MediaMix

Primo Video Channels

September 30, 2019 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

The film shorts for each On2In2™ primo video channel were especially selected by Zola to entertain and share with you. They are different in context, theme, production technique and length, and you’ll find a variety of genres and compelling stories as well as some inconsequential, unconventional and laughable narratives. The video channels are edited and changed up now and again with new feature videos, and new channels added, too. Sign up to get On2In2™ media updates via email.

All primo videos are free to watch thanks to generous sharing by the talented creators involved in the film production, their sponsors and the Vimeo filmmaking community as well as other media sources, e.g. BBC Earth. Editor’s Note: As with all media content within the On2In2™ website, the Primo Video Channels are intended for adult audiences, not children. The content of a few of the videos includes expletives, violence and erotic scenes.

» Just click/tap on a channel below to get started and enjoy the shows.

Biodoc: LIFE INSPIRED You’ll laugh, smile, cry and be amazed by the people and stories told in these documentaries.

Biodoc: SUPER DOGS Mother loves doggie videos, and we have to agree, dogs can steal any show and your heart. The Super Dogs channel was created in memory of Duke and Cary, two very special and much loved dogs.

Comedy: PEOPLE & PHONES The use/misuse of a ubiquitous communication device is always good for a laugh.

Comedy of Manners: FINDING #LOVE It’s a complicated subject, and that’s what makes it such a provocative story line.

FRIGHT NIGHT MOVIES This wicked collection of videos is good for a dark night marathon viewing of thrillers. There’s a variety of terror to enjoy: suspense, action, mystery, horror, psycho and the supernatural.

espnW Series: RUN MAMA RUN While training for the Olympics, Sarah Bowman Brown faces difficult choices and challenges with an unexpected pregnancy, but she never gives up on her dream. She tells the story of her journey in this five part series.

The COSMOS Channel Take an On2In2™ starship ride with us,
and explore the Universe

MUSIC VIDEO MASHUP A collection of eclectic music videos (new & old)
because we’re nostalgic for the days of 24-7 music video channels.

Visual Soundscapes: PLANET EARTH Video Series No commentary on the videos in this series, only breathtaking sights and sounds of nature: Island Sounds, Mountain Sounds, Jungle Sounds, and Desert Sounds

⇒ There’s more to see & do On2In2™

Take a look at the Live Stream Program Guide for information on live broadcasts of sports and entertainment

Search the MEDIA MIX category in the main menu for live streaming, videos and music (all free to enjoy)

Primo Video Channels feature photo courtesy of Tookapic/Pexels CC0

Windsurfing Comp LIVE

September 30, 2019 By Zola Zeester 1 Comment

Windsurfing (also known as ‘sailboarding’) is a dynamic, challenging water sport, sometimes described as a cross between surfing and sailing, but the experience of riding a board powered by wind feels more like flying.

It’s fun to watch, too. Experienced windsurfers can perform jumps, inverted loops, spins, and other “freestyle” moves as well as ride the world’s ‘Big Waves’ in lightening fast speeds.

There are 5 main disciplines of competitive windsurfing events held by the Professional Windsurfers Association (PWA): Wave, Freestyle, Racing, Super X and Indoor. Freestyle and Wave are judged competitions. Olympic Boardsailing, Formula windsurfing, Slalom and SuperX are group races on a course, and Speed Racing is an individual timed race on a straight 500 meter course.

WATCH LIVE & FREE On2In2™

2019 Mercedes-Benz Windsurf World Cup Sylt is one of the biggest and longest running windsurfing events in the world, featuring all three main disciplines, 200,000 spectators on the beach, and some of the most extreme conditions. Disciplines: Slalom, Foil, Wave and Freestyle for Men, Wave only for Women.

If you missed the live stream broadcast, you can watch video recordings of the competition. Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button or select from event posts located in top right corner of the media player below.

On the island of Gran Canaria, located in the Atlantic Ocean, just off the northwestern coast of Africa, is a special place that’s all about windsurfing — Pozo Izquierdo. It’s one of the best natural areas in the world for windsurfing with strong winds and 1-3 meter waves, and every June-July, the best surfers in the world head there to test their skills and compete in the Gran Canaria Winds and Waves Windsurf World Cup.

If you missed the live stream broadcast of 2019 Gran Canaria Winds and Waves Windsurf World Cup, there’s still time to watch a video recording of the competition. Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button located on the media player below.

Located just off the French coastline of the Mediterranean, Le Jaï, Marignane is a renowned location for slalom windsurfing, and the perfect venue for PWA Tour events. If you missed the 2019 Marignane PWA Windsurfing World Cup live stream broadcast, there’s still time to watch video recordings of the competition. Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button or select from the video posts located in the upper right corner of the media player below ↓

If you missed the live stream broadcast of the 2019 PWA World Cup freestyle competition hosted on the Dutch Caribbean island, Bonaire, April 9-13, there’s still time to watch video recordings of the event. Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button or select from video posts in the top right corner located on the media player below ↓

Watch more great surfing and personal stories on the “Cranking Surf” video channel, a collection of On2In2™ favorite short videos FREE 2 WATCH, On-Demand

FREE To WATCH big wave surfing videos, including the amazing world record Big Wave towed-in ride on an 80′ (24m) wave by Rodrigo Koxa (Guaruja, São Paulo, Brazil) at Nazaré, Portugal on November 8, 2017.

