Wild Ozark™

~ Nature Artist in Kingston, Arkansas ~

Blog

A Poem by Joanna Macy

Yesterday I learned that Joanna Macy died on July 19, 2025. I heard about it on For the World podcast (a podcast I highly recommend, by the way!) Here’s a link to it:

https://forthewild.world/listen/joanna-macy-on-the-world-as-lover-and-self-homage

2016 original post:

This is an … Read the rest “A Poem by Joanna Macy”

7 August 2025
Building a raised stone path

Today I made a little progress. I’m building a raised stone path on about a 40* slope from the stone steps to the faucet.

This is a project years in the working. My garden is on a hillside behind our … Read the rest “Building a raised stone path”

24 July 2025
a Weekly-ish summary of life at Wild Ozark | Berries, Fences, Rocks in the Garden

Some people hate ’em, and some see them as a natural resource waiting to be put to work. When it comes to rocks in the garden, I fall firmly into the second camp.

A Wild Ozark Weekly-ish

A lot of … Read the rest “a Weekly-ish summary of life at Wild Ozark | Berries, Fences, Rocks in the Garden”

13 July 2025
A Relaxing Audio Soundtrack

9 July 2025
25 Small Ways Nature Makes Me Happy

As you might know, if you’ve followed me for a while, I live pretty far out into the middle of nowhere in the Ozark mountains of Madison county, Arkansas. I love it here! I realize, though, that some people wonder … Read the rest “25 Small Ways Nature Makes Me Happy”

5 July 2025
Plant Walk & Nature Journaling at Wild Ozark

There are other Arkansas nature experiences, but this one is probably a little different. The trails we’ll follow are deer trails and logging roads. The drive to get here is gorgeous. And the biodiversity here at Wild Ozark is incredible. … Read the rest “Plant Walk & Nature Journaling at Wild Ozark”

22 June 2025
Today’s Progress on the Old Shed

Here’s an update on today’s progress on the old shed painting. I didn’t have all day to work on it, but at least a few hours.

Time completely slips away once I begin to focus on what I’m doing. It … Read the rest “Today’s Progress on the Old Shed”

21 June 2025
Chocolate Tube Slime | An Alien Marching Army

Ever heard of chocolate tube slime mold? Okay, neither had I. Today I saw what looked like a miniature alien marching army and had to stop for a closer look.

I’ve watched a sycamore tree near the end of our … Read the rest “Chocolate Tube Slime | An Alien Marching Army”

17 June 2025
Stay Motivated – Oddly Easy for this Old Shed Painting

My brush hit this canvas for the first time in November 2024. And I’m STILL working on it. On one hand, I’m proud of myself for being able to stay motivated on a single project for this long. I think … Read the rest “Stay Motivated – Oddly Easy for this Old Shed Painting”

7 June 2025
Ozark Pigment for the Color of Dirt

The color of dirt in the Ozarks varies here around Wild Ozark. But the most predominate is a shade of yellow-brown. In some areas there is a darker brown, probably where there is more humus and organic matter. Some of … Read the rest “Ozark Pigment for the Color of Dirt”

4 June 2025
Finding Fungi in the Rain

Finding fungi in the rain is fun. When being inside makes me antsy, it’s time to put on my rain gear to get close and personal with the mushrooms popping up everywhere.

Fungi in the Rain

These are the ones … Read the rest “Finding Fungi in the Rain”

29 May 2025
Painting While it Rains

This post was written on Monday 5/26/25. I didn’t get to work on my old shed yesterday because I had other things I needed to work on, but today the weather was still soggy. Painting while it rains outside is … Read the rest “Painting While it Rains”

27 May 2025
Piddling Days

Today has been one of those piddling days here at Wild Ozark. It rained most of the day today, rained yesterday, and will rain some more over the next few days.

The creeks are flooded.

My peonies are dropping petals.
… Read the rest “Piddling Days”

25 May 2025
Licensing my Nature Art

Last year the Hospitality department of a significant online art company contacted me. They work with new construction or renovations for businesses and asked about licensing my nature art. I don’t know if I’m at liberty to say who … Read the rest “Licensing my Nature Art”

19 May 2025
Interesting Tree Painting

I’m taking a short detour from my old shed painting to work on an interesting tree painting. It’s a grayscale with eventually a spot of color. Where the color will be is the question, but I have an idea.

Today … Read the rest “Interesting Tree Painting”

17 May 2025
Pantone’s Color of the Year encourages An Earthy Palette

I’ve never been one to follow the trends, but when all of my art is a spectrum of earthy colors, it makes me really happy that Pantone’s Color of the Year, Mocha Mousse, is one that falls in line … Read the rest “Pantone’s Color of the Year encourages An Earthy Palette”

11 May 2025
Sepia Dreams, But First…the Cedar Problem

I’ve been struggling with the cedar trees in my painting. And there’s been a problem with colors in my trees in the middle ground. Most of my paint are variations on sepia.

That’s just because almost all of my … Read the rest “Sepia Dreams, But First…the Cedar Problem”

29 April 2025
Spring Wildflowers late April

Here in the Arkansas Ozarks, the time for spring wildflowers is here. Some of the ephemerals are still lingering, but the bloodroot is well and gone. Now the later, more durable flowering is underway.

Here’s some I saw today while … Read the rest “Spring Wildflowers late April”

22 April 2025
Showy Orchid Watch

Between thunderstorms today, I went out to check on the Showy orchids. I always miss seeing them until the flowers are up, and sometimes not until they’re already peaked. So today began my Showy Orchid Watch.

At first I didn’t … Read the rest “Showy Orchid Watch”

21 April 2025
Spring Wildflower Walkabout

Today I took a spring wildflower walkabout. Mostly, I wanted to see if the Showy Orchid was up yet. I thought maybe there’d be at least some leaves. There was nothing. I’d have to check daily to catch them at … Read the rest “Spring Wildflower Walkabout”

9 April 2025
Inconveniencing the Horses

Sometimes, I feed at the back gate. There’s a few reasons why, but I’m sure they think it’s because I’m just inconveniencing the horses. That’s only part of the purpose, though.

Exercise

When the grass isn’t actively growing in the … Read the rest “Inconveniencing the Horses”

25 March 2025
Taking Detours

Today (it is Tuesday 3/18 as I write this) when I went to check the mail, I decided to continue on down the road a little farther to Felkins creek. I usually enjoy taking detours from the routine when I … Read the rest “Taking Detours”

21 March 2025
Fences, Necessary Tractor Repairs, and House-cleaning

Sunday morning: It was 33*F when I got up this morning, and I’ve decided to ignore any task list items for today. My body objects to this swing in temperatures, and prefers to go downstairs without needing to put on … Read the rest “Fences, Necessary Tractor Repairs, and House-cleaning”

18 March 2025
Still Working on that Old Shed Painting

Yes, I’m still working on that old shed painting. It’s taking me a while, but now it’s beginning to flesh out in the middle ground. Once I get the trees finished up, I’ll start on the ground around the shed.… Read the rest “Still Working on that Old Shed Painting”

15 March 2025
Iron Oxide as Pigment

The colors in my pigments are because of various combinations of iron oxide, for the most part. This gives me the browns, the yellows, oranges, and the reds. I have an earthy palette!

Hematite

The red colors are from … Read the rest “Iron Oxide as Pigment”

12 March 2025