inMagazine Winter 2016

in Magazine Community | Life | Family

TIPS S imple

LIFT YOUR SPIRITS

BY LOWERING YOUR STRESS

Winter 2016

Wild rice meatballs, burgers, pancakes & more!

21

Keep the boredom

away with

these UNIQUE THINGS TO DO IN BEMIDJI

MEET KRISI, THE 5’4” BODYBUILDER

+

LOOKING FOR SOME SOLITUDE?

TRY A YURT!

E E R F

inMagazine A BEMIDJI PIONEER PUBLICATION

1320 Neilson Ave. SE Bemidji, MN 56601 218-333-9200

Staff Editor Jillian Gandsey Creative Director Abby Randall Design Lead Deborah Bradseth

Consulting Committee Designer Advertising Designer Circulation Business Reporter

Mollie Burlingame Danielle Carty Chris Johnson Amanda Reed Larisa Severson Maggi Stivers

Administration Publisher Editor Advertising Director Business Manager Circulation Manager Customer Service Supervisor

Dennis Doeden Matt Cory John Svingen Tammie Brooks Tim Webb Eve Rongstad

To Advertise 218-333-9200 inmagazine@bemidjipioneer.com

Questions and Feedback Email inMagazine at inmagazine@bemidjipioneer.com Volume 3, Issue 1

Copyright © 2015 Bemidji Pioneer inMagazine

All rights reserved. Although some parts of this publication may be reproduced and reprinted, we require that prior permission be obtained.

36

Above photo by Maggi Stivers

inMagazine’s mission is to be Bemidji’s and the surrounding area’s local lifestyle magazine. We strive to enhance the quality of life for the people of the Bemidji area by informing them about all of the amazing people who live in our community. Our concentration is on everything local: fashion, food, health, and most importantly, unique individuals and stories.

ON THE COVER Krisi Fenner shares with us her experience as a bodybuilder. The cover photo was taken by our awesome photographer, Jillian Gandsey.

We strive to maintain a high level of integrity as an inspiring, local media presence for our readers and provide advertisers with a high-quality, effective marketing medium.

Read the award-winning inMagazine online!

Visit www.bemidjipioneer.com, then click on inMagazine near the bottom of the page.

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Winter 2016

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inside Winter 2016

Features 08 21 things to do in Bemidji

Stay active and get out of the house this winter with these different outdoor and indoor activities around town.

20

Find yourself in a yurt

26

Red Lake Nation Foods

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16

Staff writer Kyle Farris shares his experience of spending a chilly night in a yurt located 25 miles north of Bemidji.

Larisa cooked up some hearty recipes using products from Red Lake Nation Foods, who partnered with us this issue.

A body of work

Local bodybuilder Krisi Fenner tells her story of starting out in the sport and what life is like as a bodybuilder.

24 08

In this issue

06 07 12 14 16 19 24 35 36 38

#Bemidji tweets Crafts Chattin’ in health in style New Year’s resolutions Potpourri Finance Sonny on stage Where is it?

Winter 2016

inMagazine | 5

#Bemidji

Tweets

Bemidji is mentioned on Twitter quite often. Whether it has to do with our hockey teams, ever-changing weather or our lack of a Chipotle, someone always has something to say. Here are just a few things said about Bemidji on Twitter:

Stephanie Malecha @stephmalecha

So today I got a letter and I was accepted into Bemidji State University!!

Brandy Grabow @BrandyGrabow

How do I know I’m adapting to life in Bemidji?

My deep disappointment that the AIRC Frybread Taco and Wild Rice Soup sale was cancelled.

Kiara

@twitterhandle

I’m at my cousin hockey game! Let’s go Bemidji!

Erica

@0h_NaNa_ERiCA_T

Applying for summer internships.

First choice? Bemidji #nomorecitylife

tammy sam lee

@tbobrowsky

@supersickslee

Do I really have to leave Bemidji or can I just stay here the rest of my life?

Downtown #Bemidji. pic.twitter.com/ytNrtjl54X

Shaina Gillmann @Shainerrrr

In the past 2 years of calling Bemidji my home, I don’t think I’ve ever experienced such beautiful weather so late in the year

Have more to say? Check us out on Twitter: @inMagBemidji, and use the hashtag #Bemidji to sound off!

6 | inMagazine

Winter 2016

Craft Ideas

Jillian Gandsey and Danielle Carty, from the inMagazine committee, have created easy decor crafts that can add a nice touch to your home in the winter months. Most have appeal beyond the holidays, aside from the reindeer ornament. If you try any of these crafts on your own, post a photo to our Facebook page!

Holiday & Winter

Coaster

To make this winter-themed coaster we glued popsicle sticks to a small chunk of cardboard. Then we sponge-painted them white and gave it time to dry. We then added the snowflake designs using a stencil, sponge and gray paint.

Before the gray paint dried, we added shiny blue sparkle.

Reindeer ornaments

For these cute little ornaments we’ve upcycled two bottle caps. Using a hot glue gun, we stuck on the eyes, red button nose, antlers and also the red ribbon.

Candle decorations We’ve simply used a hot glue gun to attach sticks to the side of a vanilla-scented candle for this decoration. It can add a woodsy, winter feel to a mantel or coffee table. For more scent than the vanilla candle, you could exchange the sticks for cinnamon sticks.

Winter 2016

inMagazine | 7

3 21 ICE SKATING

Year ’round ice skating indoors or winter skating outside at Neilson Reise Arena.

Unique things to do in Bemidji

4

1

OPEN MIC NIGHT AT BRIGID’S PUB

WATERMARK ART CENTER Enjoy the artwork of locals and out of town artists featured at the Watermark Art Center.

TOTS ‘N’ SCIENCE Every Thursday at 10am, children ages 3-6 along with an adult are invited to Tots ‘n’ Science at the Headwaters Science Center.

The program offers stories, activities and games with hands-on science.

8 | inMagazine

Winter 2016

2

Every Thursday starting at 8pm. Enjoy local acoustic musicians, poets, actors and writers.

5

FREE BOWLING At Bemidji Bowl there is free bowling on Mondays with a small shoe rental fee.

BOARD GAME NIGHT

BINGO AT YOUR FAVORITE BAR/ RESTAURANT!

If you enjoy more stragetic, interesting board games, check out Accidently Cool Games every Thursday night and play a variety of adult board games.

6

Every week restaurants/bars around town offer Bingo night!

