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Wild Ozark Musings This issue is going out a couple of weeks early because I wanted to make sure to get it out before the Ponca event this weekend coming up. Northern Lights & a Comet! We were able to see the northern lights a few weeks ago, and this was the second time this year! This time around, the color was too dim to see with naked eyes, but it showed up with my iPhone pics. And last week we could see the comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS. It, too was hard to see with the naked eye, and my phone wouldn’t capture it. Rob was able to get a pic on his Samsung phone, though. Serious Drought I don’t think we’ve had any rain at all since my last Musings newsletter. From what I hear out there, it’s dry like this in many places around the country. Since I moved here in 2005, I’ve never seen a drought cause our spring-fed pond to shrink, but it’s doing so now. Our entire household and homestead depends on springs for water. So, at times like this, water conservation and observation are important. Checking on the Springs The tank in the images above captures the water for our household spring. It’s pretty far up the mountain behind the house – a good cardio workout, for sure. I checked it the other day and found the tank full but not overflowing. But I also found the small cap on the ground, which means the bears have been trying to get into the tank. It had been broken off, so not something a raccoon could have done. So, I skimmed the leaves out of the tank that I could reach, but at some point in the future, we might get a clogged line from leaves or other debris that probably fell in while the opening was exposed. We’ll have to deal with that when or if it happens. No need to create work when there’s already plenty enough to go around! Right now the creek is completely dry except for the holes deep enough to keep any water. But the Seep itself is nice and wet, so the horses and the wildlife have a source for water there. It’s keeping the water holes in the creek nearest the Seep refilled for critter refreshments, at least for now. Critter Issues Something has been stealing my brussel sprout plants one by one. I had five foot-tall plants, and now I’m down to only two. There are tunnels all around the garden, and in the tunnels near the brussel sprout bed, the tunnels are lined with brussel sprout leaves. So, is it a case of circumstantial evidence, or is it fair to say whatever made the tunnels are stealing the plants? I’m not sure what’s stealing the plants, but I’m pretty sure I know who dug the tunnels. I relocated a cute little mole, but the brussel sprout plants are still disappearing since. So, it wasn’t him. But maybe he dug the tunnels that a mouse is now using… Recently Finished Paintings I have not had time to finish painting lately 🙁 What’s on the Easel But I did at least get started on my shed and sunset painting. I may bring this one with me to work on this weekend at Ponca’s Color Fest, if the weather is still nice by then. All I have done on it so far is an underpainting to give me some guidance whenever I start adding the colors. Busy with ‘Holding it All Together’ Some of the busy is to do with my real estate work picking up. Some of it is personal family matters that have been incredibly taxing on my state of mind, and in one case, I mean ‘holding it all together’ kind of literally. Except it didn’t do a whole lot of good in the end. Rob cut his finger off on the 8th of October with a band-saw. He rushed himself up to the house from the shop on the 4-wheeler, and I did my best to bandage it a way that would hold it all together. Even the emergency room staff complimented me on that job, lol. But it was to no avail. The finger couldn’t be saved. We pretty much knew that going in, though. It simply takes too long to get to a hospital from Wild Ozark and there was no blood flow for too long. So, this is a public service announcement to all the rural-lifer’s and tool-users on my reading list… know emergency first aid for serious injuries (stop bleeding, keep things sterile as possible, secure the injured part elevated, and remember – adrenaline-induced shock is likely possibility so have blankets or something to keep the injured person warm), and always, ALWAYS use a push stick when you’re working around band-saws and table-saws, or jointers, and anything else with blades that can cut off fingers or hands. Rob is ordinarily one of the most safety-conscious people I know – but he got in a hurry to finish a task. I think that’s the most common reason these sort of injuries happen. I’ll spare you all the gory photos! He had surgery to clean up and suture the amputation on the 17th, and is now on his way to learning to live with a shorter left-hand middle finger. He lost it from the knuckle, so still has some functionality to work with. And thankful it was his left hand and not the right. Upcoming Markets and Venues Ponca Color FestThis is always a great event when the weather is nice. So far, it looks like this year it will be perfect! Fri- Sat October 25-26At the Ponca Elk Education CenterPonca, AR Bentonville Fine Art FestivalThis is the one that was scheduled for June and was cancelled because of the tornadoes. There is another art fair hosted by Crystal Bridges in October, but this is not the same. Nov 9 – 10Orchard Park, Bentonville(across from the entrance drive to Crystal Bridges) Who’s the Winner? That would be Larry Prill! Larry, email me with your mailing address and I’ll get your 5 x 7” print in the mail. If there’s a particular one you want, let me know that too, or I’ll just send my choice. Enter the drawing for next month. Every month I’ll choose a winner by using a random number generator to pick the number. Every month when you enter the contest, your name goes on a numbered list. You can enter every month, if you want to increase your odds of winning. After the first newsletter in January, I wipe the list and start over. So right now, it’s a new list with only the ones who entered after the last newsletter went out. Last year we had almost 100 names, the most so far since I’ve started this! October Blog Posts Check the Spring Tank Checking the Spring Seep Northern Lights in the Ozarks Making Pickles, Pickerel Frogs, and Washing Soot The Things I See at Wild Ozark Real Estate Posts: I’ve moved my posts about real estate to a separate website: https://www.wildozarkland.com. Whenever we list properties that I think nature lovers, preppers, homesteaders, or anyone who would like to live away from the cities would like, I write about them here. These properties range from lite-rural to way-off-the-beaten-path-rural. There are two properties now with my name on the signs! It feels good to finally have some listings out there. One fits the rural, natural, homesteading categories at WildOzarkLand.com, and one is in a quiet subdivision in Berryville. I haven’t blogged about the Berryville listing, but the link will take you to the listing where you can find out more information if you’d like. Mini-farm Homestead Fixer Upper, Huntsville AR Quiet Berryville Subdivision Other Arkansas Artists The Natural State is teeming with artists. I’ve begun this link list to introduce some of them to you.  If you like what you see when you visit them, you can sign up for their newsletters too 😀 Dustin Miller (paintings-website) Mary Lynch (paintings-website) Noël Kalmus (illustrations-website) Shabana Kauser (paintings-website) Amy Eichler (paintings-website) Marg Shore (clayworks-Insta) Tim Molesso (paintings-website) Donna Hanson (multi-media, author) If you know an artist in AR (or you’re an artist) and let me know and I’ll add you/them. If I find you or your website on my own, I’ll add your link and hope you find mine one day if someone tells you they found you here. If we cross promote each other like this, it broadens all of our audiences. My link is https://www.wildozark.com/newsletter/ if you want to pass that along – Thank you! That’s it for this month! I hope you have a wonderful month of November, wherever you are! I’ll drop into your inbox again next month! Copyright (C) 2024 Shop Wild Ozark. All rights reserved.