Notes From Turtle Ridge: A Year in Review

I can hardly believe that in just a few more days, the old year will end and the new year will begin.  The time has flown by so fast, I can hardly believe it’s here already.  So to stick with the theme of celebrations, I thought I’d take a quick look back at a few highlights of the year 2013 here in Oz.  I hope you’ll join me.

Merry Christmas from Our Home to Yours!

Snow and Roses

By Jill Henderson – Show Me Oz –

Winter arrived in the Ozarks with an incredible 12” of snow and temperatures in the teens for much of the week.  We stayed busy indoors for most of that time, but Dean and I are not the kind of people who find it easy to sit around the shack all day.  So, when it warmed up a bit we  found ourselves trudging around in our heavy winter pants and boots looking for something constructive to do outdoors.  We finally decided to clear a path through the thick brush and brambles to the east pond.

Winter Colors: The Spirit of Place

By Sara Firman (Sulis)

In the world of home interiors, natural tones, are often boring neutrals.  Yet the natural world is never boring or neutral.  Even in winter, colors abound. 

Sky Bear

This is my most recent painted cow skull, entitled ‘Sky Bear’.

In many native cultures the bear is among the most sacred of animals.  Not only are bear strong and powerful, but they are gentle mothers and thoughtful souls.

The Great Bear is not only sacred to Native Americans, but to all of mankind.  That respect is represented in the naming of the constellation Ursa Major – the Great Bear.  You can find the Sky Bear by first searching for the Big Dipper (in North America). 

Old Tractors and Sustainable Agriculture

By Jill Henderson – Show Me Oz –

The lush forests, rolling pastures, and long vistas of the Ozarks are truly easy on the eyes, but their pastoral appearance also belies how tough these hills can be to survive in.  Although farming has been a traditional way of life in the Ozarks3 for generations, producing one’s food on this rocky bit of earth has never been easy.  Even with the modern comforts of today’s machinery, farming in the Ozarks can sometimes be best described as “hard-scrabble”.  And in the 15 years I’ve been here, I’ve seen more than one eager newcomer throw in the towel after only a few short years of backbreaking work that was resulted in little gain.