Bar 209 Thursdays @ 8pm Eagles Saturdays @ 2pm & Tuesdays @ 9pm Ground Round Thursdays @ 9pm Keg n’ Cork Mondays @ 6-8pm

9

CUSTOM DESIGNED BEMIDJI GRAPHIC TEES At Paul Bunyan Print Shop either purchase designed products by the store employees, or custom design your own coffee mug or tee!

7

8

LOIDE’S OILS & VINEGARS Have an oil tasting session at Loide’s Oils & Vinegars. Bring some friends, or go solo, and try out the many flavors of oils!

10

GEOCACHING Either grab your GPS and print out a list of the coordinates, or download the Geocaching App. The app will tell you where you are and where the nearest cache points are. Discover the hidden treasures inside!

Winter 2016

inMagazine | 9

11

RAIL RIVER FOLK SCHOOL

Visit the Rail River Folk School and see what sustainable activities they have coming up.

Check out the Vagrant Book Store where you can purchase books by the pound! Don’t miss out on the local musicans as well.

13

MONTHLY BOOK DISCUSSIONS AT THE PUBLIC LIBRARY Visit the library’s Facebook page (/BemidjiPublicLibrary) or website to find upcoming events and what book they will be featuring for the month.

12 14

COFFEE ON TAP

Bring your favorite food to Bemidji Brewing and purchase a pint of locally brewed beer, cold brewed coffee or root beer!

CRAFT WORKSHOPS Check out local craft workshops at Urbanesque, Dixie’s, Blue Willow Boutique, and Least of These Boutique, and see when their next workshop is!

15

10 | inMagazine

Winter 2016

SEE THE HISTORY OF YOUR HOUSE AND OTHER HISTORICAL ARTIFACTS AT THE BELTRAMI COUNTY HISTORY CENTER.

16 THE LAUNCHPAD The Launchpad offers Entrepreneurs Meetups every Wednesday from 8-9am with business owners and other beneficial speakers.

SLEDDING AT LIBRARY PARK Grab your family (or friends) and enjoy some sledding at Library Park.

17

18

NATURALIST PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES AT LAKE BEMIDJI STATE PARK Whether it’s snowshoeing, cross country skiing, wreathmaking or bird watching, check out Lake Bemidji State Park’s event calendar to see what activities are going on!

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COFFEE AND PAINT EVENT Drink some coffee while painting a unique craft held the first Wednesday of every month 1011:30am at Glazed & Amused.

20 PAUL BUNYAN PERCH DERBY FOR KIDS The derby will be hosted from 1-3pm March 6 on Lake Bemidji.

This event is FREE for all kids under 15 years old.

TRAVELING ART PUB Eat. Drink. Create. Socialize.

The Traveling Art Pub is a way to explore your creative side, and celebrate local community through art, culture, food and friendship.

Learn more at www.thetravelingartpub.com.

Winter 2016

inMagazine | 11

Chattin’ With...

Michael meehlhouse

By Matthew Liedke staff writer Photography by Jillian Gandsey

Originally from Mounds View, Minn., Michael Meehlhause came to the first city on the Mississippi in fall 2007 to attend BSU. After graduating from the college in which he was a member of the Student Senate, Meehlhause was elected to the City Council in November 2012.

I cover the Bemidji City Council on the first and third Monday of each month, and then some. Other meetings where we cross paths are usually work sessions where the council prepares for agenda items that will have action be taken in the next meeting. I’ve been covering the council and other government entities in Bemidji since my arrival in June.

in: How long have you lived in Bemidji?

MM: My first real experience with Bemidji was when I was looking for colleges in my senior year of high school.

There was a site that asked ‘what are you interested in doing? What are your hobbies?’ Bemidji State was the No. 1 choice. That’s when I learned that Bemidji State existed, really. When I came up and visited here I knew this is where I wanted to go. in: When it came time for graduation, did you know you wanted to stay in Bemidji?

MM: When I got elected Vice President of the student senate, because of that, I wanted to spend the summer up here. I got to experience the city year-round and it blew me away. All of the events, the people. As I approached the end of my senior year, I knew I wanted to stay in the area. I did my student teaching in Brainerd and then moved back to my parents for a couple of months. Then I got a call from Kevin Waldhausen, who said that I should come back and run for his City Council spot. That really got the wheels turning.

12 | inMagazine

Winter 2016

in: Did you have any inclination when you started at BSU that you would be part of a city government?

MM: None. It’s funny because my family always joked because my dad was going to run for city council in my hometown, because he was always watching the meetings and was on their planning board. When he retired, we had kind of known he was going to run for city council. When I hung up the phone that night I asked my dad ‘how would you feel if we both ran for city council?’ We ended up having the exact same sign. in: What was election night like?

MM: I invited some friends over that had helped me campaign and were supporting me. At the end of the day, it had been a really fun experience, win or lose and I thought I should have some friends over and just celebrate. During the night I was more nervous about my dad’s results. I was constantly refreshing the Secretary of State’s website to see what the Mound View’s results were. They announced that he was one of the city councilors elected around 9 p.m. We didn’t find out

it happen.’ I think for me, it’s just been really an honor to represent this city and try to make it a better place.

Ultimately, the fact that you care about a city and want to make it a better place, I think that’s what carries you

in: What has been your most memorable moment?

I think it has been the Bemidji Day at the Capitol event every year because it’s all these different aspects of the community, the school district, BSU, Sanford Health, the Chamber, we’re all united behind issues that affect Bemidji.

-Michael meehlhouse

the Bemidji results until after midnight. A bunch of my friends, we just stuck around and celebrated. It was a fun night.

in: What has your experience on the council been like?

MM: It’s a big learning experience. One of the differences I noticed about being on the city council is you have some ideas or things that you think should change. Then you actually get on the council and realize that ‘OK, this is possible, but we have to do this, this and this to make

in: What’s it like running for a city office when you’re not originally from there?

MM: I think what I’ve learned from that is if you really have come to love and care for a city, then it doesn’t matter where you’re from. The people that do think it matters is a minority of a minority. Ultimately, the fact that you care about a city and want to make it a better place, I think that’s what carries you. in: November 2016, are you going to throw your hat into the ring again?

MM: As of right now, I’d like to. I’ve had a lot of people that have said that I’m doing a good job and that the council is doing a good job. I’d like to think that I’ve made a positive difference. Of course I don’t know what challenges life will bring but I hope next November that it will be another fun night.

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Winter 2016

inMagazine | 13

in

health

Practicing Contentment when Stretched Too Thin Feeling overloaded, burdened and stretched too thin seems commonplace especially as the temperatures drop and the holiday season is upon us. But, is it possible to really experience contentment even amid the pace, demands, joys and pain of life? It is possible!

