Natalie Ogbourne

Reflections from Yellowstone

Writing Tools I Use

Writing Tools I Use

Writing involves more than writing. The writing life involves a lot of reading and observing. Most of my writing is done at my desk, and I occasionally get to spend a few happy hours writing outside in Yellowstone. These are a few of the go-to items I use for...

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Postcard from Yellowstone: Bobby Socks Trees

Postcard from Yellowstone: Bobby Socks Trees

Once upon a time, I worked in Yellowstone—at the Old Faithful Inn Gift Shop, where I spent part of each day restoring the great wall of postcards. These days, the postcard wall is smaller, which makes me sad. Postcards are more than souvenirs. They’re a way of looking...

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Hiking Gear We Use

Hiking Gear We Use

I know of a few winter hikers. For most of us, though, hiking is an activity left to the more temperate seasons. With spring upon us, I wanted to share some things we're gathering for the coming hiking season. Hiking/Trekking Poles: In terms of stability and speed,...

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Postcard from Yellowstone | Clear Lake

Postcard from Yellowstone | Clear Lake

Once upon a time, I worked in Yellowstone—at the Old Faithful Inn Gift Shop, where I spent part of each day restoring the great wall of postcards. These days, the postcard wall is smaller, which makes me sad. Postcards are more than souvenirs. They’re a way of looking...

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Lesson from Midlife | New Footing for a New Life

Lesson from Midlife | New Footing for a New Life

Early this winter, before the cold set in and the snow headed south (both with a vengeance, I might add), I wore my hiking boots to a basketball game. This is significant because, up until that evening, I had never worn those boots anywhere but Yellowstone. That...

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Camping Gear We Actually Use 2026

Camping Gear We Actually Use 2026

We had a rare but not unheard-of March blizzard last weekend. My husband used the time to prepare our camping gear for the coming season. Here’s a collection of stuff we actually use when we head out west. Eating & Drinking At the campsite, we use an...

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Postcard from Yellowstone: Mallard Lake

Postcard from Yellowstone: Mallard Lake

Postcards. They're more than a souvenir. More than a way to say Thinking of you! or Wish you were here! They're a way of seeing and sharing. Small by design, a postcard from Yellowstone can capture a moment. In that spirit, for you: A postcard from Yellowstone Hi...

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2025 Gift Guide

2025 Gift Guide

It's that time of year. We're searching for ideas for that special something for that special someone. Last year, one of my author-friends asked me to pair my book with a gift idea for her readers. This year, I asked some of my nature-writing friends to do the same....

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Postcard from Yellowstone: Great Fountain

Postcard from Yellowstone: Great Fountain

Once upon a time, I worked in Yellowstone National Park. It was 1987--just shy of forty years ago. Numbers are not my first language, so this is always something of a shock. I digress. Specifically, I worked at the Old Faithful Inn Gift Shop, where I invested a good...

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Lessons from Yellowstone: Seven Mile Hole in Midlife

Lessons from Yellowstone: Seven Mile Hole in Midlife

Going Down I’m not sure I’d even heard of Seven Mile Hole, a challenging trail into the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River, until I was in my thirties—a decade when I was still a reluctant hiker, a very reluctant hiker. By my mid-forties, I had developed an...

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Pause • Ponder • Press on