Wild Ozark™

~ Nature Artist using Ozark pigments in Kingston, Arkansas ~

Wild Ozark: Where Madison Woods paints with Ozark pigments … and talks to rocks, creeks, and trees.

Blog

Nature Sketching Day 2 – Asters Along the Driveway

Today’s nature sketch is of the purple asters that were growing along the driveway. Each day I try to make an entry with a pencil drawing.

25 September 2015
Is it Ginseng Root, Tree Root, or what?

Do you know what kind of roots these are?

The other day I got an email asking for some identification help.

From the photos, I do not believe it’s ginseng, but I can’t tell what it is. Some of them … Read the rest “Is it Ginseng Root, Tree Root, or what?”

23 September 2015
What Happens to Ginseng in Too Much Sun

Why is this ginseng turning yellow?

UPDATE 10/5/24 This is an old post from when I first started observing ginseng in the wild and among my wild-simulated patches, and thought I knew a lot more than I did. The ginseng
… Read the rest “What Happens to Ginseng in Too Much Sun”

19 September 2015
The Business ‘Circle of Life’ at Wild Ozark

An older post, but still representative. Eventually I’ll update it but for now, I’ll leave it alone:

This is the second year since making Wild Ozark my full-time endeavor. Over the past year, I’ve noticed a life-cycle of sorts. It’s … Read the rest “The Business ‘Circle of Life’ at Wild Ozark”

13 September 2015
Photos Ginseng Roots from 2015 Season

9/14 (Ohio) Holy Cow- Looks like a man!

The rich Ohio soil sure turns out some nice roots.

From Marcia: “Second day out digging roots and I had a new person with me. So I was showing him what other … Read the rest “Photos Ginseng Roots from 2015 Season”

7 September 2015
Gathering Lobelia inflata Seeds

Looking for Lobelia

Today I donned a surgical mask to go out and gather the seed pods of Lobelia inflata. Why the mask?

Well, it’s the time of year when ragweed tries to assault me when I go outside. I’m … Read the rest “Gathering Lobelia inflata Seeds”

4 September 2015
PawPaw’s Notebook

A while back while visiting down south I thought of PawPaw’s notebook.

My PawPaw was in his 90’s and I knew he wouldn’t be with us much longer so thought I’d ask him for his notebook while he was still … Read the rest “PawPaw’s Notebook”

1 September 2015
An Herbal Hoof Poultice for a Horse

Both of our horses foundered recently and I’m not sure what caused it. I suspect there was a large fruit drop from the persimmon and plum trees after the big flood in June.

The problems caused by eating something … Read the rest “An Herbal Hoof Poultice for a Horse”

31 August 2015
This Beaver is One Heck of an Optimist

This beaver must possess tremendous optimism. Either that or he’s a long-term strategist, or both!

Most farmers dislike beavers with a passion bordering hatred. The reason why that is, at least for the ones I asked, is because they’re always … Read the rest “This Beaver is One Heck of an Optimist”

25 August 2015
A New Thing – Wild Ozark Serial Fiction

Short Stories

Serial fiction delivered to your inbox in 100-300 word segments each day until the story is finished.

Wild Ozark Newsletter

This is just a short message to invite you to join me for short sections of a short
… Read the rest “A New Thing – Wild Ozark Serial Fiction”

21 August 2015
Abu Dhabi Engages All Five Senses

There are two sounds I’ll associate with Abu Dhabi for the rest of my life.

Sounds

The first is the sound of prayer during the dark wee hours of the night. It’s a haunting sound, one I liked even if … Read the rest “Abu Dhabi Engages All Five Senses”

14 August 2015
Disappearing for a while

Just a notice to anyone who might wonder why there’s been no posts for a while…

I’d been really busy finishing up some projects (10 Common Plants and American Ginseng & Companions). Now that those are done I’m taking a … Read the rest “Disappearing for a while”

1 August 2015
Death from Above – Wasp vs Mantis

There are lots of videos at YouTube about wasp vs mantis, but they always show the mantis winning. Today I saw a wasp carrying the head of a praying mantis. I saw one yesterday, too.

