Braided Stream

Brookesia Micra

2012-02-26T16:42:00.004-08:00

Well, this little mite has been all over the internet recently, but I couldn't resist.

Why am I, and assume by extension is everyone else, so obsessed with tiny creatures?I suppose that they seem so impossible. Something so complex in a package so minute. All aesthetics and heart shrinking feelings aside, the tiny chameleon, more correctly the Pygmy Leaf Chameleon is found in Madagascar, along with a host of fascinating creatures, including lemurs (all the lemurs, they are found nowhere else) and was once home to the now extinct Elephant Bird. Madagascar also has an interesting history, and language. An amazing description of the island can be found in the introduction of Last Chance to See by Douglas Adams. One of my favourite books of all time.David Attenborough also seems pretty fond of the chameleon:The Brookesia micra is the smallest chameleon in the world, part of an entire family of miniature sized leaf chameleons, the Brookesia Minima group.

The Brookesia is not only near impossible to see due to its size, like all chameleons it is able to change colour to blend in with its surroundings. If threatened the chameleon will 'play dead' hoping to be mistaken for some sort of dry leaf.

Like most of the creatures on Madagascar, they are listed as a threatened species.

Blackstock

2012-02-13T11:17:00.000-08:00

In 2001, Gregory Blackstock retired from "25 1/3" years of work as a pot washer at the Washington Athletic Club (WAC). This has given him more time to devote to his art and music interests. He has been publishing drawings since 1986, first and the WAC newsletter and recently in a book of his work Blackstock's Collections: The Drawings of an Artistic Savant.

Blackstock is an autistic savant, he speaks many languages, can recall events with an uncanny precision and is an incredible mimic. He is also very skilled with music and can be seen around Seattle playing his accordion. He first caught the attention of the Garde Rail Gallery in 2003 leading to several shows and the eventual publication of his book. Many, many more images on their site.

The subject matter for his drawings varies a great deal from state birds to state prisons, tools to WWII bombers, and mackerel to Boeing jet liners. I've mostly included the drawings of animals and birds with a few vegetables, focusing on the images from nature.

His drawings are often large, made up of smaller pieces of paper taped together. They are complete collections, laid out in precise rows. The drawings created with pencil, crayon, ink and marker. The range of scale is seen here:

Blackstock is wearing a t-shirt with his drawings as a design! (Where can I get one!)

A revealing description of his abilities and personality: "Gregory Blackstock says he speaks 12 languages and is happy to prove it, bellowing greetings in a rapid succession of diverse tongues. Not only does he have perfect pitch, he can play any instrument he picks up but prefers the accordion, because it's loud." Regina Hackett, Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

Hybrid

2012-02-13T09:22:00.000-08:00

The Mechanics of it boggle the mind.

Medusae

2012-01-25T22:11:00.000-08:00

While not exactly the same as the siphonophores, who am I to split hairs when it comes to simple and elegant design.

Pendant Lamps by Roxy Towry-Russell

Siphonophore

2012-01-10T19:13:00.000-08:00

Surprisingly this isn't science fiction...but a marvel from the ocean right here on planet earth.Siphonophores are creatures, actually they are a colony of creatures, belonging to the same family as corals, hydrids and jellyfish. They are composed of several separate zooids (individuals)that are either medusae or polyps. Medusae are basically jellyfish and polyps are basically sea anemone. Each zooid in the colony has a specialized function of swimming or eating. Neither can perform the other, they are entirely dependent on the colony.

All siphonophres are predators, capturing their prey with lures, similar to the anemone. The majority swim in the wide ocean and to feed cast a wide net of minute tentacles. One species tethers itself to the bottom, and the most common species, the Portuguese Man O' War drifts about on the surface of the ocean.

There are approximately 175 species, some specimens being the longest animals in the world measuring over 40 metres and are long and thin. Some have orange or red pigmentation but most are of a clear gelatinous material. Many of them are bioluminescent, glowing green or blue when disturbed.

Beautiful images of Siphonophores and other sea creatures from the Census of Marine Zooplankton. More detailed information and diagrams here.

Kate McGuire

2011-09-08T22:06:00.000-07:00

When I started this blog there were a few things that definitely inspired me. Some artists and some images and some ideas that were intrinsic to the whole idea of this blog. In the ragged notebook that I keep my lists of ideas for postings Kate McGuire is near the top. I still think better with paper in front of me, and often build on an idea as I am writing the post. But there are a few that I have been saving, like jewels, as though if I post on them too soon I will run out of ideas.
But now seems like a good time to make this post, I was just reminded of McGuire's work by Laura from Atelier L.A.F. I have been meaning to do a post on them for ages as well...so it makes sense to do both.
Heave, 2008
This is the first image of McGuires that I ever saw, and although she has honed her skill and medium over the years, I can still recall my initial reaction of attraction and repulsion. In her newer works the feathers are more lush, all iridescence and silkiness. But the feathers in this work are just feathers, it is all to easy for me to associate them with the bird they may have come from. My respect and admiration of the winged, anyone who has spent much time with birds, up close and personal, knows that there a little bit repulsive about them. Especially in large numbers. Feathers are dusty. And coupled with the title and gushing forth onto the floor the concept deals with the abject.
But the piece is beautiful as well. The even layering of them is exquisite. I can only imagine what it would feel like to touch one of her pieces.
It is this relationship between attraction and repulsion in Nature that I find so fascinating myself. This push and pull also informs the work that I make.
Vice 2009.
Kate McGuire also has a series of pieces contained in vitrines. Each feathered structure forces against its confines. Either preserved as a museum specimen or entrapped in glass it is a creature with no head, no end and no beginning. A creation speaking both of serpents and feathers, a creature of mythology.
Corvid 2011.
The piece above has broken the bonds of its container but still roils, trapped by its own form. Each piece uses feathers to create a tension between the chaos of the natural world and the delicate care that is taken in constructing each piece.

