, giving him a mostly unhappy and unstable childhood. He often took refuge in movie theaters, where he enjoyed watching early comedians like Charlie Chaplin. After graduating from high school and serving a few years in the Army Air Force Reserve, he began writing comedy scripts for radio programs and popular early television shows. Among the latter were Sid Caesar's Your Show of Shows (where in 1950 he worked alongside other young writers including Carl Reiner, Mel Brooks, Woody Allen, Larry Gelbart and Selma Diamond), and The Phil Silvers Show, which ran from 1955 to 1959. His first produced play was Come Blow Your Horn (1961). It took him three years to complete and ran for 678 performances on Broadway. It was followed by two more successes, Barefoot in the Park (1963) and The Odd Couple (1965). He won a Tony Award for the latter. It made him a national celebrity and "the hottest new playwright on Broadway". From the 1960s to the 1980s, he wrote for stage and screen; some of his screenplays were based on his own works for the stage. His style ranged from farce to romantic comedy to more serious dramatic comedy. Overall, he garnered 17 Tony nominations and won three awards. In 1966, he had four successful productions running on Broadway at the same time and, in 1983, he became the only living playwright to have a New York theatre, the Neil Simon Theatre, named in his honor. LINK to his photo - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_Simon#/media/File:Neil_Simon_-...

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3. Allen Tate - John Orley Allen Tate (born November 19, 1899, Winchester, Kentucky, U.S.—died February 9, 1979, Nashville, Tennessee), known professionally as Allen Tate, was an American poet, essayist, social commentator, and poet laureate from 1943 to 1944. Among his best known works are the poems "Ode to the Confederate Dead" (1928) and "The Mediterranean" (1933), and his only novel The Fathers (1938). He is associated with New Criticism, the Fugitives and the Southern Agrarians.

 

Awards

Bollingen Prize for Poetry, 1956.

Christian Culture Gold Medal, Canada, "as an outstanding lay exponent of Christian ideals," 1958.

Brandeis Medal in Poetry for Lifetime Achievement, 1961.

Dante Medal, Italy, 1962.

Ingram Merrill Foundation Award in Literature, 1975.

National Medal for Literature, "for the excellence of his total contribution to literature," 1976.

Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize for Poems, 1919-1976, 1978.

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4. Michael Crichton - John Michael Crichton (October 23, 1942 – November 4, 2008) was an American author, screenwriter and filmmaker. His books have sold over 200 million copies worldwide, and over a dozen have been adapted into films. His literary works heavily feature technology and are usually within the science fiction, techno-thriller, and medical fiction genres. Crichton's novels often explore human technological advancement and attempted dominance over nature, both with frequently catastrophic results; many of his works are cautionary tales, especially regarding themes of biotechnology. Several of his stories center on themes of genetic modification, hybridization, paleontology and/or zoology. Many feature medical or scientific underpinnings, reflective of his own medical training. Crichton received an MD from Harvard Medical School in 1969 but did not practice medicine, choosing to focus on his writing instead. Initially writing under a pseudonym, he eventually published 25 novels in his lifetime, including: The Andromeda Strain (1969), The Terminal Man (1972), The Great Train Robbery (1975), Congo (1980), Sphere (1987), Jurassic Park (1990), Rising Sun (1992), Disclosure (1994), The Lost World (1995), Airframe (1996), Timeline (1999), Prey (2002), State of Fear (2004), and Next (2006). Four more novels, in various states of completion, were published after his death in 2008. Crichton was also involved in the film and television industry. In 1973, he wrote and directed Westworld, the first film to use 2D computer-generated imagery. He also directed Coma (1978), The First Great Train Robbery (1978), Looker (1981), and Runaway (1984). He was the creator of the television series ER (1994–2009), and several of his novels were adapted into films, most notably the Jurassic Park franchise. LINK to his photo - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Crichton#/media/File:Michae...

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5. Allen Drury - Allen Stuart Drury (September 2, 1918 – September 2, 1998) was an American novelist. During World War II, he was a reporter in the Senate, closely observing Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman, among others. He would convert these experiences into his first novel Advise and Consent, for which he won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1960. Long afterwards, it was still being praised as ‘the definitive Washington tale’. His diaries from this period were published as A Senate Journal 1943–45. Drury lived in Tiburon, California, from 1964 until his death. He completed his 20th novel, Public Men, just two weeks before his death. He died of cardiac arrest on September 2, 1998, his 80th birthday, at St. Mary's Medical Center in San Francisco, California. LINK to a photo of him - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allen_Drury#/media/File:Ronald_Reag...

