The Jackson’s Chameleon Queen has a Jubileum.
Believe it or not, there are people who simply grow older year by year. Not so Mary Lovein: she shines with every added year brighter and brighter. She shows, with her own example, that every life counts and that love, art, and a generous heart can illuminate not only the people around her, but also the silent creatures of this world.
Mary has made a unique contribution to chameleon science by writing a remarkable book — one of a kind — filled with countless photographs and insightful texts drawn from decades of observing Jackson's Chameleons living freely in her garden. While some speak of these lizards with restraint because they are invasive in Hawaii, she chose another path: to tell their story with affection, awe, and inspiration. She became their quiet observer and guardian, sharing their lives with the world.
Her work did not end with the book. Through her daily posts and reflections, she has created an invaluable long‑term record of a feral chameleon population establishing itself in a new homeland. She has witnessed them arriving and disappearing, struggling and thriving, defending territories, creating life, giving birth, and growing. One of the most moving moments was the recent return of a male thought lost for more than a decade — a living testament to the wild longevity of this species.
Please join me in wishing Mary:
The Happiest Birthday Ever,
Jackson's Chameleon Queen Mary!
Dear Mary,
On the occasion of your eightieth birthday, I extend to you my heartfelt congratulations. Reaching this remarkable milestone with such grace, clarity of spirit, and inner radiance is a privilege reserved only for a few.
I will remember our meeting for the rest of my life. It was one of those rare encounters that leave a permanent mark — the kind that reminds you that beauty, charm, and genuine human spirit still exist in this world. Knowing you is something I am proud of, and something I will always carry with me.
Today, all the chameleons in your garden — and all their distant cousins in Hawaii and Kenya — bow deeply and send you their silent yet cordial greetings. Even the quiet creatures of the world seem to acknowledge a person whose presence makes life gentler and more luminous.
For all the years ahead, I wish you strength of spirit, good health, and the vitality to continue shaping the world around you with the same elegance and quiet power that have defined you so far. May your days remain bright, your steps steady, and your heart light.
With my warmest regards and admiration,
Petr
Mary Lovein an her chameleons
Mary Lovein an her Art