Octopie

2011-09-07T16:58:00.001-07:00

It has been almost seven months since C.C., the giant Pacific octopus who lives at the Vancouver Aquarium, mated and laid eggs. Earlier this week, close to 300 of her eggs hatched. The babies are only 5 millimetres in length.

C.C. was introduced to her male partner, Clove, last October in the Strait of Georgia display. Mating marks the beginning of the end for octopuses, and Clove died 67 days after mating. C.C. is expected to die naturally in the coming weeks now that egg incubation is completed.

The giant Pacific octopus typically lays around 70,000 eggs on average, of which only a few are expected to survive to adulthood in their natural habitat.

These little guys are so amazing, who knew that Cephalopods could be so endearing. And so wonderful that 300 of them hatched and survived.

Perhaps this will lead to some sort of knew cephalopod fascination on my part. Here are a few items that I have found.

Knitted guy by Megan Stitz

Clockwise from top left: Illustration from Gemini Studios, bowl from No Tengo Miedo, print from Mateo and Isabel, t-shirt from Non-Fiction.

Ring from Heron Adornment

oh, and this scientifically accurate little guy:

from The Dapper Toad

Bees

2011-07-18T10:39:00.001-07:00

The other day two beekeepers competed in China's annual bee wearing contest. Each man wore only shorts, goggles and nose plugs. The two bee enthusiasts competed by each standing on a scale and using queen bees to attract as many drones to their bodies in one hour. The queen bees were locked in small cages and tied to them and the swarming bees picked up their scent and formed living suits around the competitors.

Wang Dalin won the bee-wearing competition, by attracting 26 kilograms of bees onto his body, while his fellow beekeeper only manged to attract 22.9 kilograms of live bees. Despite their valiant efforts, the two weren’t able to break the world bee-wearing record, of 39.5 kg (350,000 bees), set by American Mark Biancaniello.

The origin of bee bearding is attributed to Peter Prokopovitch, a Russian beekeeper, in the 1830s. Although bee keepers through the centuries have encouraged masses of bees to congregate on their bodies. The practice spread to various "freak" exhibitions at American carnivals by the end of the nineteenth century.

This Vintage bee bearding photograph is from Life 1955.
It seems like a dangerous pastime, although a beekeeping friend told me that after a few years of working with bees the stings no longer hurt and she has no reaction to them. So maybe it wouldn't be that bad. Although for anyone who has even passed close to a hive and heard the sound from within I would imagine the sound would be deafening. Especially after what I assume is several hours of supporting many pounds of moving, buzzing, vibrating bees.

Perhaps a little like this clip from Mathew Barney's Cremaster 2

Through the hour-glass....

2011-07-13T22:11:00.000-07:00

A tenuous Vancouver summer has arrived and it seemed high time for something a little beachy....

Never have those words been so true. And walking in the sand will never be the same after seeing these photographs.

Professor Gary Greenberg painstakingly sorts through grains of sand to find the most remarkable ones to photograph. He has also developed a complicated technique for photographing each grain from dozens of angles and combining the images with special software.

The grains are magnified 250 times to reveal fragments of crystals, spiral fragments of shells and crumbs of volcanic rock.

The images are available in Greenbergs book A Grain of Sand and on his website sandgrains.com.
Original article here.

Treasure

2011-06-11T22:22:00.000-07:00

Last month was very exciting at the New Zealand Wildlife Centre. Manukura, the all white kiwi, was hatched. The chick is not an albino but a rare all white hatchling. Thirteenth of fourteen kiwi chicks hatched at the Centre, Manukura is being hand reared at Pukaha Mount Bruce. The captive breeding program was designed to increase the number of kiwi chicks hatched. Only ten were hatched between 2005 and 2010, so 14 for 2011 alone is a steep increase. The Pukaha sanctuary is 940 hectares and protected by over 1000 traps. All the kiwi's hatched this year will be released when the weigh one kilogram and are able to defend themselves. Manukura may not be released, as a white kiwi may be more vulnerable to predators.

Manukura - the little white kiwi. from Mike Heydon on Vimeo.

For countless eons New Zealand's only mammal species were bats. The Maori arrived almost a thousand years ago with little impact to the birds, except perhaps the Moa. When Europeans arrived in New Zealand in the mid 1600's there was a great impact on both the Maori people but also New Zealands distinct avian species. Europeans brought with them cats, dogs and weasels and later when they settled there, goats, sheep and pigs. That latter group declined the natural habitat while the former group preyed on species that had not had such predators before. Many of New Zealand's birds are really only surviving in island sanctuaries that have been culled of mammals. Hopefully these newly hatched kiwis will give the species a foothold that it desperately needs.

Even if little Manukura is unable to be released the amount of awareness that such a special chick has raised is very important. Rangitane chief executive and Pukaha board member Jason Kerehi said tribal elders saw the white chick as a tohu, or sign, of new beginnings.

"Every now and then something extraordinary comes along to remind you of how special life is. While we're celebrating all 14 kiwi hatched this year, Manukura is a very special gift."

In Bloom

2011-05-30T09:44:00.000-07:00

The last few posts have been a little dark. Or at least a little gross.
So here is one that will hopefully inspire some spring-time. I came across the following image on Cedars Between the Pines, the sweet tumblr site operated by my cousin Emma. She must spend a shocking amount of time online!
But it makes sense that I would find it there, as we are both from the same strange and old fashioned family with one foot stuck in Victorian England. The language of Flowers, and any secret code, was of great interest to me in childhood and still filled with mysterious intrigue today.

Many books were published on the subject, the book on the left is Flora's Lexicon by Catherine Waterman published in 1857. The book on the right is Robert Tyas' Language of Flowers published in 1869.

