Author: Melissa Dowland
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Walks with a Naturalist
My books arrived in the mail today! I can’t quite describe how exciting it feels to hold a book that I have written in my own two hands. Read about how this all came about as well as one of the stories from the first book. Read more…
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Backpacking Glorians
Mike and I took a short backpacking trip through the Black Canyon of the Yellowstone last week. We encountered beautiful wildflowers, a soundscape of birdsong, a curious badger in the vast landscape of our wild home. Read more…
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Two Rivers
Life doesn’t always follow the path we thought it might. This Mother’s Day, I’m reflecting on time with family and recent experiences paddling two very different rivers. Read more…
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Old Friends, New Home
Mike and I took a trip to explore our new home state… and met some old friends while we were there. Read more…
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First Flower?
Mike and I saw our first wildflower of the season on a hike this week! Or at least, we thought we did… Read more…
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Two Poems for Today
Two poems for today. One, an invitation. The other, an elegy. I hope that through both, our human connection with nature brings you a small moment of peace. Read more…
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Endings… and Beginnings
As the year closes, we look back on our favorite images and places in North Carolina as we continue to learn about and love our new home in Yellowstone. Read more…
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The Colors of Autumn
Our first fall in the Rockies has provided some magical moments in a golden landscape. Read more…
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How To Love This World
Last weekend we took a long awaited canoe-camping trip to Shoshone Lake in the southern part of Yellowstone. It’s touted as the largest backcountry lake in the lower 48 states. It can only be reached by foot or non-motorized boat. We chose that route: a paddle across Lewis Lake then up the three mile long… Read more…
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Exploring the Beartooth Mountains
We finally escaped to the Beartooths for some camping and wildlife-watching after three busy months of unpacking and family visits. Read more…
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Roads End Naturalist 