Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

If you tweet it in all caps, that makes it true!

Only Democrats have agency, apparently.

Insiders who complain to politico: please report to the white house office of shut the fuck up.

You are either for trump or for democracy. Pick one.

Hey Washington Post, “Democracy Dies in Darkness” was supposed to be a warning, not a mission statement.

It’s the corruption, stupid.

The willow is too close to the house.

When I decide to be condescending, you won’t have to dream up a fantasy about it.

Hell hath no fury like a farmer bankrupted.

We will not go back.

I’d like to think you all would remain faithful to me if i ever tried to have some of you killed.

You passed on an opportunity to be offended? What are you even doing here?

The fight for our country is always worth it. ~Kamala Harris

We can’t confuse what’s necessary to win elections with the policies that we want to implement when we do.

Do we throw up our hands or do we roll up our sleeves? (hint, door #2)

The rest of the comments were smacking Boebert like she was a piñata.

Do not shrug your shoulders and accept the normalization of untruths.

“woke” is the new caravan.

Quote tweet friends, screenshot enemies.

Putting aside our relentless self-interest because the moral imperative is crystal clear.

Sitting here in limbo waiting for the dice to roll

But frankly mr. cole, I’ll be happier when you get back to telling us to go fuck ourselves.

And now I have baud making fun of me. this day can’t get worse.

When you’re in more danger from the IDF than from Russian shelling, that’s really bad.

You are here: Home / Garden Chats / Sunday Morning Garden Chat: Ozark Hillbilly, Irreplaceable Inspiration

Sunday Morning Garden Chat: Ozark Hillbilly, Irreplaceable Inspiration

by | 61 Comments

This post is in: ,

Originally published on June 21, 2020 (under the title ‘Zenning Out’) if you want to read the comments

Zen Out

From beloved gardening & photograpy master Ozark Hillbilly:

On my first expedition I had the pleasure of spending 6 days underground with Chuck, a Rastafarian smoke jumper from northern NM who was one of the most even tempered people I’ve ever caved with. On our last day his fractious headlamp that had been incessantly arguing with him the entire time just stopped working. Chuck, who had never uttered so much as “darn” or a “dagnabbit” began cursing like a sailor and beating his headlamp in the hopes of improved morale and then, just as suddenly stopped.

“Oh wow man, I need to Zen out. Here in this most beautiful place, I really need to Zen out.”

That’s where I’m at with the murder of George Floyd and all the white people who think protesting for haircuts with AR-15s is the height of resonableness, also thinking they get to lecture black people angrily protesting for their lives on how they are doing it all wrong.

So I am Zenning out…

ZenOut [top photo] shows the all but finished original Zen garden. There are a few more details to be added to the divider such as the “stained glass” my wife is going to do for the windows.

The pics are just the step by step construction of the Zen addition.

Photo Bomb Percy (damn dog tries to get in every damn pic I take)

Spiderwort is added just because this needs a pretty flower picture. They are growing up thru a broken cast iron pot I found while mushroom hunting, no doubt thrown away by a frustrated 1870s iron prospector for whom it was the last straw. That area is pocked with prospect pits including at least one 40′ deep shaft going straight down.

***********

What’s going on in your garden(s), this week?

Reader Interactions

61Comments

  3. 3.

    tokyocali (formerly tokyo ex-pat)

    Thank you for sharing this, AL. What a beautiful spot, OH created. I miss seeing his comments on the blog.

  5. 5.

    Rose Judson

    Ozark’s garden is so beautiful. Thanks for sharing, Anne Laurie.

    I’m putting in a mortgage application next week to buy the house I’ve been renting for the last few years.  It’s got quite a large backyard, so if all goes well, I’ll have some garden things to share in 2025.

  6. 6.

    satby

    A perfect tribute. Not just his pictures of his beautiful place, but his story too. He told great stories. He went through enough hard times to deserve to find the joy and peace he did in his home and with his family.

  7. 7.

    oldster

    Hits different now that he’s gone.
    “How will my contributions read after I’m gone” should not be your only thought in life, maybe not even your first thought. But it’s worth thinking about now and then.

  10. 10.

    raven

    I let Ole Azul that we lost Ozark. ”
    “Ozark was one of the BJ treasures, I enjoy him and his stories and comments, and you and he were personally close as memory serves, so very sad news on multiple fronts.”

  11. 11.

    BretH

    I think Ozark’s posts were when I really started paying attention to the garden stuff here instead of just politics. I recall being amazed at the many clever things we were shown, and the gentle appreciation for beautiful places. Thanks for reposting.

  12. 12.

    Mousebumples

    Ozark’s comments in these threads were wonderful and truly are missed. Helpful, encouraging, friendly.

    Thanks for sharing this post, AL.

  13. 13.

    stinger

    A wonderful way to begin a Saturday Sunday. Thank you, Anne Laurie.​
     
    Tip o’ the tam o’shanter to Baud.

  15. 15.

    stinger

    @Baud: Oh, well, in retirement that doesn’t much matter. Guess I should have said “weekend morning” — I am at least that much aware.

  18. 18.

    Gin & Tonic

    Thank you for this post, AL. This place seems smaller now, without OH, and Steeplejack, and Amir.

  19. 19.