In its most basic form The language of Flowers, or Floriography, uses flowers to send a coded message.
Red roses mean passionate love, as they still do today.
Some less common codes are:
Scarlet Lily - High souled aspirations
Cabbage - Profit
Yellow Carnation - "You have disappointed me"
Lime Blossom - Fornication

Some of the codes seem a little diluted, yellow roses can mean: Friendship, jealousy, infidelity, or apology, a broken heart, intense emotion, dying love, extreme betrayal. It seems that it would be all to easy to send a mixed message.
There is a comprehensive list found here and another in chart form here.

The Victorians were all about propriety, or seeming propriety, and greatly into symbolism. Floriography plays into that need intensely. Sending secret messages under the watchful eyes of chaperones, parents and society would have been just the thrill that the Victorians craved.
The association with plants and Botany would also have helped bring it into the scope of the Victorians. Science was just emerging as an interest for the everyday Victorian and floriography would have been a simple and Romantic way to access that.
In 1829 Almira Phelps, a very early female botanist, wrote "the study of Botany seems peculiarly adapted to females; the objects of its investigation are beautiful and delicate; its pursuit leading to exercise in the open air is conducive to health and cheerfulness. Botany is not a sedentary study which can be acquired in the library; but the objects of the science are scattered over the surface of the earth, along the banks of the winding brooks, on the borders of precipices, the sides of mountains, and the depths of the forest."
Women were able to find more freedom in the arena of science so long as it was deemed suitable to their womanly selves. The mingling of sentiment and etiquette with the womanly symbolism of flowers would have been much more acceptable than delving into any sort of hard and tangible science.

Previous images clockwise from top left:
-Uncredited, woman in wonderfully absurd floral dress found via Floriography Jewelry, The Victorians and their florals have inspired many fussy unattractive things but I find this jewelry strangely appealing.
-Frontispiece from Flora's Interpreter and Fortuna Flora, by Mrs. Sarah Josepha Hale, 1850.
-To beauty, friendship and love (rose, ivy and myrtle), hand-colored engraving from Anna Christian Burke’s The Illustrated Language of Flowers, 1856.
-Cover from the Language of Flowers by Kate Greenaway, 1884. View the complete book here.

For further reading on the subject of Floriography and Victorian women and Botany have a look here and here.

Black Mold

2011-05-29T11:29:00.000-07:00

I came across this photo a few years ago while searching for information on removing mold from ones home. A reality when you live in a damp climate.

The tiny capillaries in my lungs clench when I look at this photograph, and yet there is something terrifyingly beautiful here. Not only does it look like a scene from a horror movie- the dark powers roiling in.
But the pattern is very lovely. If it were not made of toxic spores it would be quite lovely. Or is it just me?

So I felt an instant connection when I cam across this dress from Geneveive Savard

The black mold cocktail dress.

Savard's designs are beautiful, her patterns are very interesting, especially her bags.
She also writes a blog called Myrtle and Pearls.

Necropants

2011-05-29T10:50:00.000-07:00

While writing the previous post about Suzanne Lee and BioCouture I couldn't stop thinking that her clothes reminded me of something.
In her TED talk she mentions that they look a little like human skin.....

Oh wait, that's what it was.

Necropants.

This pair is in the Icelandic Museum of Sorcery and Witchcraft and are made of latex.
In medieval Iceland this macabre object was used as part of a ritual to get rich. An agreement would be made with a friend before his death. The death had to be natural and the body would have to be dug up and the skin removed from the lower half. The Necropants would have to be worn at all times next to the skin. A coin must be stolen from a poor widow and placed in the scrotum with this runic stave:
Apparently the scrotum would always be magically filled with money. For more information on the Necropants or other Viking histories have a look at this site.
Or watch this video. Necropants appear at 2:33.

Sweet Tea

2011-05-27T20:36:00.000-07:00

These images are from the BioCouture website, and are the work of Suzanne Lee who is growing textiles from a bacterial culture. Obviously a work in process, as her TED talk explains, but visually stunning and an idea with amazing potential.

TED talks are such an amazing source of wonder and inspiration. If you have some free time at all, they are an amazing way to learn something remarkable.

The BioCouture blog is also an an amazing read. All sorts of other projects in the field of science. I look forward to reading the posts in greater depth.

Kombucha, I'm glad that it isn't just the fad drink of the moment. Quite delicious and very popular but assuredly an acquired taste.
But I work at a health food store, so my perspective is probably skewed.
Also, knowing what I do about Kombucha, I'm curious about how the garments would smell.

dearheart

2011-05-18T20:18:00.000-07:00

FALLEN GARDENS TRAILER 2011 from Mike McKinlay on Vimeo.

This is the latest nature video from Mike McKinlay. Mike has a hand in a lot of different pies, as his website will attest. He has a knack for creating documentaries that appeal to very different audiences. Previous nature documentaries have focused on crows, herons and apparently a very early project centered around a ground squirrel colony. He has also done a series of shorts for the Pacific Coast Wildlife Fund
.
Fallen Gardens has such a tongue in cheek sinister quality which is so successful because it is about deer. One of natures most gentle creatures, certainly no threat. Not personally at least.

In Second Nature, his treatise on gardening, Michael Pollan describes the difference between the damage done in his garden by a woodchuck and doe "[The woodchucks] devour a crop systematically, whereas a doe--nervous, and possessing perhaps a more developed sense of shame--will nibble a plant here, snip a shoot there, and then, startled by a falling leaf or something equally perilous to a two-hundred-pound mammal, dash off before her meal is done." Although perhaps the residents of this specific neighborhood would disagree.

And deer really do seem to be symbols of serenity and gentleness. Perhaps it is and subconscious association with Bambi.

Both photos of 'Bambi' courtesy of Hope Images

Or perhaps not.

Zoo

2011-04-20T08:23:00.001-07:00

The last few weeks have been pretty busy, hence the lack of posts.
But I have a few stored up in my brain and bookmarks for future posting.

