There's something about a good mystery story. Particularly if it's a true-life one.

I don't know, maybe it's the fact that in an era where it seems that someone has an answer to everthing, and technology can reach across boundaries of space, time, and size, that there are still some secrets remaining to be discovered.

When the experts and gadgets fail to uncover the truth, well, doesn't that mean that your guess and mine are just as valid?

I suspect there's something in us all, too, that likes the fact that we could be the Indiana Jones figure who stumbles across the long lost treasure or is the holder of the missing clue. Like the incredible (and extremely valuable) Amber Room of the Catherine Palace, one of several of the homes of the Tsar of Russia. Stolen by the Nazis in 1941, the pieces of this stunning work of beauty have disappeared with barely a trace since 1945. Or the staircase that theoretically couldn't be built in a Santa Fe chapel, but which an elderly carpenter with only the most basic of tools constructed without payment before vanishing as mysteriously as he had arrived.

These stories, and others like them, give me a delicious tingle. As do tales of not only the Mary Celeste but also those of a more recent ship named the Baychimo, abandoned in 1931 and continuing to sail, without a soul on board, for an amazing 38 years (and perhaps she is still afloat even now). Or the lost squadron of Navy bombers in 1945 whose flight instruments mysteriously failed and who were never seen again.

This is just a sampling of some of the most intriguing mysteries that history has to offer us, and which have been gathered together and re-told in compelling detail. As to my source, well, I won't keep you in suspense about that. After all, it's fair to say that the writer who goes by the name of dc64 is one of my own favourites, and I love the work she produces for Squidoo.

As I write this, I have come across my own not-so-hidden clue that her fascinating article Mysterious and Amazing History had a mention here way back in 2008. Given that Debra has added so many strange and wonderful tales to it, and this blog has many new readers, I couldn't resist introducing it to a new audience today.

So, if you enjoy a mystery as much as I do, prepare to be caught up by Debra's stories of "weird history". Oh, and let me know which one intrigued you the most!

Visit: Mysterious and Amazing History

As Kim noted on Friday, here at Squidoo Lens Reviews each of us is searching for quality work to present to you, although what inspires each of us may be different.

The very act of writing for this blog has helped me to discover themes that appeal to me and that I can't resist coming back to. For instance, the two 'A's — animals and art — are subjects that never fail to draw me in. It's no surprise, then, that some of those I admire most on Squidoo happen to be animal artists.

This week I came across an article by someone who has led a fascinating life, to put it mildly. D-artist has many stories to tell, and each one of them alone would be compelling enough. Together, they make up a life story that encompasses everything from her parents' connections with silver screen movie stars and the travelling circus, to her own very youthful experiences of wartime Berlin and post-war Bavaria, and from there to Ellis Island, a modelling career that unexpectedly resulted in her lovely face becoming a global (if anonymous) icon, and a career as an accomplished artist.

Beneath all this is a very real person, a wife and mother, with a warm heart. That heart is big enough to include the four-legged creatures that have come her way. For 29 years, Delia shared her life with two horses that she adored. She has also given her attention to less fortunate horses and other creatures, and to other causes in line with her faith, by donating her artwork to charity.

These paintings are shared in Art for Donating, Events, Auctions. Given the work that goes into each and every painting, her generosity is admirable. From charity book illustrations to wall-sized murals to painted chairs, Delia has put her brush and paints in service of making this world a more caring place. Her drive to do this is such that, on fracturing her right wrist, she simply switched hand and completed the work with her left! I think this says more than I could about Delia's spirit.

Delia's life stories continue to captivate me. But what impresses me most is these tangible and beautiful acts of kindness. Delia and the others like her who use their talents in such a way are, for me, a true inspiration.

Visit: Art for Donating, Events, Auctions

When it comes to the question "would you rather live in the city or the countryside?", I have to vote for the rural life. Of course, for me, countryside means the "green and pleasant" fields and woodland of an English landscape, hillsides dotted with cotton wool sheep. More recently, I have come to love the rugged, windswept places of Scotland with a passion.

Cities may be where the action is, but for me the countryside is timeless. I love the connection to those who were here before and who wandered the same lanes, crossed the same stream, paused on the same hilltop to look at a view not much changed across the stretch of years.

The names of wildflowers, and the traditions and uses surrounding them, are another thread that continues from generation to generation. And the pleasures of a country childhood are simple ones that revolve around the thrill of discovery and the joy not of simply looking on but of being part of the wild world of nature.

Poet, musician and preacher-in-training LizMac60 had a country childhood in Devon, which is an especially lovely part of rural England, located in the south west of the country. Through the ups and downs of her life, she has clearly retained this love of nature in general and of Devon in particular. To quote from her biography on Squidoo: By far the greater part of my life has been lived in the countryside in Devon England. How blessed I am.

This makes Liz the perfect guide to take us on a nature walk, and that's exactly what she does in Down a Devon Lane. With photos and an engaging commentary, Liz leads us on a tour of her beloved countryside, beginning in her own village. Along the way, she points out flowers and leaves, which she names for us, and spies a bee among the campions. The delights of nature come alive with her friendly conversation and to read this article it really does feel as if you were right there beside Liz as she shares anecdotes and even a couple of poems of her own composition.

One of these begins: There's nothing so grand / As a walk in the country. If you fall into step beside this charming walking companion and take a stroll down her Devon lane, I am certain you will agree.

Visit: Down a Devon Lane