Aryn Henning Nichols

You are a limited resource. I repeat this phrase to myself as I handle requests – from others, my family, myself. It helps me be more mindful of my time and is a great start for living with intention. 

So what does that mean, living with intention?

To me, it means taking a pause before you make choices, and imagining the various outcomes. While this sounds like a tedious process, it really only takes seconds. “How will my future self feel about this choice?” Generally, you know the answer – you just have to ask the question (over and over again). And, yeah, I guess that can get a little tedious, but it is the key to mindfulness. Pausing and being present in the moment – utilizing all your senses to appreciate the moment, and doing the next right thing (for yourself) – is worth it in the long run, though. 

Sometimes the next right thing is a nap in a hammock. Do it! Time flies by, and if your deepest desire was a hammock nap and you never took it, your future-self will most definitely frown upon that past-self choice.

I look back on the last 15 years of business, and 10 years of parenting, and I feel pretty good, overall, about my choices. Did I know I was going to feel this way at this point in my life? Heck, no. I think, after Roxie was born, it was mostly parenting instincts that took hold – it was always clear in my brain that Roxie was the most important choice, each and every day. That guided the rest. I will forever be grateful for the clarity she provided (and continues to provide for) my life/work balance.

Looking back can also offer a view of some things that helped (or didn’t help) make a more intentional life. I put together a few ideas to get you started, and our mental health writer, Olivia Lynn Schnur, bats you in to home plate (baseball metaphors are the thing for summer magazines, right?!) with excellent tips on being intentional and mindful.

Here’s to living this summer with intention, and every season hereafter.

1. Take in a View

There’s nothing quite like nature to leave you both grounded and inspired. Take a hike or a drive to one of these amazing views to gain a new appreciation and respect for the beauty that surrounds us in the Driftless Region. Then check one off your summer to-do list!

Explore the 14 miles of trail at Effigy Mounds National Monument (between Harpers Ferry and McGregor, Iowa), where more than 200 ceremonial American Indian mounds are preserved. Catch great views of the Mississippi River here, as well as at Grandad Bluff (La Crosse, Wisconsin). Can’t get enough of those bluffs and river views that make the Driftless so beautiful? You can drive up to Palisades Park for a nice view of the Upper Iowa and Decorah, Iowa, or hike up amazing stone stairs to Pulpit Rock at Will Baker Park. Make sure you don’t miss Sugar Loaf (Winona, Minnesota) or Pikes Peak State Park (McGregor, Iowa) either. 

2. Keep on Learning

School might not be in session, but your brain can be! Challenge yourself to learn a little something this season with a trip to one of these impressive area museums and learning centers.

There’s no shortage of ways to learn at ArtHaus (Decorah, Iowa). Sign up for a pottery or macramé class or attend one of a variety of events, like June’s Washington Street Art Crawl or the rural Decorah Down on the Farm Iron Pour. If you’d rather learn more about nature and wildlife, check out Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center (Lanesboro, Minnesota – pictured), where you can get the inside scoop on foraging and geocaching. Other educational opportunities include the Driftless Area Wetlands Center (Marquette, Iowa), the National Eagle Center (Wabasha, Minnesota), and the International Owl Center (Houston, Minnesota) – to name just a few! 

3. Fest with the Best 

‘Tis the season for community festivals! Explore the local delicacies and heritages associated with some of these favorite fests.

Expand your palate this summer with tasty treats at area festivals. Rhubarb Fest (Lanesboro, Minnesota) is getting wild with its use of this favorite “fruitegtable.” They’re not just serving up rhubarb snacks, they’re also hosting rhubarb-inspired games. At Nordic Fest (Decorah, Iowa – pictured), food is at the heart of Norwegian heritage. Sample delicious lefse, kringla, krumkake, meatballs, rosettes, and lingonberry delights. If brats and sauerkraut are more of your style, head to Germanfest (Guttenberg, Iowa), or for some of the area’s most delicious apples, try Applefest (La Crescent, Minnesota). 

4. Appreciate Art

There are a surprising amount of art museums in the Driftless, which is great, since you have all summer to explore them! Appreciate the work of artists from near and far at these area favorites.

