These early skates didn’t carve into the ice the way modern blades do. Skaters pushed themselves forward with poles, trading speed for efficiency, moving across frozen landscapes because they had to. That instinct still resonates in the Driftless. This is not a flat place. Rivers bend, cold pools in coulees,Continue Reading
Long before I understood ice fishing as solitude or ritual, it existed for me as memory—messy, loud, half-frozen memory. As a kid, winter fishing wasn’t about stillness. It was about movement and noise and the kind of impatience only children possess. Ice fishing meant piling into a truck that smelledContinue Reading
I’ve spent many snowy afternoons tucked into a corner chair while one kid disappeared into graphic novels and the other hovered near the computers or interactive learning stations. Winter reading challenges have been a lifesaver, turning reading into a game and giving the boys something to work toward when outdoorContinue Reading
Towns are small. Social calendars shrink. A long stretch of gray days can make even the most grounded person feel unmoored. But the Driftless offers something powerful in winter if you meet it on its own terms. Shake Them Off by Going Into the Season The biggest mistake many peopleContinue Reading
Recent years have reshaped our sense of time. Days blurred, plans dissolved, and certainty became conditional. In that context, 2026 feels less like a year for declarations and more like one for alignment: living more honestly as who we already are. There is collective fatigue, but also clarity. Many ofContinue Reading
CREDITS:Producer / Host: Dan WanschuraEditor: Patrick SheaAdditional Editing: Ellie KatzMusic: Jonas Hipper, Holizna, pan, Maarten Schellekens, Nuisance Feature Image: Lake Superior waves crash in Eagle Harbor, Michigan during a storm in October 2022. It was in this area where Keweenaw County Deputy pulled off a dramatic rescue of a 68Continue Reading
Highlights The Coon Creek Watershed is known for its extensive network of Class 1 trout streams, numerous public fishing access points, and exceptional recreational opportunities. The watershed is also a thriving hub for organic agriculture, and the world headquarters of the Organic Valley Cooperative. The watershed is notable as theContinue Reading
Credits:Producer: Ellie KatzEditor: Morgan SpringerAdditional Editing: Dan Wanschura, Claire Keenan-Kurgan, Ruth AbramovitzHost: Dan WanschuraMusic: Blue Dot Sessions Feature image by Jasmine Lu- A Petri dish with Physarum polycephalum, or slime mold. Computer science researcher Jasmine Lu used the slime mold as a “living wire” in a smartwatch at the University ofContinue Reading
There you will find a public restroom, drinking fountain, as well as a place to rest your feet & read up about the Elma area. The Visitor Center is open seven days a week, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. in season (roughly May-September). The Old Roundhouse Trail is a hardContinue Reading
Do you have a life philosophy that you live by?Never rush through life. If there’s a cool cloud formation to look at, stop and spend the time to look at it. If I want to stop and share something I would like to say or share, I hope you tooContinue Reading
I am also a musical theater nerd, and I’ll happily spend hours analyzing and discussing every detail of a show we have just seen with my son. Art fuels me—whether it’s creating on top of a non-traditional art surface like a map or piece of sheet music, plein air paintingContinue Reading
Who is your personal hero?My Dad, he gave me the mindset that you can accomplish anything with hard work and determination. Do you have a life philosophy that you live by?“Hard work beats talent, when talent doesn’t work hard”, and “Tomorrow is not a given”. What do you like mostContinue Reading
Have you read any good books?I’m a slow reader but the one I’m nearly finished with now is called “The $64 Tomato“. I like it because it is essentially about all the effort we are willing to put into the things we are passionate about, things that are personal toContinue Reading
The “back to the earth” movement of the 70’s arose partially as a backlash to post-World War II manufacturing hubris, but also as a fear of the grim nuclear saber rattling of the Cold War. Bestselling books in the 70s included The Foxfire Book—all six volumes. People wanted to beContinue Reading
From this view, I can see the strong Mississippi surging with fresh snowmelt; all I can do is hope that it doesn’t get too high like it did last Spring. I move my eyes away from the captivating River and look a little closer at what is around me. TreesContinue Reading
Credits for REAP/SOW: BuzzkillProducer: Rowan JacobsenAdditional Reporting: Alyssa Jeong Perry, Teresa CotsirilosExecutive Producers: Adizah Eghan, Theodore Ross, Brent Cunningham, Tom LaskawySenior Producer: Alyssa Jeong PerryMusic Arrangement: / Audio Engineering: Sound SanctuaryTheme Song: Sandra Lawson NduFact Checker: Naomi Barr Feature Image: Dan Wanschura / Points NorthContinue Reading
Who We Are Three Waters Reserve is a mission-driven event center and nature reserve offering private venue rentals, nature-based educational programming and public trails. Owned by a charitable land trust, proceeds from TWR venue rentals support conservation efforts on the property and in the Sugar River watershed. Our team is aContinue Reading
Cassville is a small village located along the main channel of the Mississippi River. Nestled between the scenic bluffs and the mighty Mississippi River, Cassville is surrounded with natural beauty, and the quiet and peace of days gone by with activities to fit anyone’s definition of relaxation. There are plentyContinue Reading
Best Outdoor Adventures for You and Your Dog Wildcat Mountain State Park – Ontario, WIThis park is a must-visit for towering bluffs, scenic overlooks, and winding trails. Spring rains bring fresh greenery, and the trails are perfect for practicing leash manners on different terrains.Training Tip: Muddy paws are inevitable! KeepContinue Reading