Jessica Ackerman asked:


Whether you are buying a new barcalounger or a large metal wall art, buying new furniture can be a fun and exciting adventure. But cleaning and caring for them can be a different story altogether, as many furniture owners think of this activity as a tedious chore. However, we cannot undermine the importance of proper caring for the furniture because this makes these pieces last a long time with us.

There is a wide array of furniture of different materials to choose from. Each material requires a different kind of cleaning method. To help you care for your furniture properly, here are some wonderful tips to keep in mind.

Wood

Wood furniture such as wooden chairs and wooden wall décor must be dusted regularly, several times a week to maintain a surface free of debris and to help avoid soil build up. Dust the furniture using a clean, dry and lint-free cloth. For general cleaning, wash the furniture surface with mild soap and water. Rinse with water and dry with a clean cloth thoroughly afterwards.

Make sure that you protect all your wooden furniture against direct sunlight. This means that you have to place your wooden chairs and tables away from the windows but if you do, ensure that the windows are properly covered with drapes or curtains to minimize sunlight. The sun’s strong rays can dry and fade the color. It is also a bad idea to place wooden furniture near air vents because forced air can deteriorate the quality of the material.

Aluminum, metal or steel

Proper maintenance of modern furniture made of aluminum, metal or steel like a large metal wall art can be done through regular dusting and occasional wiping with soft, damp cloth. For tougher dirt, wash with hot and soapy water. Rinse and then dry with a soft cloth afterwards.

Never use any abrasive, strong detergent or cleansing powders to clean this kind of furniture because some of these may contain alkali, which can cause the pitting of this material. Rinse and dry afterwards.

Leather

Read the manufacturer’s instructions for care for leather furniture. There are specific leather conditioners that should be used for cleaning and keeping the shine of the material. If there are no available instructions, clean dirty leather by wiping a damp cloth and then with a dry cloth.

Marble

Wash marble furniture with clean cloth and lukewarm water. Once every six months, you can wash it with a mild detergent to remove soil buildup. It is not necessary to wax marble especially white ones because wax can cause for a yellowish tone to develop.

Reed, cane and wicker

For pieces of furniture made of these materials, you can clean them using a vacuum with a brush attach. You also have the option of washing them with mild soap and lukewarm water. Just make sure that you do not wet the wooden parts of the furniture. Use a dry cloth to dry the surface and to absorb any excess moisture.

Caring for your furniture and making it last a long time are not that difficult if you have the knowledge and patience on how to do these things.

Michiel Van Kets asked:


Tuscany is a coastal town located on Italy’s west coast. The town is a popular tourist destination attracting people with its religious and historical centres as well as delicious cuisine and fine wines and its stunning scenery. Mention vineyards of Chianti and Renaissance art and Tuscany will spring to mind.

The Italian people are famous all over the world for their creativity and designing abilities. Many exceptionally fine products are produced here and all over the country are unique designer shops, antiques, art galleries and genuine hand crafted gifts. Many workshops in Tuscany are open to the public where local artisans demonstrating their methods and products. You will see unique and hand crafted items, from fine jewellery hand painted watercolour cards and original paintings to leather shoes and bags. If you are looking for a gift for a special occasion or a special friend, you will find gifts of inspiration and originality.

For the local artists it is important to preserve traditional techniques and tools that have remained unchanged for centuries. Contemporary and traditional designs are available on a variety of striking and genuine gift items.

If you are on a hunt for a wooden sculpture as a centrepiece for your home then Italian woodcarving can provide spectacular pieces. This art form has been performed by local artists since it became popular during the Gothic and Renaissance periods. You can find some beautiful hand carved and painted boxes decorated with traditional Tuscan scenes and floral designs. If you are an admirer of art then choose a reproduction of a famous painting and take a look at the originals hanging in the Uffizzi gallery. Italian hand crafted mirrors are particularly remarkable and will be a charming ornamentation to any home.

The name Ginori is synonymous with excellence and porcelain and the Pecchioli family company produces high quality and elegant pieces using the same techniques. Elegant and precious, the created pieces are a mixture of traditional and the families own distinctive style. Objects are decorated by hand in 24k gold and polychrome colours and include liqueur sets, vases, centrepieces and table lamps. Another famous art form practiced in the region of Tuscany is the making of silver items. Craftsmen design silver products using silver and other valuable metals and stones to design jewellery, bowls and candlesticks that will be a great compliment to any home.

