Mona’s Comments (group member since Feb 03, 2015)

Mona’s comments from the Conversation with Sharman Apt Russell group.

Mona wrote: "Sharman wrote: "P.S. Specifically, the LA museum is looking for butterflies and spiders, I think. What better? Also they are doing a "nature map" of LA and ask for photos of wildlife to be sent to ..."
p.s. I will include the quote: "The physics of beauty is really the biology of beauty, and the biology of beauty is what we claim as our own, what we build inside our bodies to resonate with what we see outside in the world. Now I understand that almost everywhere I go, for the rest of my life, I will see tiger beetles. Everywhere I go, because of that, the world will be more beautiful."

Sharman wrote: "P.S. Specifically, the LA museum is looking for butterflies and spiders, I think. What better? Also they are doing a "nature map" of LA and ask for photos of wildlife to be sent to them. I don't kn..."
I have an acquaintance who has a motion sensitive camera. Maybe he'll let me borrow it. I know we'd catch coyotes as I see them quite often. I am sure I would catch creatures that I'd be surprised to see. I just joined Nature's Notebook--and will definitely look into the Natural Museum. Like the idea of documenting spiders. One aspect of your book that pulled me in is the fascination w/ the tiger beetles. And how you share your intrigue as it grows exponentially. You really capture it in the last few lines before Oct. 11 (page 70.)

So, your book makes clear that all of us can participate in documenting the natural world around us--doesn't matter if a person lives in the heart of Los Angeles or the heart of the Gila National Forest. I take it as a challenge (I am the Los Angeles variety) and I am going to take note. Maybe you can help with some parameters. I am lucky--I probably have about 60'x100' of scrub Hollywood Hill land in my backyard. There's a lot of wildlife--from weird looking pale beetles the are startled when I lift a log to the skunk that I back up from if I run into him on my way to the garbage at night. Should I stick to this area--somewhere I can be daily, somewhere I know intimately or should I strike further afield. There are canyons nearby that I visit once or twice a week? Should I start a project there?