In softball, Emily Balsley would be known as a player who hits to all fields. Whether it’s mural design and execution, magazine and book illustration, pattern design for fabrics or products, sculptures for public parks, seasonal window decoration, or personal fine arts projects, it seems that Emily has yet to meet an artistic challenge to which she has not successfully risen.

In the grand scheme of the 11 National Scenic Trails, the Ice Age Trail is not the most well-known in the country, a distinction that goes to the Appalachian Trail; nor is it the longest, the North Country Trail; nor the most majestic, which, according to one thru-hiker, is the Continental Divide Trail. But the Ice Age Trail is like no other, and its star is on the rise.

Condensing the complexity of life, the ability to experience, appreciate, and comprehend existence, into a linear timeline is a confine that we relish for its simplicity even though it removes much of the nuance that influences connection outside of the mind. Many of us have experienced the edges of temporal removal: when focus dissolves into interconnectedness. For some, its an adrenaline rush. For others, its getting lost in natureforgetting the things we deem important just long enough to be uprooted. An awesome rebalancing of the senses. In Marci Henderson, I see someone who seeks to give others the gift of connection as she strives to embrace her own.

Opening a restaurant is often an overwhelming, but exciting venture. You get to flex your creative muscle building the menu. You’re taking on a huge risk. You get to share your love of cooking with others. You don’t have time to enjoy your own cooking. But what about purchasing a restaurant with a legacy? Now you’re adding on this layer of being true to what the restaurant was—trying to attract new customers while not losing those who’ve come to love it over the decades.

Ever gone into a local meat or seafood market, found the perfect cut or fish for tonight’s dinner, then realized you had no idea what to do with it? You decide to pick out one of their spice blends and hope for the best. But what if you could have some Greater Madison area restauranteurs and foodies design a spice specifically for the food you’re buying?

Long before white settlers made their way to Madison, Native Americans were living on the shores of the four lakes. The earliest Indigenous people, ancestors of today’s Native American tribes, most likely arrived around 11,000 BC, shortly after the glacier that covered much of Wisconsin receded. Little is secularly known about the culture of these earliest native settlers since not many artifacts have been found where they lived.

When people hear the word birder, they might picture a floppy brimmed hat, khaki vest full of pockets, and expensive equipment. Some people believe birders have to be competitive, elite list keepers, but since birding is an activity that can bring so much joy and empowerment, we believe it’s time to rectify that misconception. Anyone who loves and appreciates birds can call themselves a birder—the more the merrier.

While Wisconsin is a four-season state, it’s my personal opinion that Madison has two distinct seasons: with and without students. The city is special for many reasons, and a great number of those reasons can be directly connected to the University of Wisconsin–Madison. While I appreciate that fact, there’s always a small squeal of joy that erupts from me each spring commencement. Those of us over 25 aren’t as outnumbered for three whole months! That said, there’s also something quite wonderful when the flurry of fall semester activity returns in September. It’s a different state of liveliness, and I enjoy that as well.

I always LOVE (in all caps!) visiting a capital city. Without doing much research, the designation alone is a cue that you’re bound to experience something special, whether it’s the history, the culture, or the buzzing energy. That’s certainly true for our state’s capital. From touring the capitol building itself to traveling the city by boat, bike, foot, or fork, there are so many discoveries to be found in Madison.