We’d love to hear from you! If you’d like to comment on this article, join the conversation, or share your inspiration, and you have not yet registered as an On2In2™ playmaker, please sign up via the ‘Engage page’. Don’t worry, it’s pretty quick and easy (unless you’re a robot).

Photo is courtesy of George Desipris/Unsplash CC0

Mer de Glace

September 24, 2019 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

Mer de Glace (Sea of Ice) is categorized a “valley glacier”, a type of glacier that originates from mountain glaciers and flows down valleys, and located above the Chamonix valley within the Mont Blanc massif mountain range of the French Alps. Formed by the confluence of the Leschaux and Génant glaciers, the Mer de Glace is the longest and largest glacier in France, and one the biggest tourist attractions in the Chamonix valley as it’s accessible by the historic Montenvers Railway (Chemin de fer du Montenvers) and offers spectacular mountain views as well as tours, exhibits, and restaurant/hotel. However, the powerful beauty and recreational benefits of Mer de Glace were not always appreciated.

During the classical and medieval periods of European history, ice was deemed mysterious, evil and dangerous, and glaciers aroused intense fear as they were thought to be inhabited by demons that swallowed up unwary victims as well as whole villages. Consequently, glaciers were avoided, not explored, deepening myths and superstitions for many centuries. In 1690, fearful villagers of Chamonix took action against glacial evil by retaining the services of a bishop to exorcise the glaciers.

Two Englishmen on expedition to Chamonix in 1741, William Windham (1717-1761) an English landowner and Richard Pococke (1704-1765) a high ranking clergyman and anthropologist, disregarded the forewarning of evil lurking in glaciers, and climbed up the mountain for 3¾ hours with the aid of local guides and porters to carry wine (essential drink for 18th century adventure travelers) and provisions. It was a successful excursion as they returned safely and were able to provide the first written description of the glacier they called ‘Mer de Glace’. The achievement also marks the beginning of change in attitude as the phenomena of the Sea of Ice later attracted writers, adventurers, artists and photographers.

Crossing the Mer de Glace on foot (1902-1904) — Mer de Glace Crossing, Zurich Central Library collection, 1902 – 1904, Public Domain

Two hundred and seventy-five years later, the explorers of Mer de Glace are on skis. In the video Ice Call from PVS Company, pro skier, Sam Favret, takes you on a freestyle tour through the icy waves, trails, and tunnels of Mer de Glace.

Vallée Blanche

Mer de Glace is certainly skiable, and you don’t have to be a ski pro like Sam Favret or an expert to enjoy the unique backcountry experience via the iconic off-piste ski route, Vallée Blanche. But, there are risks. The surface of Mer de Glace is very rough with gradient drops, large hunks of ice, deep crevasses, and seracs, making it extremely dangerous without sufficient snowfall, good intermediate skills (in all types of terrains & snow conditions) and a local mountain guide.

The Vallée Blanche is accessible from Chamonix, France via a 20 minute ride on the Aiguille du Midi cable car to the mid-station Plan de l’Aiguille (2,317m), then a walk through a tunnel and down a precarious ridge to a small, level area— the starting point for the main Vallée Blanche runs. There are four: the classic “voie normale” (the normal way), and the more challenging, Le Vrai Vallee Blanche, the Petit Envers du Plan and Grand Envers du Plan.

For the most part, the voie normale follows the valley floor through dynamic terrain, beginning with a descent into a bowl toward a large rock outcrop known as Le Gros Rognon (The Big Rock) and continuing along the mountainside. The run can be nice and smooth in spots, but depending on weather conditions, there could be deep powder, crusty layers, and icy moguls to navigate. About 2/3 down, the Refuge du Requin is a popular place to take a break, and 250 meters from there is the start of Mer de Glace. If snow conditions are good, it’s possible to ski all the way down to Chamonix. If not, the run ends at Montenvers, thus requiring a steep climb up iron stairs (misery!) to a gondola that connects to the Montenvers Railway. At a leisurely pace, including lots of stops, sightseeing and long lift queues, the up/down round trip will take 4 – 6 hours, but don’t rush…..enjoy the ride and take in the views.

The Fateful Retreat of Mer de Glace

Valley glaciers like Mer de Glace are relentlessly moving, flowing, growing, shrinking and deforming as a result of weather (temperature and snowfall) and stresses caused by the massive weight. As a result, they are appreciable indicators of climate change.

After a significant cold period in Europe during the late 19^th century, Mer de Glace was so large that it reached as far as Chamonix in 1850. Today, it’s hardly visible from Chamonix as the lower end of the glacier (the ‘snout’) has been shrinking during the last 30 years at a rate of about 4-5 meters (13-16 feet) a year. There is concern the retreat will not stop as Mer de Glace is an important fresh water source for the region as well as a tourist destination, and Christian Vincent, a French glaciologist with the Laboratoire de Glaciologie et Geophysique (LGGE) and Institut de Recherche pour le Development (IRD), has warned it may shrink as much as 1.2 -1.4 kilometers (about ¾ of a mile) by the year 2040.

