Jessica Crabtree

It’s not just for folks in the UK. The BBC’s Nature & Wildlife department has a big website comparable to National Geographic’s – it’s chock full with oodles of photos, videos, and fact files (and of course news) making it a nature lover’s paradise.

Some of the video content may not be available to visitors outside the UK, but there’s still enough great material to make it worth the visit. I could spend hours merely looking through the gorgeous photography. Professor Iain Stewart, whom I have blogged about before, is one of the main contributors for the science section. Browse by region, species, and topic – it’s superbly well-organized, and a particularly useful research tool for students.

Put this site in your Bookmarks!

More screenshots:

From the “People of the Hills” video essays by John Berry of the Syracuse Post-Standard

Summertime is the spotlight in this seasonal journal from the Onondaga Nation in New York state. This time of year is full of the celebration of life: school graduations combine the traditional with the modern; the first harvests from the community gardens begin; and music and dance are everywhere.

The milder summers of upstate New York have everyone outdoors enjoying the sunny weather, making it an ideal time for public events. Late June sees the main summer holiday – the Strawberry Festival – held, as in ancient times, in the community longhouse for all to participate.

Because of water pollution issues encroaching from neighboring areas, scenes like this are becoming increasingly less common. Lake Syracuse itself is a superfund site and is considered one of the most polluted lakes in the country, a condition affecting the water supply of the entire region. The Onondaga Nation is embroiled in major legal battles to reclaim water rights and establish more responsible methods of resource management.

WATCH: Post-Standard Video Essay – People of the Hills (Summer)

Jason Wickens is the UK-based photographer who created the stunning swan portrait featured in NatGeo’s Daily Dozen gallery. It’s justly one of the most popular photos in my “Best of Wildlife” category.

He has informed me that prints of this piece are available on Photoviva along with some of his other pieces.

His own fine art photography website is a must see – the nature shots are incredibly lush and dramatic.

Jason Wickens Photography: Inspirational Photo Art

I’ve been wandering through the collection of the world’s most-visited museum – the Louvre of Paris.

Well, not literally; but I have discovered its excellent and fascinating website. Spending time in it is like spending time in the Louvre itself. It is really exhaustive, as you might expect, with a slew of things to tempt the artist, the history buff, or the merely curious mind (all three of which apply to me!)

The material ranges from student-friendly to quite technical. The interactive “Workshop” gives an amusing guided tour of museum highlights fit (I think) for all ages:

The most significant attraction for me is the series of “In-Depth” studies of great paintings. On my first visit I explored the feature for Delatour’s pastel portrait of Madame de Pompadour (yes, that is a pastel!) This video, for instance, discusses the composition of the painting, the biography of both artist and subject, and the evolution of pastel technique. Like a 15-minute all-in-one art class.

There are features classed also by era or special exhibition – all very attractively presented – I will definitely be going back for more. Which brings me to the introduction of my new blog series…

As I explore the Louvre (digitally at least) I’ll post on the most interesting pages and give my best picks. It should make for some good conversation, n’cest pas?

Indian Country Today – “Thinking in Indian: A John Mohawk Reader”

A review & critical analysis of a compendium of works by the recently departed Iroquois scholar:

“A Seneca Nation elder, thinker and activist, John Mohawk (Sotsisowah) challenged readers to reset and then reboot their value systems—to consider the obvious that we are trained in school to ignore…”

“If you want to compare notes with a man who was a thousand years old in his thinking while also a contemporary of scholars around the world, this is the book for you. It does not get more Indian than this.”

I haven’t read the book yet myself but it’s on my must-have list. It is intriguing to hear the shrewd observations of a Native person, trained in Western academia, who recognizes the relevance of his own marginalized culture’s precepts. Few people are better qualified to voice such an objective assessment of modern Western society, its environmental role, and the crossroads it which it now finds itself. What an apt time for this publication.

Fulcrum Publishing: Product page

National Geographic: “How the Earth Changed History” tells the story of how the Earth has shaped human history from the dawn of civilization to the present day

Host, Prof. Iain Stewart

Yet again, National Geographic has come out with another winner. I love this series (although of course it doesn’t need my promotion)! I give it five-stars as one of the best all-around documentaries I’ve seen.

Originally released by the BBC, and presented by a very engaging and accomplished host – Scottish scientist Iain Stewart – the series showcases some stunning cinematography from all over the globe (a real plus for nature lovers) and some top-of-the-line CGI graphics.

But what fascinated me the most about this series, and Stewart’s research, is the approach of connecting human history directly with earth science. These days it’s becoming common knowledge to associate modern human activity with climate change; but he presents the geology and pivotal historical events – both globally and regionally – as a deeply intertwined continuum. Watching these episodes makes you wonder, “Why didn’t anybody think of it that way before?”

The series covers a lot of the better-known examples – such as how the over-exploitation of resources contributed to the Mayan collapse, and how the volcanic eruption at Santorini ended the Minoan civilization and ushered in the end of the Bronze Age. But some lesser-known connections are also addressed, and some astounding facts that I’d never heard before. Did you know that so much of the world’s fresh water has been dammed and contained within the industrialized nations in the Northern Hemisphere, that the displaced weight of it has slightly altered the earth’s axis?

(continue reading…)

Here’s a post series from my blog archives about the evolution of the holiday, facts vs. myth.

10 THINGS ABOUT THANKSGIVING:

#1: Links and Resources – best websites, articles, & documentaries

#2: My Take on Thanksgiving – a few thoughts on perspective

#3: History of a Holiday – the birth of a legend

#4: The Wampanoag Side – the Indians of the “first Thanksgiving”

#5: That’s Not What They Looked Like! – an example of Thanksgiving stereotypes (one of my most popular posts!)

#6: The Indian Guests – more on the Wampanoag

#7: The Real Story – the historical Thanksgiving & archaeology

#8: The Original Thanksgiving Menu – the foods of the Plymouth Thanksgiving

#9: Thanksgiving 1621 – first-hand account

#10: The “First” First Thanksgiving – a little-known precursor to the holiday

Above: A National Geographic photo of the reconstructed Plimoth Plantation settlement.

This video essay from the Syracuse Post-Standard is part five in a series about how the people of the modern-day Onondaga Nation combine today’s lifestyle with ancient traditions to live with the seasons. This episode focuses on the harvest season of autumn.

This series is one of my favorites; highly recommended and enjoyable – take a moment to watch it.

Syracuse Post-Standard: People of the Hills – Part 5

Feeding the community buffalo herd

The Three Sisters – corn, beans, and squash

Enjoying the Upstate weather