Category: Trip report
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A Monarch Pilgrimage
Each breaking wave, each rush of the sea on the slope of sand, reminds me why these places of pilgrimage matter. They matter to me because in the long view, I do not.~Terry Tempest Williams In mid-January, I had the privilege to take 12 exceptional North Carolina educators to Mexico. We had two primary goals:… Read more…
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Soundscapes
The sound of birds stops the noise in my mind. ~Carly Simon I was back in my favorite spot in North Carolina this past week – Pocosin Lakes NWR. A lot has changed on the refuge since my first visit back in the early 1980’s. Back then, you could walk almost anywhere this time of… Read more…
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Countdown
The last time you’re doing something – knowing you’re doing it for the last – makes it even more alive than the first. ~Gloria Naylor This week we headed down to the Pungo Unit of Pocosin Lakes NWR for our annual Christmas Bird Count (CBC). As best as I can remember, I have been doing… Read more…
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Mountain High
Wherever we go in the mountains, we find more than we seek. ~John Muir My long-time friend, Scott, is working at Mount Mitchell State Park this summer so I decided to pay him a visit last week. It was good timing, since the predicted high temperature here at home was in the mid- to upper… Read more…
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In Our Happy Place Part 2
[The public lands represent] in a sense, the breathing space of the nation. ~Richard Nixon After Melissa joined her group of educators, I had a few days in Yellowstone on my own. You shouldn’t be surprised that I wanted to spend as much as time as possible out in it, watching wildlife, staying away from… Read more…
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In Our Happy Place
National parks are the best idea we ever had. Absolutely American, absolutely democratic, they reflect us at our best rather than our worst. ~Wallace Stegner Melissa had another of the museum ‘s amazing educator workshops to Yellowstone last month. This year, we decided to go out a week early to enjoy the park, hang out… Read more…
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South Africa – Days 5-6
You cannot leave Africa, Africa said. It is always with you, there inside your head. ~Bridget Dore Well, I’m finally getting back to continue the story of our November trip to South Africa. In the first blog post, I covered our first few days after arriving in Johannesburg and traveling to Kruger National Park. This… Read more…
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Bucket List
Don’t just chase your dreams, catch them. ~Annette White I’ve been so busy that I am still playing catch up with blog about our past trips. This one has been on my bucket list for several years – a March trip to Nebraska to witness the spectacular spring migration of Sandhill Cranes. We occasionally see… Read more…
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While She Was Away…
Take time to do what makes your soul happy. ~Unknown author I suppose I really don’t have to worry about this particular quote. I think I do a pretty good job of taking the time to do the things I enjoy. With Melissa leading a museum winter workshop in Yellowstone, I decided to get out… Read more…
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South Africa – Days 1-4
Custos Naturae – Guardian of Nature ~The slogan formerly found on the logo of Kruger National Park, South Africa Last summer, a friend and former coworker, Andrew Torlage, asked me out for a beer to discuss an idea. Andrew was born in South Africa and moved to North Carolina less than a decade ago. He… Read more…
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Roads End Naturalist 