November 2009

The Archives

• 11.15.09
  Dragonfly Sniffing
  Scientist, bugs (4)

  Our friend brought a special surprise to school last week: dead dragonflies.  He and his dad fished them out of his pool, and he was kind enough to share them with us.  For the kids the highlight of the dragonfly examination was their smell.  Apparently they were sorta stinky.  I was more interested in the initiative that our friend took in presenting his dragonflies for peer review.  He was very serious and scientific about his findings.  He composed his thoughts and delivered his brief speech confidently.  I applaud our teachers for encouraging the kids to bring dead bugs, animals and ...
  
  
• 11.06.09
  The RISD Nature Lab +The Importance of Collections
  Taxidermy, documenting nature, nature study (4)

  If you enjoy natural history and haven't yet seen Etsy's visit to RISD's Nature Lab, I highly recommend a peek; apparently we weren't the only ones to think it special! Alis and I met there as freshmen and spent (well, I can say that I spent) more than half my time in the lab after dark, poring over specimens. I sketched at the same long tables you see in the video in a quiet trance until close. It was like a church of curiosity, a place whose doors were (almost) always open to focus and quiet the mind. The Nature Lab was ...
  
  
• 11.03.09
  Girl Therapy for Mothers of Wild Things
  Crafts, decorative arts, mom (6)

  Do you have crazy wild testosterone maniacs living under your roof?  Do you spend your days "battling for justice", modifying "alien ships", and keeping an eye out for dead stuff to poke with a stick?  Sometimes our boys look thoughtful and innocent  like in the photo to the left below.  However, more often than not they look like the photos of spidey there on the right...I rest my case. As much as we try to fully embrace our little boys they sometimes drive us crazy.  This is why Stephanie and I get together and go on "fairy benders".  We self medicate ...