Diary of a Mad Natural Historian

credit: Kenn Munk

Kenn got this shot in London and notes: “Took this photo Saturday – today (Wednesday) it’s been buffed – none of the other graffiti had been touched.” Go figure.

A Journey Round My Skull: Arcimboldo Riding a Composite Camel.

From the Life Nature Library: South America.

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First, let me acknowledge peacay as undisputed champion of Internet cool-stuff-finding. Today’s Butterfly Album post is a multi-dimensional winner. First, there are the images. I’m particularly partial to a painting containing what I think is a Giant Water Bug:

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Then there’s the intriguing info on where the insects were collected:

The only other information known is that the butterflies and insects were collected from the Aralia (spikenard) and related Tetrapanax papyrifera (pith paper tree) plant species.

Followed by a link to the Harvard Herbarium for more info on the pith paper tree. The Herbarium rates a big marker pin on my mental map – it’s close, houses the Blaschka’s glass plant models and – most important for me – was the base of operations for Richard Evans Schultes (prev. posts here and here). I’ve wandered around the Herbarium website before, but today – thanks to peacay – I kicked around the Botany Library On-Line Exhibits (not sure I’ve ever happened upon this part of the site before). There’s a nice series on book covers/bindings:

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a section on the ‘other’ Amanita (phalloides)

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and then there’s this, from the Economic Botany Clipping File:

Dr. Schultes teaching in the Nash Lecture Hall

Painting by Hannah Barrett, November 1994

The caption in the tiles says, “Richard Evans Schultes, Director Emeritus, demonstrating the blowgun in the Nash Lecture Hall, the Botanical Museum, Harvard University, 15 November 1994.” Ethnobotanical explorer in lab coat? Check. Blowgun, darts and quiver? Check. Little potted cactus ($100 says Lophophora williamsii)? Check. More interesting details that I’ll leave for you, the reader? Check. I’m curious as to what molecule is diagrammed on the chalkboard…

One last picture to end the post – from the book Beata Ruris Otia Fungis Danicis Impensa. Enjoy!

Maps are metaphors.

An

Historical Atlas

In A Series Of Maps

Of The World As Known At Different Periods;

Constructed Upon An Uniform Scale, And

Coloured According To The Political Changes Of Each Period

Eden

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The Empire of Cyrus the Great

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At the time of the Death of Constantine.

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The Empire of Kublai Khan

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I love the David Rumsey Map Collection – this find is via a tweet from @bibliodyssey. Any map series that references the Massegetae and Sogdiana is a good one.

Amazing Soundsuits by Chicago-based sculptor/fiber artist/genius Nick Cave. Found by following an inbound link (to Tibetan Pop Surrealism) back and then googling like mad.

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Youtube of suits under construction/dancing etc.:

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Molly Would blogs Mr. Cave’s visit to SCAD.

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A slide show from the Fowler Museum, UCLA (hopefully, the link works well – the Fowler/phototour is a bit tricksy – if it doesn’t work, click on the Fowler link, then on Nick Cave Photo Tour).

Some additions I’d like to call your attention to.

Two new links under Sensory stimuli:

Hunter/Gatherer – Stephanie Brown’s blog. I’ve mentioned Ms. Brown’s work before – obviously, I like what she does.

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Annie Wu – discovered a while ago (via KdeM, maybe?).

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And an addition to the Pages section – my Awesome stuff for sale! page – it’s pissah! Go! Buy!

There are a couple incredible panoramas up at the Athanæum’s web site. You’ll need to click through – even if I could embed, I wouldn’t – these pictures need to be viewed in as big a browser window as you can manage.

The Joseph Sawtelle Reading Room. Note the gundalow model on top of one of the glass cases.

The third floor Library.

Well done, Moss Creek Media/@spyboy!

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Via Wired.

Flickr: 9 0 0 0’s Photostream.

The weather today leaves a lot to be desired – cold, windy, pouring rain – as a result, attendance this morning was a lighter than the SRO+ that has been the rule at recent HMM meet-ups. No matter – lots of cool projects…

Angela’s drawdio jellyfish puppet:

Update - Angela has posted more drawdiofish info.

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Dan Freund had a rig for his phone that he used to record his pitch which was then uploaded to/streamed from his site:

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I was not the only person taking pictures of someone videostreaming themselves (you can see Roger Goun’s lens on the right side of the shot), but I think I was the only one snapping away with my cell phone, thus completing the cell phone media takeover.

Our meeting spot – Crackskull’s in Newmarket – is both a coffee shop and a bookstore. I went browsing and found this bit of awesomeness – a wunderkammer cookbook!

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Rossi & Rossi – Gade.

Via D&R.

I’ve been going to the NH Media Makers meetups for a while now (almost a year!) and wanted to give the Media Makers meetup idea and especially the New Hampshire instantiation of same a big appreciative shout out. Interesting, personable, creative people doing wicked awesome pissah stuff – what’s not to love? I’ve made great connections and been inspired; it’s a great way to spend a Sunday morning.

A polaroid print developing at my table:

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