    Yarrow

    Thank you, AL. What a beautiful tribute to Ozark Hillbilly. His garden posts were always such a treat. RIP.

  20. 20.

    Donatellonerd

    thanks AL. his memory is a blessing. pretty sure I missed that post in 2020. makes me wish i had a garden on my balcony.

  23. 23.

    MagdaInBlack

    Ozark was one of those folks that, tho I knew I’d probably never meet him, the world was a brighter place just knowing he was out there in it.

    Thank you for this post, AL.

  24. 24.

    Liminal Owl

    Thank you, AL. Ozark’s garden posts were always wonderful, and it’s good—albeit bittersweet—to revisit them.

  25. 25.

    HinTN

    @Rose Judson: Congratulations! It’s a life’s work, as Ozark so beautifully showed us. I am sooooooo glad I got his advice about managing a wildflower meadow. He is and will be missed.

  29. 29.

    O. Felix Culpa

    My family’s favorite zucchini is a type that OH recommended to me several years ago, and I will continue to plant it in his honor. I miss him terribly. He was a good and kind man.

  30. 30.

    Elizabelle

    Thank you for spotlighting Ozark’s Zen post. I hope his family gets to see this, and the earlier tribute, and his previous submissions to Sunday gardening. I know all of us have had Ozark in our hearts this week.

    The fall equinox arrives at 8:37 am Eastern; enjoy our last half hour of summer!

  33. 33.

    Elizabelle

    Anne:  would you be able to go back and tag Ozark’s gardening posts with “Ozark”, as well?  Maybe the memorial post too, which is also in “Absent Friends.”

    When I was looking for Schlemazel (RIP), I was amazed at how many Absent Friends posts we have.  They are nonjackals as well, music, pop culture, probably political

    Enjoy every sandwich.

  36. 36.

    H.E.Wolf

    @Gin & Tonic: ​Thank you for this post, AL. This place seems smaller now, without OH, and Steeplejack, and Amir.

     They’re irreplaceable… both on- and off-blog.

    I guess we’ll all just have to become a little more like the three of them, to honor their memory and their example.

    Thank you to Anne Laurie for the lovely recollection of Ozark Hillbilly.

  38. 38.

    narya

    That’s a perfect remembrance—thank you. I don’t remember seeing this before and it’s so lovely and a fitting tribute.

  39. 39.

    DarbysMom

    @O. Felix Culpa: Was it the Romanesco? Grew that the first time this year based on his comments and we loved it. Definitely a keeper.

    Thanks for the beautiful post AL. RIP OH.

  44. 44.

    sab

    What a gorgeous garden.

    He gave me so much good advise over the years.

    I cannot imagine what it is like for his wife moving forward without him.

  45. 45.

    Madeleine

    Thank you for reposting Ozark’s  Zen garden. It’s a reminder of all his posts about his home and garden. He was always working on the beautiful world he was creating for himself, his wife, and his family. So many of his photos and comments have shared that with us.

  47. 47.

    Kristine

    Thanks for posting this, AL.

    OH really was a fixture here. I can’t think of anything to add to what’s already been said except that I’ll miss his stories and observations.

  48. 48.

    pieceofpeace

    OzarkHillbilly was a gem.  One can sense easily the nourishment he put into and got out of his home.

    Thank you, AL.

  51. 51.

    RaflW

    re: What’s going on in our garden: Step one of our major shoreyard rebuild was completed about a week ago. The previous owners of our lake cabin in WI had set heavy limestone steps on unprepared regular soil (on a fairly steep slope). Not the only thing those folks did on the cheap.

    We had them dug up and reset in proper compacted base, set in a more logical rhythm, and they’re much improved (we have 70 & 80 y.o.s clambering down to the dock, tripping hazards must be reduced!). That all required a mini, walk behind forklift/garden shovel thing which we knew would trash our poor excuse for a lawn.

    And we have drainage issues. So in October, two cascading, native planted rain gardens are going in! We’re very excited! Fuck lawns at lakes. So many of our neighbors are idiots that we just had a rare, late season algae bloom because these shitty, semi-rich Chicago people keep cutting down trees and adding more lawns. Grrrr! (It’s also been 85-88 every afternoon which is freakish for mid-late September, not good for algae inhibiting).

    Anyway, we’re going wild where possible, also in a riparian strip by the shore. I doubt we’ll set a trend, but maybe we can push out info on our lake page once it blooms next year!

  54. 54.

    Scout211

    What a lovely OH garden chat post to remind us of how wonderful he was and how much he loved his garden, his family and giving helpful advice to all of us amateur gardeners and DIYers.

    He will be missed.  His memory will be cherished.  Thanks, AL

  58. 58.

    Ruckus

    @Baud:

    I’ve been retired for 3 yrs now, on occasion it still matters what day of the week it is. Doc appointments still occur….. But yes other than that days of the week really don’t matter a lot when you get to that age. Sun comes up, sun goes down. People talk, people say nothing.

  59. 59.

    Gloria DryGarden

    @RaflW: is the algae bloom from the lawn fertilizers? Or somehow from the trees not absorbing run off, or is it the extra heat from shade trees being removed?

    I am fascinated by your rain garden and riparian native plants ideas. I look forward to hearing more about that. Very cool.

Comments are closed.