However the quality and variety of Tuscan gifts available can make the decision very easy. You will often have the option of having your gift engraved or inscribed with names and dates, or just a simple message of your choice. Wrought iron can be moulded into almost any shape and popular items using this material are tables and chairs suitable for the garden. The process of forging and moulding an item into shape can be viewed at the Certini families’ workshop located in the heart of Tuscany. These original crafted items are suitable for the garden, including a range of garden furniture, and for the home. Everything here is handmade by the family themselves and then decorated by hand. Here you’ll find a wide selection of quality items such as lamps, photo frames, candelabras and decorative products.

By using paper and marbling artists create patterns comparable to marble or other stones; it will provide a striking look when used to cover a surface. You will find these patterns cover a range of items for decoration in unusual ways. In Tuscany you are able to find photo albums covered in this material, along with stationary, diaries and books.

Leather shoes are a practical gift to give and made from the highest quality leather. Providing comfort and style, you can chose from leather flip flops to ankle boots and slip-ons.

To find original Tuscan handicrafts, try searching on the internet for quality and originality. These wonderful gift ideas are guaranteed to be a loved gift for that special person.

Arun Gangwar asked:


Reflecting the true culture of the state, handicrafts of Rajasthan are known for their unique designs. The art seems to be influenced by the Rajputs and the Mughals. Besides the Historical Monuments, Exotic Wildlife, and Vibrant Culture and Traditions, Rajasthan specialises in Handicrafts. These unique items make Rajasthan a shopper’s paradise. One can spend hours browsing through the handcrafted items displayed in the bazaars and government emporiums like the Rajasthali in Jaipur. The major specialties in Rajasthani Handicrafts are:

Jewellery and Gemstone Cutting

Jodhpur, Jaipur and Udaipur are some of the best places to buy ethnic Rajasthani jewellery. Rajasthan is world famous for jewellery items like rakhri, gokhru, timamyan, bala, bajuband, etc. Jaipur is the world’s largest gem cutting center and a great hub for Minakari (a process of colored glass). The Thewa pendants of Rajasthan are made in Jaipur by inlaying gold and semi precious stones (rubies, emeralds and diamonds) into a grooved template. Bikaner and Jodhpur are quite popular for Kundan, the art of setting stones in gold.

Textiles

Rajasthani Textiles, on the dyed and printed fabric adorned with embroidery and mirror work, display the unmatched art of the Rajputs and the Mughals. The Jauhri Bazaar in Jaipur is a renowned place to get a huge variety of handmade textiles. Bandhani or Bandhej is a unique tie and dye technique of Rajasthan providing a different texture and design to the textiles.

Paintings

This fascinating art of the state is mostly popular in Marwar, Mewar, Hadoti, Kishangarh, Dhundhar and Alwar. The miniature and the folk styles, and Kota Style paintings depict a unique blend of vibrant colours, composition and themes. These paintings are made by using natural colors like vegetable alkaloids and minerals.

Durries and Carpets

Durries came into existance with Afghanis in the 17th century. Today, this segment is among the most popular handicrafts of Rajasthan. These carpets are generally hand knotted woolen products and have a great resemblance with the Persian carpets.

Stone and Marble Handicrafts

Marble sculptures, statues, stone artifacts, religious idols and stone carvings etc. are something Rajasthan is known for. These showpieces can prove to be great decoratives for your home. The unique stone carvings can be seen in various palaces and havelis, as well as ordinary homes.

Rajasthani Jootis

These jootis are an important part of Indian ethnic dresses. Originated from Jaipur and Jodhpur, the Mojaris Jootis of Rajasthan with exquisite embroidery form another specialty of Rajasthani Handicrafts.

Rajasthani Wooden Furniture

The most famous work on furniture in Rajasthan is the latticework. This is one of the best art work found in Rajasthan popular for its intricate carvings on small chairs and tables, bajots and chowkis, stools with string seats, boxes, cabinets, mirror and picture frames, doors and windows etc. Jodhpur and Kishangarh are the renowned cities to buy these wooden handicrafts.

While exploring the handicraft specialties in Rajasthan, one cannot ignore the matchless and extraordinary red terracotta pottery, Bikaner pottery, Blue pottery crafts, Ivory bangles and the feather-soft and feather-light quilts (razai). These dynamic craft traditions reflect the true culture and royal splendour of Rajasthan.