Consider these 4 tips:

1

Stop comparing your life.

Comparing your life to the life of others doesn’t end well. It will, however, lead to dissatisfaction.

Comparing your life to the life you want or dream about doesn’t end well either. It will likely lead to disappointment. It’s important to recognize that some circumstances in life are unchangeable and they are different for each person.

2

Start embracing your life.

Act on who you are rather than who you think you should be. I meet with many individuals in the therapy context who battle the stress of what they “should” be thinking, feeling and doing. Many times these “shoulds” are not in line with what is feasible, with what makes sense for the situation, nor with the individual’s design. Embracing your life begins with knowing your identity, your strengths and weaknesses, and your chosen responsibilities and passions.

Deanna Murphy, MA, LPCC works at Stellher Human Services as a mental health professional. She enjoys working with children, teens, adults, and families who are facing various life challenges and are seeking help in navigating them in a healthy way. She grew up in Northern Minnesota and lives in Bemidji with her husband and their two daughters.

14 | inMagazine Winter 2016

3

Cultivate rest in your life.

4

Create space for life.

Consider how you make time for rest each day in shorter bursts and how to have some lengthened time of rest each week as well. Daily rhythms of rest might include walking (buy some warm clothing!), a quick nap after work, slowing your pace for book reading with

It’s difficult to maintain a posture of contentment when our lives are crowded out by our stuff and our commitments. To create space, it’s important to reduce clutter and remove commitments. It’s really difficult to experience contentment when we are over full. Think Thanksgiving and the top button of your pants.

Pie tastes much better if we have room in our stomachs! Clutter can include physical clutter like keeping things we don’t need. It can also

young children, watching a favorite show, getting to bed on time. Weekly rhythms of rest might include attending church, having a designated family movie or game night, a Saturday morning coffee with a good friend, or Sunday afternoon naps.

include the clutter of bad habits like gossip, online shopping, and Netflix bingeing. Addressing our commitments can also help us live more content lives. Think about your regular commitments and then consider holiday commitments or expectations. We may need to de-clutter our homes and our calendars of even some good things to create space. (And, if we can get out of the comparison trap, we will find it easier to let go of some possessions and involvements.)

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Winter 2016 inMagazine | 15

in

style

StayHeim-Made Warm with

by Jillian

Gandsey staff writer

When Gretchen and Rose myself up in a sleeping Heim couldn’t find the bag.” perfect lotion, the motherHoping to come up with daughter duo created their something more stylish own. than a sleeping bag, That became the theme Gretchen, with a make-itof Heim-Made, their herself mentality, became successful small-town determined to come business the two run up with her own down together. Rose lives in apparel.

Kelliher and Gretchen That’s when the Minnein Minneapolis, but skirt was born. when they “I just reached the point of ‘I’m over get together, they always it,’” Gretchen said. “I didn’t want to make time for be cold in my car. I didn’t want to business. be cold anywhere. I just wanted to The pair primarily runs wrap myself up in a sleeping bag.” their business online (www.heimmade.

Heim-Made describes com) but they will also it as a jacket for your show their apparel at trunk “behind.” It’s essentially a patterns and colors that shows throughout the year down skirt that is sold in we wanted and our own and at the Minnesota State two different lengths. styles,” Rose said. “We Fair.

Gretchen eventually have a super warm one Heim-Made started found a manufacturer that you put that under with lotions and soaps who she gave the pattern your down skirt and but slowly transitioned of the down Minne-skirt you’re just about ready for into apparel around 2010. to. Before that winter was anything.”

Gretchen said that one over, they had their first Everything the pair year she found herself sample. from Heim-Made did from fed up with Minnesota “I’ve always said that then on snowballed into temperatures and being I think every woman in creating the perfect cozy cold basically all of the Minnesota needs one,” winter outfit. The two time.

Gretchen laughed. wanted their brand to be That’s when the two of Once the two had warm, but stylish. them teamed up to create their Minne-skirt, they “So you don’t feel like their own winter line of went in search of the you’re a lumberjack and clothing. perfect leggings to wear you’re not buying guy’s “I just reached the point underneath. When they shirts to stay warm,” Rose of ‘I’m over it,’” Gretchen weren’t satisfied with what said. said. “I didn’t want to be they were finding in stores, After creating the cold in my car. I didn’t they once again, made leggings, next came a want to be cold anywhere. their own. vest. Eventually a merino I just wanted to wrap “So we did our own wool shirt, which is new 16 | inMagazine

Winter 2016

to Heim-Made this year, along with a fashionable black jacket. Heim-Made describes it to go well with the merino wool shirt underneath and the down vest over.

“We designed ours to look like a dress shirt that works as a base layer,” Rose said of the merino wool top.

Add a felted hat that Heim-Made also creates, and you would have the cozy, modern look for the winter months.

“We’ve had so many people say, ‘you know, buying this hat makes me look forward to winter,’ and that’s so rewarding to hear because that’s exactly our goal,” Rose said.

n e h c t e r G

Minne-Skirt “A jacket for your behind” is

how the ladies at Heim-Made describe their Minne-skirt. They say it’s good for anything that would take you outdoors: Skiing, sporting events, errands, biking and much more. It also comes in two different lengths.

Rose

HandFelted Hats

Velour Leggings with Faux Fur Lining Heim-Made calls these leggings

Merino Wool Shirt

their answer to the chilly winter of 2013-14. They feature a furry lining, a velour outside and two different pattern options.

Down Vest A down vest given a Heim-Made twist to perfect it. Designed to wear with the Minne-skirt, the vest zips to the side and has a long collar for wind protection.

Black Jacket

Hand-Felted Hats Heim-Made also sells specially

Down Vest

designed hand-felted hats made with merino wool. They feature a pliable brim with a wool flower decoration.

Black Jacket Described by Heim-Made as a

fashionable jacket that’s designed for layers. It pairs well with the down vest as it has the same asymmetrical zipper.

Minne-Skirt Down Scarf

Velour Leggings with Faux Fur Lining

Merino Wool Shirt Made with merino wool yarn,

this shirt is made to go under all of the other Heim-Made layers.

It also has thumbholes so you won’t lose your sleeves.

Down Scarf This scarf is insulated with duck

down and has pockets at the ends that can be used as mittens.

It also has zippers so the scarf can be tucked into itself and stay in place. The front of it is made of durable nylon and the back side, which would be touching your neck, is soft and fuzzy.

