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Posts Tagged ‘atlas obscura’

Real Reindeer Aglow

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 4, 2016| 5 Comments »

If I didn’t know that Finns were good at finding creative solutions to problems, I would think Cara Giaimo was pulling my leg. Belatedly, I give you her Atlas Obscura story about reindeer that glow in the dark.

“If you’re on the lookout for magical reindeer this year, don’t bother gazing skyward — turn your attention to Finland, where local herders are using iridescent antler paint to cut down on deer-car collisions.

“In Finland’s Lapland region, vehicles share space with huge groups of freely roaming reindeer, herded by the Sami people. During the long, dark winter, this coexistence can be dangerous.

” ‘Every year, about 4,000 reindeer are lost on Finnish roads in car accidents,’ explained Juho Tahkola of the Reindeer Herder’s Association in an email. ‘We need to find a way to get these numbers down.’ …

“This year, after spray paint and fur-coating both proved lackluster, they’ve swabbed a test group of antlers with a thick brushing paint.”

More here.

Photo: Reindeer Herders Association
A Finnish reindeer browses “reflectively.” (Wish I could take credit for that bon mot.)

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Creative Manhole Covers in Minneapolis

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on July 31, 2015| 4 Comments »

Four years ago, I blogged about some beautiful manhole covers is Japan. Now I learn that Minneapolis also has discovered the artistic possibilities of heavy, round metal that lots of people see as they cross the street.

Eric Grundhauser writes at Slate‘s Atlas Obscura blog, “Minneapolis has made its underfoot sewer covers a point of artistic pride, with designs that celebrate the area’s art, history, and wildlife.

“In the early 1980s, Minneapolis began asking artists to design iconic manhole covers for the city. … From David Atkinson’s whimsical summer grill design to Stuart D. Kippler’s introspective geography marker, each of the covers turned what was once a mundane city feature into a unique piece of art. …

“[Kate] Burke created sculpted images of regional icons like the Minnesota state fish (the walleye), the state fruit (Halverson apple), and the state bird (loon). The detailed pieces of steel each feature tableaux of their subject that make most municipal equipment look lazy by comparison.

“Some of the covers even feature small hidden details such as a worm in the state apple, or a pheasant erupting from the bronzed image of the state grain (wild rice).” More here.

I love that the Minnesotan sense of humor is part of the artistic effort. Reminds me of Massachusetts sculptor Mags Harries, who is still associated with the bronze banana peels, orange skins, and broken crates she embedded among the produce vendors in the Haymarket in 1976.

Photo: J Wynia/Creative Commons
Manhole cover in Minneapolis.

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A Living Bridge

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 29, 2013| 5 Comments »

Dear Followers!

Suzanne’s Mom apologizes for sending you ghost photographs with no text or context. I have never owned a smartphone before, and it may take me a couple more tries before I nail the WordPress app. I hope you don’t get fed up.

I have a natural history post today, courtesy of John and a site called Unbelievable-Facts.com.

Apoorv Nagpal posts this: “Cherrapunji, a town in North-East India, which is known to be the second wettest place on earth, is also known for its living bridges. Here the bridges aren’t built but grown. The living bridges are made from the roots of Ficus elastica tree whose secondary roots grow above the ground surface.

“Long ago, War-Khasis, a tribe of Meghalaya, used this tree to cross rivers. Using the same technique, villagers of Cherrapunji grow their own bridges whenever required. The villagers have created a root-guiding system that forces the tender roots of the rubber tree to grow straight. Such roots make a strong, living bridge in about 10-15 years.

“Unlike the conventional man-made bridges which grow weak over time, these living bridges gain strength over time. Some of these bridges are more than five hundred (500) years old and can support 50 people at a time. A unique bridge called Umshiang Double-Decker Root Bridge is believed to be only one of its kinds in the whole world. It is actually a combination of two bridges, one stacked on top of the other.” More here.

I love that there are people with enough patience to wait 10-15 years for their bridge — and that they are rewarded with a bridge that grows stronger over time. Sounds like a fairy tale.

Photo: TravelTheUnknown. Check it out here.

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