Amit asked:


Born in Seattle in 1959, Stockholder grew up in Vancouver, British Columbia. She studied in the 1970s with sculptor Mowry Baden, whose architectural constructions from that period suggest bridges or passageways and other spaces through which the spectator moves. Baden’s commitment to physically involve the viewer in articulated arrangements of materials in space had a lasting influence on Stockholder. Originally a painter, she progressed from unstretched canvases to painted reliefs of cloth, wood and other materials before making her first large-scale installation in 1983. She received an MFA from Yale University in 1985 and lived in Brooklyn from 1985 until 1999. She is currently director of graduate studies in sculpture at Yale.Stockholder’s works consistently encourage movement around them and entice the spectator to peer behind them. Such curiosity is particularly rewarded by a 1990 sculpture (most studio works are identified only by the year of their creation rather than a title), the front of which is formed by a 5-foot-high rectangular wooden frame resembling stretcher bars with a slanted top. Supported by the frame, a blue panel bears a circular light failure with one red and one white bulb. Concealed by the front of the sculpture, which stands a foot or so away from the wall, is a string of crocheted flowers that dangles from one side of the sculpture’s back and is reflected in a square mirror mounted on the wall. Discovery of the mirror and yarn leads the viewer to another delightful surprise between the wall and the geometric face of the sculpture: a large, free-form concave disk made of papier-mache and painted red like a big poppy.

The concept of sculpture has changed so much in recent decades that most of what is currently classified as sculpture bears little resemblance to the millennia-old tradition of carved or cast figures. Practically any three-dimensional object serving a decorative, esthetic or conceptual purpose is now viewed as sculpture. The shift occurred in the 1960s, when Donald Judd argued that his planar wooden forms were not sculptures since they were neither “sculpted” nor statues. Sculpture, he proclaimed in 1965, “is finished.” In the late ’60s, Earth artist Michael Heizer declared that “the idea of sculpture has been destroyed, subverted, put down.” But sculpture, like painting, refused to die; instead, it was redefined to include the works of the very artists who rejected it.Two major exhibitions of Jessica Stockholder’s work have recently provided the opportunity to consider these issues. A new installation, Sam Ran Over Sand or Sand Ran Over Sam, was created for the Rice University Art Gallery in Houston, while “Jessica Stockholder, Kissing the Wall: Works, 1988-2003″ surveys Stockholder’s portable sculptures, which she calls “studio works.” The latter show debuted at the Blaffer Gallery, Art Museum of the University of Houston, and opens this month at the Weatherspoon Art Museum, Greensboro, N.C. Together, the two shows offered in-depth access to this prolific midcareer artist’s production, which reveals surprisingly little change over the course of 16 years. Throughout, she has maintained a consistent level of energy and formal complexity.

Jas Ng asked:


 

My daughter was asking me about present for Father Day. I was cracking my head to help my daughter to create some special gift while at the same time she can practise her crafting skills and her right brain creativity. Here I share the seven interesting gratitude crafts for Father Day celebration.

#1 Egg puppet

Prepare a few egg shell, colorful cotton, ice cream sticks, felt, PVA adhesive for felt, magic color or makers. First step is create the puppet hair by pasting the cotton on the top of egg shell. Cut the felt into different clothing shapes such as shirt,long pants and shoes. Then glue all the felt together to create the body. Secure the egg shell on the ice cream stick with paper tape, and glue the felt body on the ice cream stick. Last on the egg shell, draw the puppet eye, nose and mouth with a smiling expression using marker.

#2 3D scrapbooking Father portrait

Prepare a few candid photos of dad, acrylic color, some sea shell, A5 size mini canvas and PVA adhesive. Color the mini canvas with acrylic, while letting it dry, sort out the sea shell that was collected from the beach. Once the canvas is dried, paste dad candid photo on the canvas, add different shapes of sea shell on it as natural designed embellishment. Then a father portrait scrapbooking is done!

#3 Father Day greeting card

Prepare a few colorful construction paper, marker, color pencil, clay and crayons. Ask your child based on his or her memories to draw daddy face on the construction paper. They can imagine daddy is eating favourite food or drink, reading newspaper etc. Ask your child to create daddy favourite food or fruits using clay, and paste them on the construction paper that drew with daddy face. Last steps is add some write on the drawing such as dad enjoy apple, or dad love reading newspaper, happy father day etc.

