Roads End Naturalist

Exploring the natural world as we wander at the end of the road


Author: Mike Dunn

  • Camp Critters

    If a child is to keep his inborn sense of wonder, he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement, and mystery of the world we live in. ~Rachel Carson It is summer camp time at work and it has been busy these past few… Read more…

  • Bearly Awake

    Each day holds a surprise. ~Henry Nouwen Melissa and I have been with Mom this week helping take care of the many things that require attention when a family member passes. It has been a busy few days, though I managed to take Mom to Damascus last night for a little relaxation at their annual… Read more…

  • Seek, and Ye Shall Find

    ,

    The beginning of wisdom is to call things by their proper name. ~Confuscius This past month, I have tried to find 5 or 10 minutes each day at work to walk around the building breezeways to photograph any moths that were attracted to the lights the previous night. I hope to create a library of… Read more…

  • Anniversary Escape

    Pursue some path, however narrow and crooked, in which you can walk with love and reverence. ~Henry David Thoreau Last month we escaped for a few days for our anniversary. Escaped may seem like a strange word for people that are lucky enough live in the woods, but, as Melissa has pointed out, when we… Read more…

  • Savanna Sights

    ,

    To think that plants ate insects would go against the order of nature… ~Carl Linnaeus After a crazy busy spring field trip season at work, I am finally getting around to catching up on a couple of posts. Like last year, toward the end of April I collaborated with Melissa and the NC Museum of… Read more…

  • Getting Back To It

    ,

    It’s always good to get back to the places you love… Life has been way too busy these past many weeks and my blog entries have suffered, but I finally have a break this morning while I wait on some overdue car maintenance. With the busyness has been less time exploring outside, but this weekend… Read more…

  • Swamp Break

    Each mile on a river will take you further from home than a hundred miles on a road. ~Bob Marshall It has been a hectic spring at work so we decided to take a break last week and do something we both love to do – paddle in a swamp. We both blocked off 3… Read more…

  • Grubosaurus

    The Eastern Hercules has a wing span up to half a foot, the armor of a knight, and the spots of a leopard. ~Orin McMonigle I guess I should be honored that the front desk volunteer thought of me first. One day a little over a week ago, I got a call saying a woman… Read more…

  • Tribute

    Wow, what a planet! ~Mary Ann Brittain, May 20, 1942 – March 17, 2019 I’m going to post something a little different this morning. A brief tribute to my dear friend and mentor, Mary Ann Brittain. We attended her memorial yesterday at her beloved Pullen Memorial Baptist Church in Raleigh. It was a beautiful, hopeful,… Read more…

  • This Bud’s For You

    There is April, in the swelling bud. There is Spring. There are the deep wonders of this season, not in the flower, but in the flower’s beginnings….the bud itself is the major miracle. ~Hal Borland, Sundial of the Seasons One of my favorite plants to watch this time of year is the Painted Buckeye, Aesculus… Read more…