To see works from some of the world’s most well-known artists, you don’t have to travel far. The six galleries at the Minnesota Marine Art Museum (Winona, Minnesota – pictured) feature renowned artwork with water as a central theme. Other museums you won’t want to miss include the Dubuque Museum of Art (Dubuque, Iowa), the Rochester Museum of Art (Rochester, Minnesota), and the Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum (Decorah, Iowa). There are also numerous smaller galleries in towns across the region – make sure to stop in and support local artists and entrepreneurs as you explore the Driftless!

5. Get Your Toes Wet

What could be more peaceful than floating down a river on a nice summer day, feeling the breeze off the water? Or more refreshing than dipping your toes in when the weather gets hot? Luckily, our region is surrounded by water and there are plenty of ways to experience it this season.  

Travel the Mississippi River in style by booking yourself a spot on the La Crosse Queen river cruise (La Crosse, Wisconsin). Locals love the pizza cruise, a 90-minute ride with complimentary pizza, beer, and soda to enjoy. If you’d prefer to steer your own boat, you can try canoeing or kayaking the Upper Iowa River (Northeast Iowa) or tubing on the Root River (Southeastern Minnesota).

6. Keep it Kitschy

 Act like a tourist this summer and visit all the wild and weird attractions near you. You might even develop a newfound appreciation for the locales that draw visitors to the region.

If you’re in the market for a nature tour, the Driftless has some fun caves to explore. Take a boat ride through Spook Cave (McGregor, Iowa – pictured) or a mile-long hike through Niagara Cave (Harmony, Minnesota). Looking for something a little extra? Check out the butterfly collection at the Porterhouse Museum (Decorah, Iowa), the World’s Largest Six Pack (La Crosse, Wisconsin), and the two-headed calf at the Fillmore County Historical Society Museum & Library (Fountain, Minnesota). And what could be more off-the-wall than the always-intriguing House on the Rock (Spring Green, Wisconsin)?

7. Grab a Scoop

Nothing says summer like a delicious ice cream cone. There are plenty of options to satisfy your sweet tooth, so grab your buddies and visit one of these must-try shops.

A reminder of days past, the Driftless has a handful of old-fashioned drive-in restaurants that make for a fun outing. Try a crunch cone at Lakeview Drive Inn (Winona, Minnesota), a root beer float at Rudy’s Drive-In (La Crosse, Wisconsin), and a tornado at The Whippy Dip (Decorah, Iowa). And grab some cheese curds as they’re loading up your cone at WW Homestead Dairy (Waukon, Iowa – pictured below). Other tasty options include Sugar Bowl (Decorah, Iowa), The Pearl (La Crosse, Wisconsin), and frozen yogurt at Country View Dairy (Hawkeye, Iowa).

8. Chase Some Waterfalls

Waterfalls are a great way to admire not only nature’s power, but also its serenity. Take a walk to these nearby water features this summer and enjoy the zen.

Pack a picnic and hike around at Dunnings Spring Park (Decorah, Iowa) where a short walk will give you a great view of the falls. Or explore the Stephens Falls trail at Governor Dodge State Park (Dodgeville, Wisconsin – pictured at right) – it’s only a half-mile hike to the overlook. Other Driftless waterfalls, to name just a few, to visit include Siewers Spring State Park (Decorah, Iowa) and Como Falls (Hokah, MN). 

9. Hit the Road

With a little reprieve from the winter snow, it’s time to take that lazy Sunday drive! Bring your loved ones for a little adventure or travel solo for a little peace and quiet.  (continued on next page)

From Northern Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico, The Great River Road is 3,000 miles of beautiful scenery. Luckily, it runs right through the Driftless Region, so you can easily hop on US 61 (Minnesota), WI 35 (Wisconsin), or US 52 (Iowa) to travel this renowned byway. For a shorter, yet equally beautiful ride, try the Apple Blossom Drive Scenic Byway (La Crescent, Minnesota). It features amazing views of rolling farmland, the Mississippi River, and in the springtime, blooming apple trees.