#4 Draw dad from memories

Prepare a A3 size drawing block, ask your child to draw daddy from his or her memories with the feeling of feeling gratitude to daddy. I believe this will be the most grateful drawing and gift to dad.

#5 Collage of Dad

Prepare a wooden based of A4 size, acrylic and some of daddy little personal collection such as air tickets, movie tickets, bus tickets, train tickets etc. Use acrylic to color the wooden based, paste the ticket collections on the wooden based. You can ask your child to help for pasting, does matter the tickets are paste in uneven shapes or style, the important thing is your child love and enjoy pasting it. Always encourage your child to make the decision on pasting. Finally do a photocopy of dad photo, and paste it at corner to create a unique collage design, write some text such as.

#6 Make a kite for dad

Hand made kite with daddy is another fun crafting activity for father day. Prepare rice paper, PVA adhesive, coconut leaf sticks, and poster color. First, find a suitable kite template from internet, print it and cut out the shapes on the rice paper. Then using PVA adhesive to glue coconut leaf sticks as the kite back bone. Let it dry for an hour. Lastly paint some abstract pattern on the kite with poster color, let it dry half an hour and your kite is ready to fly.

#7 3D Sculpture using paper clay

3D sculpture crafting is great for children imagination and creativity thinking training. Ask your child to source for the 3D sculpture material with daddy at the playground or park that near your neighbourhood. With the collections and paper clay, create a 3D sculpture of little dream house of daddy.

The most important awareness for our children while doing above crafts is the gratitude and love feeling towards dad. Hope you can create anyone of them for father day!

Prabh asked:


The Great Pyramid of Giza



This great pyramid of Giza is known as the only surviving wonder of the ancient world (located in Egypt). It was built for around 5,000 years. The great pyramid covers an area of 13 acres forming its base. It contains nearly 2,500,000 well cut stones and its blocks of stones weighs 21/2 tons. Some of the stones weighs more. Its peak rose to a height of 481 feet. On its construction, the stone blocks were hauled on wooden sledges by laborers. The pyramid was accurately constructed. It is so precised and aligned and that the errors of a modern compass can be checked against it.

The Hanging Garden of Babylon

The hanging garden of Babylon was made over 2500 years ago by Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar II. Nebuchadnezzar II ordered to construct the hanging garden in order for him to delight his young bride who came from mountainous Persia. To be able to construct the garden, the workmen raised an artificial hill 350 feet high in the banks of the Euphrates river(part of Babylon). It was being terraced with a series of platforms set with trees, lawns and flowers. The water from, the river was pumped to the top of the hill and allowed to flow down through channels and miniature waterfalls. Today, little remains of Babylon, except for the mounds of crumbling mud bricks. India tours

Statue Of Zeus

The statue of Zeus was stood in the temple of Zeus at Olympia, Greece. It is a masterpiece of the great Greek sculpture Phidias. It was completed in about 456-B.C. its peak rose in a height of 40 ft. It almost touch the temple ceiling. The statue of Zeus was chryselephantine-fashioned of thin plates of gold and ivory, covering a wooden form. The piercing of the eye was made of two large jewels. Precious stones adorned the golden robe. The statue was move to Constantinople in the 5th century and destroyed by fire about 475 B.C. Today, visitors of Olympia see only the foundations of the building in which it stood. The workshop of Phidias (it’s creator) is said to be discovered nearby. Some tools and even molds from which the gold plates were made can still be seen.

The Temple of Diana

Diana is the Roman name of Artemis, the Greek goddess of the moon, patron of unmarried woman and protectres of animals. Diana was worshipped in many places but his most important shrine was at Ephesus. The temple was built in the 4th century B.C. It was built in a white marble and enriched with gold and silver. Precious gems were stored among the temples. Roman Historian Pliny the Elder(A.D 23-79) wrote that the temple was full of sculptures, almost all of this sculptures, was created by Praxiteles, the greatest Greek sculpture of his time.