I’ve found lots of info … Read the rest “Death from Above – Wasp vs Mantis”

25 July 2015
A Homesteading Hermit Self-Reliant Writer’s To-Do List

I’m a self-reliant writer for the most part. I’m also a homesteader and close to being a hermit (hermitress) these days. It would take a lot more money than I make at it to delegate any of the tasks, homesteaderly … Read the rest “A Homesteading Hermit Self-Reliant Writer’s To-Do List”

22 July 2015
Spider Stick

Anyone who has ever ridden, or rather, *driven* a four-wheeler on a tree-lined path will know exactly why this four-wheeler is sporting a lovely branch of wilted leaves.

It’s a “spider stick”. And it’s the person in front, if you’re … Read the rest “Spider Stick”

19 July 2015
My First Sheet of Handmade Paper

So, with all the rain here, and now with the truck being broken which means until the road mud dries up some I can’t go out anywhere, I’m doing some of the other things on my creative bucket list. I … Read the rest “My First Sheet of Handmade Paper”

8 July 2015
Do Your Dogs Sing with the Chickens?

Badger howling at coyotes.

We have singing dogs. Every morning at sunrise when the rooster crows and the hens wake, and during the day when the chickens get all a-cluck over an egg laying, the dogs break into song with … Read the rest “Do Your Dogs Sing with the Chickens?”

28 June 2015
Rattlesnakes and Dogs don’t Mix – Snakebit dog

A WildOzark Timber Rattlesnake

They’re not aggressive. Really.

This one just wanted to be left alone. It’s the second one I’d encountered that week, and both were relatively calm. Badger even stepped on the first one and didn’t notice until after … Read the rest “Rattlesnakes and Dogs don’t Mix – Snakebit dog”

26 June 2015
The Slow Descent of an Ozark Mountain Landslide

I’ve been observing and recording our slowly descending Ozark landslide. Leaning trees and driveway encroachment, photographed day by day.

Since the flood last Monday I haven’t done a whole lot of cleanup. The main reason for that is the landslide.… Read the rest “The Slow Descent of an Ozark Mountain Landslide”

23 June 2015
Egg-napping Marans

I have two black marans setting eggs.

Each hen was in a separate box, sitting on her own clutch of eggs. There are other boxes for the other hens to lay eggs in, too.

I haven’t been finding eggs in … Read the rest “Egg-napping Marans”

21 June 2015
The Impermanence of Things

We’ve had a lot of rain in the last days here in the Ozark Highlands. 7 inches in a few hours Monday night. That’s too much rain for our little creeks and hollers.

Lots of folks have lost homes, cattle, … Read the rest “The Impermanence of Things”

17 June 2015
Rattlesnake at the Gate

Gnats have made it nearly impossible for me to stand being outside at my potting bench for very long.

Yesterday I did the little bit of work I needed to do at it while trying not to breathe so the … Read the rest “Rattlesnake at the Gate”

12 June 2015
Unripe Fruit

I have a hard time believing I have no pictures – at all – of ripe elderberry fruit. After digging through file after unfruitful file, I thought it might be faster to just go get a new photo.

Not quite.… Read the rest “Unripe Fruit”

10 June 2015
What’s Blooming at the end of May?

Wild Ozark plants blooming at the end of May

I took a little walkabout yesterday to photograph some of the flowers that are setting berries, blooming, or getting ready to bloom right now.

Yesterday’s post highlighted the orchid I’d been waiting … Read the rest “What’s Blooming at the end of May?”

31 May 2015
Talk about Delayed Gratification! (Twayblade Orchid)

I’ve been waiting a whole year to see this flower.

When I first found the plant last summer there was only the two leaves. Without seeing a flower, it’s hard to positively identify a plant, unless that plant has something … Read the rest “Talk about Delayed Gratification! (Twayblade Orchid)”

30 May 2015