Resources/Information:
Wikipedia (Mer de Glace, Mont Blanc massif, Glacier, Richard Pococke, William Windham, Sr., French Alps, Chamonix, Chemin de fer du Montenvers, Aiguille du Midi, Little Ice Age)
The Annals of Mont Blanc – A Monograph by Charles Edward Mathews (1900)
Because It’s There – A Celebration of Mountaineering from 200 BC to Today (William Windham..from an Account of the Glaciers or Ice Alps in Savoy, in Two Letters) edited and translated by Alan S. Weber (2003)
Celebration of the Franco-English Friendship in Chamonix (1936), summitpost.org
Spiritual History of Ice: Romanticism, Science & Imagination by Eric G. Wilson
Chamonix visitor information: findtransfers.com (see also; chamonix.com, chamonix.net, ski-chamonix.net)
“Climate Change on Mont Blanc: The Vanishing Mer de Glace” by Helena Fouquet (2015), bloomberg.com
Mont Blanc: Glacier in Danger of Collapse, BBC News (September 25, 2019) – Italian authorities have closed roads and evacuated mountain huts after experts warned that part of a glacier on Mont Blanc could collapse.

There are more bold backcountry runs, big jumps and tricks to see on the “Downhill Runs” video channel and explore at Skiing China

Filmakers traveled to Alaska to explore Exit Glacier, but along with stunningly beautiful mountain views and amazing blue ice, they saw melting. FREE 2 WATCH → Glacier Exit

Feature photo is a still shot from the video “Ice Call” by PVS Company
Mer de Glace photo by Detroit Publishing Co. (1890-1900), US Library of Congress Prints & Photographs, Public Domain
Chamonix Valley Map sourced from chamonix.net
Crossing the Mer de Glace on foot, photo taken about 1902-1904, Zurich Central Library, Public Domain

The Good Life

September 22, 2019 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

Life certainly has its up and downs. How do we make the best of it?

That’s the million dollar question we’ve all asked ourselves one time or another, and there’s plenty of ‘how to’ advice out there: Be a success, Get a better job, Make more money, Start exercising more, Eat healthy, Find your passion, Find purpose, making the solution seem like a long list of aspirations. But, we all discover sooner or later there is no quick fix, and personal or professional accomplishments do not necessarily result in health and happiness. So, what’s the answer? Let’s explore.

Family, Friends and Community

Robert Waldinger is a psychiatrist, psychoanalyst, Zen priest, and director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development, the longest continuing study on adult life and happiness. A valuable lesson emerged from the 75 years of study — Good relationships with family, friends and community keep us healthier and happier, and it’s the quality, not quantity, of the relationships that matter most.

Information/Resources:
Robert Waldinger Ted Talk, courtesy of TED, CC BY – NC – ND 4.0 International
Robert Waldinger website (updated Harvard study findings and insights)
Feature photo is courtesy of Derek Thomson/Unsplash CC0

Live in the Moment

When I met Fernando, I was trying to find my way through grief and upheaval, and struggling with what to do next. I’d been told he had been very ill, suffering a heart attack while being treated for cancer, and he was still recovering when he sat next to me at a hair salon. The first thing I noticed was his gaunt appearance, but then it was the look in his eyes — a joyful peace, and I remember thinking ‘this guy has been hit hard, but he somehow manages to look like the happiest person in the room’. I wanted to know how he did it. What’s his secret? During our talk, Fernando asked me, “Have you ever read ‘The Power of Now’ by Eckhart Tolle?” When I said no (I hadn’t even heard of it), he told me, “It will change your life”. I didn’t believe that, but I got the book anyway and discovered he was right.

In The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment, Eckhart Tolle speaks to the topic of personal happiness in a question and answer format, and recommends methods for living in the moment without troubling thoughts of past regrets and worries about the future. The book was first published in the late 1990’s, and remained on the New York Times Best Seller list for years afterward. Some people find the book hard to read, and get more from listening to the audio book. *[Zeester Media LLC may receive a small commission for a book purchase you make via the links on this page. This in no way affects the price you pay for the purchase.]

Laugh Without Reason

Laughter has great short-term as well as long-term effects on both the mind and body that can make you feel happier in some amazing ways.

Stimulates heart, lungs and muscles, and increases endorphins (pain relieving, hormone-like substances that are produced and released by your brain)
Increases circulation and helps muscle relaxation
Releases neuropeptides (protein-like molecules) that help fight stress and potentially more-serious illnesses

Go ahead – Give it a try. Watch the Comedy: People & Phones channel, an On2In2™ collection of short videos about the use/misuse of phones – always good for a laugh.

Martin, a dog with some issues, makes everybody laugh as he tells his story in the comedy ‘mockumentary’ series “Downward Dog”. Watch it here → Dog Speak

Information/Resources: Stress Relief From Laughter? It’s No Joke, Mayo Clinic (April 21, 2016)

Connect to Nature

There’s an enduring belief among many cultures that being outdoors and viewing nature are good for mind and body. But, what to do when you’re trapped indoors?

