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Many hundreds of fans have written in wondering when the "turn it up to 11" series will actually feature music from this century. Here you go, just in time for the work week . Hope you keep your job after you play it loud for the boss.
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Sunday, July 12, 2009
A plug for the Field Guide to Surreal Botany...
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...is in Asimov's Science Fiction. The online version is here, about halfway down.
Most entries consist of brilliant blends of history, scientific jargon, outrageous conceits, bizarre nomenclature, and resonant fakery. Reading this charming book is like taking a visit to a richer parallel Earth where Nature, already prolifigate and extravagant, went on a real bender.
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Get a copy today for your own science library!
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Saturday, July 11, 2009
One That Works: Annabelle Hydrangea
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I don't know if it's due to the wet season we've had but the Annabelles are really in their glory in 2009. If I had a dollar for every time I encouraged someone to use this shrub I may not be able to retire, but I could replenish my battered IRA. This photo shows why Annabelle Hydrangea is the hydrangea to plant in the Chicago area - with Oakleaf Hydrangea in a distant second place.
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Chicago, 2009
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One can't blame local gardeners for wanting to plant the jazzier pink or blue varieties, but they just don't work in our alkaline soils. Trust me, I've dug up dozens of dead ones. Accept no substitute - Annabelle Hydrangea!
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Hinoki
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One of the more amazing works of art in the new Modern Wing at the AIC is the sculpture Hinoki, by Charles Ray.
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The story of this enormous sculpture is pretty remarkable, and the process of moving it into place is also something to see.
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Chicago, 2009
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Tuesday, July 07, 2009
Where will you be in 2040?
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During this 100th anniversary year of the Burnham Plan some folks are looking ahead to 2040.
If you've set roots here in the metro area now is the time to get involved!
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Reading Around: A Prairie Journal
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The latest online issue of A Prairie Journal appeared in my inbox. I wanted to share it's fine mix of Midwestern nature writing and artwork. Hope you like it!
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Sunday, July 05, 2009
The Local Report: Count a Flying Star
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I have to confess that I’m a bit of a sucker for the numerous citizen science projects that are so popular these days and I’m easily lured - like a moth to a flame - to those projects that are close to home. Darwin may have spent five years aboard the Beagle, but I can assure you that my sponsors won’t bankroll a similar adventure.
Late last winter there was a project where they were studying light pollution in the night sky. All I had to do was go outside, find the constellation Orion, then go online to give a ball park assessment of the number of stars I saw in the old hunter’s starry field. It was perfect. I could feel like a minor league Galileo and never leave the sidewalk - and I wouldn’t upset the ruling order with my observations.
So you can imagine my delight when I learned of an online firefly monitoring study. Slightly more complicated than merely looking up at fixed stars, this endeavor required an assessment of flying, blinking bugs. Even though insects aren’t my strong suit I felt qualified: I had chased and captured lightning bugs as a kid. Furthermore, this could also be done right outside the back door. Count me in!
On my first foray I went over to the park where I knew there were fireflies - checklist in hand. I had to assess the temperature - check. The quality of the sky - check. It got trickier when I had to determine the color of the firefly’s light, and the frequency of it’s flashes. Lucky for me the answers were simple: “yellow-green” and “one.” Noting whether they were flying or sitting was logged as well.
Anyway, this ten minutes of lighthearted scientific inquiry isn’t all fluff. For reasons unknown we seem to be losing our fireflies. We’re also losing our oaks, and losing our bees, which are other authentic calamities. I must be getting wistful when I can’t imagine a future where kids can’t chase and trap fireflies in glass jars with holes punched in the lids. So for now I'll walk around at dusk with pencil and paper, keeping score of these low-flying stars, for us kids of all ages.
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Saturday, July 04, 2009
Reading Around: Iain Oughtred
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Years ago I had a teacher who instructed our class to - in so many words - figure out what it is we really liked, seek it out at the library, and try and spend a few minutes a day reading up on it. I can say with certainty that this biography of Iain Oughtred is the latest manifestation of my "reading up on it." The "it" being a desire to build a boat.
I'll be the first to admit that I have a lot of interests, and I'll also admit that this notion of building a boat isn't a very practical one. But this seems to be a dream that has kept after me for some time now, so I don't dismiss it.
We all know dreams aren't often very practical. I remember once saying to myself that someday I'd like to see the Goya paintings in Madrid. Now, I never had any real plan to act on that particular whim, but when a dirt-cheap airfare to Madrid appeared before me I pounced on it.
Honestly, I can't tell you today whether or not this boat of mine will ever get built. And I'm not sure how important that is. After all, there's no point in rushing these things, especially when they need to be watertight.
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Friday, July 03, 2009
Bagged my first Tiger (beetle)
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This Six-spotted Tiger Beetle is the first one I have ever seen. Woo hoo! I've got to give credit to Doug at Gossamer Tapestry , for without his beetle-blogging I would have never known there were tigers in our midst. And, Chris' recent photo of another SSTB primed me to "see" this little guy: .
Westchester, 2009.
Thursday, July 02, 2009
Reminder: Firefly Watch
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Now is the time to participate in Firefly Watch. It's easy and fun - how can you resist?
Woman with Fireflies
Yoshitoshi
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And when you're done with your survey you might enjoy this excellent firefly related blog!
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