Splendor awaits when we bear witness to nature. In July, milkweed plants, with their rubbery leaves and unassuming sprays of flowers, offer a...
Outdoors
Pack Your Picnic Basket and Head to One of These Local Parks
The Lake Minnetonka area features several picture perfect parks for picnicking. Lake Minnetonka Regional Park This park offers an abundance of...
A Firefly Viewing Guide
Darkness is the secret to spotting lightning bugs. For a short and sweet season from June to July, I enjoy a nightly light show. I have been known...
Kayak the Creek to Get a New View of the Twin Cities
Take an urban paddle adventure along Minnehaha Creek. Tamara Nugteren, owner of Kayak the Creek, runs a kayak rental business on Minnehaha Creek...
Big Island Legacy Gives Lake Minnetonka’s Most Prominent Landmark a Makeover
A local group's fundraising efforts have brought a wealth of improvements to Big Island. Rick Carter has deep affection for Big Island Park, and he...
Discover the Fun of Morel Hunting Season
The rich rewards of hunting spring mushrooms. May brings the hunt for morels, the most coveted of Minnesota mushrooms. With their honeycombed caps...
Did You Know Those ‘Helicopter’ Seeds Are Edible?
As every Minnesotan child knows, helicopter seeds are great flyers - but did you know you can eat them? In April, if you look carefully amidst the...
The Astonishing Beauty of Puddles in Spring
As winter gives way to spring, the season of physics begins. I call this the season of physics. Most living residents of the woods have retreated to...
Lake Minnetonka Sailing School Teaches Skills On and Off the Water
The Lake Minnetonka Sailing School offers students a way to learn how to sail and get outside during the summer months. The Lake Minnetonka Sailing...
Photographer Weaves Together Art and Environmentalism at Cedar Creek
At Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve, Frank Meuschke combines science with art. Artist Frank Meuschke has lived all over the country—from New...
‘Bringing Back History’: Dog Sled Racing Returns to Lake Minnetonka
Watch the first local dog sled race in over 85 years. With the holidays freshly passed and winter at its peak, Lake Minnetonka-area residents are...
The Life of the Lichen
In February, precious little seems to be growing in the woods. Except lichen. In February, precious little seems to be growing in the woods. Except...
Want Fresh Fruit in Winter? Try Crab Apple Trees
Eating winter’s underappreciated abundance. In January, winter sets in, typically with the coldest days of the year. Local fresh fruit seems a...
North American Pond Hockey Championship Returns to Lake Minnetonka
Pond hockey returns to the lake this month. Don’t miss one of Lake Minnetonka’s favorite winter events—the North American Pond Hockey Championship....
The History of Ice Boating on Lake Minnetonka
Ice boating came to Lake Minnetonka in the 1880s, and is still popular to this day. In the 1880s, ice boating came to Lake Minnetonka with the first...
How to Pick the Perfect Christmas Tree
The University of Minnesota Extension’s horticulture experts offer a few tips for picking the perfect Christmas tree this year. Run a branch through...
The Bright Side of Winter
Writer Anne Marie Ruff Grewal reflects on the daily brilliance of winter. As the days shorten and winter appears in earnest, I like to look on the...
November in Minnesota Signals Start of Winter—But That’s Not a Bad Thing
Writer Anne Marie Ruff Grewal gives a fresh perspective on an unpopular month. For me, November brings a pang of nostalgia that summer has passed...
Wayzata Sailing’s New Headquarters Honors Late Sailor’s Memory
This summer, Wayzata Sailing opened their Mike Plant Community Boathouse. Members of the Lake Minnetonka sailing community remember the late Mike...
Writer Reflects on Minnesota’s Fall Colors
In October, the trees are shutting down their solar factories for the winter, and celebrating with a grand show of fall colors. In October, the...
