a swallow migration to the moon
For Christmas this year our island community arranged for windows to be transformed into jul luckor, like an advent calendar on 3 islands. It was lovely and people made the nicest holiday scenes to go see on dark days! Our date was the 21st, which was winter solstice so we decided to invite people by to see the window. We decorated with farolitos, a Christmas luminary tradition from New Mexico and sold empanadas and a spicy red chile hot chocolate, and NM bizcochitos which is a cinnamon sugar cookie.
My inspiration for the window design:
Because svalor- swallows are our namesake and it was the solstice and a waning full moon, I created a vignette inspired by one of the many odd stories of where swallows go in the winter. In 1680 an English educator named Charles Morton, who theorized in his Compendium Physicae that swallows migrate all the way to the moon. Since they could not be found in nest or trees or ponds, here or there or anywhere - then they must go up! According to his calculations, if they flew a speed of 125 miles per hour for two months with no air resistance or gravity they could make it all the way to the moon. There they were sustained by fat stored away during the summer and could hibernate in the lunar cold.
He was not alone in these far flung ideas, from 350 BC starting with Aristotle and into the 18th century even Linnaeus who created the system for classifying all nature theorized that swallows hibernated underwater in ponds in the mud. The most fascinating part of this is that Aristotle’s speculation was taken as fact for nearly two millennia. The consequence of inadequate scientific method and the vast unknown of the early natural world was society’s willingness to believe all manner of nonsense. Felt appropriate metaphor necessary to illuminate the false convictions we still face today and science versus perpetuated stories and beliefs. In this wonderful article recounting the many theories on the migration of swallows, the author says of the lunar theory- “It was, of course, the most appalling hogwash. That Morton – an otherwise brilliant man – should have proposed such a fanciful solution to the mystery of the swallow’s whereabouts was the result of an intense battle over the nature of scientific reasoning, which had been raging for centuries – and which is still raging today. “
It wasn’t until a famous anatomist set out to actually prove the theory through a diligent scientific study where he created the environment of a reeded pond and witnessed the subsequent death of all the swallows, that is was factually disproved. What is most amazing is the truth, the actual migration of birds, the journey swallows take around the world, the epic distances and the way finding and generational memory is truly miraculous.
Though Aristotle was astute in saying: For one swallow does not make a summer, nor does one day; and so too one day, or a short time, does not make a man blessed and happy.
I only had a day to spare to make this, I used a template for folded birds, shapes from seamless photo paper backgrounds, sequins for stars and tree tinse. Because we don’t have light pollution in the winter the dusk moonlight and snow can be this surreal layered tones of gray. I also wanted the window to play on the reflection of the landscape during the day. It’s simple but I think it turned out sweet!
EMPANADA RECIPE
Here is my favorite empanada dough and filling, so simple and delicious. We did a savory meat filling, a caramelized onions with thyme and cheese and this kale mushroom, which is my favorite. enjoy!
Make the dough in a food processor
I cut my dough shapes with a bowl
Add filling
Press close, fold or pinch or I use a fork to edge
Egg white wash before you bake them
I bake about 30 minutes but you can see the color
Enjoy with fresh salsa or a chimichurri sauce