Mausoleum at Halicarnassus

The mausoleum is located in Asia Minor in modern Turkey. This marble tomb was built for king Mausolus(?-353?). It is beautiful that the word “mausoleum” has passed into our language and now means a burial place. It has a brilliant jewel of a building made of shining marble. It rise to above 140 feet on a mound. The mausoleum is over looking the little port of Halicarnassus, visible to ships entering the harbor. It’s rectangular court yard is surrounded by a wall. There were lions carved in marble guarded the approach. On the second wall surrounding the platform were magnificent sculptures. Each corner of the Mausoleum were statues of proud warriors in their horses and other sculpture horses drew the support chariot that adorned the top of the building. In the chariot stood the figure of Mausolus and Artemisia. Only few fragments of this beautiful mausoleum remains today.

The Colossus of Rhodes

The Colossus of Rhodes is a statue of the son-god Helios. This statue towered above the harbor of Rodes, an island in the Aegean sea. It stood over 100 feet on a stone base. It was built by a Greek craftsman named Chares of Lindus in 280 B.C. It is erected as a thanks offering to their god in defeating their invaders. The figure depicts Helios shading his eyes and gazing out to the   sea. It is 20 times the height of man. The Colossus stood only for 56 years, it was thrown to the ground by an earthquake in the year 224 B.C. The huge bronze plates lay for centuries but in 7th century A.D, the merchants carried it away and sold.

Pharos of Alexadria

The Pharos of Alexandria was considered as a fore runner of all light houses. It was built in an Island of Pharos near Alexandria. It was made by Sostratos of Cnidus. The structure stood about 400 feet and was built in levels. In the top of it was a broad balcony. There’s a platform and a brass pan above in which a fire burned day and night. A huge mirror possibly made of metal reflected the light so brightly that it be seen far out at sea. There were 300 rooms inside the building. Horse drawn wagons carried fuel up a spinal ramp led to an ever burning lamp. The structure was destroyed by an earthquake in the 14th century A.D.

Susanne Pacher asked:


It’s always exciting to arrive in a new city. I like arriving at night, so the suspense of this new place stretches into the next morning. After a late arrival via Westjet at about 11:30 last night at the Halifax Airport, I picked up my rental car at the Thrifty Counter from a very friendly customer service representative on duty who inquired whether he was going to be mentioned in my Nova Scotia travel experiences – so here you go, this is a little shout-out to the friendly young man working the late shift at Thrifty’s who gave me my first welcome in Nova Scotia.

I then checked into the nearby Hilton Garden Inn for a brief, but hopefully effective night of rest. Early this morning I got into my rental car and on my way to my first destination: the Grand Pré National Historic Site which commemorates the lifestyle and expulsion of the Acadians, original French settlers that came to this area in the 1600s. I first drove south from the airport to locate Highway 101 and after several unsuccessful attempts to find the right exit I finally linked up with the big highway that connects Halifax with Nova Scotia’s western shore. The interior of the peninsula is made up of gently rolling forested hills and as you reach the northern shoreline, the land flattens out into tidal mudflats. Windsor, Hantsport and Wolfville are the major local settlements and the main body of water, the Minas Basin, features the highest tides on earth.

Less than an hour and a half after my departure I reached the Grand Pré, French for “large meadow” where I met Victor Tétrault, Executive Director of the Société Promotion Grand-Pré, who filled me in on the history of this site. The Grand Pré is an ancient settlement of the Acadians, descendants of the original French settlers in north-eastern North America. Acadians originally settled the areas around Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island in the 1600s and are culturally distinct from the French immigrants that settled in Quebec. The earliest Acadian settlement took place in Port Royal, less than two hours west of the Grand Pré, in 1604.

Acadians were astute farmers and through an ingenious system of ***** they managed to reclaim large tracts of land from the ocean. Victor explained that studies have shown that many farming communities of this era were really based on subsistence farming, where the average wealth base was “one unit of livestock” per person . The Acadians were rather wealthy since their average wealth per person was estimated at 8 to 9 units of livestock. They generated more agricultural products than they needed for their own consumption and started trading their surpluses with surrounding communities.

The Acadian settlers were also a peaceful group and got along well with the local Mi’kmaq Indians, even learning their time-honoured fishing and hunting techniques. The Mi’kmaq had developed a fishing technique that involved a network of criss-crossed stakes that would be set up in the tidal flats during low tide and when the water levels rose, this mesh of wooden sticks would simply trap fish and all that was necessary was just to go out there and pick up the fish.

