March/April 2022

“Home should be the treasure chest of living.” —Charles Édouard Jeanneret (Le Corbusier), a Swiss-French architect and designer

After spending countless months couped up in our humble abodes avoiding the threat of COVID-19 and of course the frigid Minnesota cold, we find ourselves paying attention to things that we never have before.  For me, I realize

 
Mirror Image

“I still find it amazing how much wildlife you can find within the city, and you don’t need to travel far to find things that many people otherwise miss,” photographer Rod Smoliak says. “It’s always a thrill to find a nest or a den that is currently occupied.

 
Minnie’s Cookies - Easter bunny

thinking about a taste of home, Maple Grove resident and owner of Minnie’s Cookies, Amanda Luecke, reminisces on the times when her mom, Mary or “Minnie,” would bake enough holiday cookies to cover the entire dining room table and every kitchen surface in betwee

 
Monarch Butterflies

In December 2020, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that the monarch butterfly became a candidate for the listing of the Endangered Species Act.

 
Maple Grove’s 55 Forward program

Although around for two and a half decades, Maple Grove’s 55 Forward program continues to find new ways to help residents connect with themselves and the community.

 
Rock Elm at the Grove burger

Few sporting events create the amount of buzz and excitement that the NCAA Men’s Division One Basketball Tournament does.

 
Festive Colors India

Trading in her IT career to pursue her dreams of working in fashion, Maple Grove resident and owner of Festive Colors India Aarzoo Bhansali opened her own clothing boutique to provide a source for traditional Indian apparel.

 

Whether it is pairing down the closet or tidying the playroom, home organizing is a “to-do” we all have. Depending on the amount of organizing needed,

 
Ky McDonald, Set Me Free

“There’s no place like home,” proclaims Dorothy Gale in The Wizard of Oz. Our homes are the foundation of all of our hopes and dreams while exuding a warmth beckoned by the people that inhabit the space.

 
The Golem and the Jinni

The novel The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker experiments with several different genres but is primarily fantasy historical fiction. Taking place in New York in 1899, the story follows the paths of two supernatural characters.

 
Irish Whiskey

St. Patrick’s Day—when it comes to this day of days, many people become Irish, wearing a bit of green, having a pint and singing a song.