Toad And Dragon Update

NOTE - The dragon head pattern is now finished, and you can see it here: https://youtu.be/299S-32bnLo

The toad got wet, but is still doing fine - so far. And the dragon pattern is in the works...

One thing I forgot to mention in the video is that I'm not putting the toad and his leaf casting directly on the ground. That would be like making a bowl-shaped item out of the paper cement clay and filling it with water. I think it would be an unfair experiment to have him stay wet for weeks at a time. He's sitting on the landscape cloth that I'm using to kill some invasive grass around the strawberries, instead.

The sealer I used for the toad is holding up well, too, even in strong sunlight, which can damage almost anything. It's Rustoleum Matte Clear Enamel, and I gave the toad two coats.

You can find the first video about making the toad here: https://www.ultimatepapermache.com/toad

If you'd like to experiment with the new paper cement clay recipe, you can find it here: https://www.ultimatepapermache.com/weatherproof-paper-mache-clay

To learn about the "primordial fear" theory about dragons, watch The Invention of Dragons video (The beginning is silly, but check his show notes for the academic articles he used.) https://youtu.be/6grLJyqIM8E

The only videos I can find linking dragons with dinos appear to have a strong religious angle, and they suggest that dinosaurs and people lived at the same time. If that idea interests you, they're easy to find on YouTube.

However, my theory is that people found bones of dead and fossilized dinos, which is a totally different thing. There are lots of videos about fossil hunters walking around and finding fossils on the ground. Or just do an online search for "boy finds dinosaur."

I found one other theory - that there was once a creature (not a dinosaur) that lived after people arrived. The video doesn't give much detail, and I don't know ... it's interesting, but I'll wait for more proof before I believe it. However, if there was a large flying lizard it explains why dragons have bat wings. The theory that dragons illustrate our primordial fears doesn't mention monkeys being afraid of bats. 😊https://youtu.be/5zoARHhX6oc

And this video tells us about a real dinosaur (yi qi ) that could have inspired two-legged dragons (wyverns). It's a bird-like creature with bat wings: https://youtu.be/Gnt5wIVjFS0

Garden stuff ...The "core gardening" method taught on the MLGardener channel - a 'lite' version of hügelkultur that helps save water: https://youtu.be/iTnBlkG7h98