Territories in north-eastern North America changed hands numerous times between the English and the French in the 1600 and 1700s and the Acadians decided to remain neutral, refusing to take either side. In the Treaty of Utrecht of 1713 France ceded Acadia as a British procession, at which point the area became known as Nova Scotia. During the following years, the British Governor Richard Phillips tried to coerce the Acadians to swear an oath of allegiance to the British Crown, but the Acadians steadfastly refused. Consequently, the decision was made that the “French Neutrals” needed to be removed and deported from their territories. Thus the Great Expulsion, the “Grand Dérangement”, a brutal act of ethnic cleansing, began.

Between 1755 and 1763 about 10,000 Acadians were rounded up and deported to locations in New England, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, North and South Carolina and Georgia, even as far awa as Martinique and St. Domingue. Some Acadians were deported back to France, while others tried to hide in the woods, often sheltered by their friends, the Mi’kmaq. Some Acadian settlers made their way to relative safety in Quebec. Many families were torn apart, their houses were burnt, their livestock killed and fields destroyed. A great many Acadian settlers ended up in the former French territory of Louisiana where the Acadians became known as the “Cajuns”. Some families were expelled five or more times from different locations they were deported to.

Although there were numerous deportations of different groups during these turbulent historic times, the deportation of the Acadians was unusual because so many were not sent back to France, their country of origin, or another French colony. Instead they were deported to British territories where Anti-Catholicism was rampant, and in the southern colonies it was feared that the Acadians would join slaves in a general uprising.

Once peace returned in 1763, some Acadians started to migrate back but they never settled in their original settlement areas again. Instead, many Nova Scotia Acadians moved into the area around Baie Ste-Marie or St. Mary’s Bay between Digby and Yarmouth where they took up fishing as a livelihood. Today hundreds of thousands of people across all of North America and beyond can trace their origins to the Acadian Diaspora.

After giving me a brief introduction to Acadian history Victor took me on a tour of the facilities. The Grand Pré National Historic Site is actually a large piece of land that was donated about 100 years ago by a local businessman by the name of John Frederick Herbin who was an Acadian descendant. He gave the land to the Dominion Atlantic Railway with the condition that it be made accessible to Acadians forever. The company later gave the site to Parks Canada which turned it into a National Historic Site.

The New Visitors and Interpretation Centre houses a multimedia theatre, an exhibit hall, a gift shop, a multipurpose room and administration area along with other visitors’ facilities such as restrooms, public phones, etc. The entire facility is run jointly by Parks Canada and the Société Promotion Grand Pré, which represents the Acadian community. The grounds around the Centre are made up of flat farmland, a winding river and railway tracks that still serve for freight transportation.

We walked outside the Centre and Victor pointed out to me a metal sculpture on the side of a long, low-lying hill that consists of 4 life-sized individuals, representing an Acadian family that is being torn apart by the deportation. This sculpture was unveiled just a few weeks ago, on September 3, 2006. Victor mentioned that the sculptor was looking for an appropriate place to position the sculpture once it had been transported to the Grand Pré site from Montreal. The sculptor was unable to find a proper location for his masterpiece, pacing for hours through the entire property. Finally he found a spot, right there on the hillside. He just knew that this was where the sculpture would have to go. Through archeological research it had been discovered earlier, unbeknownst to the sculptor, that an Acadian house had been located right next to the sculpture and the foundation of this house is now outlined by wooden stakes. Hearing about this psychic connection between Acadian history and a present day sculptor gave me the goose bumps, and this example just underscores the spiritual and historic significance of the Grand Pré National Historic Site.

Victor also enlightened me that the Grand Pré is a location of reconciliation. During the 2004 celebrations to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the Acadians, tens of thousands of Acadian descendants congregated in the Grand Pré area for a reunion. The local Shaw family, a Planter family who was assigned to settle the area after the expulsion of the Acadians, invited the descendants of the Thibodeau family, who had come from all over North America, to stay on their property. Only two families had ever lived on this stretch of land: the Thibodeaus and the Shaws. The Shaws as a matter of fact, had coined a phrase “Be careful of the tippie-toes”, which really meant “Be careful of the Thibodeaus”. Both groups of families celebrated together and the Shaws stated that they were not the owners, but rather the keepers of this land, and that their home would always be open to the Thibodeaus.

The celebrations proceeded with exuberance until one man, a Thibodeau family member from Quebec stated in front of everyone “I only have one thing to say: we Thibodeaus are going to come back and take this land”. The entire crowd gasped at the thought of implied conflict until he continued “I am going to marry Sarah”. Sarah was a member of the Shaw family. The audience breathed a collective sigh of relief. This vignette is just one of many stories of reconciliation and forgiveness that have taken place here in the Grand Pré area.