 

Awards and honors

1960 - Pulitzer Prize for Fiction

1967 - Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement

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advise: never let the threat of rain keep you indoors at sunset time. whether the rains develop or not, the light that emits from atmospheric conditions related to storm clouds and golden light clearings in the skies will gift one with magical light that can only be described as total euphoria!

 

last evening, I was searching for the proverbial sunset that never came, but as I turned around, every thing in the city was bathed in magical hues and tones never before experienced by this photographer's eyes. the task of photography can be so simple and easy when the light is right, don't you agree?

Slowly down to advise the world of another day starting again giving you new oportunities. With a delicate color, gradually changing to darkness.

 

El sol desapareciendo para prepararse un nuevo día. San Diego, es una playa de La Libertad a cerca de 45Km de San Salvador. Colores bellos, tonos harmónicos y una calma repasada por la luz q se extingue.

Linda took this photo this past Saturday on a trip to Blue Cypress Lake. Linda and I joined Claudia, Ivan (Honey), Michael P. Michael W. and Dean on a trip out onto the lake in a pontoon boat. The lake is famous for having about 200 +/- Osprey nests around the lake in Cypress trees. Some of the trees have several nests in them !! It was a great group to shoot with !! Thanks for looking and we hope you had a good weekend !!

 

Please be advised that our images are fully protected by US Copyright Law. The images may not be downloaded for personal, commercial or educational use, copied to blogs, personal websites, used as wallpaper, screensavers, or be deeplinked, etc. With NO Exceptions. If you would like to use an image, you MUST contact us to obtain written permission. Acknowledging the source of the copyrighted material does not substitute for obtaining written permission.

 

If you would like to use one of our images for commercial use or if you find a picture that you would like for framing, please contact us at klshells@mindspring.com for services we have available.

   

www.flickr.com/search/?sort=date-taken-desc&safe_sear...

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam are asking Canadians to remain vigilant against the spread of COVID-19, with the number of cases of the respiratory infection continuing to increase.

With numbers rising in Ontario and Quebec hot spots, Trudeau on Friday implored people to adhere to public health guidelines, stressing that "what we do now will be critical for the weeks and months to come."

Tam advised Canadians to downsize their social bubbles and reduce the duration of these encounters. "Every person you encounter brings their whole network of contacts with them," she said on Twitter.

The repeated refrain came as political and public health officials took pains to tell the public it was time to scale back parties, dinners out, group activities and other individual actions they say have been contributing to the increasing caseload of the novel coronavirus.

  

Health and Safety advise is always welcome and the staff at Plymouth North Road station were bursting with excitement at the opportunity to put into practise their slips trips and falls precautionary advise.

E.g....."sorry sir we are only letting people on the station who are travelling"

Why ?

"Health and Safety Sir, Its been snowing"

(No S**t Sherlock my virtual self said) I see, thank you mame.

"No problem moi luver"

If I buy a ticket to Devonport can i enter the station.?

"Yes Sir that will be fine"

Excellent, I feel much safer with a ticket in my hand.

 

70808 contravenes Health and Safety procedures in the Gunnislake branch bay by being on rescue duties without a valid ticket.

Volume on: Theme from Alfred Hitchcock Presents

1 minute, 59 seconds

www.brockholes.org/

  

Brockholes is a new kind of nature reserve, an unreserved reserve owned and managed by The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside.

 

There's lots to see and do at Brockholes, you can hunt out our floating Visitor Village with a restaurant, shops and Welcome Centre or explore our family-friendly hides, walking trails and play area.

  

www.brockholes.org/visit

  

At Brockholes you can explore our beautiful reserve, see the wildlife that call it ‘home’ or hunt out our Visitor Village with restaurant and shops, all of which float (yes really!) on one of our lakes.

 

Our floating Visitor Village features a gift shop and a restaurant providing stunning views across the lake. You can also discover our interactive Welcome Centre and learn all about the wildlife that you could see on-site. Be sure to call in to pick up a welcome leaflet that will help you plan your day. You can view the reserve map in our Welcome Leaflet here to help you plan your first visit.

  

2013/14 Opening Times:

 

4th November 2013 to 31 March 2014 10am-4pm

1st April 2014 to 31st October 2014 10am-5pm

 

Closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day only

  

Car Park Charges

 

We don't charge for entry and any profits made here go back into looking after the reserve. So every time you pay for parking, treat yourself in the shop or enjoy some lunch, you are helping look after the reserve and the wildlife that visits us!

  

Sorry no dogs allowed!