Visit Heim-Made’s online shop at www.heimmade.com!

Winter 2016

inMagazine | 17

Sweater flowerPatch

Hand-Felted Hats

Heim-Made designs each flowerPatch individually using recycled, felted wool sweaters and vintage buttons and beads. They’re great for jazzing up hats, sweaters, jackets, coats and more.

Upcoming Event:

Another felted hat from the ladies of Heim-Made, but this one has a different design. It features a facinator like the others and would make a perfect addition to the full winter outfit Rose and Gretchen have created.

Heim-Made will host a trunk show with all of their products available from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Dec. 19 at Bemidji Woolen Mills. They’ll be working out of their newly renovated Spartan Trailer.

A friend does not compare diamond sizes

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With people who are not friends, of course, the rules change.

Unique Jewelry

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Winter 2016

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RESOLU T I O NS

A new year often begins with good intentions, as thousands resolve to make positive changes in their lives.

Resolutions are easy to make when one is toasting at midnight and ready to take on the world. But resolutions can be harder to keep as the days turn into weeks and weeks become months. Researchers at the University of Minnesota found that 80 percent of resolution-makers have given up by Valentine’s Day. There are several different reasons why resolutions fail, and recognizing potential pitfalls can help people stick with their positive changes throughout the new year. The following are a few ways to ensure your resolutions last the year.

• Don’t make an unrealistic resolution. Losing weight is a popular resolution. Some resolve to drop dozens of pounds in an effort to completely transform their bodies. However, when the weight doesn’t magically come off, it can be easy to grow discouraged. Instead of setting a lofty weight-loss goal, establish incremental milestones with tangible dates. For example, your resolution may be to lose 10 pounds by March 1st. That is an attainable goal.

• Don’t go it alone. You’re more likely to have success with keeping a resolution if you have outside support. Enlist a buddy to go to the gym with you or provide support as you attempt to quit smoking. Having a support system in place can motivate and inspire, knowing someone will be keeping tabs on you may instill enough anxiety to propel you through your resolutions.

• Avoid boring resolutions. Many people make boring resolutions that often focus on the mundane instead of more positive things. Making fun resolutions will probably help you stick to them. Perhaps you will resolve to spend more time with the kids or promise to try more adventurous activities. Enjoyable resolutions are much easier to keep.

• Keep resolutions private if you so prefer. Many people are compelled to share their resolutions with friends and family. However, that can lead to feelings of competition or animosity if someone is realizing goals before you. Feel free to keep your resolution private as you go through the process. Once you have met your goal, then you can share your success with others.

• Don’t give up too easily. Some people are up for a challenge and others are not. Resolutions typically require a little extra effort, especially in the early stages.

Resolutions will not necessarily be easy to keep, but the longer you stick to a resolution the easier it becomes to make it a reality, so resist the temptation to throw in the towel too early.

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inMagazine | 19

YURT

Find yourself in a

Circular tents a great way to connect with nature

By Kyle Farris staff writer Photography by Jillian Gandsey

20 | inMagazine

Winter 2016

L

ately, in the evening, I’ve been lighting candles that smell like apple or pumpkin or apple-pumpkin, releasing scented clouds that hang drowsily in my living room.

And, blinking the sleep from my eyes in the morning, I’ve felt a chill streaming through my window, and I’ve heard the birds chirping on my neighbor’s singing clock.

A relationship with nature is a beautiful thing.

When I set out to write a story about a local yurt and the people who stay there, and when scheduling conflicts foiled my first few attempts, I thought, “What better way to learn what it’s like to stay in a yurt, than to stay in a yurt?”

Just in case. Yurt (noun): a sort of circular tent used by nomads in Asia.

I made the arrangements with Cate Belleveau, who rents out the cozy little structure at her home in Puposky, about 25 minutes from downtown Bemidji. Cate and her husband Al Belleveau opened the yurt to guests last year, housing mostly artists and people wanting to escape the buzz of the city, with 4.8 stars out of a possible 5 on airbnb.com.

Getting ready for work the last Thursday of October, I buttoned into my campiest shirt and stuffed my second-campiest into a duffle bag. I packed my warm coat and far too many socks.

It might freeze, my phone said.

Arrived My family are motorhome people.

Camping trips during my childhood didn’t feel much different from staying home, except we were constantly bumping into each other, and my sister and I were made to sleep on stiff, too-small couches as our parents snoozed in the loft above the cab.

My mom is the kind of person who would vacuum the dirt off the ground.

My dad is the kind of person who would smile and wink at his kids.

Growing up, my sister and I planned

every summer to pitch a tent about 50 feet from the house and spend the night “roughing it.” We were the kind of kids who never actually did.

This trip was a chance to score one for the family, for us indoor cats who cooked meals in our motorhome kitchenette as other families presumably killed and grilled something.

After work, I got into my car and grabbed dinner-in-a-bag from Subway, merging onto the highway with a golden sun dissolving in the west.

Seven pop songs later, Cate was there to greet me.

I followed in my car as she led me through her forest property dotted with lawn art, down a winding trail that runs behind the Belleveau house.

The yurt sits on a wooden platform in a clearing about 100 yards from the highway, a ribbon of smoke curling from its skinny metal chimney. Wind ripples the canvas walls. The door sticks from moisture locked inside the wood.

We entered the little room, baked by a glowing black stove.

Candles flickered fragile light on pillows and rugs with Kyrgyzstani designs — geometric patterns of pink, blue and green. A pillow-buried bed seemed to fill half the room, and the wood stove hissed as Cate showed me the tricks to keeping the flames alive.

This small space, about 15 feet in diameter, had just about everything I would need, she said.

There are logs to sustain the fire and kindling to start it again; there’s a flashlight should a rustling bush need investigating; there’s a water dispenser for drinking or a make-do shower.

That’s about it, Cate said.

I could always head over to the house if I needed anything.

“And Al says you shouldn’t put matches on the stove. I guess they might explode.

“And you see here?” Cate said, running her hand along a patch in the canvas wall.

It’s all fixed, the slash from a bear’s claw.

Winter 2016

inMagazine | 21

Alone I lay on a rug by the fire, eating my sandwich, looking out the window in the door, amazed by how black it gets without city lights. Two flies droned around the room, this pocket about 40 degrees warmer than the surrounding woods. After a few unsuccessful swats, I decided they could stay.

My dying phone was my entertainment, my clock, my lifeline to the world. It drained to 12 percent before I put it away, needing its alarm to wake up in the morning.

About 10 paces from the yurt’s platform is a small cabin with cases of books, and about 10 paces from the cabin is an outhouse with a cold toilet seat.

