Spring is Coming
Jascin N. Leonardo Finger • March 15, 2021
It seems to be creeping in here and there. One of the first signs is snowdrops and we have some popping out at the MMA – particularly in protected areas. I believe our snowdrops are older varieties that have been on our properties for at least 100 years. I have not found a variety yet that is as nice or as resilient as the older ones.
I think, more than last year, we are all more desperate for spring. Last year, the COVID-19 Pandemic was new, for lack of a better word, and terrifying. Now, its old, still terrifying, and tiresome at the same time. And for those who have lost loved ones, it’s absolutely devastating. Children want sports and playdates. Adults want to walk in and out of a store without overthinking what they touched and how close they got to someone and, “Was that person’s mask really appropriate, CDC-blessed coverage?” It’s exhausting. Stressful.
And now, I find myself congratulating people on getting a COVID-19 vaccine! Who knew we would celebrate shots. Though I know it was celebratory for polio and other vaccinations – I/we just have not lived through that.
So while we continue to worry, overly wash our hands (though that is important!), and queue up online and in-person to get vaccinations, let’s not forget the beauty that surrounds us and see the good in what nature provides.
JNLF
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After having a very dry fall and even early winter, we are now making up for it with a LOT of rain. They say April showers bring May flowers but I am starting to wonder. We have been in a drought – less severe than the rest of our New England friends but still, a drought. I do like rain – particularly when I can be nicely cozied up with a good book and a cup of tea – and oh, a few good cookies or some tea bread makes it even more perfect! Another thing I like is the sound of it. Living in a timber frame home – and working in a timber frame historic house, I get the benefits of hearing the rain on the roof (and hopefully no sounds of drips!). Another unique sound is the one that rain makes on the dome of the Maria Mitchell Vestal Street Observatory that I am sharing with you in this video piece (that’s not heating or some sort of mechanical item running – that’s the rain). Enjoy! JNLF
NANTUCKET, MA—The Nantucket Maria Mitchell Association (MMA) announces that it will host Anya Freeman, Founder and CEO of KindDesigns, a Miami start-up, as featured presenter for its April Science Speaker Series. The presentation will take place on Wednesday, April 16, at 7pm via Zoom. This event is free to all. KindDesigns was founded to protect Miami’s coastlines by combating the destructive flooding and degrading of marine habitats happening in Freeman’s home state. Freeman put together a team of engineers, designers, researchers, and materials experts to develop sustainable, cost-effective solutions that could be scaled to all coastal cities. Join Freeman as she discusses her flagship product, 3D- Printing Living Seawalls™, which tackles the challenges posed by rising sea levels while healing damaged ecosystems. Everything KindDesigns does is driven by their unwavering commitment to create resilient communities. These Seawalls are structurally identical to traditional concrete seawall systems, but also function like artificial reefs, dissipating waves and improving water quality. Kind Designs installed the world’s first 3D-Printed Seawall in Miami in May 2024 and has since printed seawalls across coastal cities, and won both US Air Force and US Navy grants to bring the solution to coastal bases. Originally from Ukraine, Anya, together with her family, has lived in Israel, South Africa, and China before settling in Miami to attend law school. Anya worked for the US Attorney's Office of Miami/Fort Lauderdale and clerked at the United States District Court in central California before opening her own law firm focused on environmental policy. Frustrated with a lack of innovation around rising sea-levels which threaten Miami, Anya took on the challenge of finding technological solutions to this global challenge that both supports the environment and has economies of scale. Pre-registration is required to attend Zoom. To register for Zoom, use the registration link below: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Tt8TlLUTRZmwklMzy0ONYA This series is generously sponsored by our lead sponsor, Bank of America. The Maria Mitchell Association was founded in 1902 to preserve the legacy of Nantucket native astronomer, naturalist, librarian, and educator, Maria Mitchell. After she discovered a comet in 1847, Mitchell’s international fame led to many achievements and awards, including an appointment as the first female professor of astronomy at Vassar College. Maria Mitchell believed in “learning by doing” and today that philosophy is reflected in the MMA’s mission statement, programs, research projects, and other activities. The Maria Mitchell Association operates two observatories, a natural science museum, an aquarium, a research center, and preserves the historic birthplace of Maria Mitchell. A wide variety of science and history-related programming is offered throughout the year for people of all ages ###
The concrete floors have been cleaned and stabilized in the Astronomical Study cellar and the Dome Room. The Pillar Room floor will need warmer temperatures as the epoxy we are putting on the floor cannot cure properly. This is because the floor of the Pillar Room sits directly on the ground – there is no cellar beneath– and the pillar for the telescope located in this space goes directly down into the ground. This is done so that if there is any movement in the building, the telescope itself will not move or shake. While we wait for that final treatment of the Pillar Room floor, the electrician has moved in. He has replaced the very old wiring – but kept the original switch knobs for the glass plates built into the bookshelves. These glass plates are from the 1920s – most were taken at the Maria Mitchel Observatory. We have restored push button light switches – they more than likely had those as we had them in our former Science Library – now Research Center – and bronzed switch plates that are more in keeping with the time period. We have removed the 1980 track lighting and placed four larger ceiling lights in their place. The Study never had ceiling lights or sconces – just task lighting – but we do need better lighting than that so we located some lighting that is in-keeping with the period and the use of the building. Other switches and lights are being updated – the wiring in particular. Pen Austin will some come in to make a few small lime plaster repairs from the track lighting – interesting construction that revealed itself upon taking down the track lights. Lime plaster, concrete, chicken wire, wood, and some much older looking nails than I expected for 1922. A thank you to Brian Connor Electric and to Elizabeth Markle for help sourcing the lights. JNLF