 

There is a good reason! Dogs can disturb wildlife, especially nesting birds. If your dog was to get too close to a nesting bird it would cause the mother to leave the nest. So to avoid any accidents we ask that you don’t bring your dog. (Assistance dogs are welcome.)

  

Explore the reserve

 

Brockholes is one of the best sites in the UK for many species of bird and has one of the largest strips of ancient woodland in the county. You can take a stroll by the River Ribble, explore our woods or enjoy the lakes on site, which have all been specially designed to attract all kinds of wildlife for you to see!

  

Walks around Brockholes

 

What can I see at Brockholes?

Read about the happy habitats we've been working hard to create at Brockholes.

Watch out!

  

The Visitor Village floats on water and there are lots of areas of open water on the reserve. Take care in these areas and keep an eye on any children with you. The following activities are not allowed on the reserve:

 

Barbecues and fires

Fishing

Swimming

  

Please do not feed the birds

 

Big gulls know it’s much easier to find food when we leave it lying around rather than finding their own lunch. Here at Brockholes we have lots of species breeding with us, little ringed and ringed plover, lapwing, oystercatcher and redshank. Unfortunately the big gulls will eat the chicks of these special birds so if we feed the gulls and encourage them to stay there is a big chance that they will eat our important chicks, so please do not feed the birds and take your leftover picnic away with you.

  

www.brockholes.org/our-journey

  

The Lancashire Wildlife Trust has been working on developing Brockholes for nearly 20 years, here is an overview of our journey.

 

1992 Lancashire Wildlife Trust first contests the quarrying of Brockholes.

 

27 November 2006 The Lancashire Wildlife Trust has four weeks to raise £50,000 to buy the Brockholes site, near Preston, and protect it from development. Brockholes sits next to J31 of the M6 and is the size of 120 football pitches.

 

15 January 2007 The Lancashire Wildlife Trust makes the biggest land purchase in its history - thanks to donations from Wildlife Trust members, and an investment of £800,000 from the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) under the Newlands scheme. The project to buy and develop Brockholes is also supported by The Tubney Charitable Trust.

 

3 May 2007 Ian Selby is appointed as Brockholes project manager. Ian has 20 years' experience of managing the North West's canal network for British Waterways, followed by environmental regeneration work. Sophie Leadsom, Brockholes' new reserve manager, has worked in conservation for 14 years.

 

July 2007 The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) announced the launch of a new open competition to design new visitor facilities.

 

5 October 2007 The Lancashire Wildlife Trust announced the shortlist for the new multi-million pound visitor centre. 61 architects from all over Europe submitted designs. The five were Adam Khan Architects, Arca, Architecture 2B, AY Architects, McDowell + Benedetti.

 

25 February 2008 The Lancashire Wildlife Trust (LWT) and partners announce the winner of its competition to design a visitor facility. Adam Khan Architects was selected for its inspirational design concept: "A Floating World". Designed as a cluster of buildings constructed largely of wood and other sustainable materials, it resembles an ancient marshland village.

 

April 2008 The Lancashire Wildlife Trust announced the completion of its first phase of preparatory work, including the restoration of the wetlands, creation of ponds, seeding of meadows, planting new hedgerows and trees, making access paths and building proper bird watching hides.

 

March 2009 The Lancashire Wildlife Trust secured £8million of funding from the North West Regional Development Agency (NWDA). The investment was made under ‘Newlands’, a NWDA and Forestry Commission programme that is regenerating brownfield land across the Northwest into economically viable community woodland.

 

Summer 2009 Volunteers gave us 134 hours of their time to help propagate our own reed seedlings on-site. We ended up with 20,000 new redd seedlings ready to plant out around our new visitor centre, creating two hecatres of brand new reedbed.

 

August 2009 The Lancashire Wildlife Trust were granted detailed planning permission for the site.

 

December 2009 Contractors first day of work as they begin to construct the iconic floating visitors centre. Press conference being held with a ‘cutting of the first sod’

 

November 2010 A herd of longhorn cattle move into Brockholes to graze the reserve.

 

December 2010 BBC Countryfile fronted by Julia Bradbury visit Brockholes to film a feature that airs in January 2011.

 

March 2011 Brockholes makes history as the Visitor Village is floated for the first time.

 

Easter Sunday 2011 Brockholes opens its doors to the public for the first time!

  

www.brockholes.org/happy-habitats-brockholes

  

Happy habitats at Brockholes

 

The Lancashire Wildlife Trust are using their expertise to create habitats that will encourage lots of different species to visit the site, read more about the work we are doing on the reserve...

