Glass Flowers of Harvard

One of the unexpected surprises of our recent Boston trip was the collection of Glass Flowers as part of the Harvard Museum of Science. It had not come up on our radar at all, but was a must-see from almost everyone that we talked to. Being a garden lover as well as an artist, I was overwhelmed with what we saw.

You have to imagine the museum just as you would expect, an old giant, red brick academia structure with little signage out front. We had gotten confused and went to the Art Museum and were given a small hand drawn map with a trail in blue marker on it that took us to a different part of the campus. We obviously were not the first to ask this question. The Collection itself was front and center as soon as your enter and was only a modest room with 5 rows of glass cases, so expectations were not high at first. But what was inside those glass cases was magical!

Over a hundred years ago before the silk flowers we now find readily at Michael's crafts, were these specimens. A smart and dapper guide explained to us the process behind them. It was not glass blowing, but a very specific and rare process called glass "pulling." Harvard was needing some sort of Botany specimens for their horticultural studies and they stumbled onto the idea of a craftsman Leopold Blaschka in the Czech Republic who was dabbling in a new art form. His original pieces were modeled after sea urchins like jellyfish and not plants at all. From the 1880's forward to the mid 1930's Leopold and later his son Rudolf had 3 contracts with the University to compile specimens for the collection. By the project's end, there are nearly 800 species in the collection, of which only a handful are on current display.

 

Each model has a strand or stem of the blooms. Sometimes a progression as a plant was coming to fruit or maturing. Then there are also magnifications to show the intricate parts on a larger scale that students would be able to study.

The glass pulling that they used was done by heating very small pieces of glass and then pulling them into very thin, tiny layers. These could be petals, leaves, thorns, fruits and then even the smaller pistols and stamens of plants. Stems were wrapped wires and all the components were then glued onto the stems with a clear animal adhesive. To get the different textures prevalent in the plant world, they would experiment with dust, hair and other elements to fight against the translucence of glass and make it more opaque as needed. Also, like stained glass, color was added to the parts prior and most of the vibrant colors have faded in the 150 years hence.

Each species was collected and studied at length. At first from local markets there. But as demands grew, they needed more variety from around the globe. They did not have transport like we do today. So, often they would work with other conservatories there and later in the process began to cultivate some of their own gardens to catch the samples at all stages of their development.

Our guide talked about the incredible process of shipping them over to Harvard in giant crates where air was their best ally instead of trying to pack tight with cushions. Newspapers and oversize worked best. The museum also had a feature on damaged models. How they maintain them and what repairs have been made. There is no one that can replicate their process in the world today. Also, the way glass is colored is different now. Our guide corrected several guests on the fragility of the wooden cabinets while we were admiring.

It was awe inspiring seeing so many flowers I was familiar with and seeing them exactly as they bloom in my yard. The concept that they were glass was beyond comprehension. My pictures barely do justice to the craftsmanship other than a bit of color and the shape of each. An unexpected diversion. And if you are ever in the Boston area - this is a must-see

 

House at Pooh Corner

I'm not sure what Spring has been like wherever this finds you. Ours has been one dreary weekend after another. Rain, clouds and gusty breezes. The sort of days that make you crave a cup of tea, maybe a good book or crossword and a couch to curl up on. A perfect place to steal away with Winnie the Pooh & Christopher Robin in the 100-acre Wood. 

Amazingly, there is such a place in our real world. One year ago in 2021, this fabulous gem of a retreat was constructed in celebration of the 95th anniversary of Pooh and A..A Millne. This incredible lodge is located in Ashtown Forest south of London, which was the inspiration for the 100-acre Wood in the original stories. AND it is a designated AirBnB that can be booked.

Kim Raymond who has been illustrating the Winnie the Pooh classics for the last 30 years was tasked with bringing the vision to life based on the interior designs of E.H. Shepard. It was built by wrapping tree branches around the base of a giant trunk. On entering, it is a magical but tiny complex of rooms. Adorned with kitsch wallpaper and cabinets filled with custom honey pot china.

From the old booking link on AirBnB, it appears it may have a been a short term window only, and limited to residents of the UK. But it is certainly a charmer and would be perfect for these blustery afternoons.

Actual AirBnB listing

 

 

Magical Raindrops

Today is our first true rainy day of the Spring season. Yes, it is dreary grey outside. But I am having no problems working from home and listening to the dirge of the raindrops pelting at the roof for hours now. The ground has thawed enough that it is absorbing the rain. And I know with the oncoming sunshine, it will only add to the greening that is about to arrive.

