Aryn Henning Nichols

When we switched printers in 2023, we decided to start featuring local photographers’ work in the Center Spread spot in each Inspire(d) Magazine. We wanted to show off the beauty, fun, and uniqueness of the Driftless Region through these talented photographers’ photos. We really loved our 2025 photos! Check them all out here! (And see 2023 here and 2024 here!)

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Spring 2025: Photo by Joni Welda of The Variegate Lens

Photographer Joni Welda writes:

“This image is of Como Falls in Hokah, Minnesota. The Falls is always a treat with the sounds of the water constantly flowing off the rocks and that day supplied just the right angle to get the sunburst as well while it sat just above the large rock.” See more of Joni’s work on Instagram @the_variegate_lens or at: thevariegatelens.myportfolio.com

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Summer 2025: Photo by William D. Petersen

Photographer William D. Petersen writes:

“This photo of compass plants was taken in Thompson Prairie, which is part of Upper Hixon Forest on the La Crosse Ridge in La Crosse County, Wisconsin. The profusion of these compass plants and other native prairie flowers on this land can be attributed to the successful restoration work done by Craig Thompson, for whom the prairie is aptly named after. Regular readers of Inspire(d) will recognize Craig and his talented wife, Mary, as regular contributors to the magazine. Want to thank Craig for his awesome work? Check out the new organization he’s started: driftlessbirds.org.” See more of William’s photos on Flickr at rb.gy/73tzlf

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Fall 2025: Photo by Mary Anderson

Photographer Mary Anderson writes:

“The boardwalk at Pikes Peak State Park is usually heavily traveled. On this particular October morning, rain and fog can be credited for providing this tranquil scene. One feels less hurried and can linger when in a beautiful space like this on their own. I took my time and enjoyed this scene from various angles before moving on.” See more of Mary’s work at photogwillie.com.

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Winter 2025-26: Photo by Scott Boylen

Photographer Scott Boylen writes:

“This is a special image for me and my family. My wife and I drove the 20 minutes to Lansing on a cold, snowy February 20, 2019, to ‘celebrate’ the birthday of our son Samson Boylen, who would have been 18 that day if he had lived that long. He died in November of 2015, and we had the Blackhawk Bridge lit up in his honor for many years on his birthday. That evening, we parked on the East side of the main channel of the Mississippi River across from Lansing, and I walked through the fresh snow downriver on the ice to find the best vantage point. It was cold and very quiet in the snow. This bridge was a great source of excitement in the lives of our children as they grew, so it held a special place, along with its elegant beauty, in my heart. When we traveled to La Crosse or into Central and Northern Wisconsin, our son and daughter would yell as I drove over this bridge as quickly as I could in order to make the vehicle jump. This image was a long exposure using a tripod. It is an image of gratitude and resilience to my mind.” See more of Scott’s work at fineartamerica.com/profiles/scott-boylen

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Gabi Masek, licensed acupuncturist and diplomate of Oriental Medicine* at Wildcrafted Acupuncture and Herbs in Decorah, Iowa, was kind enough to make a list of ideas and tips for fostering wellness in the winter.

1. Wear a Scarf

Wear a scarf to protect and warm your “wind gate” (this is the area just below your occiput and top of neck). Remember to keep your feet warm too!

2. Ditch the Ice!

Ditch the ice! This goes for cold foods, too. It’s especially important if you tend to run cold, have digestive weaknesses or issues, menstrual cramps or irregularities, or low energy / vitality.

3. Enjoy More Warm Foods

Enjoy more brothy soups & stews with spleen- and kidney-nourishing foods like: sweet potatoes, squash, beets, barley, farro, bone broth, ginger, and dark leafy greens.

4. Slow Down

Give yourself the permission to SLOW DOWN. Winter is the time to rebuild our resources, to be nourished – a time to slow down and conserve for the coming spring. It’s the ideal time to invite in rest, to not push as hard and to engage in gentle movement, inside and out.

5. Sleep Like the Sun

Go to bed earlier and wake up later, as your schedule allows! Allowing our rhythms to sync with nature’s is such a wonderful way to support our wellness, and shifts naturally with each season to maximize sun exposure and enjoy outdoor activities!

*Ed Note: When I asked Gabi how to write her credentials, here’s what she said: “I have a Masters in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (MAc.OM) from Seattle Institute of East Asian Medicine and am a Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac) in the state of Iowa as well as a nationally board certified Diplomate of Oriental Medicine (Dipl.OM) through the NCCAOM (National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine). So it ends up being: Gabi Masek, L.Ac, Dipl.OM, when I’m official!”

Grandma Karen and Grandpa Dan have been married for almost 50 years. They have five kids and eleven grandchildren. They were married on March 18, 1977, and have taught their family so many things about love and life and laughing. Here is an interview with the best grandparents ever. The Davis family kids (who live in La Crosse) interviewed both of them for this piece because, after all, they are inseparable. To Grandma Karen and Grandpa Dan from all of your family: We love you; you know that.

What’s the best advice anyone ever gave you?

(GK- Grandma Karen, GD- Grandpa Dan) 

GD: Never go to bed angry.  
GK: Always measure your words, because once they are out you can’t take them back. My dad told me that.  
GD: He was right, too! 

How about the worst? 

GK: My band teacher told me not to take typing because I wouldn’t be good at it. That made me feel like I was not good at it before I even started! 

GD: When your Aunt Hannah was born, someone told me, “Now you’ll need more money, and you’ll need to work more so that you can have more money in the family.”  It was not good advice because the most important thing is to be there with your kids, not the cost to pay for things. 

What did you want to be when you grew up?

GK: A teacher or a nurse… and in the end, I was a teacher and a nurse because I was a mom.
GD: A job where I worked with people, not machines, and I could help them.  Maybe a counselor.
GK: And in the end, he did because he was a counselor to five kids… 
GD: And to Grandma Karen, too. 

If you were stranded on a desert island, what three things would you want with you?

GD: My Bible, a solar powered recording of my favorite music, and Grandma.

GK: My Bible, my glasses because I can’t hear anything without my glasses on, pictures of my family. Henrietta: Maybe you guys could share a Bible…?

Try to describe the other person in one sentence.

GK: Grandpa is a wise, compassionate, comforting, strong, helpful partner.

GD: I read a line from Emily Dickinson yesterday and I said, “Grandma, this sounds just like you.” She said to herself, “I am small, like the wren, and my hair is bold, like the chestnut bur, and my eyes are like the sherry in the glass that the guest leaves.” That is your Grandma.

If you could eat anything every day for the rest of your life, what would it be? 

GK: POPCORN!
GD: A New York strip.

Name one thing you could not live without. 

GK: Grandpa. Actually… popcorn.
GD: Oxygen. On a more serious note…coffee.

Tell us about your wedding day.

GD: The day of our wedding, my boss called me and said they had a person call in sick and asked if I could come in, to which I said, “I don’t know if you remember but I am getting married today.”

GK: We had a blizzard the night before and I was worried that no one could come. I got my hair done and my dress on and then we went out and everything was white and beautiful. The snow had melted on the sidewalks, and everyone was there.

GD: We pulled away from the church in a black and gold 1977 Pontiac Firebird and we listened to the song, Fly like an Eagle by the Steve Miller Band

Advice to your kids and grandkids.

GK: Be strong in your convictions, trust in the Lord, and be kind to others.

GD: Honor your mother and father and when you have questions on whether something is right or wrong, you go and you talk to your mom and dad. Always honor your mom and dad.