My flashlight illuminated the path to the library, and I browsed.

Plays by Shaw and Shakespeare. Guides on drawing and mask-making. A bound collection of Monet’s gauzy landscapes.

I pulled “Romeo and Juliet” from the shelf, thinking I might appreciate it now that I’m not a freshman in high school, stepping back into the cool darkness pierced by my flashlight.

Wolf-howling and dog-howling, at particular times and places, really are indistinguishable.

My night in the yurt melted away with the permission of each new log slipped into the fire.

Darkness darkened. Romeo called to Juliet on her balcony. I had to use the outhouse.

My phone said it was 40 degrees. Into the cold air, into the outhouse, back into the night.

I was halfway to the yurt when I raised my flashlight to meet the wooden platform and a light-brown, dog-sized animal as it dashed across the deck, disappearing at the back of the yurt, the side with the door.

I’ll let others throw around words like brave or unshakeable, but I climbed up the platform steps and approached the door without breaking stride, believing my forest friend was probably a fox or a figment, seeing it was gone now, whatever it was.

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Winter 2016

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Morning I didn’t need my phone to wake me up after all.

Shivers broke my sleep around 1:30, and I kicked the covers away, headed for the stove.

My left hand clutched the handle as my right reached for a log. That my left hand was feeling extreme heat and not extreme cold took about two seconds for my brain to process.

This frozen room had a roaring fire in its stove.

This frozen room couldn’t get any warmer.

I dipped my hand in a mug of water and got back into bed. My thumb still shines with the same curved groove as that handle.

Around 3:30 I was up again, this time using a potholder to open the stove, finding only ashes.

Twenty or so minutes of trial and error with various newspaper-tokindling-to-log ratios, and I had the fire going better than it was before. Better.

Stronger. Hotter.

I was up for good around 6, thanks to the Belleveau rooster I didn’t know existed.

I squeezed a gob of

Crest onto my toothbrush and stepped outside, as I had the night before.

Standing on the platform as if on the edge of the world, it was liberating to spit anywhere.

A few minutes later, back on the platform with a pitcher of chilled water in my hand, I made the best of my only means for a shower, and just a head shower at that.

I knew extreme cold when I felt it.

Cate walked over an hour or two later, excited I had seen an animal. She offered me breakfast, the second “b” in Airbnb, but I was happy at one “b” and had to go to work.

Staying in a yurt wasn’t so bad, I told her, it’s actually kind of nice — for a night or two, if you don’t mind animal noises and deviating from your shower routine.

We said goodbye, and I got into my car having slew a childhood dragon.

I crawled toward the highway at 5 mph, the Belleveau hens all over the trail.

And Shakespeare, the alarm-clock rooster.

“The yurt sits on a wooden platform in a clearing about 100 yards from the highway, a ribbon of smoke curling from its skinny metal chimney.”

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inMagazine | 23

Potpourri

How to:

Homemade

By Jillian

1 2 3 4

Gandsey

What you need:

I visited KD Floral in downtown Bemidji and asked what flowers would work best for potpourri and what would give out a nice floral scent as they dried.

I ended up with a beautiful smelling bouquet that included eucalyptus, white roses and much more.

Making a homemade potpourri is a lovely way to give your home a cozy feel and fresh scent in the dry winter months. It’s the perfect use for a bouquet of flowers that would typically just be thrown away or you could treat yourself to flowers with the intention of eventually making potpourri.

24 | inMagazine

Winter 2016

Preheat your oven to 200 degrees. Next, put a sheet of parchment paper on a sheet pan and place everything other than the flowers down. I used four slices of lemon, some cinnamon sticks and rosemary.

I added the flowers. I cut small chunks out of the bouquet and added the eucalyptus, roses and everything else. Next, I took the other half of the lemon and squeezed it over the the mixture for a fresh scent.

I put the pan in the oven for a little over an hour and let the scent fill my entire apartment.

After I pulled the mixture out of the oven and let it cool. Once it was room temperature, I gathered most of it and placed it in a bowl that I picked up from KD Floral while shopping for the flowers.

Flowers Parchment paper Sheet pan Scissors Lemon (or other citrus fruits) Herbs and spices

Soup Bits are made from broken bits of 100% all natural, Red Lake Nation Cultivated Wild Rice.

‘‘

Cooking with Wild Rice

Wild rice has a distinct unique taste. It will enhance the flavor of any meal, from the simple to the gourmet specialty. It can be used as a side dish and as a bedding for fish, fowl or meat.

Add cooked wild rice to quiche, pancakes, eggs and omelets. Try it on your favorite soup and stew recipes. Create your own special delights by using it in and on all types of salads. So, the next time you cook, try wild rice! It’s a delicious complement to any meal.

- Red Lake Nation Foods

’’

Br ea d

in the kitchen with

m

ck ui .co Q es ck no voic n l Ba rea iona ine.a d a r az Chicken Wild R ice Soup with T mag n i . w find the recipe online at w w

Photography by Jillian

Gandsey

L

arisa Cooks has teamed up with Red Lake Nation Foods Inc. for the winter issue of inMagazine to offer hearty recipes made with different types of their wild rice, bread, mixes, jams and syrups.

Red Lake Nation Foods operates with seven to 10 employees, depending on the time of year. The holiday season, from October to January, happens to be their busiest.

Owned by the Red Lake Band of Chippewa, they began writing their business plan in 2003 and eventually launched their website (redlakenationfoods.com) in 2005.

There you can find all of their products including wild rice from their most recent harvest.

Red Lake Nation Foods harvests their rice on leased land located north of Gonvick. The harvest season varies, but typically spans from the beginning of September through the first week of October.

Larisa cooked up a variety of recipes with everything 26 | inMagazine

Winter 2016

Red Lake Nation Foods &Larisa Cooks from a traditional wild rice dish to blueberry pancakes from their mix that could be topped with the Red Lake Nation Foods’ maple or blueberry syrup.

On the savory side, Larisa put together wild rice burgers using the premium long grain wild rice from Red Lake Nation Foods and put the patties on onion buns. She also made a traditional creamy chicken wild rice soup with the “Soup Bits,” which is broken bits from cultivated wild rice.

We’ve also put together wild rice meatballs with beef, pork sausage and the “Quick Cook Wild Rice,” which takes about 25 minutes to cook. The meatballs go in the oven at 350 for an hour and can be enjoyed with or without your favorite BBQ sauce.

