July's Travel Article

A Walk in the Park

by Scribbler O'Connor

You can learn and enjoy so much with a walk in the park. No, not your local park but the Peak District National Park.

The Peak District was Britain's first national park, established in 1951 and can be found mainly in the county of Derbyshire and also parts of Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Staffordshire and Yorkshire.

It covers 1,438 square kilometres – but enough of the facts and figures, what's the place actually like?

July's Culture Article

The English Garden

by Margaret Watson

This week we have had the Royal Chelsea Garden Show, one of the best and most famous in the world. Gardeners come from as far away as Japan to show their blooms and skills at Chelsea. Although I lived in central London for a number of years I’ve never been. For one thing it is too crowded and for another the crowds are only allowed to view the gardens from the edge. For me it is all about handling the plants, brushing against them, smelling as well as seeing the roses, the freesias and more exotic blooms. I prefer to watch this one on the television with my feet up and a cup of tea. I can listen to the interviews with the growers and designers and see the plants close up. It isn’t as good as real life, but it will do. The one time I would like to be at Chelsea is at closing time on the last day – that’s when they sell off the plants for charity. I’d need more than a taxi to get home that day.

Music to Your Ears is also Language for Your Mind

by Michael Ugulini

There's something ultimately satisfying about singing along with a favorite song. Whether it's at work, in a car, lounging in a backyard, or at the beach, music, and the words that go with great storytelling songs, is one of life's great enjoyments. What many people don't realize is how listening to songs provides benefits beyond the joy of the immediate listening experience.

July's Blog of the month

No Fear Entertaining - I love cooking and I love sharing recipes, and this blog does both.  

July's Business English Article

A Brief History of Tourism

by Kevin Watson

The tourism business is at least 2,000 years old. It began when wealthy citizens of ancient Rome, deciding they would rather spend their summers away from the city, took trips to the countryside and the coast.

A tourist industry soon sprang up to cater for the Romans’ travel and accommodation needs, and for a while it thrived. But Roman tourism ended with its empire, and for hundreds of years the turbulent economic, social and military situation in Europe made frequent, safe travel out of the question.

July's English Book of the Month

The Forgotten Garden

by Kate Morton

Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves

retold by Andrew Lang

In a town in Persia there dwelt two brothers, one named Cassim, the other Ali Baba. Cassim was married to a rich wife and lived in plenty, while Ali Baba had to maintain his wife and children by cutting wood in a neighbouring forest and selling it in the town.

One day, when Ali Baba was in the forest, he saw a troop of men on horseback, coming toward him in a cloud of dust. He was afraid they were bandits, and climbed into a tree for safety. When they came up to him and dismounted, he counted forty of them. They unbridled their horses and tied them to the trees.

The finest man among them, whom Ali Baba took to be their captain, went a little way among some bushes, and said, "Open, Sesame!" so plainly that Ali Baba heard him.

July's Advert of the Month

Yell

Man on phone:  118 24 7 - Oh. Hi. Hello. Yes. Could you give me the number for a dog training school in Guildford?  Sit!

Operator: Sorry?

 Man on phone: Er, no, not you.

Watch it here:-

Yell

July's English Joke of the Month

A professor was marking some exam papers and opened one from a failing student to reveal blank pages and a £100 note. The only thing written on the answer page was, "£100 = 100% - I get a distinction."

July's Poem of the Month

If Death is Kind

By Sara Teasdale (1884 - 1933)

Silly Poems and Rhymes # 24

As I was going to St. Ives,
I met a man with seven wives.
Each of his wives had seven sacks,
Each of the sacks held seven cats,
Each of the cats had seven kits.
Kits, cats, sacks, and wives,
How many were going to St. Ives?

July's English Film of the Month  

The Edge of Love

Two feisty, free-spirited women in London during the Blitz, are connected by the brilliant, charismatic poet, Dylan Thomas, who, in his own way, loves them both.  This is a very British film, and what's fascinating is that Dylan Thomas comes across as an infantile, spoilt, brat.   So why do these women fawn all over him?  Maybe it's because the world is at war, Britain is struggling for survival.  What else can the beautiful young people do but get drunk, sleep around and mess up each other’s lives?  It looks as if things haven't changed much.

More here.

July's quote of the month.

Every month I choose a quote from people far wiser than me to appear here.

July's Site of the Month

The Online Guide to Traditional Games -  A fascintating history of British pub games and other unashamedly traditional British pastimes along with useful links and current information about traditional games from around the world. 

July's photo of the month.

Every month I choose a photograph from one of my Flickr groups to appear here.  Hopefully something interesting and informative.

This month's photo is from Judo Dad.  It's called "Frog's domain!"

The text accompanying the photograph reads, "Nymphaeaceae is the botanical name of a family of flowering plants. The family is also called the water lily family. The white water lily is the national flower of Bangladesh. It is also the birth flower for July. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia."

English Song Lyrics - July

Everybody's Free to Wear Sunscreen
by Baz Luhrmann

Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of ’97 - Wear Sunscreen

If I could offer you only one tip for the future,
sunscreen would be it.
The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists,
whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience
I will dispense this advice now.

The English Magazine cartoon of the week

Another great cartoon, this time from Bird Breath. You'll have to come back every week, but it's worth it.