  

Number 1 Pit

 

Uniform and steep, the edges around the original gravel pit used to look very different. The island looked different too – an egg-shaped piece of land sticking out of the water by three metres. These land profiles weren’t great for the bird species and aquatic invertebrates we wanted to attract. So, with bulldozer and digger we pushed earth into the lake to create shallow, underwater ledges and peninsulas where birds can roost and feed, safe from predators. Diving ducks, such as Great Crested Grebe, now hunt for fish in the deep water.

  

Nook Pool

 

The edge of this pool has been planted with reed to create places for small fish and aquatic invertebrates like dragonfly larvae to hide and grow, away from predator fish. The shelter provided by the vegetation provides an ideal hunting ground for lots of species of dragonfly including the impressive Brown Hawker and Emperor Dragonfly.

  

Meadow Lake

 

This shallow lake is great for bird watching: when the water level is down, wading birds feed on small invertebrates in the exposed mud. This lake has some of the richest water plant life in and around it, including White Water Lily and Cuckooflower. The reed fringes are becoming well established and hold some of the largest populations of birds on site. The islands provide safe roosting and breeding areas, we keep the vegetation short so the birds can watch out for predators.

  

Boilton Marsh

 

This area is part of our newly created wet grassland habitat. We remodelled 17,000 cubic metres of quarry spoil to create 10 hectares of wet grassland with nearly 2km of channels and five pools. This is the ideal habitat for breeding wading birds such as Lapwing, Redshank and Snipe. We now graze traditional breeds of cattle and sheep that thrive on the coarse grasses and rushes and provide the low grassland sward that encourages wading birds to nest.

 

The channels and pools are kept topped up by using a high-level reservoir, filled from Number One Pit by way of a solar pump.

  

Woodland

 

Brockholes is fringed by the ancient woodland of Boilton, Red Scar and Tunbrook Woods. Woodland has grown here for thousands of years and developed a very rich variety of wildlife. Looking after our trees and paths will help the woodland to thrive and enable you to see the wildlife safely.

  

Reedbeds

 

Reedbeds are home to Sedge Warblers, Reed Warblers, Reed Buntings and Water Rail. We protect the new reed from grazing birds like Coot, Mute Swan and Canada Goose, by erecting chicken wire fences and baling string barriers. It will take several years before our lak fringes start to look like reedbeds. You might notice that the Visitor Village has been nestled in reedbed. This helps it to blend into the reserve and allows you to hear the song and chatter of the birds that nest there.

  

www.brockholes.org/brockholes-partners-and-funders

  

Brockholes partners and funders

  

For the past ten years, The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside have been working to secure this site of national environmental importance, and restore habitats to their full potential.

 

The £8.6 million of regeneration funding was provided for the Brockholes Wetland and Woodland Reserve project has been granted under 'Newlands' - a £59 million, Northwest Regional Development Agency and Forestry Commission programme to transform brownfield land into durable community woodland, which act as catalysts for economic, social and environmental gain.

 

The Lancashire Environmental Fund awarded £446,000 for the development of the education facilities, hides and infrastructure on the site. Tubney Charitable Trust granted £350,000 for Biodiversity and Natural England DEFRA's Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund awarded circa. £300,000. The Environment Agency granted £50,000 for the continued development of Brockholes.

 

The support of these funders helped make Brockholes a reality, as did the amazing support from our public appeal, which raised an amazing £63,000 - the most successful public appeal the Lancashire Wildlife Trust has ever run!

  

www.brockholes.org/volunteer

  

Volunteering at Brockholes

  

Around 200 volunteers have now been recruited, inducted and trained to begin volunteering at Brockholes, so we offer an enormous thank you to all who are helping it make such a big impact on our visitors... Volunteers truly are the face of Brockholes.

 

There are currently some exciting opportunities to be had volunteering here at Brockholes. Please have a look below at roles (you can click on the titles to download a full role description) which might suit you and click here to register, mentioning Brockholes and the role on the form.

  

Seasonal Activities Volunteer

 

Our seasonal activities program is the ideal opportunity for young people aged 16-23 to get involved here at Brockholes.

 

Running throughout all school holiday periods, you are expected to volunteer for 7 hours per week (normally one full day).

 

The Seasonal Activities Volunteer role is ideal for friendly, outgoing people who want to utilise their creative skills and help visitors – in particular children – enjoy the reserve. You will work alongside other volunteers to plan and deliver a variety of activities including pond dipping, guided walks, bird watching. The role will also include assisting with larger events such as our Extreme Adventure Weekend and Craft Fayres. Support will be given to you by the Events & Communications Manager.