Research has shown just looking at trees from a window can lighten a hospital patient’s recovery time after surgery, and a study conducted by BBC Earth and the University of California-Berkley revealed that viewing nature in images and video footage triggers a feel good response in people. As a result of these findings, the free-to-watch & share ⇒ Planet Earth video series was produced by BBC Earth. The series consists of 40 hours of visual soundscapes taken from footage filmed by the BBC Planet Earth II camera teams while on location. No commentary on these videos, only breathtaking sights and sounds of nature: Island Sounds, Mountain Sounds, Jungle Sounds, and Desert Sounds.

Information/Resources: View Through a Window May Influence Recovery From Surgery by R.S. Ulrich, The Center For Health Design (1984)

There’s more nature to see on the Natural Beauty video channel, an On2In2™ collection of favorite short videos. Amazing views of the extraordinary and Free to Watch, On-Demand

It’s Never Too Late

“For what it’s worth: It’s never too late or, in my case, too early to be whoever you want to be. There’s no time limit. Stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same. There are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you’re proud of. If you find that you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again.”

Benjamin Button’s letter to his daughter
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008 film)
Story/Screenplay by Eric Roth & Robin Swicord
Based on short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald

“Eat without gluttony, drink without getting drunk, love without jealousy, and occasionally, with great discretion, misbehave.”*

*Lessons Learned on the Quest for a Longer, Happier Life by Dan Buettner, The Aspen Institute – Global Health (June 1, 2018) Start with making small changes to downshift through each day – Take more vacation, do not check emails after work hours, eat dinner with family and friends at a table without any distractions, go on a long walk with a friend over your lunch break.

We’d love to hear from you! If you’d like to comment on this post, join the conversation, or share your inspiration, and you have not yet registered as an On2In2™ playmaker, please sign up via the ‘Engage page’. Don’t worry, it’s pretty quick and easy.

Feature photo is courtesy of Derek Thomson/Unsplash CC0

Art Transforming Trash

September 22, 2019 By Zola Zeester 1 Comment

“The opposite of beauty is not ugly… it’s indifference.” — Richard Lang

There are many complex issues involved in the elimination of pollutants from the environment, but there’s at least one problem easy to identify and understand — trash. Take just one walk on a beach, and you’ll quickly see the ugly truth.

More than 8 million tons of plastic makes its way into the Ocean each year, and the stuff doesn’t go-away or disappear. Just one plastic bag takes 1,000 years to decompose. Much of this garbage can be seen floating on top of the ocean surface. Between California and Hawaii, the “Great Pacific Garbage Patch” is more than double the size of Texas, and it’s just one of many similar floating debris patches.

Ray Ives, a retired Royal Marine and commercial diver, saw even more during his 40+ years of deep sea diving,……“You can’t believe some of the things people dump in the sea. It’s like the biggest rubbish dump in the world”.

Artists are using their creative talents in amazing ways to help make positive change as their works of art bring attention to the plastic pollution problem the world faces and inspire all of us to “rethink plastic”.

Gyrecraft is a short film about crafting objects at sea, in the past with whale’s teeth and in the future with plastics collected from Ocean waters.

Studio Swine went on a 1,000 nautical mile journey through the North Atlantic Gyre, from the Azores to the Canaries, collecting plastics as they sailed. (The North Atlantic Gyre is one of five large systems of circulating ocean currents. The vortex of currents traps man-made marine debris into a large, dense floating debris zone called the ‘North Atlantic Garbage Patch’.) Using a specially designed ‘Solar Extruder’ machine, the plastic pieces collected during the trip were melted on board ship with heat from the Sun, creating a ‘sea plastic’ material used to create art works.

In the short video, Sea Chair, watch as a stool is built on a boat from the plastic collected in a fisherman’s nets.

Since 1999, Richard and Judith Selby Lang have been visiting a special spot at Kehoe Beach at the Point Reyes National Seashore in Northern California, collecting plastics that have washed up on shore. The Lang’s then take their treasures home, wash and sort the items, and create works of art. Over the years, they’ve collected tons of the stuff, learned a lot about ocean pollution, and discovered each little bit of found plastic has an interesting story to tell and provides an insight into human culture.

Aurora Robson is a multi-media artist known for her work with waste materials, and the founding artist of Project Vortex a collective of creatives who work with plastic debris as a medium and support organizational efforts to reduce the amount of plastic littering the oceans and shorelines of the world. She has said the intention of her art is “to take something negative, try to change the direction it’s going, and turn it into something positive”.

Inspired to create your own “environmental art”, but not sure how to start? David Edgar creates marine life art forms from plastic bottles, and his instructional fish project video is a how-to guide for beginners. In the demonstration, you’ll learn that creating a sculpture requires scissors and a couple of simple tools, and reshaping plastic can be accomplish with heat from a hair dryer. Really, the possibilities are endless because unfortunately, so is the trash.

