There can be an unconditional bond when it comes to our pets. For centuries, dogs have been coined as “man’s best friend” as the bonds of unfailing love, devotion and loyal companionship deepen with time.
Arts

Excelsior’s Judy Voigt Englund often walks down to Crescent Beach on Lake Minnetonka in the summertime to watch the sunset.

At first blush, one would think their story began with a chance meeting in Oakland, Calif. She—a Parisian designer. He—an aspiring novelist from Normandy.

This mixed media painting had me thinking back to family excursions to the North Shore, where endless hours were spent searching for coveted agates along Lake Superior. Road maps, playing the alphabet game and breathtaking autumn leaves [were] bookmarked by the brillia

Lake Minnetonka Sunset with My Best Friend, taken by Wayzata’s Katie Rajchert, placed first in the People and Families category of our annual Lens on Lake Minnetonka photo contest.

It’s been a minute (OK, since 2015) that we last visited with Charlie Leonard, founder, executive director and artistic director of Blue Water Theatre Company (BWTC).

Brit Bennett was only in her mid-20s when The Mothers, her debut novel, was released. She took the publishing world by storm with this book, which seemed as if someone with many more years of experience had written it, and was a finalist for multiple prestigious book awards.

“I used to dream about opening a floral shop with vintage curated clothing,” says Art Girls co-founder Hollie Gaines. “For me, it was a recipe crafted with aromatic scents and a sweet nod to creating a signature style. This oil painting stopped me in my tracks.

Anyone who’s missed traveling will enjoy vicariously exploring the Caribbean through the pages of this novel. Float Plan’s heroine, Anna, struggled with grief since the death of her fiancé and desperately needs a change.

Do you have a favorite quote from a book? Are there words that you can read over and over and still find fresh layers of meaning? Recently, I found myself drawn back to words written by E. B. White (Charlotte’s Web and Stuart Little).