The Mother Ranch Blog
Art that dies on the easel and I'm down to 4 goats!
It was a busy week here at the farm. I follow someone who calls this week, "Seal Week" where the goal is to loll about in bed, roll over, sleepily blink at the wall and wonder what day it is. Even if ...
Have yourself a Mare-y Christmas ā¤ļø
Mare-y Christmas! Haaaa! If you know, you know. If you don't...be glad! LOL, I kid! Mares are the best. Yes, they are opinionated in a way that a gelding (a fixed boy) typically isn't and they are u...
Screaming with laughter
Years ago I figured out how to be less worried about something.
I realized that one of the little things that always annoyed me was seeing pictures of myself. It was a rare occasion that I would fin...
The Ugly Stage in Art and Grief
A couple of weeks ago I started a new painting and as I go through the stages of painting, Iām being reminded in every studio session about āthe ugly stage.ā The words themselves are roiling around in...
Organizing as a coping mechanismāwho knew?
My Mom's physical body is gone but she's all around me. I don't want to write about it and also I want to write about only it. Which means I do something else. Like organizing a drawer, cleaning a clo...
New painting & 3 horse prints ready for Christmas delivery!
PRINT #1: Infinity Blue
Infinity Blue, acrylic, 20"x60"
This painting took me to unexpected places that I didn't, at the time, understand. Why was I feeling sadness, joy, frustration, silliness,...
Love you Mom
The funeral was yesterday. It was a beautiful service, with a ton of people who loved her and Mom was all around us. I know she loved it so much ā¤ļø I'll be back soon. I love you all and appreciate a...
Holding space.
Dear friends,
I feel all your love and prayers and energy pulsing all around us today (Friday) as we hold space for Mom's transition. Thank you all and keep it coming. I have so very many amazing sto...
"I am power and light and love for infinity."
I was 8 and my brother Michael was 3 and my awesome mom took us out of school to go see the first Star Wars! What parent does that? My mom! I remember her quietly reading to my brother, "A long time a...
Should I try the wild mushroom, or no?
Last weekend B-Rad and ManChild went to Chicago for a family wedding while I held down the farm. (We really need an adult stay-on-the-farm-sitter so we can go to these things together!) They both got ...
Author
Julia MacMonagle
Author
Iām Julia MacMonagleāartist, equine-partnered coach, and founder of The Mother Ranch in Apex, NC, a 7 acre sanctuary where women come to breathe, create, and reconnect with themselves. My work blends creativity, presence, and nervous-system awareness to help women (and the occasional teen girl) listen to their Inner Voice and remember whatās true for them. Whether Iām leading an Womenās In-Person Circle, hosting a Womenās Online Creative Circle, or offering equine partnered coaching, everything I do is rooted in gentleness, compassion, and personal agency. I believe we all deserve a place where we donāt have to hold everything togetherāa space where creativity, connection, and quiet insight can unfold naturally. Art and writing is how I listen to my own Inner Voice. Animals are how I stay grounded. The Mother Ranch is where those worlds meet. When Iām not teaching or painting, youāll find me with the herd, walking the land, or sketching the tiny moments that make life meaningful.
Categories
All CategoriesRecent Posts
Ready for some freebies?