10. March to the Beat

Gather your friends and family and celebrate the time-honored tradition of parades. It’s a great way to stay connected to your community or experience a new one. 

If you think a parade would be a great addition to your Independence Day festivities, make your way to the streets of Guttenberg, Iowa for their Stars & Stripes Celebration. Or you can join the community of Eitzen, Minnesota for their 4th of July parade during Family Fun Fest. Other great choices this summer include the crowd-pleasing Kornfest parade (Holmen, Wisconsin), the Waterski Days parade (Lake City, Minnesota), which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, and of course, save a spot (but not too early) for the Nordic Fest parade late July in Decorah (pictured). 

Driving down Water Street, approaching Decorah from the west, peek left to see the giant wrap-around mural gracing Vesterheim Museum’s Mill Street wall. It’s a colorful kick-off to a vibrant downtown.

“I wanted to convey that communities can be beautiful patchwork quilts rather than melting pots – that the families who have been here for generations and those who have arrived more recently all contribute to the larger community, both its past and its future,” says Decorah-based illustrator and designer Lauren Bonney, who designed and painted the mural last year.

Lauren’s “deceptively whimsical” work has been featured on the walls of Decorah’s ArtHaus, the merchandise of Nordic Fest, and the cover of Inspire(d) magazine (indeed, this very one!). But it was the Vesterheim Museum that provided her biggest canvas yet, with space to “touch on the themes of community and immigration, as well as the specific sense of place that defines Decorah,” Lauren says. She completed the mural, Together in Decorah, in August 2021.

It tells the story of Decorah – its intriguing past, its ever-changing present, and its hope-filled future. One star– and fireball–emblazoned vignette illustrates the meteor strike some 470 million years ago that formed the Decorah Impact Structure (better known as the Decorah Crater). Another, featuring a trumpet-bearing angel, celebrates the Indigenous people that called Decorah home long before European settlers arrived.

“The angel looks toward the past to celebrate and remember the people who lived here before the Europeans came and how important they have been in making and keeping this space as beautiful as it is,” Lauren says.

Another vignette depicts the journey of immigrants, its focal point a drawing of Tradewind, the 25-foot sailboat displayed in Vesterheim’s Westby Ship Gallery. Yet another depicts a rainbow-festooned dove, conveying the hope that immigrants brought with them, and another the Upper Iowa River with fossils by its side. 

She spends perhaps the most time describing the distinctive white arch that has already served as a backdrop for wedding, engagement, graduation, and numerous other photos. “I incorporated elements of Lutheranism while designing something akin to the stained-glass windows in European cathedrals,” she says. “The rose in the center is based on the Iowa state flower, the Wild Rose, and it is surrounded by bur oak leaves, also native to the state.”

She drafted the initial design for the mural in 2020 while taking part in an ArtHaus program (funded by the Iowa Arts Council) to encourage the creation of public art. Participants not only received expert instruction on how to paint murals but were also connected with local businesses seeking artists to create murals for their brick-and-mortar spaces. “We were so pleased with Lauren’s vision for the mural and so excited to make it happen,” says Marcia McKelvey, Vesterheim’s director of administration, on the museum’s selection of her design at that time. 

Vesterheim – officially the National Norwegian-American Museum and Folk Art School – houses more than 33,000 artifacts and comprises 12 historical buildings that draw visitors from around the globe. It’s perhaps best known for its exhibits that, per its website, “explore the diversity of American immigration through the lens of the Norwegian-American experience and highlight the best in historic and contemporary Norwegian folk and fine arts.” The museum also provides tours of Norway and varied educational programs beyond its (now colorful!) walls.  

Making those colorful walls happen, as one might expect, took a hefty amount of time, effort, and talent. Lauren first conducted research, touring Vesterheim and studying photos and artifacts that might inform her vision.

“I talked with the museum about creating an immersive folk-art experience,” she says. “Instead of traditional rosemaling, I combined folk-art patterns of objects within the museum and my personal playful style and illustrations.”

She then fleshed out her original design so that museum staff could take it to the Decorah City Council and Decorah Historic Preservation Commission for review and approval. 