 

This placement is perfect for those undertaking various award schemes, such as the Duke of Edinburgh award, as over the course of the summer you have the opportunity to gain upto 50 volunteering hours.

 

For full details on the role and what it entails, click here.

  

Seasonal Retail & Visitor Services

 

Our seasonal activities program is the ideal opportunity for young people aged 16-23 to get involved here at Brockholes.

 

As a volunteer for Retail & Visitor Services you will provide a warm welcome for visitors, helping to ensure that their Brockholes experience is a positive one. You will help visitors by providing them with information about products on sale in our gift stores and help them plan their visit by telling them about the various events and activities we have on offer.

 

The role suits a friendly, outgoing person who has an interest in wildlife and conservation.

 

Running throughout the school holiday periods, you are expected to volunteer for 7 hours per week (normally one full day).

 

This placement is perfect for those undertaking various award schemes, such as the Duke of Edinburgh award, as over the course of the summer you have the opportunity to gain upto 50 volunteering hours.

  

Each volunteer will be required to undergo a minimum of 1 and a half days training before they start. If you’d like to find out more or ask questions about any of these roles do not hesitate to get in touch with Catherine Haddon, Volunteering Support Officer on 01772 324 129 or email volunteer@lancswt.org.uk

  

www.brockholes.org/awards

  

Awards

 

Brockholes has scooped many high profile awards since opening in April 2011:

 

2013 Lancashire Tourism Award for Best Conference/Meeting venue

 

VisitEngland's Visitor Attraction Quality Assurance Scheme (VAQAS) 'Excellent'

 

Green Tourism Gold Award

 

Customer at the Heart Award

 

Lancashire and Blackpool Tourism Awards 'Marketing Campaign of the Year'

 

National Wood Award

 

BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ for the interim design stage

 

Chartered Institute of Building Services – Building of the Year 2011

 

Civic Trust Award

 

Civic Trust Special Award for Sustainability

 

Highly Commended in portfolio of Newlands sites in Landscape Awards

 

CIWEM Living Wetlands award

 

Greenbuilds award

 

Green Apple Awards for the Visitor Centre

 

Sustainable Project of the year – 2012 Building Awards

 

RICS North West – Overall award

 

RICS North West – Tourism and Leisure

 

RICS NW – Design & Innovation

 

RIBA North West Building of the Year

 

RIBA North West Sustainability Award

 

RIBA Award for top 50 new buildings in the UK

  

www.brockholes.org/business-0

  

Brockholes is an award winning-venue, which floats on one of our lakes - the only one of its kind in the UK.

 

Combine this unique design with access straight off the M6, a beautiful nature reserve, ample parking and on site catering, and you have found yourself the perfect venue for your next event. View our Conference Brochure here.

 

We think Brockholes is the natural place to do business, our dedicated centre can cater for 50 to 130 delegates.

 

We have a choice of two conference rooms and a reception/break-out area.

  

www.brockholes.org/conference-packages

  

At Brockholes we want you to be in control of your event as much as possible. This is why we have created these basic packages, enabling you to tweak each element to build an individual event.

 

Alternatively, we can cater to your specific requests if you require half day, early morning or evening hire.

 

Here is an overview of our conference packages, please contact us for a quote.

 

Our Conference brochure can be viewed in digi-book format here.

  

Day Delegate Package

  

Private room hire from 9am - 5pm

Tea and coffee served on arrival with bacon rolls

Mineral water for each guest

Tea and coffee served mid-morning

Buffet lunch served with tea, coffee and fresh fruit platter

Tea, coffee and biscuits served mid-afternoon

Use of a flip chart, screen and projector

Recycled pen and notepad for each delegate

Dedicated co-ordinator to assist you throughout the planning to delivery of your meeting

24 Hour Delegate Package

 

All of the above plus;

 

Three course dinner

Full breakfast

Accommodation in a standard bedroom at our recommended accommodation supplier

  

Accommodation

 

Preferential rates are available on request from a local hotel when booking through the Brockholes Sales Team.

 

We can tailor our packages to suit your needs. Make the UK's first floating venue your next choice

 

Please contact us for more information or to arrange a meeting or showround with our Conference Sales Co-ordinator

 

Call us on 01772 872005 or enter your details below and we will contact you to discuss your requirements.

  

www.brockholes.org/sponsorship-opportunities

  

Sponsorship Opportunities

  

Brockholes is an award winning nature reserve owned and manages by the Lancashire Wildlife Trust, which was opened in 2011. The 250 acre reserve is already attracting record numbers of breeding birds and around 170,000 visitors each year. Brockholes runs a wide range of events throughout the year and has a particularly strong offer for families. Events include wild families, school holiday clubs, school and community group visits, self led trails and larger festivals during the summer holidays.