Ural Owl

Recently came across the site Zooborns and it brought up a lot of my conflicted feelings about animals in captivity. I am still conflicted about zoos. I can admit that some are obviously better than others. Some zoos offer captive breeding programs where certain species will be returned to its natural habitat. And educating the public, especially children leads to individuals that are interested in animals and their welfare. And in captivity it is possible to study animals more closely and then use this information to aid wild populations. And in the case of many species, the populations in zoos are far better protected than those in the wild.
Amur Leopard

But there is still something conflicting about the whole idea. No matter how well a zoo enclosure has been designed to mimic a certain environment it will never be accurate. And regular prepared meals and exposure to human handlers means that many of these creatures could never be returned to the wild and never survive on their own. And their captivity somehow robs them of their animalness.
Silver Fox

That being said, I'm not made of stone. Wobbly-kneed, fluffy, watery-eyed baby animals of tiny size and ridiculous proportions are incredibly cute. And cuteness is a great way to draw people in and (hopefully) educate them.

As a child I would have loved this website-if there had been websites-instead I had these. I still have them, and the pages are well worn. I read them often, half memorized them and alienated myself as a child by knowing too many things about the capybara. I suppose not much has changed, if this blog is to attest.Capybara

For the credit of Zooborns, they focus on all the zoo animals, not just the obvious tiger and panda cubs. and I have discovered that I have a strange affection for baby birds.Silvery-cheeked hornbill

King Vulture

Palm Cockatoo

Hopefully this website is a successful tool for providing education and information about lesser known species.
Gerunek

Coati Mundi

Sifaka Lemur

Piping Plover

Takin

Francois Langur

West African Crowned Crane

Aardvark

Desert Bighorn Sheep

Red Ruffed Lemur

Out of Step

2011-03-20T23:04:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted in so long because I have been determined to finish the last post from The Moon by Whale Light. Which has been taking awhile. And it is on its way. Just very slowly.

But I had to post this as I just couldn't resist!

Moon by Whale Light: Penguins

2011-02-28T15:07:00.000-08:00

White Lanterns
The final chapter of The Moon by Whale Light, Diane Ackerman acquaints the reader with penguins. She begins her journey in San Diego, at the Penguin Encounter, or a quarantined area near there, where King penguin chicks of various ages are being reared. As a volunteer, she is able to get very close and interact with them. They have adopted the humans as their parents and as one passes by, the chicks vie for attention and food. Penguins have no land predators, and therefore no fear of humans. This makes them easy to study, weigh and measure, and apparently the king penguin chicks are the easiest of all.

In the wild the penguins would be in rookeries of about a hundred thousand, and parents and chicks would recognize one another only by their whistle. In the wild the penguin chicks would spend all their time perched on the feet of one of their parents. The ground is too cold for them to stand for long, and the chicks huddle against a warm brood patch on the parents belly, or when they are older, huddle together. This means that the captive penguins spend all their time wanting to be fed of cuddled.

Penguins are easy to anthropomorphize, as they walk upright and live in communities. They have a comical waddle that Ackerman compares to a human toddler's.

All Penguins live in the Southern Hemisphere, on the Antarctic continent, or Sub Antarctic islands. They also live along the coasts of South America, Africa, Australia and New Zealand. One species even lives near the Equator, on the Galapagos Islands.

Penguins have changed very little in 40 million years. They have had the same basic structure for a millennium. Flightless and a little clumsy on land, they spend much of their time in the water and show true proficiency when swimming. They are streamlined, agile and fast. Scientists are only able to study them during their short courtship and breeding seasons, but the majority of their time is spent in the water.

Ackerman also journeys to the South Pole in order to make her penguin experience complete. She takes a cruise ship with over one hundred tourists and a fair number of scientists and naturalists who are hitching a ride. They travel to various islands and observe the rookeries of several different species of penguins: Magellanic, Gentoo, Chinstrap, King and Macaroni penguins. They also see a juvenile Emperor penguin but they breed too far south for the tour to see them. They are also lucky enough to see different bird species such as albatross, skua, various petrels and terns and several species of seal including the leopard seal, the greatest predator of the penguins.

Such diversity of life for a continent that is often characterized as lifeless. The largest year round species in the Antarctic is the wingless fly, measuring in at half an inch. Yet there is a great abundance of life in the summer. Fertile waters are caused by the constant sun, creating blooms of plantlife. These in turn feed krill miniscule shrimplike invertebrates) which are eaten by fish, squid and penguins themselves. Penguins catch each krill individually, needing to catch one every six seconds to get enough food. In turn this system supports other birds, seals and whales.

Ackerman describes the otherworldly beauty of Antarctica and its subtle palette. She also delves into the politics that are both protecting the continent and threatening its natural resources. At the close of one expressive passage she describes the scene from the ship.
Apricot light spills over the distant snow-tipped mountains. Chunky
wedges of peppermint-blue ice drifted past us. Behind us, the Zodiak
left a frothy white petticoat. And farther beyond, shapes arched out
of the water-penguins feeding, oblivious to what we call beauty.

Photo by John Bentham

Moon by Whale Light: Whales

2011-02-09T21:36:00.000-08:00

Photo: Flip Nicklin, National Geographic.

The following video has very interesting audio, but no visuals. I suggest listening while reading this posting.

For the third chapter of Moon by Whale Light, Diane Ackerman spends her time with whales. To meet with Roger Payne she goes first to Hawaii to listen to Humpback whales singing and then to Patagonia to study Right Whales. It was Payne who discovered Whalesong in 1967 and he has been working on theories for its purpose ever since. But little is known and whales are very difficult to study. Various theories include singing for territorial designation or for attracting a mate. It is supposed that only male Whales sing, but it is not even known how they sing. the songs are monotonous over a period of time, but change from year to year with different sounds being exchanged for one another.

