Snowflake Bentley
cookwoodpress
A book appeared in our house yesterday of which the kids have no
recollection. It's hard cover, brand new, and quite beautiful. Santa
come early?
I picked it up this morning and read it and was inspired. It seemed to
talk to unschooling so much! It is a testament to passion and
following one's interests.
It's about a man who was born in 1865 in Vermont, where snow was "as
common as dirt". But the boy loved snow. He spent every minute (during
the winter :) observing snow, picking up snowflakes, comparing
designs, trying to draw them, etc. The neighbors sneered, the father
thought it foolish, but since his parents loved him they spent their
life savings on a microscope/camera so that he could photograph
snowflakes. This in 1881 when he was 16.
The boy, Wilson Bentley, spent two winters trying to get a decent
snowflake photograph, and then finally got it... using a tiny aperture
and really long exposure. He spent many, many hours collecting,
studying, and photographing snowflakes. He never made any money from
it, a group of scientists raised money so that he could publish a book
"Snow Crystals" which is still a basic "text" for snow.
Here's a quote from Wilson Bentley:
"The average dairy farmer gets up at dawn because he has to go to work
in the cow yard. I get up at dawn, too. But it is because I want to
find some leaf, hung with dew; or a spider web which the dew has made
into the most delicate ropes of pearls... I take my camera with me,
get down on my knees in the wet grass, and photograph these exquisite
bits of nature. Because I do this I can show these lovely things to
people who never would have seen them without my help. They will get
their daily quart of milk, all right. Other farmers will attend to
that. But I think I am giving them something which is just as
important." -- W. A. Bentley
http://snowflakebentley.com/
Although the book is meant for children, it seems perfect to me for
relatives who don't get unschooling.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0395861624
Hope you find this interesting.
best,
Liz
recollection. It's hard cover, brand new, and quite beautiful. Santa
come early?
I picked it up this morning and read it and was inspired. It seemed to
talk to unschooling so much! It is a testament to passion and
following one's interests.
It's about a man who was born in 1865 in Vermont, where snow was "as
common as dirt". But the boy loved snow. He spent every minute (during
the winter :) observing snow, picking up snowflakes, comparing
designs, trying to draw them, etc. The neighbors sneered, the father
thought it foolish, but since his parents loved him they spent their
life savings on a microscope/camera so that he could photograph
snowflakes. This in 1881 when he was 16.
The boy, Wilson Bentley, spent two winters trying to get a decent
snowflake photograph, and then finally got it... using a tiny aperture
and really long exposure. He spent many, many hours collecting,
studying, and photographing snowflakes. He never made any money from
it, a group of scientists raised money so that he could publish a book
"Snow Crystals" which is still a basic "text" for snow.
Here's a quote from Wilson Bentley:
"The average dairy farmer gets up at dawn because he has to go to work
in the cow yard. I get up at dawn, too. But it is because I want to
find some leaf, hung with dew; or a spider web which the dew has made
into the most delicate ropes of pearls... I take my camera with me,
get down on my knees in the wet grass, and photograph these exquisite
bits of nature. Because I do this I can show these lovely things to
people who never would have seen them without my help. They will get
their daily quart of milk, all right. Other farmers will attend to
that. But I think I am giving them something which is just as
important." -- W. A. Bentley
http://snowflakebentley.com/
Although the book is meant for children, it seems perfect to me for
relatives who don't get unschooling.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0395861624
Hope you find this interesting.
best,
Liz
elizabeth roberts
That sounds like an interesting read! Thanks for sharing it!
Beth, NC
Sing, Dance, Laugh...LOVE!
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Beth, NC
Sing, Dance, Laugh...LOVE!
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SATCH SUMNER
This story reminded me how I want to start the week
off new with my child filled with wonder
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off new with my child filled with wonder
> That sounds like an interesting read! Thanks for__________________________________________________
> sharing it!
> Beth, NC
>
>
> Sing, Dance, Laugh...LOVE!
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam
> protection around
> http://mail.yahoo.com
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been
> removed]
>
>
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Sandra Dodd
On Dec 18, 2005, at 1:14 PM, SATCH SUMNER wrote:
Which week?
Start in this moment.
> This story reminded me how I want to start the week=================
> off new with my child filled with wonder
Which week?
Start in this moment.
the bartels
just wanted to second this book recommendation! :) we love it!!
the illustrations are beautiful woodcuts and it's a nice story...even
better that it's true! i must say though, my favorite thing about it is
how it's written. the text is split on the page...there's the regular
story part in the middle with the pictures, and then there's additional
information/tidbits on the edges for a more in-depth experience! some
of my kids like the shorter version, some like the longer. and you can
pick and choose what to read each time. :)
snowflake bentley was a groovy guy! and i think the layout of the book
is fitting for his somewhat unconventional way of life.
check it out!