Information/Resources:

Point Reyes National Seashore Point Reyes is a peninsula surrounded on three sides by the Pacific Ocean, supporting a large diversity of species throughout the food chain and ecosystem.

One Plastic Beach The Lang’s offer workshops, presentations, art sales, commercial and residential artwork commissions

Aurora Robson See more art and media

Project Vortex is an international collective of artists, designers and architects creating art works with plastic debris in support of projects that intercept plastic waste in innovative ways and help water cleanup efforts.

Plastic Ocean by Tan Zi Xi – an inspired art installation simulating the environment of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch created the experience of being immersed in a space covered with trash.

Healthy Seas – a joint venture of non-government organizations and businesses dedicated to cleaning ocean of litter and recycling it into new products such as socks, swimwear, textiles and carpets.

International Coastal Cleanup Day is celebrated annually the third Saturday in September.
(Save the Date: September 21, 2019)

Plastic Oceans Foundation – a non-profit organization with a mission to engage people through education and media projects, campaigns and global partnerships

You’ll be surprised to see what lies
beneath the waves – Art Underwater

Our Oceans are suffering from many decades of
abuse and neglect, but each of us has the power to help heal it

Feature photo is courtesy of Free Stock Pro/Pexels CC0

Art Underwater

September 21, 2019 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

“For Art may err, but Nature cannot miss.” — John Dryden, The Cock and the Fox

Underwater public arts projects created by the visionary Jason deCaires Taylor are not just unique exhibition spaces for divers and snorkelers to enjoy. They’re also examples of successful marine conservation efforts as the sculptures serve as habitats for all sorts of sea life which transform Taylor’s work into living, constantly evolving art that inspires an appreciation for the natural beauty of the mysterious world underwater. This video takes you there.

He had a very big idea — create giant cement sculptures and place them on the ocean floor in areas with barren sea beds. Then, in 2006, Jason deCaires Taylor founded and created the world’s first underwater sculpture park off the west coast of Grenada in the West Indies. It was a great success, and has been listed as one of the Top 25 Wonders of the World by National Geographic. In 2009, he co-founded an underwater sculpture museum, Museo Subacuático de Arte (MUSA), that includes a collection of over 500 of his art works in the waters of Cancun, Isla Mujeres and Punta Nizuc, Mexico. More underwater sculpture gardens followed in the Bahamas and Spain, and he’s currently working on a new project in the Maldives. In this TED Talk, Taylor shares his story and breathtakingly beautiful photography.

Jason DeCaires Taylor talk is courtesy of TED, CC BY – NC – ND 4.0 International

Information/Resources:
Gallery: The sculpture garden at the bottom of the sea, by Kate Torgovnick May, Ted.com blog article (December 23, 2015)
Locations Map of the underwater sculpture exhibits around the world (Jason DeCaires Taylor Projects)

Underwater Sculpture Park – Granada, West Indies, Molinere Beauséjour Marine Protected Area

(listed as one of the Top 25 Wonders of the World by National Geographic)
Bahamas Reef Environment Education Foundation (BREEF) Sir Nicholas Nuttall Coral Reef Sculpture Garden (Included in the sculpture garden is, Ocean Atlas, a young Bahamian girl who appears to be holding up the ocean, and at 60 tons/18 ft tall, it’s the largest underwater sculpture in the world.)

Museo Subacuático de Arte (MUSA), Museum of art under the waters of Cancun, Isla Mujeres and Punta Nizuc (Viewing via glass bottom boat, scuba and snorkeling)
Museo Atlántico, Located near the south coast of Lanzarote, in the Bahía de Las Coloradas, Spain
Alluvia, Sculpture lies at bottom of the river Stour running through city of Canterbury in Kent, UK
Pemuteran Temple Garden (statues of Buddha, Ganesha, Turtles behind an ornate Balinese gateway, constructed as one of three Bali Reef Foundation/Australian Aid funded projects)

Dive In2 deep waters and explore the otherworldly beauty of ocean life Watch: Underwater Discoveries, an On2In2™ collection of short videos, Free-to-Watch, On-Demand

BIG, POWERFUL (sometimes dangerous), and a beautiful BLUE, the Ocean does more than its share to sustain life on Planet Earth. Saving Our Ocean

Feature photo is a screen shot taken from the Jason DeCaires Taylor Ted Talk video

Birds of America

September 19, 2019 By Zola Zeester 1 Comment

Some time around 1820, French-American artist and naturalist, John James Audubon (1785-1851) started work on a personal project to paint every bird species located in North America, using unique methods and materials as well as extensive field observations. It was a tremendously challenging and costly endeavor, and many doubted Audubon’s ability to pull it off. In fact, the idea would seem a little wild & crazy even today with 21st century technology. But, Audubon was no ordinary guy. He was also totally committed to finding and illustrating every bird in North America for publication, working more than 15 years toward his goal and raising cash by teaching, selling art works, taking oil painting commissions, hunting and selling animal skins, and conducting exhibitions and demonstrations.