Humpback Whales are a migratory species, spending the summers in cold, nutrient rich waters and migrating to warmer waters to give birth. Because of the vastness of the oceans it is very difficult for scientists to track the movement of these and other whales. After giving birth the female will not be able to feed in the tropical waters, she must wait until her calf is mature enough to travel to feeding grounds in colder climes. The calf grows very quickly, nourished by her rich milk.

For a gallery of other photos and sounds Whale Trust is an excellent resource. They also publish some beautiful books.

Ackerman meets with Roger Payne again in Patagonia, a stopping point for the endangered Right Whale on its migration to feed in the waters off Antarctica. They stop along the coast to engage in courtship and raise their young. Ackerman joins Payne and other researchers at the rustic station that he has set up there overlooking two bays that are frequented by whales.

The Right Whale is a Baleen Whale or Mysticeti, like the Humpback. They have no teeth but hundreds of closely packed, springy baleen plates that they use to filter out small prey such as krill, plankton and small schooling fish. They also have two blow holes in the top of their heads. Toothed whales (Odonoceti) such as orcas, sperm whales and dolphins only have one and echolocate to find larger prey.
Southern Right Whale photographed by Brian Skerry.

Right Whales earned their name in a rather macabre way. They float when dead and where referred to as the 'right whale to kill' by early whalers. It is the rarest whale species, hunted almost to extinction. It is however a surface whale making it easier to study and observe. The mating of Right Whales is far more aggressive than other documented whale species. Little is known about the mating of other whales because it has not been seen. Right whale "courtship" takes place on the surface and is a riotous affair with several males to one female. The females breed every three to five years and the calves are weaned after 8 months to a year. Adolescent whales have been seen following mothers and calves and it is theorized that they may be from the previous breeding season.

Ackerman swims with a mother and calf and observes how gentle and calm they are in her presence. The young one swims very close to her but she does not touch it as it can be very dangerous to startle a whale. The calf weighs a metric ton and may not know its own strength. Casualties from Right whales have occurred when boats have been crushed accidentally by tails or fins. The following photograph by Brian Skerry for National Geographic illustrate how close one can get to these giants when careful.

For some other inspiring whale stories here are audio podcasts from Radiolab and Stuff You Missed in History.
The introduction to Radiolabs Animal Minds is a story about a rescued whale off the coast of San Francisco.

The post from Missed in History is the story of a Sperm Whale turning the tables on a whaling ship. And is available through Real-Life Moby Dick.

Moon by Whale Light: Alligators

2011-01-30T00:28:00.000-08:00

Chris Jones, National Geographic.

The second part of Ackerman's adventure takes her to the Florida to follow the study of alligators. She meets with zoologist Kent Vliet at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm who is studying blood samples of alligators in captivity. The farm was started in 1893 they expanded in the 1930's and holds "a collection of the largest, oldest and fattest alligators ever". Ackerman assists them with their studies which involves measuring them and taking a blood sample. Vliet is checking their hormone levels in captivity as captive animals breed less frequently than those in the wild. Her first day in the field Ackerman climbs on the back of a large alligator to cover its eyes and comfort it. While it's jaws are taped shut, it seems like a formidable exercise, and it is Ackerman's enthusiasm for such experiences that makes her stories so engaging. She describes the alligators so beautifully and respectfully comparing their spiny backs to the Rocky Mountains and the way they feel to the 'best eraser'. It's obvious that she is fascinated by them. American Alligator in Atchafalaya National Wildlife Refuge. Photo courtesy of National Geographic.

The American Alligator is one of three major types of Crocodilians, there are twenty-nine different species but they can be organized most simply as Alligators and Caimans, Crocodiles and Gharials. Alligators have rounded snouts, Crocodiles triangular, pointed snouts. Alligators are apparently quite shy and mild-mannered, Crocodiles are speedier and more savage. Gharials are fish eating crocodilians with long slender snouts, frequenting the Ganges. Different species all over the world have been hunted and many populations are endangered. Luxury goods such as crocodile shoes and briefcases have reduced their numbers. They also suffer from habitat loss, sport hunting and use as novelty goods and trophies.
Weeping Crocodile by Rob Bridges and available here.

They also suffer from a certain amount of bad press. The associations with Alligators, Crocodiles and Reptiles in general is usually negative. Its good to see that the artists above and below feel differently. It is their cold bloodedness and reptilian brains that makes them what they are. Efficient predators that conserve energy and communicate in slow mysterious ways so different from ourselves. Being cold blooded allows them to eat infrequently and while their brains are very small they are uncomplicated and serve the alligators' needs. Crocodilians appeared about 84 million years ago and managed to compete with and outlive the dinosaurs. They are the closest living relative of birds, both evolving from a common reptilian ancestor.

While Roky Erickson probably wasn't thinking of the physiology of the alligator when writing this song to me it seems perfect.

Moon By Whale Light.

2011-01-29T10:30:00.000-08:00

Diane Ackerman has such an inspiring sense of adventure. I love reading her books for their beauty and insight but I also enjoy picturing her in the bizarre situations that she finds herself. In Moon by Whale Light she researches four different animals in very different environments. Bats, Alligators, Whales and Penguins. She breaks each of these chapters down into a rich mix of personal experience and scientific fact. She journeys to different places where these animals are being researched and spends time with the researchers, fleshing out their personalities and motivations for going into the fields that they did. She also makes the whole experience seem relatable. Whether she is assisting in the tagging of alligators or swimming with right whales she is curious and inspired by her adventure and it comes through so strongly in her writing.

In Praise of Bats
The first chapter of Moon by Whale Light focuses on bats. A personal favourite of mine, this may have been my initial draw to read the book. She travels to see Merlin Tuttle who has done a great deal to educate people about bats and preserve their species all over the world. One of the leading experts on bats and the founder of Bat Conservation International. Which holds a variety of useful bat information, such as how to humanely remove one from your home, as well as information on how they are impacted by wind energy and human interaction. You can even purchase the official 2011 bat calendar or your own personal bat house.
Honduran White Bat.