Here are a handful of miraculously timed photographs of drops of water hitting the surface.

Ronny Tertnes calls his artwork Liquid Sculptures. I think he is the third artist from Norway I have featured at some point. They seem to have a niche on where art collides with nature. Obstacle #1 is making sure you have a VERY quick shutter speed. His minimum is 1/500th of a second. #2 is experimenting with both lighting and background to make sure it is interesting enough to add an artistic quality, but still bright enough to capture the impact moment in high resolution. #3 is adding gels to the flash which can turn a clear water drop into a dynamic red or lavender. And trick #4 is that what you are actually seeing is not likely a pure raindrop. He mixes water with other liquids to give it density, color and weight. And I can't speak from experience, but I would guess it is also a mix of patience and luck to land just the right shots out of 100s that are taken.

Again, the wonder of raindrops if we could freeze them and watch them one at a time. Perhaps, they are just like snowflakes where none is like another?

Walk a Mile in My Showshoes

I will admit that I have been pretty adventurous in these last 2 winter months. Part is being stir crazy from COVID isolation. Part is again, my curiosity and wanting to see what is out there. That does not mean that it has always been comfortable and convenient. Our MN Winter has proved to be its predictable challenge with the usual frigid temps. There have been a few days that the car engine just refuses to turn over - and I wish I was able to do the same in bed.

In the spirit of our present Great Northern Festival, I wanted to celebrate something even more massive in terms of art meeting nature. I know our festival is showcasing ways that art and winter Mother Nature can intersect. But nothing on this large of a scale.

I introduce you to the work of Simon Beck. He uses large fields and mountains as his canvas. And snowshoes as his paintbrush. With these two simple tools, he makes a labyrinth of winter art that is magnificent and sadly, temporary as well. I find it not surprising that he is both an engineer and map cartographer by trade. This makes logical sense as you see the scope of his works.

His process begins with computer drawings that are created in basic contrasts of light and dark with texturing. Once on site after scouting his open location, he frames out a grid of straight lines using a compass to navigate. He states that finding the shape of his curves is purely by instinct, and that has gotten better over time. Important next, is step size and being well aware of distances between points. Lastly, it is creating density and depth by retracing steps in certain areas to make the tracks deeper and darker.

He is a one-man show. There is not some small crew that is working with him on these. He also speaks that he needs to be both an artist and an athlete to invest the hours of manpower needed to create each one step by step. Thanks to drone photos, it is the best way to fully appreciate the art; seeing them from ground level does not allow the viewer to really receive the full impact. Which makes it even more astounding that he is able to create these panoramas without perspective. Over the last decade, he has worked residencies around the globe to create over 200 art installations. We need to get him here for our Winter Carnival! Enjoy the beauty of Simon Beck and his winter wonderlands.

He has several time lapse videos if you search YouTube.

Collection of Simon Beck snow works

Simon Beck Snow Dragon: Siberia, Russia

Cactus Christmas Tree

I understand that Christmas trees are another high-price item in 2021. I have never really understood the supply & demand of harvesting beautiful trees, and how many people adorn our homes with them only to toss them into the alley a month later. It does not seem just, but I continue to do so myself almost every year. Selfishly, for the joy it brings me. And to me, an artificial tree does not bring the same value - as well as the storage in the basement the other 11 months of the year.

So there is no surprise to find that the trending succulents out there are now disguising themselves in miniature as a Christmas Tree. It makes logical sense. They are the most low-maintenance house plant possible. They are now found as wall decor, Autumn centerpieces planted in hollowed gourds. They barely ask for sunlight and a drop of water. Now we can find them sold as conical collages with an assortment of colors. Absolutely Adorable!

From the single web store I found them on; they are not entirely cheap. At around  $60 for 16", it makes one grateful for a $75 Blue Spruce that is at least five-fold that size. No offense, but I can guess a few of you with DIY Gardening skills could come up with some sort of foam stock base and pick up your own personal favorites at a garden store (if you can find one still open) - and create your own. Mind you, that by the time you invest in a good 16-20 small cacti, craft ribbons and maybe a few pinecones - that $60 price tag does not seem so outrageous.

It would get lost in your living room setting with a blazing fireplace. But for an urban apartment that is minimal in nature - it could be just the right fit. O Tannebaum!