How to view and download John Audubon's extraordinarily beautiful illustrations in The Birds of America. — Common American Swan (The Birds of America, plate 411) is courtesy of the National Audubon Society, John James Audubon Center and Montgomery County Audubon Collection

The result of Audubon’s work is The Birds of America, first published in England as a series of 87 sets of prints between the years 1827 and 1838. Now considered to be the greatest study of birds in history as well as one of the greatest examples of book art, the original publication included 435 hand-colored, life-sized prints of North American birds on handmade paper that were produced from copperplate etchings and engravings with water-coloring applied by assembly-line colorists. An accompanying text (‘Ornithological Biography’) was written by Audubon and the Scottish ornithologist William MacGillvray and published separately in five volumes (1831-1839).

The cost of printing the first edition of The Birds of America was an amount equivalent to more than $2 million US dollars in today’s money. Audubon financed the massive print project with pre-paid subscriptions, but only the wealthy could afford the subscription price which limited the publication to no more than 200 complete sets. Consequently, more affordable editions were later produced using lithography and published during the mid-19^th century.

“The Birds of America’ will then raise in value as much as they are now depreciated by certain fools and envious persons.” — John James Audubon

Almost two centuries later, Audubon’s bird art is still captivating and revered among birders and art collectors, and his influence on ornithology and natural history has been widespread and enduring as The Birds of America and Ornithological Biography significantly contributed to the understanding of bird anatomy and behavior. Watching the short video, ‘Audubon’s Birds of America’ from the Lost Birds Project, you’ll get a sense of the massive beauty of these works of art as David W. Carson, curator of the History of Science Collection at Cornell University, conducts a private viewing of The Birds of America.

Six of the birds illustrated by John Audubon in The Birds of America are now extinct, and many more are endangered. Also — According to a recent study, North America has lost more than a quarter of its entire bird population during the past 50 years. [North America Has Lost 3 Billion Birds, Scientist Say by Nell Greefieldboyce (NPR, September 19, 2019)] ⇒⇒ Learn how you can help by visiting the National Audubon Society’s Action Center.

A copy of the complete The Birds of America series is available FREE of charge for viewing and high-resolution downloading via ⇒⇒ the National Audubon Society’s digital library, courtesy of the John James Audubon Center at Mill Grove in Audubon, Pennsylvania and the Montgomery County Audubon Collection. Be sure to check it out, and let John Audubon inspire your own creative work.

Audubon’s personal copy of The Birds of America is held within the Stark Museum of Art Rare Books & Manuscripts Collections in Orange, Texas. An original, complete series is on public display (one page is turned each week) in the Audubon Room of the Harlan Hatcher Graduate Library at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. It was purchased by the university in 1839 for the astonishing price of $970 (equivalent to approximately $80,000 today). Undoubtedly, a wise investment. In December 2010, a complete first edition from a private collection was sold at a Sotheby’s auction in London for US$ 11.5 million (a record breaking auction price).

Other permanent public display locations: Trinity College (Watkinson Library) in Hartford, Connecticut; University of Pittsburg (Hillman Library); Liverpool Central Library; Woodstock Inn in Woodstock, Vermont; and the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University (Ewell Sale Stewart Library) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Look around– there are surely more opportunities for viewing a first edition as there are currently 107 held by institutions, and many periodically offer special exhibits.

Information/Resources:
The Life of John James Audubon: The Naturalist (1869) [FREE ebook] The primary source material for this biography was Audubon’s notes and journals, written/edited by Lucy Green Bakewell Audubon and Robert Williams Buchanan. The JJ Audubon image is an engraving by H.B. Hall based on a portrait by Henry Inman that appears in the book.
John James Audubon – The Making of an American (2004) by Richard Rhodes*
Audubon’s ‘Birds of America’ at Yale: Creating a masterwork one feather at a time. Article by Mike Cummings, Yale News, June 30, 2015
“Ornithological Biography” or an Account of the Habits of the Birds of the United States of America Vol 4, (1838) by John James Audubon [FREE ebook].
Featured photo of Columbian Hummingbirds is from plate 425 of The Birds of America
Wikipedia: The Birds of America

If you just can’t get enough about birds, there’s more here ⇒ Bird ID Challenge (test your birding skills); Birdsong Melody (the music and magic of the mockingbird); The California Brown Pelican; and Fast and Fearless (the Hummingbird).

Audubon was the first, but there’s a new illustration of birds to get excited about! The Wall of Birds* tells the remarkable story of artist Jane Kim’s 2,500 square-foot mural celebrating the diversity and evolution of birds at The Cornell Lab of Ornithology. It took her 2 1/2 years to create the one-of-a-kind, life-size mural showcasing all 243 modern families of birds, and the book “is a visual feast, essential for those who love art, birds, and our natural world”.

*Zeester Media LLC may receive a small commission for a book purchase you make via a link to Amazon within this page. This in no way affects the price you pay for the purchase.