 

The key marketing campaigns run targeting families include Christmas, Summer and Easter. Each campaign targets a series of family focused publications across the North West, with a monthly average reach online of over 40,000 people through the website and social media. Advertising and direct marketing campaigns have an average reach of 70% of the total North West population.

  

Sponsorship and Partnership Opportunities

 

Summer at Brockholes sees a host of family events each year, from school holiday clubs to open air theatre, guided walks to family fun. Over the Summer period, Brockholes expects to welcome over 60,000 visitors. The marketing campaign is multi channel and will reach a wide audience of families across the North West. Brockholes has also been featured in the National Press for some of the unique events run. We have some new opportunities for sponsorship and partnership, which will allow your business to raise brand awareness and fulfill part of your Corporate Social Responsibility by supporting Brockholes and The Lancashire Wildlife Trust.

 

Summer at Brockholes Headline Sponsorship £4500

 

Expose your brand to thousands of families across the North West.

- Logo on all Summer promotional material

- Inclusion in all four of the Summer e-news and Lancashire Wildlife Trust e-news

- Sponsor Feature on Brockholes.org

- On site promotion

- Promotion through social media channels

- Inclusion in all PR activity

- Temporary use of Brockholes logo on promotional material directly related to the partnership

  

Wild Families Sponsorship £4000 per year

  

Our Wild Families events are always fully booked. With themes ranging from scarecrow hunts to nature detectives, each event provides quality family time for family members of all ages. Events are run throughout school holidays.

-Logo on marketing materials for Wild Families

-Inclusion in PR for trail launch

-Inclusion in social media activity

-Inclusion in Brockholes e-news

  

Seasonal Trail Sponsorship £500 per trail

Each visitor to Brockholes can collect their free seasonal trail on arrival. The trail helps visitors to explore the reserve, learn more about what to see and how the reserve changes with the season and challenges them to spot things.

-Logo on sponsorship trail

-Inclusion in PR for trail launch

-Inclusion in social media activity around the trail

  

Half term at Brockholes £1500

-Logo on all marketing materials

-Inclusion in launch PR

-Social media promotion

  

Annual Headline Sponsorship £10,000

- Logo inclusion on all Promotional Material

- Dedicated web page on Brockholes.org

- On site promotion

- Dedicated stand area on key event days

- Promotion through Brockholes and LWT e-news, member magazine

- Promotion through social media channels

- Inclusion in all PR activity

-Discounted delegate rate on our conference facilities

 

Children's Corner £500

 

Would you like to help brighten up the children's corner in our restuarant for our younger visitors?

 

-Inclusion in PR activity

 

-Recognition in the children's area

 

-Inclusion in activity to our database promoting the new area

  

To talk to us more about sponsorship opportunities, contact Ruth Gaskell rgaskell@lancswt.org.uk or call 01772 324129.

  

www.brockholes.org/commercial-opportunities

  

Commercial Opportunities

  

Make Brockholes your business

 

Businesses are being offered an opportunity to become partners in a North West tourism and wildlife success story.

 

Brockholes nature reserve is entering the second phase of development which will provide commercial opportunities for other businesses and boost local employment.

 

The Lancashire Wildlife Trust attraction attracted 185,000 people to its nature reserve and the first ever floating visitor village in the UK, last year. It is looking to top that visitor figure this year.

 

Just off the M6 at Preston and easily accessible from anywhere in the UK, Brockholes has received more than 30 regional and national awards despite only opening in 2011. Visitors continue to pour in despite the reserve being surrounded by the attractions of Manchester, Blackpool and Liverpool.

 

The business has shown year-on-year growth and, as a result, is seeking commercial partners for the next phase of development.

 

Anne Selby, Chief Executive of the Wildlife Trust said “Brockholes has performed incredibly well despite being launched in a recession. We have steered the business through the stormy weather and achieved fantastic results.

 

“We are now looking to move into the next phase of development. As a conservation charity, we want to ensure our focus remains on the nature conservation of the reserve, whilst ensuring the commercial income supports this work. We are looking for expressions of interest at this stage and asking businesses to be creative with their proposals.”

 

The Visitor Village has a restaurant, shops, conference centre, welcome centre and education centre. Major companies have made use of the conference centre including RBS and Aldi. The surrounding nature reserve is continuing to grow, with an increasing population of resident creatures and rare visitors like red kite, bittern and otter.