On the sweet side, Larisa used the “Wild Bits & Basmati Rice Blend” to whip up a Wild Rice Pudding and used the Red Lake Nation Foods maple syrup. She also added raisins and cranberries.

All Premium Long Grain Wild Rice is grown, tended and harvested by Red Lake Band of Chippewa in northern Minnesota.

Wild Rice Burgers Ingredients

1/2 cup uncooked wild rice 1 egg, beaten 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese 3/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs

Salt and pepper to taste

Wild Rice Pancakes

Directions

1. Cook the rice according to package

instructions and let cool to room temperature. In a medium bowl, add beaten egg, garlic, shredded cheddar, salt and pepper. Mix well.

2. Add the cooked, cooled rice and bread crumbs and mix again. The mixture should stick together and not be wet. If too wet add a little more bread crumbs. If mixture is too dry, add another beaten egg.

3. Form rice dough into four patties and cook on a pancake griddle at 300 degrees for 6-8 minutes per side. After the 12-18 minutes are up, you can top with a slice of cheese and serve on hamburger buns and your favorite burger toppings.

Wild Rice Pancake Mix is all natural and preservative free.

It is made in small batches to ensure the freshest product.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups mix 2 tablespoons sugar (optional) 1 1/2 to 2 cups milk 2 eggs 1 tablespoon oil or melted butter

Quick Cook Wild Rice maintains that rich traditional flavor, but only takes 25 minutes to cook.

Wild Rice Meatballs Ingredients

2 lbs lean ground beef 1 lb bulk pork sausage 1 5-ounce can evaporated milk 1 1/4 cups old fashioned oatmeal 1 3/4 cups Quick Cooked Wild Rice, cooked 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder 2 teaspoon chili powder 2 teaspoon salt 2 large eggs 1/2 medium onion, diced

Directions

Make rice according to package directions. Mix all the ingredients together including the cooked rice.

Shape into 1-inch balls and place in a baking pan in a single layer. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour. Top with your favorite BBQ Sauce.

Cook’s Notes

I used a medium to large ice cream scoop to form the meatball to ensure all were the same size for even cooking.

Winter 2016

inMagazine | 27

Toasted Baguettes with Cheese and Jellies Ingredients

1 baguette loaf 1 package cream cheese 1 package brie cheese 2 jars jelly, flavors of your choice

Directions

For more information on products from Red Lake Nation Foods, visit their website at www.redlakenationfoods.com.

Slice baguette into half inch thick slices.

Place on baking sheet and brush with olive oil and bake at 350 degrees until toasted. While hot, spread with either cream cheese or brie cheese and top with your favorite jelly.

Cook’s Notes

I had 12 slices of the baguette and topped six with cream cheese and the other six with the brie cheese. On the cream cheese slices, I spread Choke Cherry Jelly and the brie cheese slices with Plum Jelly. They can be served warm or at room temperature.

Ingredients

Miigwech

Miigwech to Red Lake Nation Foods for partnering with us in the winter issue of inMagazine. They provided all of their products and a cookbook for Larisa to work with. We on the magazine committee are grateful to build community partnerships with organizations like Red Lake Nation Foods.

FOOD

ONLINE

Look for more recipes on our website at www.inmagazine.areavoices.com.

28 | inMagazine

Traditional Wild Rice

Winter 2016

1 cup Quick Cook Wild Rice 4 cups low sodium chicken or beef broth 1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt

Directions

Wash wild rice in three changes for hot tap water. In a saucepan heat wild rice, broth and salt to boiling. Reduce heat and cover. Simmer until wild rice has absorbed the broth, about 20-25 minutes. Wild rice should be tender but not rolled back.

Cook’s Notes

I used low sodium chicken broth and added lemon zest to the top before serving for color.

The traditional wild rice recipe came from Floyd Buck Jourdain in A Taste of Red Lake Cookbook on page 12.

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Winter 2016

inMagazine | 29

Y D O B A K R O W OF Krisi Fenner breaks bodybuilding stereotype Dey staff writer

By Crystal andsey

by Jillian G Photography

30 | inMagazine

Winter 2016

W

hether people like to admit it, we typecast people weightlifting. Standing next in our minds. At 5-feet-4-inches tall and a stage to 6-foot-2-inch Kurt, Krisi weight of 119 pounds, Krisi Fenner is about to looks petite. In a sweater and change your perception of what a bodybuilder “should” look jeans, Krisi doesn’t “look” like like. a bodybuilder.

Fenner describes herself as an introvert, someone who Fenner said women don’t avoids public speaking and stays out of the spotlight. naturally produce enough But this year, she stepped on stage at the Northwest testosterone to get bulky. She Physique Committee Minnesota Northstar bodybuilding encourages women to start competition and took home first place in her height anywhere they are comfortable class. Fenner can deadlift twice her bodyweight. and keep increasing weight to “I’m 30 years old and I’m just now getting into the build muscle, which creates the best shape of my life,” Fenner said. toned physique women strive to Fenner doesn’t consider herself a natural born attain. athlete. She didn’t play sports in high school or while “So many women are afraid to get studying accounting at Bemidji State University. It off the treadmill or the elliptical,” wasn’t until after college she started her true fitness Fenner said. “You won’t wake up one journey. day and accidentally look like a man Fenner said she gained at least 20 pounds her from lifting heavy.” freshman year of college so she picked up running As Krisi got more involved in lifting to get into shape. she started following fitness competitors “I wouldn’t say by any means I was on Instagram with an end goal to be in ‘overweight’ but I had the muffin top and I was competitions herself. Now, Fenner has always hiking up my jeans,” Fenner confessed. just under 10,000 Instagram followers (@ Running led Fenner to half marathons and kfen_fit) and has started KFennerFitness. long-distance running. Eventually, she tried com, a fitness blog. lifting weights at the gym one day.

Fenner recommends people interested in “I fell in love with lifting and out of love beginning their own fitness journey check with running,” Fenner said. “I was never out BodyBuilding.com for free resources comfortable in my skin until I started and advice; the site also has an app. Fenner lifting.” started following Ashley Horner, who Fenner Fenner said it took almost a full two calls “a mom and all around bad ass,” on years to get ready for competing and BodyBuilding.com. Fenner later bought her used to the idea of standing on stage program, which helped Fenner get her start. in a sparkly suit in front of hundreds In 2014, a year after she started lifting, Fenner “So many and sometimes thousands of people noticed a 6-pack forming, her shoulders started ar e a women fraid assessing her appearance. Through “popping,” and veins and lean lines in her legs t o ge off th t e trea the years, Fenner found it takes a lot began to show.

