Category Archives: Miscellaneous

A Royal Palace, A Caterpillar

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Royal Palace in Amsterdam

What is now a royal palace in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, was built in the 1600s as an impressive City Hall.

The unusual caterpillar was found in the jungle of Suriname, South America.

What could possibly connect these two things on different continents an ocean apart? Not royalty, not even someone from the wealthy upper class; it was a little old lady named Maria Sybilla Merian (1647-1717), a lady well known in her time for her studies of caterpillars and their metamorphosis into butterflies or moths; and for her painted illustrations of them.

Having seen a few specimens of unusual butterflies in the collections of wealthy collectors, Maria decided to travel to South America to discover what kind of caterpillars became these beautiful butterflies. Her friends and acquaintances were horrified and tried their best to dissuade her. They argued that 1 she was too old to make a two-month sea voyage (at 50 she WAS old), 2 the trip was too dangerous (it WAS dangerous, what with storms, pirates, and probably inadequate food), 3 she certainly could not travel without a man accompanying her (she had already done so twice), and 4 the cost was prohibitive (it really WAS a lot). Reason number four was the only one she was concerned about. She made plans and apparently sold everything she owned except her art supplies.

When her friend, the mayor of Amsterdam, realized that Maria was determined to go, and probably that she could also bring him some new specimens for his own collection, he persuaded the city fathers to help fund her trip.

Upon her return to Amsterdam two years later she was invited to exhibit some of the insects and other small creatures she brought back with her. The exhibit was a huge success since these were things most people in Europe had never seen before. They were amazed.

You can read all about this and more in my book Chasing Caterpillars, the Life and Times of Maria Sybilla Merian. It can also be ordered here on this website.

2017 International Conference on Maria Sybilla Merian

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I attended this conference in Amsterdam this summer! And while the organizers did say the conference was for everybody, not just scholarly, I’m convinced that their “everybody” and my “everybody” is totally different. However, I am very glad I went.

I did learn a few things at this conference, nothing new about Maria Merian, however.

I learned more about the dangers in the rain forests of the world through an entertaining, though very serious, presentation by Redmond O’Hanlon who has actually trekked through rain forests throughout the world.

I learned that university professors apparently view things through a very narrow focus, so that if that focus was from a different field, they do not have that knowledge. Some of the questions asked clearly showed this.

I discovered that while their research was quite narrow, mine was very broad, encompassing everything I could find.

And finally, I reached the conclusion that based on the many years I have researched this amazing woman…I am an EXPERT on Maria Sybilla Merian!

Maria Sibylla Merian Conference: Getting There

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The second Maria Sibylla Merian International Conference was held in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, June 7,8,9, 2017.

I left from the Chicago O’Hare airport. I checked my suitcase through to Amsterdam, took my boarding pass, and went searching for the departure gate.  It was a long, long walk to the Aer Lingus gate…to the far end of the airport, I’d swear.  Plenty of time, no problem, just a long walk. 

Six hours after boarding the plane we landed in Ireland at the Dublin airport where I would catch a connecting flight on to Amsterdam. Only one hour scheduled for this…. must be a small airport, I thought, for there to be only an hour. I temembered watching a video on the Aer Lingus website showing a couple all relaxed, leisurely strolling along–not very far–as the voice soothingly tells how easy it is to navigate the airport.  Just follow the connecting flight signs, it says. OK, shouldn’t be too bad….

I followed the signs. Suddenly I was in one of several lines slowly working up to the official on the other side of the room. Oops, not the right place. OK, now on the right path. I walked and walked and walked. Time running out. I walked faster, and then even faster, breathing heavily. Good Lord, it’s a long way! Tried to run, wheezing mightly as I go. Can’t stop. Keep going. 

There it is. The gate is in sight…at the very END of the long terminal, still quite a ways away. No passengers in the waiting area! The gate is closing! I sprint those “last few miles.” 

I collapsed in my seat as the plane door closed. Whew! I made it! My breathing slowly returned to normal. 

One and a half hours to Amsterdam. 

Mini Maker Faire in Chicago

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Today my daughter, son-in-law and I went to a maker faire; my first. Once they talked me into making something, I enjoyed the whole thing a lot more. We made a blinking pin, a noisy thingy, and a seed “bomb” that you toss in your yard or an empty lot somewhere or along a road. Later wildflowers will come up and bloom.