-lisa
the illustrations are beautiful woodcuts and it's a nice story...even
better that it's true! i must say though, my favorite thing about it is
how it's written. the text is split on the page...there's the regular
story part in the middle with the pictures, and then there's additional
information/tidbits on the edges for a more in-depth experience! some
of my kids like the shorter version, some like the longer. and you can
pick and choose what to read each time. :)
snowflake bentley was a groovy guy! and i think the layout of the book
is fitting for his somewhat unconventional way of life.
check it out!
-lisa
>That sounds like an interesting read! Thanks for sharing it!
>Beth, NC
>
freasabird2003
Thanks Liz for the great info on this very interesting sounding book! I
clicked on the Amazon link (and the other one too!) and found even more
great information! We will definitely be adding this book to our ever
growing library. My soon to be 8 yr old DD is my nature bug; I am
certain she will love it! And so will I!
Happy Holidays to all!
~Wilda and DDs 18, 12, and 7 in the northern Shenandoah Valley of VA
clicked on the Amazon link (and the other one too!) and found even more
great information! We will definitely be adding this book to our ever
growing library. My soon to be 8 yr old DD is my nature bug; I am
certain she will love it! And so will I!
Happy Holidays to all!
~Wilda and DDs 18, 12, and 7 in the northern Shenandoah Valley of VA
Sandra Dodd
Our 9th grade science teacher, Louie Sanchez, told us about those
early snowflake photos, and patterns in nature involving sixes.
I taught with Louie later. I learned a lot of cool things from him,
many not the "real" stuff--not the in-class stuff. He was
insightful, irritating and a font of connections and oddments.
People who don't live where snow is probably don't know that if a
snowflake lands on something like cloth it will sit there for a while
before it melts or is shaken off and sometimes you can see a little
of the shape of it. Sometimes they fall in clumps, though, and look
more like a pile of stuff that weighs nothing. Sometimes those
clumps get heavy, and as they fall the edges turn up so they look
like corn flakes (the shape, not the color) and start to wag back and
forth some as they fall. Sometimes the wind is blowing and it turns
into little ice balls and doesn't look so cool. But sometimes on a
very still day if the flakes fall so gently that they're not
combining you can really see one.
Also when it's still that way you can look up and see them coming all
around you and it looks a little like when you're driving through
snow and the snow goes in all directions (or when the Enterprise goes
through at warp speed and something (STARS!? I doubt it <g>) is
going by on all sides. <g> And just as you're wondering how high
up you're seeing these snowflakes, whether it's six feet or maybe
twenty, one will get you RIGHT in the eye. <g>
http://www.its.caltech.edu/~atomic/snowcrystals/photos/photos.htm
There are some photos of snowflakes and lots of info.
Sandra
early snowflake photos, and patterns in nature involving sixes.
I taught with Louie later. I learned a lot of cool things from him,
many not the "real" stuff--not the in-class stuff. He was
insightful, irritating and a font of connections and oddments.
People who don't live where snow is probably don't know that if a
snowflake lands on something like cloth it will sit there for a while
before it melts or is shaken off and sometimes you can see a little
of the shape of it. Sometimes they fall in clumps, though, and look
more like a pile of stuff that weighs nothing. Sometimes those
clumps get heavy, and as they fall the edges turn up so they look
like corn flakes (the shape, not the color) and start to wag back and
forth some as they fall. Sometimes the wind is blowing and it turns
into little ice balls and doesn't look so cool. But sometimes on a
very still day if the flakes fall so gently that they're not
combining you can really see one.
Also when it's still that way you can look up and see them coming all
around you and it looks a little like when you're driving through
snow and the snow goes in all directions (or when the Enterprise goes
through at warp speed and something (STARS!? I doubt it <g>) is
going by on all sides. <g> And just as you're wondering how high
up you're seeing these snowflakes, whether it's six feet or maybe
twenty, one will get you RIGHT in the eye. <g>
http://www.its.caltech.edu/~atomic/snowcrystals/photos/photos.htm
There are some photos of snowflakes and lots of info.
Sandra
Gwen McCrea
I first heard about this guy from my dad, who is always interested in
stories of people who follow their interests and passions (and is a
great cheerleader for unschooling, too, yay!!).
We also love the books by Bentley himself, with gorgeous photos of
hundreds of snowflakes. Here are amazon links to them:
Snowflakes in Photographs
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0486412539
Snow Crystals
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0486202879
The second one also has info on how to photograph snowflakes.
Gwen...
who is spending her first winter in Virginia, after moving from
Minnesota, and who seriously misses the snow, and (sort of, sometimes)
misses the cold.
stories of people who follow their interests and passions (and is a
great cheerleader for unschooling, too, yay!!).
We also love the books by Bentley himself, with gorgeous photos of
hundreds of snowflakes. Here are amazon links to them:
Snowflakes in Photographs
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0486412539
Snow Crystals
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0486202879
The second one also has info on how to photograph snowflakes.
Gwen...
who is spending her first winter in Virginia, after moving from
Minnesota, and who seriously misses the snow, and (sort of, sometimes)
misses the cold.