One of the most frustrating experiences to me is when you set out to do a project and then find out there are at least three things you have to do before doing the thing you planned to do.
It drives me crazy. But I should be used to it by now.
There’s no pictures with this post yet because I was busy doing the things I had to do before doing the thing I planned to do. I didn’t stop to take pics. But I’ll get some later when I go back out there.
What things, you ask?
Well, I went out to the ginseng nursery to pot up an order of seedlings. But before I could do that, I needed a level-ish spot to put those pots once the plants were in them. Otherwise they’ll just get knocked over by squirrels, deer, or whatever else is wandering through.
So the first thing I did was build a retaining wall. That involved several trips to and from the creek, which thankfully is *right there*. I needed rocks suitable for building a wall. Built the wall. It’s still probably not enough space for 25-30 pots that it needs to be, but… I’ll just have to build another space tomorrow.
Then there needed to be backfill added to make that spot behind the wall level, or as close as possible. That involved several trips back and forth to a sand and gravel spot, which also is not far away.
After many rock-carrying shuffles, and more than several shovel-fulls of sand and gravel, and almost two hours of time, the spot is now ready.
Time to pot the plants now? No. Of course not.
Now potting soil needs to be made. That involves hydrating some compressed coconut coir, which means water to be hauled. So now the coir is hydrating. And that’s when I called it break time. It’s hot and I’m sweaty and exhausted already. Later this evening I’ll go back out there.
Once the coir hydrates I have some earthworm castings to add to it. After that, THEN I’ll get to pot up the seedlings.
Do you also run into this phenomenon of having to do other things before you can do the thing you planned to do? Does it drive you mad, or have you just learned to expect nothing to get done on the thing you planned to do until you get all the other things done that have to be done first??
To be totally honest with myself, I should have done these pre-tasks long ago. I just procrastinated and now here we are. I have to get them done now so I can get on to doing the other thing.
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Author/Artist Info
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In the summer of 2018 I began making watercolor paints from the rocks, clay, and other resources of our land here in the Ozarks. In 2023 I began experimenting with the same pigments in oils. I call them Wild Ozark Paleo Paints, because they’re made in a way very close to the same way paints were made when man (or woman) first put a hand-print on the wall of a cave. I use very small amounts of outsourced pigment for blue, white, and sometimes yellow to offer a greater range of hues built upon the earthy local pigments. My specialty is painting nature, specifically the nature that surrounds me here in the remote hills of northwest Arkansas.
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Madison Woods
@wildozark (Instagram, Twitter, Threads and FB)
madison@wildozark.com
Want to join me for workshops or see my art?
Coming soon! I have a new Studio in the Works 🙂
The building is here and I’m finishing out the interior. I hope to begin offering classes/workshops by the end of September 2026 and host Open Studio days regularly right here at Wild Ozark, where the possibilities for nature experiences (including nature art) run rampant.
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