Wild Ozark™

~ Nature Artist using Ozark pigments in Kingston, Arkansas ~

Category: Nature

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
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
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
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
Water Over the Bridge-Videos

When you can hear the roar of the wet-weather waterfall from the house, you know the water’s up. If you can see the waterfall from the front porch, it’s a fair bet the creek is way over the bridge.

When … Read the rest “Water Over the Bridge-Videos”

25 May 2015
A Woodland Habitat – Dragons among the Nettles and Cohosh

There’s a particular woodland habitat at the far corner of our property that I love.

The variety of plants that grow there is amazing.

It’s the perfect place for American ginseng, but those plants have nearly been extirpated by diggers … Read the rest “A Woodland Habitat – Dragons among the Nettles and Cohosh”

15 May 2015
Dragons Hatching, Clematis Blooming, and Feeding Horses in the Rain

Dragons Hatching!

Last fall I collected seeds from a large Green Dragon. I put the berries directly into pots and kept them overwinter in the ginseng nursery. The other morning I noticed they were hatching – er, sprouting! The … Read the rest “Dragons Hatching, Clematis Blooming, and Feeding Horses in the Rain”

8 May 2015
Unwelcome Guest – Snake in the Hen-house

Apparently there’s a snake in the hen-house. Looks like the hens had some stealthy company yesterday. The unwelcome guest left a bit of evidence behind for me to find this morning.

I searched under all of the nexts and behind the … Read the rest “Unwelcome Guest – Snake in the Hen-house”

3 May 2015
What’s that plant good for?

“What’s that plant good for?”

A curious thing I’m noticing by selling plants at the market is that people almost always have the same question, phrased in various ways.

It’s often the first thing they ask, in general about any … Read the rest “What’s that plant good for?”

28 April 2015
A Ginseng Sanctuary at the Compton Gardens in Bentonville

Wild Ozark is honored and excited to be embarking on a long-term project in conjunction with Compton Gardens in Bentonville, Arkansas. This American Ginseng Sanctuary project is made possible, in part, by a grant from the United Plant Savers.

This … Read the rest “A Ginseng Sanctuary at the Compton Gardens in Bentonville”

26 April 2015
Sleuthing the Bellwort. Sessilifolia or Perfoliata?

Sessilifolia or Perfoliata?

Three species of bellwort are found in Arkansas: Uvularia grandiflora, U. sessilifolia, and U. perfoliata. The one I see most often around here is the grandiflora, or Large-flowered bellwort as it’s commonly called.

Bellwort in the Ginseng
… Read the rest “Sleuthing the Bellwort. Sessilifolia or Perfoliata?”

19 April 2015
An Entourage of Green Ambassadors

Show and Tell

I took my little assembly of show and tell items, and a small entourage consisting of three Green Ambassadors on the road yesterday. We, or at least *I*, had been invited to speak to the Olli Group… Read the rest “An Entourage of Green Ambassadors”

17 April 2015
Sun Splashes, Tree Silhouettes and Flowering Woodland Herbs

The day was dreary for the most part, but just before sunset the sky brightened. And so I went out with the camera and managed to get a few photos of some of the flowering woodland herbs in the ginseng … Read the rest “Sun Splashes, Tree Silhouettes and Flowering Woodland Herbs”

15 April 2015
Solomon’s Seal Unfurling

Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum biflorum)

There’s a nice patch of Solomon Seal at the front of the driveway that was so choked out last summer that I don’t think any of them got a chance to bloom. I was … Read the rest “Solomon’s Seal Unfurling”

6 April 2015
Arnold’s First Rooster Crow

Arnold is a Fall chicken. He hatched from an egg, along with his three nestlings way back in October (I think). The clutch of eggs that had hatched shortly before his fell prey to a large black rat snake. You … Read the rest “Arnold’s First Rooster Crow”

23 March 2015
Beautiful Morning in the Ozarks

I woke before dawn and dragged myself downstairs to get back to work where I’d left off with some last minute edits on the DVD near midnight last night. As the coffee brewed and my eyelids gained motivation to remain … Read the rest “Beautiful Morning in the Ozarks”

16 March 2015
PawPaw Flower Bud

The PawPaw tree is a ginseng companion plant, or ginseng indicator plant. It often grows where ginseng grows, but is also often found in areas with more sunlight. Here at Wild Ozark it is a fairly good indicator of great … Read the rest “PawPaw Flower Bud”

13 March 2015
Sights and Sounds of Spring

The sounds of spring fills the night air now. Spring Peepers are calling!

The only visible signs of spring so far as I can see are the bits of wild onion grass growing with a bit more spright than usual. … Read the rest “Sights and Sounds of Spring”

11 March 2015
March Snow in the Ozarks

Traffic is always crazy when there’s snow in the Ozarks. We had to go into Fayetteville this morning. It was raining and I knew the colder weather was coming in, but we figured we should be able to get there … Read the rest “March Snow in the Ozarks”

5 March 2015