Bats make up nearly one quarter of all the worlds mammals, So there is much diversity in behavior and physiology. The greatest distinction is between megabats and microbats. Megabats are the large fruit eating species such as flying foxes. They have large eyes that they use to see as opposed to echolocation and may be distantly related to the primates.
Clockwise:Marianas Flying Fox, Gray Headed Flying Fox, Gray Headed Flying Foxes, another GHFF, and a Spectacled Flying Fox

Red Flying Fox

The microbats, often referred to as the true bats, are smaller and use echolocation instead of sight. There are over 800 species making these bats far more diverse with much more visual differences.
Clockwise: Chapin's Free-tailed Bat, Vampire Bat, Bulldog or Fisherman Bat, Greater Round Eared Bat, Silver Haired Bat, Long Tongued Bat and Big Free-tailed Bat.

All of the photos immediately previous and following are by Merlin Tuttle himself, who has done a great deal for the perception of bats simply by the way he photographs them. The common way to photograph them was to stretch them by each wingtip or clutch them tightly. Both ways show that bats terrified and trying to escape, usually with mouths open, giving the impression of being ferocious. When bats are echolocating they open their mouths, often showing their teeth. They are not threatening, only trying to understand where they are. Tuttle's photographs show a much more interesting side of bats. Each one with such different features, all to aid with echolocation or feeding. And each one looking the stoic character patiently having a portrait taken. There is a wonderful gallery of his work (a lifetime's worth) where all kinds of bats are photographed looking perfectly amiable going about their bat lives.
Clockwise: D'Orbigny's Round Eared Bat, Yellow Shouldered Bat, Ghost-Faced Bat, Eastern Red Bat, Virginia Big Eared Bat, Hoary Bat and Cave Myotis Bat.

Changing the public perception of bats is very important as their colonies are still being disturbed and destroyed. Bats can eat several tons of insects in a year, which can be beneficial to crops, and are excellent pollinators.
Long-nosed Bat pollinating Saguaro.

I find it hard to understand an aversion to bats as I find them delicate and endearing. I love their strange faces and the idea of a flying mammal, so efficient with its night time survival. Perhaps it is our dislocation with the night that has led to our misconceptions about bats. We rarely see them and when we do it is unexpected. Perhaps we should look a little harder for them.

Monkey Faces

2011-01-24T13:10:00.000-08:00

Monkey Portraits
by Jill Greenberg
I just bought this book as a gift, but absolutely had to take a look through it first.
The portraits are beautiful and expressive and so very human. I try very hard to steer clear of anthropomorphism, but with monkeys it seems like such a natural progression or evolution.To make them even more human the monkeys all have names and there is a list of each ones resumé in the back. I suppose that when looking for monkeys in the US that will sit still in front of the camera, it makes sense to choose monkey actors. Although I would imagine that she is a very patient photographer as her subjects have also included portraits of bears and wailing children.
While the humanness of the monkey is appealing, I think what really draws me to them is the duality of them. Actions that look so familiar and comedic but very obviously belong to a wild animal. Sweet little faces that contain enormous teeth. Shown so well by the Golden Snub-Nosed monkey from China. Recently photographed by Cyril Ruoso for National Georgraphic
Hard to fathom that this little creature is related to the ones below. But a healthy reminder that nature is rarely one sided.
Ruoso has had a great deal of experience photographing in the field and photographing teeth much larger those of the wee Snub-Nose.

It's obvious that we are so drawn to monkeys and apes because we see ourselves in them and vice versa, but perhaps this self reflection includes all sides of them.

Mermaids

2011-01-10T18:03:00.000-08:00

Just discovered the beautiful jewels of Emily Miranda so perfectly suited to adorn one of the Sirens of myth. Illustrated above by Arthur Rackham.

from top to bottom: Bent Scallop Cuff, Oyster Encrusted Cuff, Claw Encrusted Cuff, Grotto Ring, Claw Earrings and Oyster Cuff. Each piece is unique and I find the construction and level of detail awe inspiring. And they fit perfectly with my idea of mermaids as being beautiful and sinister. The only modern mermaid I feel fills this role is Effluvia from the brilliant mind of Dame Darcy.
If you want to find the rest of this comic, it is available in the Meat Cake collection from Dame Darcy.

I will make a concession on the sinister mermaid front for this video from the Flight of the Conchords, as their mermaids dangerous on the misdemeanor level.

Jade

2011-01-10T17:26:00.000-08:00

Jade is a semi precious stone, or rather one of two stones made up of different minerals. Jadeite and Nephrite. Jadeite is rarer, but both stones have been used in ornamental carving for many centuries. Both stones are available in different colours, but in both cases it is the purest shade of green that has the most value. The photo above depicts antique Jadeite buttons from China. And while these stones are beautiful and rare, the next images from Jesse Gray are rarer still, as these beautiful jewels are perishable and one of a kind.

Space

2011-01-06T22:57:00.000-08:00

Source: Hubblesite.org
I've been looking at the images from the Hubble Telescope a good deal lately.
Source: Hubblesite.org
They are astounding and breathtaking in beauty and scope. It is the images of Nebulae in particular that were the inspiration for the most my most recent design from Hand & Shadow. (This is what I do when I'm not at work, and not painstakingly researching topics to write about here.)