If you are an impulse buyer; here is the link. Christmas Cacti Tree

 

Indian Corn

Indian Corn - if we can still call it that without being too offensive, has always held my attention as we enter this season of Thanks and Bountiful Harvest. As children we would create our finger-paint hand turkeys and draw cornucopias filled with field crops. I don't know if younger generations have any clue as to what a cornucopia would be?

But the bright colored Indian Corn was always a staple for a door entry or adding to a centerpiece on the table. Certainly because of its beauty, but also because it was one of the last crops remaining in fields.

I decided to do some agricultural research and found that corn goes back some 10,000 years and came from a mutation of field grasses in Mexico. What we normally eat is called Sweet Corn because of the thin shell on kernels and the build up of sugars and starches. Field Corn is a variety called Dent Corn because the kernels get an indentation as they ripen and harden. The colored Indian Corn is a 3rd type called Flint Corn. This is due to the the shell being much harder than the other two which makes it the last to be harvested; thus named after a hard flint stone. It is edible, even if very hard on the teeth getting through that shell. It is more often used in polenta and hominy grits. And of course the blue corn chips that are so popular.

Genetic breeding over a century have morphed them into the rainbow of shades we now celebrate. They started with whites and umber reds, but have now resulted in a spectrum of shades. A personal favorite is one called Glass Gem Cherokee - that looks exactly like shards of sea glass in bright jewel tones. It came from a grower named Carl Barnes, an Oklahoma farmer who was trying to reconnect with his Native American roots. It is almost a Jack in the Beanstalk tale of him meeting up with other gardeners in his area and passing off seeds. One exchange was with a fellow farmer Greg Schoen from New Mexico. Over a course of some 20 years, the two kept planting individual seeds from selected ears in the brightest of colors until Barnes came up with his patented Glass Gem strain. It is now available for seed purchase since 2016 and can be bought in a variety pack or specific color tones. I find it lovely.

Grandaddy of All Apple Trees

 

Just as Spring is the birth of nature's cycle, we think of Fall as the elderly years of our seasons. Usually, the time when things die back and return to the earth. Since we just made a fall Apple Pilgrimage to Pleasant Valley Orchards for both apple and pumpkins, now seemed the appropriate time to share this tale of passing.

Once Upon a Time in Vancouver, Washington, an apple tree was planted in 1826..... It has become known as the Old Apple Tree for over a century now. Folk tales have the original seeds coming from Royal Navy Lieutenant Aemilius Simpson. He was handed the seeds at a dinner back in Britain before coming over to a fur trading post for the Hudson Bay Co. They were brought over to the Pacific Northwest and planted in an early orchard at Fort Vancouver as part of the food crop for the soldiers. The Old Apple Tree is on grounds about a 1/2 mile from the original Fort where most of the living quarters were, so it is a slight bit fuzzy as to how it got to the spot itself. But the tree was from that original handful of seeds in Simpson's pocket that sailed across the wide waters of the Atlantic and migrated the US Territory.

The apples from the Tree were called English Greenlings which was a generic term for any that came over from the Old Country. They were bright green and not the usual red, very tart and were great for baking because of their crispness and durability to winter over. It has been diagnosed to be genetically unique and apart from all other varieties of apples across the globe due to the soil conditions and years of cross pollination.

Over decades, railways and highways were built around it. Storms may have damaged a limb, but were lucky enough not to take a harsh toll on it. As it aged and grew to acclaim, school field trips would visit it and important dignitaries and Presidents even visited it. In 1984 a Public Park was designed around the tree and a Festival was held each season in Oct to celebrate its harvest.

But in 2015, gardeners for the park noted cracks in its outer bark and it started to die back. This led to a later crack in its hollow trunk and infection set in. They knew the tree was fated, but had hoped the dying process would take longer. In June of this year, it also fell victim to the pandemic and was officially felled.

But all hope is not lost. Just as Spring brings new life. Caretakers took care to tend to suckers coming out of the ground at the base of the tree. This happens for any tree that s trying to send up shoots of new life. They will ensure that one of these suckers will continue to grow and become the new edition the Old Apple Tree. They have also taken some of these saplings back to the original Fort and in generations ahead, there will be a small orchard of descendants.

Think of this story the next time you bite into a Granny Smith apple and wonder about the incredible genetics of crops and the centuries it took to get them here today.