Now, Fenner keeps her physique dm t he e l l i p t ic a i l l o r of mental, physical and emotional by heading to Snap Fitness where she meets her l, yo won’t u wake strength to get where she is today. “prep manager,” a.k.a. her cousin Ellie Lindsey, for u p on day an e d acci And she’s not stopping any time weekday morning workouts. de n t al l o ok ly l i ke soon.

“She keeps me motivated, texts me throughout the a ma f r om n l i f t i ng h e “When you hear bodybuilder and day and has given endless support,” Fenner said. a -Krisi F vy.” you think of a big, beastly woman.

A typical workout lasts two hours and Fenner only e n ne r There are different levels of does cardio for 15-20 minutes three times a week. At muscle mass and I compete in the the height of competition training Krisi has a 250 pound smallest,” Fenner said. max squat, 265 pound dead lift and can bench press 125 pounds.

Bodybuilding begins “I’m not a weak girl,” Krisi said. “Most of us in bikini Fenner upped the ante when are strong, we work hard in the gym.” she entered a Tough Mudder Fenner credits her mother, Dawn Jackson, with setting obstacle run with her brother an active lifestyle example for her and her 10 younger Zach Jackson and friend siblings. Jackson is a certified Zumba instructor.

Abbey Olson two years ago.

“My mom is an example of moms that made it work,” While preparing for Tough Fenner said. “She really set the example for me. Everyone in Mudder, Krisi’s husband, Kurt, introduced her to my life has been so supportive. I’m so lucky and so blessed.”

Winter 2016

inMagazine | 31

Conquering competitions Fenner competes in the bikini division, the smallest muscle mass group. Contrary to what outsiders may believe, it’s more than watching women in bikinis and high heels prance across a stage with pageant ready hair, make-up and smiles.

“We’re judged on physique, presence and an athletic yet feminine balance,” Fenner said. “I have a physique made for bikini. It would take a lot of time and effort to go up in divisions.”

Krisi’s first show was Sept. 1 in Rochester where she competed in the regional National Physique Committee (NPC) Med City Muscle Classic in the novice and open height class categories. Fenner won novice overall, took first place novice in her height class and second place in the open category. Krisi said although it is a competition, contestants support and praise each other.

“There’s no mean girl intentions or diva attitudes,” Fenner said.

No longer a novice, Fenner was a contestant in the NPC Minnesota Northstar on Oct. 10 in Burnsville, where she took first place in her height class. More than 60 women competed in bikini division.

“I took first place in my height class in open which was a huge accomplishment,” Fenner said. “Since I won that open height class, that qualifies me to compete at a national level.”

32 | inMagazine

Winter 2016

Fenner is in an off-season now, but is looking at competing in May or June. If she wins her height class at nationals, Fenner will qualify for a pro-card and can advance to the International Federation of Bodybuilders.

On stage Krisi wears a “posing suit,” basically a glitzy bikini paired with 4-inch clear heels. Fenner said NPC standard for bottoms is 50 percent glute coverage.

“It’s clean and family oriented,” Kurt said. “Some women are mothers, dancers and other sports athletes.

And it’s both men and women.”

“It’s never too early and never too late to start,” Krisi said.

Competition bikinis are usually custom ordered, but Krisi said they can be off the rack as long as they meet standards. Krisi’s sparkle arsenal includes a cranberry and a dark green posing suit from this past season.

“I’m not a glamorous girl in any way,” Krisi said. “This is way out of my comfort zone.”

Krisi is content competing in bikini division and doesn’t envision herself getting any larger in size.

Annually, Krisi will not take on more than four shows because of dieting, training, time commitment and cost.

“It’s not a cheap sport,” Krisi said.

In addition to wardrobe, hotel and travel expenses, a high quality spray tan is essential to Krisi’s competition look. She said multiple layers of professional spray tan emphasize muscle definition while on stage. To

accommodate Krisi’s bronzing, Kurt packs extra sheets and towels for hotel stays.

“They’ll charge you for getting spray tan on the linens!”

Krisi said.

Fenner’s fitness fuel To get ready for Krisi’s prep-season, she consults her coach Lacy Stace. Stace owns Stace Athletics in Columbus, Ohio.

“My coach always puts my long-term health first, so there’s no extreme starving out to lose fat at the last week before competition or anything like that,” Fenner said.

restrictions. Krisi tries to stick to clean food and drinks a gallon of water a day.

“There are days I completely fall off the wagon and eat all of Kurt’s Halloween candy...I am not perfect by any means,” Krisi said. “The main thing is you get up the next day and don’t wait for Monday to restart and you don’t give up. Consistency wins out over perfection.”

“I make sure she’s eaten before ordering pizza,” Kurt said. “I see her up at 4:30 a.m. and into the gym by 5.

That’s hard work.”

Kurt said he’s been learning a lot as Krisi goes through competitions. He preps a lot of Krisi’s meals and helps

I DON’T SEE AN END TO BODYBUILDING

IT’S A LIFESTYLE FOR ME NOW Part of Krisi’s prep-season discipline is food, where her love of numbers transcends from her day job as an accountant to the labor she puts into building her physique. Krisi goes by a “If It Fits Your Macros” equation factoring in proteins, fats and carbs to determine how much she can eat every day. Krisi said she weighs everything and most foods have a barcode that can be scanned with her My Fitness Pal app.

“Once you log food into My Fitness Pal it will remember it so I don’t have to scan my food every single day,” Krisi said. “It’s not as hard as it sounds.”

She never goes below 1,200 calories but has no

her pack for competitions. Most of her diet is chicken.

“Kurt has prepared more chicken for me and been there through every ‘hangry’ mood swing,” Krisi said.

“That’s a real word, ‘hangry,’” Kurt confirmed. Hangry is a combination of hungry and angry.

Krisi said her diet changes during prep-season, which is usually 12-16 weeks long, and off-season to adjust her metabolism slowly. Off-season is like reverse dieting to put the weight back on safely.

Krisi said when she is competition ready she is just under 9 percent body fat, but she sits comfortably at 125 pounds.

Winter 2016

inMagazine | 33

“That isn’t healthy to maintain long term. You get down to that weight for the competition and then you put the healthy weight back on,” Fenner explained. “It’s all about balance and moderation. This sport can be done safely and in a healthy way. Being shredded year ‘round just isn’t a reasonable expectation.”

Krisi’s advice is to throw out the scale and take pictures to measure progress. As fat is converted to muscle, weight can increase but inches will decrease.