Silver King

September 15, 2019 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

Tarpons are large, air breathing fish of the genus, Megalops, and they’ve been swimming the seas for 18 million years. There are two species, both found in saltwater as well as freshwater habitats. Megalops cyprinoides (Indo-Pacific tarpon) populate the east African coast, southeast Asia, Japan, Tahiti, and Australia. Megalops atlanticus (Atlantic tarpon, aka ‘Silver King’) is native to the Atlantic, and found along the western Atlantic coast from the US state of Virginia to Brazil, throughout the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean, and on the eastern Atlantic coast from Senegal to South Angola. Since the mid-1960s, there’s been a significant decline of Atlantic tarpon populations in the Gulf of Mexico, most dramatically at Port Aransas, Texas, likely the result of damming of rivers, toxic run-off, dredging of canals and shipping channels, and overfishing.

“He is a battle flotilla in full blazing armor, and peace and good will are not in him for an instant.” — Henry Wellington Wack

In 1885, the first tarpon was caught on a rod & reel in Florida. After more than 130 years, tarpon is still considered one of the great saltwater game fish because of its size (tarpon reach a length of 4–8 feet and weigh 60–250+ pounds), extraordinary ability to jump high out of the water, and fast, powerful fight at the end of the line. It’s tough to hook and land a tarpon—about one in eight hookups are successful catches, and a challenge to locate as they’re a warm-water migratory fish.

Florida is considered one of the world’s top destinations for tarpon fishing, with “hot spots” at Boca Grande in southwest Florida, Homosassa, and the Florida Keys. High season is May through July, but records indicate all sizes are caught throughout the year. Other places on the best tarpon fishing list: Yucatan Peninsula (year round); Costa Rica (Fall season); Angola (Dec – Feb); Gabon (late Oct – early Jan); Guinea-Bissau (Feb – March)

WATCH the THRILL of the CATCH! 120 Days: Tarpon Season, a short documentary video that captures a close-up view of the sport, featuring tarpon fishing guide, David Magnum, in his fervent search for the Silver King in the beautiful waters of Florida.

Information/Resources:

Tarpon, Texas Parks and Wildlife
Tarpon, Florida Parks and Wildlife Research Institute
Atlantic Tarpon, University of Southern Mississippi
Tarpon Research, Bonefish and Tarpon Trust
Megalops atlanticus-Gulf of Mexico, assessed “Vulnerable” by the International Union of Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources
The Silver Kings – Once so plentiful. Where did they go? by Stephen Harrigan, Texas Monthly (May, 2013) [Veteran fishing guides recall a time when Port Aransas, Texas was known as “The Tarpon Capital of the World”]

Ready for more water sport adventure? Watch as 8 paddlers set out to break the rafting speed record through the Grand Canyon on the wild and dangerous Colorado River in The Time Travelers video

Feature photo by Flickr user, Jack, CC BY-NC-ND

BOLDNESS

September 14, 2019 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

Lose this day loitering—’twill be the same story
To-morrow–and the next more dilatory;
Then indecision brings its own delays,
And days are lost lamenting o’er lost days.
Are you in earnest? seize this very minute–
What you can do, or dream you can, begin it,
Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it,
Only engage, and then the mind grows heated—
Begin it, and the work will be completed!

—– John Anster*

However you go, it’s a wild and dangerous ride through the Grand Canyon on the Colorado River. The first to do it was geologist/explorer, John Wesley Powell, and his team during a three month expedition in 1869. A hundred and fourteen years later, the river had changed because of the river’s damming in 1963, but remained a formidable challenge when three river guides in a small wooden boat rowed the 277 miles from Lee’s Ferry to the Grand Wash Cliffs in 36 hours and 38 minutes. No one much cared about their accomplishment until the story was told by Kevin Fedarko in his book, The Emerald Mile (2013)**, inspiring more paddlers to make an attempt to break the record. The current record (34 hours, 2 minutes) was set in 2016 by Ben Orkin in a sea kayak.

After eight months of preparation and training, the USA Men’s Rafting Team launched an attempt to beat Orkin’s record on January 13, 2017. The Time Travelers short documentary video chronicles the journey with “a dose of inspiration” for all of us.

Not going for speed, but for study — A group of scientists took a 16 day journey down the Colorado River thru the heart of the Grand Canyon to observe and study the river and its environment. It’s a breathtakingly beautiful view, but much has been lost during the 50+ years since the completion of Glen Canyon Dam. So, the goal is to find a way to restore and maintain a ‘naturalized’ ecosystem that’s currently in peril.

Information/Resources:
Grand Canyon Private River Trip Planning and River Trips and Permits, US National Park Service
10 Peaceful Places To Paddle by By Bill O’Brian, US Fish and Wildlife Service (for paddlers looking for an easy, scenic ride in a canoe, a kayak, a rowboat, or on a paddleboard through natural beauty of America’s wildlife refuges)
Colorado River: Grand Canyon Rafting Trip Reveals River in Peril by Brandon Loomis, Arizona Republic (October 22, 2018)

*Boldness has genius quote is taken from 1835 publication by Irish poet, John Anster, whose words were inspired by translation of “Faust”, Part One, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Feature photo is a screen shot taken from video, “The Time Travelers”, Gnarly Bay Productions, Inc.

**Editor’s Note: Zeester Media LLC may receive a small commission for a book purchase you make via the Amazon link within this page. This in no way affects the price you pay for the purchase.