Victor and I crossed the railway tracks and approached the Memorial Church, built in 1922. In front of the church is a statue of Evangeline, heroine of an 1847 poem by American author Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. “Evangeline” tells the story of a young Acadian woman who dedicates her entire life to searching for the man she loves from whom she was separated at the time of deportation. The tragic story concludes with Evangeline finding Gabriel, her true love, on his death bed in Philadelphia.

Beside the church Victor pointed out some archeological excavations to me. The Grand Pré site is a significant historic site and ongoing archeological research has turned up more clues about early Acadian life in the Grand Pré area. When Victor had to say goodbye to me as he was on duty at the Memorial Church, I went back inside the Visitors Centre and watched a brief yet extremely informative video about the history of the Acadians which effectively tied it all together for me.

After leaving the Visitor Centre I decided to drive a few kilometers east to the actual deportation site in the Minas Basin. The Deportation Cross was erected in 1924 to commemorate the deportation of 2000 Acadians who were deported from this very site.

As I started to make my way westwards towards Annapolis Royal, another originally Acadian settlement, I reflected on the significance of this site for one of the founding cultures of Nova Scotia. I was amazed at the perseverance and the power of the human spirit displayed by hundreds of thousands of Acadian descendants who have lived in diaspora all over the world and for centuries have managed to survive and hold on to their cultural heritage despite much adversity that they have experienced. Despite all this human tragedy and upheaval, the stories of reconciliation and forgiveness found here at the Grand Pré National Historic Site are a sign of hope for all us.

For the entire article including photos please visit

http://www.travelandtransitions.com/stories_photos/grand_pre.htm

Manish Sinha asked:


Dominating a large part of Rajasthani culture, the arts and entertainment in Rajasthan never fail to capture the hearts of tourists. Famous or its arts and crafts across the world, this desert land made a great contribution to Indian culture. The skilled artists and craftsmen have long perfected the art of making extraordinary art pieces with ordinary raw material like wood, stone, glass, brass, leather, clay and textile. The cave paintings and sculptures excavated from various archaeological sites in the state clearly show that art and craft has been intricately woven into the fabric of this land since ages.

High on quality and beauty quotient, some of the famous handicrafts of Rajasthan are tie and dye fabrics, miniature paintings, ornaments studded with finely cut precious and semi-precious stones, wood and ivory carving, lacquer work, block-printed textile, pottery and the list seems to be endless. The Raja-Maharajas of this legendary land were great patrons of arts and crafts and made remarkable contributions to the field of art and entertainment. Their passion clearly reflect in the forts, palaces, havelis and monuments constructed by them. The architectural brilliance of these establishments have brought them in international limelight. The best examples of architectural wonders in the state include Dilwara Temples, Lake Palace, City Palaces, Jantar Mantar and Jaisalmer Havelis.

Punctuating the dull life of the desert of Rajasthan, the dance and music play a significant role in the life of the people. Dance and music are a great source of entertainment here. No celebration in this land is complete without dance and music. Some of the famous folk dances are the Ghoomar dance and Kalbeliya dance. It’s a wonderful experience to see such graceful and energetic dance performances.

Jeanelle Deppner asked:


Any bathroom, large or small, can be short on storage space and with the need to store towels, toiletries, cosmetics, and beauty supplies, there are few other spaces in the house that are so demanding of adequate storage. Any old storage just won’t do; bathroom storage must be practical and user-friendly. Believe it or not, it is possible to add additional storage space to the bathroom without knocking down walls or building an addition, and it’s possible to do it with style.

Bathrooms typically have sink vanities with storage below that may consist of one open section of cabinetry under the sink and three drawers to the side and a medicine cabinet on the wall over the sink for pharmacy items, toothbrushes and small toiletries. Obviously, this is not enough storage space for the average family or even average couple. If the bathroom or adjacent hallway does not have a built-in or freestanding linen closet, towels and linens typically end up in a bedroom closet, making that space even more cluttered than necessary.

1. If the bathroom is large enough to accommodate some type of linen cabinetry or tall freestanding unit, that is a purchase well worth the investment. Look beyond typical bathroom cabinetry and consider an antique hutch with a glass front. The interior shelves will provide lots of space for folded towels and necessities that can be discreetly tucked away in baskets. Even an antique server or buffet offers quite of bit of storagespace; hang a vintage mirror and wall sconces above for a stylish look that will provide vanity space as well.