Trying to wrap my brain around the concept of the cosmos leaves me reeling. It is all so massively vast as this little video will attest:

Hesse-Honegger

2010-12-29T00:23:00.000-08:00

While looking up images for my previous insect related post, I came across the work of Cornelia Hesse-Honegger. She worked as a Scientific Illustrator at the Natural History Museum at the University of Zurich for 25 years. She began collecting and painting Leaf Bugs (Heteroptera) in 1969, and after the Chernobyl incident began recording the damage that nuclear radiation was having on these insects.She has since then studied and painted insects near functioning nuclear power stations in Europe and the U.S. and concluded that even low levels of radiation are enough to cause morphologically disturbed insects.Heteroptera (2001)and Future's Mirror (1999) are books of illustrations and essays highlighting the physiological effects of radiation. In her biography Hesse-Honegger points out the lack of published findings on these effects and implores independent scientific study in this field.She has also published a book of her images on Silk. She began designing fabric for Swiss fashion houses Akris and Fabric Frontline. I can just imagine that the medium of silk would lend itself so perfectly to her lush images. Even in photograph the richness of colour makes my heart beat a little faster.

Bugs.

2010-12-28T22:27:00.000-08:00

I was immediately drawn to the image for Beetle Queen Conquers Tokyo. Although at the time I wasn't sure if it would be a documentary or a monster movie or perhaps something similar to 'Kiss of the Spider Woman'. But documentary it is, highlighting Japan's interest in Insects.

I find that our western attitude to things that creep and crawl is far from positive. I'm sure that very few children I know would be saving up for a beetle of any kind.
But insects do possess an alien beauty. Different from us in almost every way possible they have inspired the horrific and the exquisite.

Christopher Marley photographs insects and such a way that they appear as beautiful jewels. In mosaic photos such as the one above, they are not ordered by taxonomy, but arranged only for aesthetics.
In the single photos such as the one above, the beetles look more like mounted specimens. And indeed, specimens of this Macrodontia Cervicorniscan grow very large and collect a great deal of money.
I think I prefer the idea of a private collector buying one of Morley's photos than an actual specimen.

A Perfect Red

2010-11-25T01:40:00.000-08:00

This is the first in what I hope will be a long series of book 'reviews'.
I'm a huge fan of the written word in general but there is something important about the tactile experience of handling a book. The texture of the paper, the smell of the pages, the weight of the book itself, all integral to a good read.

A Perfect Red by Amy Butler Greenfield explores the complex history of cochineal, the first ever true red dye to meet western eyes. In the sixteenth century, the Spanish began importing the dyestuff from the New World.
Previously, Europeans were only to dye with madder, which produces an rusty, orange red.
Very quickly, cochineal became highly sought after, and was one of the items sanctioned by Queen Elizabeth I for her Privateers to steal. It was second only to silver as Mexico's valuable exports.
The book is greatly informative, not just on the dye and it's history, but on the historical climate surrounding it and it's possible impacts on the larger world. It offers insight into the wonderment that the colour would have caused in a time before synthetic dyes, when such substances were highly prized. It is a surprisingly fascinating read, and far from dry.
Fingers by Stasia Burrington.

Cochineal is a parasitic insect that lives on the Nopal cactus. The dye is derived from the Carminic acid that it uses as defense. In Colonial times Cochineal was mainly used to dye fabric, but was used by indigenous peoples of the Oaxaca area for many purposes. It it has mostly been replaced with synthetic dyes but is still commonly used in cosmetics and food.

While many different shades of red can be achieved with cochineal dye, it is the true crimson that was most popular with its introduction to Europe. It is this specific shade of red that still captivates us today. Traditionally associated with love, passion, anger and blood. It also speaks of a luxury that could only continue from a time when such a colour would have been reserved for the church and the very wealthy.
Here are some selected items from etsy celebrating this beautiful shade.(clockwise from top left)beret21 by dadaya; Imaginary Blood Vessels Horse by Leah Markov-Lindsay; Hat from Retro Repro Handmade; earrings by Tina Rice
While I'm sure that none of these items were coloured with cochineal they are captivating shades of red none the less.(clockwise from top left)Mola/Red leather bag from South Industry; A Bit of Red by Eliza Frye; Much Love by Ashley G; Jessica wool dress from kcoline; Sandals from Tuto.

(clockwise from top left) The Kimono by Heather Evans Smith; Coral necklace from Ruonan; the Raven's Winter Perch by Steve Morris; Earrings from Lily Sharon; Brooch from uloni; Hello Stranger by Nora Aoyagi.
(clockwise from top left)Feathers Print from 1canoe2; Moccasins from Spiro creations; Burning Volcano ring from Jia Style; Frosty II by Milkylane; Red Poppy dress from RubyPearl.

Scale

2010-11-19T12:07:00.001-08:00

There is some sort of delight in finding something that doesn't quite fit size wise. I'm a big fan of tiny apples, tastes like a regular apple but made for elfin hands.
Perhaps this is why Terrariums are so very popular. Who doesn't want a miniature ecosystem all to themselves. Usually quite simple, they are made with moss or air plants, as these are relatively hardy, and constructed in small glass containers. Dollhouses for the nature lover.
I wonder what makes the unexpected size so appealing, perhaps a tiny shred of a moment where we can imagine ourselves as giants....
Or in the case of this photograph by Leah Benetti, in miniature.

Paintbox

2010-11-10T19:58:00.000-08:00

A few days ago a came across a photograph of these beautiful Painted Eucalyptus and now I will have to find a way to see one with my own eyes. Apparently they are cultivated around the world, but perhaps I wil have to go to New Guinea. I can go to Australia, avoid being bitten by something poisonous and then pop over and see some amazing trees.
The spectrum of colours is caused by the bark being shed at different times, and each section changing colour as it ages. While looking for post worthy photographs I also discovered this wonderful list of remarkable trees, all worthy of their own post. Each one is so varied from one another and so amazing. I was also pleased to see that the Bristlecone Pine is on the list. One of the oldest living organisms and a topic that i have been prattling about for ages.
Such wonderful colour combinations are so rarely seen, and yet they immediately made me think of Thief & Bandit. Amie combines colours and materials in beautiful and unexpected ways.

