Author: Melissa Dowland
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Truck Camping 101
I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I intended to be. ~Douglas Adams Melissa and Mike’s top ten tips (plus) for camping in your truck… Don’t run your truck through a mud hole that tops the hood on the first day. And if you Read more…
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Flower Parts: The Iris’ Have It
In the Spring a fuller crimson comes upon the robin’s breast;In the Spring the wanton lapwing gets himself another crest; In the Spring a livelier iris changes on the burnish’d dove;In the Spring a young man’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love. ~Alfred, Lord Tennyson I’ve been meaning to take a look at this Read more…
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Jack… or Jill… in the Pulpit?
The Lord chose to reveal his power and his love through two human faces: the face of his divine Son made man and the face of a creature, a woman, Mary. Women make their contribution to the Church in a way that is properly theirs, by making present the tender strength of Mary, the Mother… Read more…
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Plant Parts Part 3: Wild Columbine
Ephemeral Delicate, perfumed phlox;A mist of columbine, clinging to earth;Phoebe’s gravelly voice,Titmouse — tender, sweet;A dogwood cloud hover aboveVibrant, fresh leaves. FleetingFalling flowers, already spent;A garden, no longer my own. A spring, a garden, will come again;At home in the hope, the beauty. Bittersweetand fast-fading. Always returning! Mike has shared some of my poetry on Read more…
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Flower Parts Part 2: Our State Flower
Whereas, the Dogwood is a radiantly beautiful flower which grows abundantly in all parts of the State; and Whereas, there is a great demand from all parts of the State that this Legislature adopt an official flower; Now, therefore, The General Assembly of North Carolina do enact: That the Dogwood be, and it is hereby, Read more…
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Whether you want to or not… Parts of a Flower
When you take a flower in your hand and really look at it, it’s your world for the moment. I want to give that world to someone else. I want them to see it whether they want to or not. ~Georgia O’Keeffe So far this spring, I’ve had to cancel workshops that I was planning Read more…
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Follow the Yellow Brick Road
“Follow, follow, follow, follow, follow the yellow brick road… We’re off to see the wizard, the wonderful Wizard of Oz… because, because, because, because, because, because of the wonderful things he does…” ~The Munchkins of Oz In this particular case, the road is not so much yellow and brick as white and silky… but these Read more…
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An Unexpected Love Song
“If you would win my heart, sing me a love song.” ~Jane Griner in the song “Sing Me to Heaven” by Daniel E. Gawthrop Given the title of this blog, you might think it’s going to be about all the riotous birdsong that is happening out in our woods right now as temperatures warm and Read more…
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Longleaf Lost
The power of the ocean in what does it lie? In the endless, timeless roar of the surf? In the immense vistas – the view to the end of the world? In the glowing spray as it diffuses the light of the rising sun? In the power and mystery of its dark depths? No matter— Read more…
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Grass, Bottlebrush, Candelabra, Pine?
Here’s to the land of the longleaf pine, The summer land where the sun doth shine, Where the weak grow strong and the strong grow great, Here’s to “Down Home,” the Old North State. ~North Carolina State Toast In my last post, I talked about some of the amazing, small plants that grow beneath the Read more…
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Roads End Naturalist 