Roads End Naturalist

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


Category: Uncategorized

  • November Treat

    Any glimpse into the life of an animal quickens our own and makes it so much the larger and better in every way. ~John Muir It’s been awhile since I posted. Not sure where the time goes, but here we are. Last week I had a last minute idea to run down to my favorite… Read more…

  • Happy Halloween

    Like delicate lace, so the threads intertwine, oh, gossamer web of wond’rous design! Such beauty and grace wild nature produces… ~Bill Watterson Yes, ’tis that special holiday, ’tis Halloween. And we manage to gravitate toward all manner of spooky things and transfer our fears anew to many elements of the natural world such as bats,… Read more…

  • September Deer

    I don’t have to take a trip around the world or be on a yacht in the Mediterranean to have happiness. I can find it in little things, like looking out into my backyard and seeing deer in the fields. ~ Queen Latifah It is deer season. They are very active in our woods as… Read more…

  • The Allure of Moving Water

    Nothing is softer or more flexible than water, yet nothing can resist it.   ~Lao Tzu One of our refurbished pools has a small waterfall. Since the pool was dug on a slope, a waterfall seemed like a logical addition. Besides the aesthetic aspects, there is an added benefit of the sound of moving water,… Read more…

  • Winter Wonderland

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    Through the weeks of deep snow, we walked above the ground on fallen sky… ~Wendell Berry I alluded to this trip in our last post when I whined about missing our “big snow” at home while we were away. Well, we were away in our happy place, Yellowstone. And, even though it is experiencing a… Read more…

  • Wishing You a Wonderful Holiday

    He who marvels at the beauty of the world in summer will find equal cause for wonder and admiration in winter…. ~John Burroughs May you find happiness and peace this holiday season. A few images from winters past… Read more…

  • Yard Missiles

    Stare hard at the hummingbird, in the summer rain,shaking the water-sparks from its wings… ~ Mary Oliver With a thunderstorm kicking up outside and rain (much needed rain) starting to fall, I sit inside watching the yard missiles go at each other at the four feeders we have scattered around the house. It still baffles… Read more…

  • Of Moose and Men (and Women)

    Every creature is better alive than dead, men and moose and pine trees, and he who understands it aright will rather preserve its life than destroy it. ~Henry David Thoreau This is a post about the final leg of our journey last fall on our truck camping adventure. From the deserts of Utah, we herded… Read more…

  • Dry, Dusty, Beautiful

    There is no shortage of water in the desert but exactly the right amount , a perfect ratio of water to rock, water to sand, insuring that wide free open, generous spacing among plants and animals, homes and towns and cities, which makes the arid West so different from any other part of the nation.… Read more…

  • Spring Birds

    The presence of a single bird can change everything for one who appreciates them. ~Julie Zickefoose An annual highlight for us living in these woods is the arrival of the spring migrants. They all bring a touch of excitement and joy when you see or hear the first of their kind arriving at the breeding… Read more…