Anglerfish

2010-11-05T18:45:00.000-07:00

This posting was originally found on Teenangster, and I just copied it over, as there wasn't anything I could say that Allison had not already:
The creatures that ooze, float and pulse near the ocean’s floor are a rarely viewed breed unto themselves. Magnhild Disington, along with fashion designer Emma Jorn, created this collection of ramshackle textile, yarn and fur abstract objects, loosely inspired by deep sea creatures, sensations and atmosphere of life down in the dark waters. These creatures are equal part imagination and possibility. See more deep sea creatures in the video.

klaus pichler

2010-10-30T13:04:00.000-07:00

This photo is part of the Skeletons in the Closet project by Klaus Pichler. All the photographs were taken in museums, not of the exhibitions themselves, but behind the scenes. There is an appealing sort of jumble to the specimens, most of which are thrown together with little are. They make for a compelling composition but this lone wing-tip is my favourite.

Fungus

2010-10-16T22:31:00.000-07:00

Fungi by Groundwork found on Etsy.com.

Here in Vancouver, as the rain sets in, it is Fungus season.
Last weeks walk in the woods revealed many fascinating varieties, none of which I have the skill to identify. However, I'm grateful that someone can, as wild crafted mushrooms are appearing at the market and making me hungry.
I was also lucky enough to stumble across this gem a few weeks ago.
Know your Mushrooms the 2009 documentary by Ron Mann. It's bit silly at times but filled with some fascinating bits of information and very knowledgeable nutty old guys tramping about in the woods animatedly spouting the wonders of fungi. They really do know their stuff and the section of the film that was predictably devoted to Psilocybin (magic) mushrooms was not the bulk of the narrative.

I found these beautiful leather mushrooms at wherethelovelythingsare.com but they were reposted from nuno magazine where you can subscribe and find the tutorial.

If you prefer a look at Fungi that is more serious and educational (and narrated by David Attenborough-who you will come to learn is one of my great heroes) here is a clip from the BBC I'm enchanted by the magical dance of the time-lapse filming. And by the many forms that the fungi can take. The white-netted fungus (Phallus indusiatus) being one of the loveliest, and most surprising to watch unfold.

Here it is again in this gorgeous vintage botanical available here.

Giant Penguin

2010-10-02T20:33:00.000-07:00

Fossil evidence of a giant penguin were found recently. Inkayacu paracasensis or Water King, had brown and grey plumage instead of the modern white and black. Along with the Icadyptes salasi another species discovered a few years ago, these birds lived in what is now Peru about 36 million years ago. They stood over five feet tall and were twice as heavy as today's largest penguin, the Emperor which stands at 3ft 7in and weighs 75 lbs. They may also have been able to dive to great depths judging by their large size. The Emperor often dives to 200m (and the record is 565m)
Articles describing these penguins are from the BBC and can be found here and here.

And strangely the mention of giant penguins makes me think immediately of HP Lovecraft.
An odd association to be sure, but there is a mention of penguins in his 1931 story At The Mountains of Madness.

This white, waddling thing was fully six feet high....a penguin—albeit of a huge, unknown species larger than the greatest of the known king penguins, and monstrous in its combined albinism and virtual eyelessness.

The story has little to do with penguins at all, for some reason their brief presence within the story has stuck with me. They have little significance to the plot but perhaps it is there recognizable familiarity within this strange Lovecraftian mythology that grounds the story. It is actually a tale of an Antarctic Expedition and the discovery of a race of Ancient beings. Genuinely creepy and written with excellent detail I find it to be one of his better stories.

The complete text can be found here.

The image below is from the Spanish Graphic Novel En Las Montañas de la Locura illustrated by Enrique Breccia

Pink!

2010-09-29T18:06:00.000-07:00

Rarely seen in Nature, as day-glo colouring makes it difficult to avoid predators or hunt for prey. Making the existence of these animals all the more amazing and special.

Pink Hippo spotted in Kenya.

Pink Dolphin, not to be confused with the Amazon river dolphin which is also pretty pink.

Tooth and Claw

2010-09-27T01:01:00.000-07:00

When Alfred, Lord Tennyson wrote In Memoriam, it was as an elegy for his friend Arthur Henry Hallam. But it is his description of Nature as "red in tooth and claw" that has created imagery that has lasted over one hundred and fifty years. He was referring to Nature's cruelty for taking the life of a beloved friend, but we are reminded daily that Nature does not share our sentimentality.

Who trusted God was love indeed
And love Creation’s final law–
Tho’ Nature, red in tooth and claw
With ravine, shriek’d against his creed–

Who loved, who suffer’d countless ills,
Who battled for the True, the Just,
Be blown about the desert dust,
Or seal’d within the iron hills?

As Humans we are subject to the whims of Nature.
The entire poem is available here in all its delicious Victorian melodrama.

Two Owls by Debbie Carlos found on Etsy.

Clockwise from top:
Fox claw pendant OdetteNewYork/Tooth Ring e e lewis/Teeth ring by Anne Arden McDonald
/Owl Claw necklace by Black Sparrow

Introduction

2010-08-19T00:17:00.000-07:00

Braided Stream is a convergence of images and ideas surrounding Art, Nature, Craft and Science. Hopefully it will also provide beauty, knowledge and wonder.

The above photograph was taken in 1941 near the junction of the Yukon River and the Koyukuk River in Alaska. This image of many streams running into one another and overlapping, changing course and connections is a visual metaphor for the content of this blog.

Following is a collection of art works that I find visually connected to the photograph and also exhibit the tangle of ideas that this site will include.

Braid drawing by Niall McClelland, ink on paper and really old. See some of his newer work at www.niallmcclelland.com.

The images above were found on etsy and then I lost their information to the ether of cyberspace. They are far too beautiful to exclude though.