2. Options for smaller spaces include units that fit around and above the toilet and narrow free standing shelves that can be tucked in wherever space allows. To make open shelves more visually appealing, purchase wrought iron wall decor that will span the width and height of a freestanding shelf unit (or use two pieces of wrought iron mounted one above the other). The open scrollwork behind the unit will add style and practicality, since items set on the shelf won’t be continually falling off the back side. Let this practical solution inspire you; decorate bare wall space with complimentary wrought iron wall decor or metal wall art.

3. If floor space is at a premium, install wall shelves on any open expanse of wall going as high as the ceiling and practicality allows. Seldom used items can be tucked on the upper shelves and items that you wish to keep under wraps can be discreetly tucked into lidded wicker baskets or bargain storage boxes wrapped in fabric. Choose a colorful patterned fabric or coordinate several to give the boxes a custom look. Wrought iron or carved wooden brackets will make simple shelving more stylish and in keeping with whatever decorative scheme you wish to create. Scatter a few decorative accessories – such as candles, crystal perfume bottles, glass vases, a ceramic ring dish or figurines – to make the wall shelve arrangement as pretty as it is practical.

4. Hanging baskets that are typically used for kitchen produce can be used in the bathroom for wash clothes, face towels and other small items. Line the baskets with fabric to protect delicate contents or provide a little privacy.

Fiona Hiliard asked:


Barcelona car hire provides you with a world of fantastic day trip options. From Gaudi’s otherworldly designs to coastal getaways, boredom is never an option in Barcelona. The following is a guide to the best ways to spend your time in Barcelona.

Barcelona Airport Mini Guide:

Barcelona El Prat Airport is located 12km to the southwest of central Barcelona. Barcelona Airport offers passengers a good range of facilities including ATMs, currency exchange, banks, shops and restaurants.

Things To See/Do in Barcelona:

Brimming with more than enough culture to satisfy city break tourists, but close enough to the beach for sun-soaked fun, Barcelona offers myriad travel possibilities. Barcelona car hire provides many more options. The city is regarded as the gateway to the Costa Brava and its pretty resorts of Sitges and Vilanova. A visit to Barcelona also offers the chance to experience the wonderfully weird creations of architect Antonio Gaudi and a wonderful collection of works by Pablo Picasso. The best time to visit Barcelona is between June an September.

Eating Out in Barcelona:

Dining out in Barcelona allows you to sample some of the most delicious cuisine in Spain. It’s the wonderful mix of ingredients defines catalonian food. If you’re looking for value for money, it’s best to avoid the usual tourist traps located along the Ramblas. Instead, venture a little further, preferably with your hire car and you’ll discover something cheaper and in most cases, tastier. Typical dishes include Faves a la Catalana (meat, vegetables and mushrooms) served up in a clay pot. Escalivada, a dish of aubergine and red pepper makes for another tasty dish. Pa amb tomáquet (bread served with tomato and sausages) makes for another delicious snack.

Day Trips/Events in Barcelona:

Barcelona is an excellent base from which to explore a range of exciting day-trip destinations. The monastery of Montserrat is one of the most visited sights in Catalonia. The monastery is famous for its array of strange rocky crags and caves. It has become one of the most popular pilgrimage sites in Spain, sitting a top a 1200m high mountain and housing around 80 monks. The monastery’s biggest draw is its 12th century wooden sculpture of the Virgin Mary known as La Moreneta. For the best view, it’s worth taking a cable car to the mountain’s summit.

The medieval town of Tossa de Mar makes for another memorable excursion. It is situated 90km to the north of Barcelona and is recognised as one of the most attractive towns on the Costa Brava, offering long sandy beaches and a vibrant atmosphere. Tossa was once the main port for exporting cork, but is now dependent on tourism. The main reason why people travel to Tossa is Vila Vella, a beautiful walled town where ancient battlements, walls and towers enclose a charming historical labyrinth. There are four beaches within the town itself and a number of others flanking the city on either side. Of course, these beaches are never far away with car hire.

Barcelona plays host to a number of colourful events throughout the calendar year including April’s Spanish F1 Grand Prix, August’s Barcelona Summer Festival, February’s Carnival and May’s primavera Sound Festival.