More stories of great adventure are available on-demand at Watch: Tours de Force, an On2In2™ collection of favorite videos

Full Moon Rising

September 13, 2019 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

There’s something special about watching a full moon rising as it brings to light a sense of wonder and supernatural energy, inspiring art and poetry, mythology, folklore, and astrological study. In many cultures and religions, moon gazing is an aesthetic practice with a spiritual element — a full moon symbolizing truth and enlightenment in Buddhism. In others, a full moon evokes fear and legends of horror involving curses, vampires, ghosts and werewolves.

Full Moon Silhouettes, is a short video (by award winning photographer, filmmaker & visual effects artist, Mark Gee) of the moon rising over the Mount Victoria Lookout in Wellington, New Zealand. Mark shot the video in real-time, and did not manipulate or enhance the film.

But there’s a full moon risin’
Let’s go dancin’ in the light
We know where the music’s playin’
Let’s go out and feel the night.

Because I’m still in love with you
I want to see you dance again
Because I’m still in love with you
On this harvest moon.
(excerpt from Harvest Moon by Neil Young)

A Harvest Moon is the full moon nearest the astronomical start of fall in the Northern Hemisphere (the autumnal equinox) and spring in the Southern Hemisphere. During a Harvest Moon, moonrise occurs shortly after sunset for several nights, resulting in a bright moonlight that traditionally allowed farmers more undarkened time to harvest their crops. Most years, a full Harvest Moon appears in September, but occasionally it’s the October full moon as it was in 2017.

The 2019 Harvest Moon will make its appearance in the US & Canada just after midnight September 14 (12:35am EDT), and along with it comes celebrations and traditions around the world.

In Britain, giving thanks for a good harvest is a custom that goes back to pagan times, and a Harvest Festival (aka ‘Harvest Home’, ‘Harvest Thanksgiving’ or ‘Harvest Festival of Thanksgiving’) is traditionally held on a Sunday near the time of a Harvest Moon. The celebration includes singing, praying and decorating churches with baskets of fruit and produce. Food is also collected from gardens and farms and distributed to those in need within the community or sold to raise funds for a church or charity.

Tsukimi (or Otsukimi, meaning ‘moon-viewing’, also known as Jugoya), refers to Japanese festivals honoring the autumn moon. The festivities usually begin with a celebration of the full moon on the 15th day of the eighth month of the traditional Japanese calendar, and the waxing moon is celebrated on the 13th day of the ninth month. (These dates normally fall in September and October). The traditions of the Japanese autumn moon festivals date back a thousand years, including the still popular custom of holding harvest moon-viewing parties on the evening of the full moon (‘Tsukimi’), decorating with Japanese pampas grass (‘susuki’), and serving Tsukimi dango (white rice dumplings), taro, edamame, chestnuts, seasonal foods and sake. Seasonal produce is also displayed as an offering to the moon for an abundant harvest—sweet potatoes to the full moon; beans or chestnuts to the waxing moon

Chinese lanterns in all shapes, sizes and colors have become a beautiful symbol of the Mid-Autumn Festival. — Chinese Lanterns, Marc oh! CC BY-ND 2.0

The Mid-Autumn Festival (aka ‘Moon Festival’) is a centuries old Chinese celebration of harvest, and one of the most widely celebrated in the world. Held each year on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month [2019: September 13; 2020: October 1 (China Standard Time)], the Mid-Autumn Festival is an important cultural holiday in China, Vietnam and among ethnic Chinese throughout Asia, based on traditions of gathering of family and friends, watching the moon (a symbol of harmony and unity), giving thanks, and praying for good fortune. There are also special offerings, incense burning, lion and dragon dances, food & drink, games and activities involved in the celebrations. The mooncake is one of the hallmarks of these traditional customs (many millions of the sweet delicacy are sold each year), but the lantern has become the beautiful, glowing symbol of the festival as different designs, colors, shapes and sizes are carried, displayed and released to float in the sky during the celebrations. [Note: The Mid-Autumn Festival is not celebrated on the day of the Harvest full moon, but there’s more than a 50% chance the two events will coincide in a calendar year. Another Chinese festival involving lanterns is the ‘Lantern Festival’ (or Spring Lantern Festival), celebrated on the fifteenth day of the first month in the Chinese calendar and marking the last day of Chinese New Year celebrations. It’s become a popular celebration in Western countries, and is sometimes confused with the Mid-Autumn Festival.]

Information/Resources:

Full Moon Zen by Kenneth Craft, HuffPost (April 28, 2016/April 29, 2017)
Full Moon For October 2017, The Old Farmer’s Almanac
Lunar effect, Full moon, Harvest Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, Tsukimi (Wikipedia)

Check out this On2In2™ Moon Lover’s Guide to the best full moon viewing on Earth

We’re the social type as well as lovers of ice cream mooncakes. Please register via the ENGAGE page to join the conversation, share your inspiration, ideas and creation, and network with On2In2™ playmakers.

Feature photo is courtesy of Gerd Altmann via Pexels CC0

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