 

Anne continued: “Brockholes received funding for the initial start up and development phases but it was always designed to be a self-sustaining model. By making the most of the commercial opportunities and keeping these balanced carefully with the needs of nature, we believe we can continue to success of Brockholes into the future and achieve even more fantastic results for wildlife, our wide range of visitors and the tourism economy”.

 

Opportunities include retail, water sports (non-motorised), indoor play provision, events partners and mobile food concessions. However, the Trust is open to hear if any investors would wish to develop sympathetic commercial facilities on the site.

 

An opportunity information pack is available by request from:

Karen Williams Karen.Williams@brockholes.org

 

Expressions of interest should initially be made to

Lindsey Poole, Commercial Development Manager lpoole@lancswt.org.uk

  

www.brockholes.org/groups

  

Group Visits

 

Whether it’s a full day out or just a quick stop off on the way to your destination, Brockholes is the ideal place for groups to visit.

 

There's so much for all ages to see and learn about at Brockholes. Everyone from toddlers to seniors will find something to fascinate them, whether through our exciting range of organised events, or by just wandering around the site.

 

We are passionately committed to lifelong learning for all – our belief is that everyone should leave knowing something they didn't when they arrived! The Lancashire Wildlife Trust has over a decade of experience in delivering environmental education, so you can relax, enjoy the surroundings and be sure to come away both enchanted and enlightened...

 

We have several options for various groups, each with a variety of benefits. For more information click on the relevant link below…

 

Coach Groups

School Groups

Community Groups

 

To enquire about group visits please call 01772 872000 or email info@brockholes.org. Or leave your details on the form below and a member of our team will get back to you as soon as possible.

  

Coach Groups

 

Situated next to Junction 31 on the M6, we are the ideal stop for coach trips, whether it is for a short stop, as a green motorway services, or as part of a full day visit.

 

​Free entry for coaches and convenient coach drop-off point

 

We have a variety of walking trails for your group to explore, ranging from half an hour to 2 hours in length.

 

We have our floating visitor village that features a stunning waterside restaurant, 2 unique gift shops and a welcome centre with exhibits, which are ideal should your guests decide for something less active (or if the weather lets you down)!

 

All our buildings are fully accessible, while the vast majority of our paths are well surfaced, level and suitable for wheelchairs.

 

We now have a more convenient drop-off point exclusively for coaches and in addition have a number of benefits for coach groups:

 

• Free entry to the reserve and visitor centre

• Free coach parking

• Refreshment voucher for the coach driver

• Free familiarisation visit for group organisers

• Free meet and greet at the coach (on request)

• Free Brockholes welcome leaflet and trail guide

• Free events and activities throughout the year (visit our events calendar for details)

• Free play area

• Pre-booked guided tours (available at an extra charge)

• Adapted toilets available at the visitor centre

 

Please note that there is a 4 metre high bridge on the entrance to Brockholes. We also advise all coaches to let us know of their visit in advance by calling us on 01772 872000.

 

For any further information please just call 01772 872000, email info@brockholes.org

  

School Groups

 

Our 250 acre nature reserve and Visitor Village is a great place for school groups to visit. Children can learn about the geological history and how the quarrying has shaped the land today. And because we are a new nature reserve, you can watch it grow! It is also home to the UK's first floating Visitor Village.

 

Most importantly of all, the children will be able to see that Brockholes is home to a host of wildlife, with many different species of bird popping by throughout the year, along with brown hare, dragonfly and deer to name a few!

  

Facilities

 

Your school will have use of the education centre on our floating visitor village and you will have at least one Education Officer dedicated to your group throughout the day.

 

Plus... NEW FOR 2014!

 

Next year your school will be able to get even closer to nature at Brockholes by booking an education session in our new purpose-built bird hide classroom, right on the edge of the lake!

 

The hide will overlook No 1 Pit Lake which is home to many different species of birds and you'll also be able to look across to the new sand martin wall, which will provide valuable breeding habitat when they arrive in spring.

 

Why not your details below if you'd like us to keep to informed of these exciting new developments!

  

Programmes

 

We offer a wide range of programmes including:

 

Big Adventure in a Miniature World

Life Cycles

Migration and Hibernation

Environmental Art

Geography and Geology

​Forest School

 

You can read more about the education programmes available at Brockholes here. ​

  

Education Team

 

Our Education Team are based at Brockholes and have a huge amount of experience in inspiring young people about the natural world. They are a lively bunch and pride themselves on creating an exciting and memorable experience for your school. You can read about how great our team is here: Meet the Education Team.

