Author: Mike Dunn
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First Snow
When I no longer thrill to the first snow of the season, I’ll know I’m growing old. ~Claudia “Lady Bird” Johnson I have to admit, that describes me. I love snow and winter – I know, I am outside the norm on this one, but I do. And my first snow of the season happened… Read more…
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A Well-named Bird
…he wears a coat of the purest, richest, and most gorgeous blue on back, wings, and tail; he carries on his back the blue of heaven and the rich brown of the freshly turned earth on his breast… ~Arthur Cleveland Bent, in Life Histories of Familiar North American Birds, 1949. I finally had a chance… Read more…
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Learning by Experience
The feeling of respect for all species will help us recognize the noblest nature in ourselves. ~Thich Nhat Hanh Last Saturday I had the pleasure of sharing two of my favorite places with an enthusiastic group of NC State students in the Leopold Wildlife Club. I was asked if I would accompany them on a… Read more…
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Autumn’s Palette
Autumn is a second spring where every leaf is a flower. ~Albert Camus Years ago I had a school grounds workshop scheduled for a week day in October near Asheville. I didn’t get a hotel room ahead of time since I figured it would not be a problem during the week. After checking various places… Read more…
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Boneyard and Butterflies
Discovering this idyllic place, we find ourselves filled with a yearning to linger here, where time stands still and beauty overwhelms. ~Anonymous Another report on my recent trip to the South Carolina Lowcountry…after looking for dolphins on the boat charter and enjoying some of the fine dining to be found in Charleston, it was off… Read more…
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Join me in Yellowstone this January
Yellowstone in the summer changed my life. Revisiting in the winter was like going back to an old friend’s house when all the guests have gone home and you get to sit in the den and have long quiet conversations with the residents. ~Mike Leonard, a teacher that experienced Yellowstone in both summer and winter… Read more…
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Lounging in the Lowcountry
I have heard it said that an inoculation to the sights and smells of the Carolina lowcountry is an almost irreversible antidote to the charms of other landscapes. ~Pat Conroy I recently made a leisurely trip to the Lowcountry of South Carolina. Lowcountry generally refers to the lands along the coast from Charleston to the… Read more…
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Nice Earring
All walking is discovery. On foot we take the time to see things whole. ~Hal Borland On a recent walk in the South Carolina Low Country, I spied a bright patch of color clinging to a limb on a blueberry bush – a Green Treefrog. I love the way these guys clutch vegetation during the… Read more…
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Stilt Walker
Your legs are longer than airport security lines. ~Anonymous I have seen these long-legged shorebirds on several occasions, but was delighted when driving down a beach road recently to spot their distinctive silhouettes right next to a pullout along the road. Black-necked Stilts are a medium-sized shorebird with anything but medium-sized legs. In fact, they… Read more…
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The Second 100
Our job is to record, each in his own way, this world of light and shadow and time that will never come again exactly as it is today. ~ Edward Abbey Once again, I find it hard to believe I have reached another milestone, post #200 on this blog. I’m not sure what, if anything,… Read more…
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Roads End Naturalist 