By June 2021, Lauren was ready to break out the markers, prop up the ladders, and begin sketching on the professionally primed walls. “I had this beautiful, creamy surface to start sketching on,” she says with a smile. “I decided to draw directly on that surface rather than project and trace an image, which worked really well because one of the beauties of folk art is that its imperfections are what gives it character.”

The original vision was for the mural to be finished in “paint-by-numbers” fashion by museum staff/volunteers and community members – bringing everyone “Together in Decorah” – but COVID, unfortunately, had other plans. Lauren completed the mural by herself just in time for the dedication this past August of Vesterheim Heritage Park, a new landscaped area that connects the museum’s historical buildings. “The title of the mural is Together in Decorah, but in finishing it, I felt very alone,” she reflects. 

Luckily, folks will still get a chance to get together with Lauren at Heritage Park this summer through Vesterheim’s Family Frilufstliv Fun program. (The concept of Friluftsliv – or “outdoor life” – captures the Norwegian love for the great outdoors.) “I’m really looking forward to talking with families about the mural and doing some art based on some of the things we discuss,” she says. “We have a second chance to make the [spirit of the] original vision happen.”

For Lauren, the mural is just the latest of many projects inspired by her passion for creating art. As a child, she filled her notebooks with playful drawings. As an adult, she has compiled an impressive portfolio of work, including a coloring book (created with ArtHaus) featuring sites in Winneshiek County (in fact, Lauren designed a coloring page for this issue, page 53), plus branding images and logos for small businesses in and beyond Winneshiek County. At the heart of all her work – not unlike that of famed Disney illustrator Mary Blair, whose work she had long admired  – is a playful, colorful style that conveys a deeper meaning. 

“I love working with shapes and color to tell a story or communicate a feeling,” she says, “and I think that’s all art boils down to in its most basic elements.”

Learn more about Lauren and her work at laurenbonney.com

 

Live life outdoors!

A mom of two young kids herself – daughter Juniper (five) and son Sylvan (three) – Lauren Bonney knows a thing or two about exploring art with children. And on Saturday, June 18, 2022, she used her mural Together in Decorah to demystify the process of telling stories through art in a program sponsored by Vesterheim Norwegian American Museum.

Her Art in Heritage Park program is part of Family Frilufstliv Fun, an outdoor educational series launched in April and designed for families with children under the age of 10. Each month, participants spend an hour (11 am to noon) exploring nature in Vesterheim’s Heritage Park or nearby Decorah trails through walks, observations, and hands-on activities. On July 23, program participants will explore Twin Springs, and on August 20, Dunning Springs.

At least one adult per family must attend. Cost is $5 per family per event, and pre-registration for each event is required. Visit vesterheim.org/folk-art-school/friluftsliv/ to register.

 What else is going on at Vesterheim?

In addition to awesome exhibits and online + in-person classes in Norwegian language, cooking, folk art, and more (sign up online!), Vesterheim is working on an exciting new building: Vesterheim Commons. Work began spring 2022, with a completion goal of early 2023.

The project plays an important role in collaboration with local community members and business partners in making Northeast Iowa a destination, including for Viking Cruise visitors. Two of Viking’s new Mississippi River itineraries – America’s Heartland and America’s Great River – give guests the option to choose a day trip from La Crosse, Wisconsin, to Decorah to experience exclusive museum tours and enjoy the town, bringing hundreds of visitors from July-October. 

The Commons design has been driven by programming that inspires community engagement and experiences, and it emphasizes the building as a cultural gathering place, with multi-use space on the ground floor that seats 100 people for lectures, meetings, concerts, receptions, and classes and can be set up for luncheons and other meal service, a full-service kitchen, indoor/outdoor space for special exhibits, and more.

The building will include mass timber frame construction, regionally sourced brick from Adel, Iowa, and great views of campus and the surrounding Decorah area.
Campaign volunteers and museum staff are actively meeting with friends of Vesterheim to seek support for the Strong Roots Bold Future Campaign. Fundraising efforts will continue through the completion of the Vesterheim Commons project.

Planning a visit? The Second Saturday of each month, admission to Vesterheim is free! Learn more at vesterheim.org