  

Outreach

 

Can't get to us? Then we can come to you! Our outreach education programme is very popular and offers a wide range of programmes for those who are unable to reach Brockholes.You can view our Outreach Programmes here.

 

For any information just call us on 01772 872000 for more information, email eduadmin@lancswt.org.uk

  

Community Groups

 

Brockholes is a great place to bring your community group, whether it's the Scouts, Guides, Cubs, Brownies or Beavers or a rambling or photography group, there is something for everyone!

 

As well as exploring our stunning nature reserve you can enjoy an activity such as a guided walk, a mini-beast hunt or an environmental art session.

 

You can visit Brockholes during the day or we have special community group evenings when the reserve is open beyond our usual opening hours. Group activities usually take place between 5.30pm and 7.30pm.

  

Forest Schools

 

Forest Schools is a unique outdoor learning experience that improves children's self-esteem, confidence and abilities.

 

Brockholes provides an inspirational setting for Forest Schools sessions and training, and is conveniently located just off junction 31 of the M6 at Preston.

 

Our Forest School sessions are designed and delivered by our experienced and fully qualified Education Team including our Level 3 Trained Forest Schools Practioner.

 

Our next Forest Schools adult training session will be running in October. To find out more about Forest School sessions at Brockholes please call 01772 872017 or email kphillips@lancswt.org.uk

  

www.brockholes.org/shop

  

Shop til you flock

 

Why not drop into our two on-site shops, The Nest and Village Store, which are packed with all sorts of goodies. We've a variety of products from local beverages and food, to cards and books and crafts and jewellery. They are the perfect place to pick up a unique gift... and there's plenty of treats for the little ones too!

  

The Nest

 

The Nest is home to an inspiring collection of gifts, jewellery, books, toys, arts & crafts. Discover what's inside The Nest here.

  

The Village Store

 

The Village Store stocks a wide range of products, from locally sourced food and drink treats to bird food, garden accessories and wildlife books. Come and look inside here.

  

Membership of the Wildlife Trust

 

Brockholes is a Lancashire Wildlife Trust Nature Reserve. You can become a member today or talk to our friendly staff members and volunteers on your next visit to Brockholes. Gift membership is available in The Nest or you can buy it online here.

  

www.brockholes.org/eat

  

Our restaurant is the perfect place to stop and watch the world go by with panoramic views of our lake. Scrumptious homemade dishes and a taste bud tingling selection of Lancashire's finest local produce are all here to tempt you, along with fair trade tea and coffee.

 

Our restaurant is open from 10am to 5pm.

  

www.brockholes.org/very-special-occasions

  

Brockholes is a fantastic place for your very special occasions.

 

Our floating venue is one of the newest and most unique in Lancashire and promises you and your guests an unforgetable event whatever the occasion.

 

We have a dedicated function centre that can accomodate weddings, christenings and all sort of functions.

 

The clean, contemporary finish of our venue means that you have the perfect opportunity to put your own stamp on your event, with a flexible range of catering available from our on-site restaurant.

 

We have a dedicated Conference and Events Co-ordinator that will be available to help you plan your special occasion.

  

Very Special Weddings

 

We had our first wedding celebration September 2011 and since then it's been all go with Wedding Fayres and lots more bookings for this year and next. Find out more about weddings at Brockholes here.

  

Very Special Christenings

 

Brockholes is a real family friendly venue for a Christening celebration that you will remember for years to come. Find out more here.

 

For general enquiries about holding a function at Brockholes please call 01772 872005 or email philip.dunn@brockholes.org.

Divided reverse. Letter kindly translated by Nettenscheider, authored in the trenches on 05/07/1917, Musketier Max Pfeifer advises a family member "ich bin jetzt in dem

Sturmtrupp" - he is now in the assault troop.

 

A fine studio portrait of Musketier Max Pfeifer of 2. Sturm-Kompagnie Sturmabteilung 38. Of note is his unofficial insignia on his left sleeve, possibly denoting his role as a grenadier.

 

"The only satisfaction I took from the whole event was from the way the storm troops comported themselves. They were a new breed of fighter so far as I was concerned, the volunteers of 1918: still raw, but instinctively brave. Those young dashers with long hair and puttees would start quarreling among themselves twenty yards in front of the enemy because one had called the other a scaredy-cat, and yet they all swore like troopers and threw their weight around no end. ‘Christ, we’re not all such funks as you are!’ yelled one, and rolled up another fifty yards of trench single-handed."

 

― Ernst Jünger, a German Army Storm

Troop company Commander