On Krisi’s “free day,” the last day of a competition, or post-competition day, she indulges in a peanut butter bacon cheeseburger with cheese curds, french fries and her mom’s monster cookies.

“Believe me, when they’re done with a competition, everyone wants a cheeseburger,” Kurt said.

Fenners’ free time When Krisi’s not competing, she and Kurt knock around Bemidji going on day dates to Menards and relax with their “dog child,” Zoe, a 6-year-old German Wirehaired Pointer.

Date nights changed when Krisi started training for competitions. What used to be an evening out to Green Mill or Applebee’s has changed to cooking dinner at home, watching TV and eating frozen yogurt. Krisi is a huge fan of Kemps fat free frozen yogurt and Cherry

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Berry. Her secret goal is to be a Cherry Berry sponsored athlete one day.

“Going out to eat at a restaurant doesn’t really happen anymore,” Kurt said. “And if we do, she has her food in her purse in a Tupperware bowl.”

The couple still goes out for dinner and waitstaff is usually surprised by a request to microwave one of Krisi’s chicken or broccoli dishes. She even brings her own fat free creamer to coffee shops, just in case.

Another thing that changed was the way Krisi looks at trophies. When she and Kurt moved in together Kurt had a hunting trophy room loaded with about 30 mounted animals, but not for long. Krisi “suggested” Kurt’s trophies move to the basement...which is where Krisi’s competition trophies are kept as well, for now.

Krisi and Kurt are active members in their hometown of Bemidji. Krisi is a Certified Public Accountant and an accounting coordinator for Bemidji Schools. Kurt is a real estate agent with Grimes Realty. Krisi said one day she may take on personal training or attain a nutritionist certification.

“I’m an introvert, terrified of crowds...but confidence builds courage,” Krisi said. “Right now I don’t see an end to bodybuilding, it’s a lifestyle for me now.”

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GET FINANCIALLY FIT

by American Bankers Association

We asked First National Bank Bemidji about the best way to get financially fit in 2016. They provided us with these smart tips from the American Bankers Association.

The New Year is an ideal time to set new goals, as many vow to become more physically fit or get organized. The New Year is also a great time to assess your finances, gain control, and stick to a new budget or saving plan. Taking control of your personal finances will allow you to save and prepare for unexpected expenses. Follow the tips below to get started.

Get Organized

Create a Budget

Consider treating yourself to a post-holiday gift of a financial organization system.

Alphabetized file folders, or filing systems specifically for financial organization are available in January as people begin to prepare for tax season. While you’re getting organized, consider buying a shredder to keep your personal information safe from identity theft.

Track your income and expenses to see how much money you have coming in and how much you spend. If you have debt, establishing a budget will help you to pay down your debt while saving. Use computer software programs or basic budgeting worksheets to help create your budget. Include as much information as you can and review your budget regularly. Set realistic goals, especially if you plan to cut some of your expenses. For more helpful tools for budgeting, visit the American Bankers Association at ABA.com.

Lower Your Debt Debt from student loans, mortgages and credit cards is nearly unavoidable. Most families carry about $10,000 in credit card debt.

Spending more money than you bring in can lead to financial stress.

Establish a budget to pay down debts while you save.

Points to consider when cutting debt: • Pay more than the minimum due and pay on time.

• Pay off debt with higher interest rates first.

• Transfer high rate debt to credit cards with a lower interest rate.

• Use credit cards and loans for purchases that will appreciate in value like a home.

Save for the Unexpected and Beyond Pay yourself first. Saving is important; it ensures a comfortable future that can endure financial surprises. No matter how old you are, it’s never too late to begin saving.

• Save at least 10 percent of your income for retirement.

Enroll in a retirement plan or consider optimizing an established retirement plan. Contribute at least the maximum amount that your employer will match. Contributions made to these types of plans are tax deductible. If your employer does not offer a retirement savings plan, many banks offer Individual Retirement Accounts. IRAs offer tax-deferred growth, meaning you pay taxes on your investment gains when you make withdrawals.

• Financial advisors often recommend keeping about three months’ salary in a savings account in case of financial emergencies like hospital bills or loss of job.

• Increase your contribution as your income increases.

• If you receive direct deposit at work, ask your employer to send a specific amount to your savings account. Because the money is put into an account before you have a chance to spend it, automatic savings plans are an easy and convenient way to save. If your employer doesn’t offer direct deposit, many banks allow for automatic transfers from checking to savings accounts.

Check out more financial tips with the ABA at ABA.com or at First National Bank Bemidji at www.fnbbemidji.com.

Winter 2016 inMagazine | 35

sonny on stage It’s all about the music for Sonny Johnson

Photography & story by Maggi Stivers staff writer

Music has always been a part of Sonny Johnson’s life, and that’s something that probably won’t ever change.

“My parents always had a lot of music playing in the house growing up and in the car and a lot of different music too,” Johnson said.

Picking a guitar that was gathering dust in his parents closet at age 12, Johnson began to learn to play music himself. After a year of lessons, and some help from his father, he was mostly on his own.

Continuing to improve his skills, Johnson joined a band in high school, mostly covering songs, and Johnson soon grew tired of it.

“I was in 10th grade and there was this girl I was hanging out with,” he said. “I was complaining about always doing 36 | inMagazine

Winter 2016

these songs or something and she was like, ‘Why don’t you go write your own songs?’ and I was like, ‘Alright maybe I will,’ and then I went and I’ve been doing it ever since.”

Songwriting was a challenge then and can still be today for Johnson, who writes both from personal experiences and his emotions. He has a variety of artists he looks to for inspiration.

“I just listened to a lot of music that has a lot of good musical content. As far as like lyrics go, I guess even music too, writers like Alex Turner of the Arctic Monkeys, a British band, and Caleb Followill from the Kings of Leon. I think he has unique vocals but his phrasing of lyrics was really unique to me and the way he put words together,” Johnson said.

For the past year, Johnson has been able to improve his drumming skills, too, as he has been collaborating with Corey Medina, another local musician.

“It’s helpful because I’ve been able to hone in my drum skills, I’ve really never drummed in a band before this, so it’s been a lot of fun,” he said.

Johnson hopes to return to the studio soon and begin recording his second album with Peter McKenzie.

“I met him when I working with Corey Medina and he produced Corey’s album. I did a few tracks on that album and that was the first time I worked with him, and he’s just a real cool, laid back guy. He’s got a good ear, he knows what he’s doing and I like the fact that he has a hip hop background. I would really like for this album to sound good in the car, you know what I mean, like kind of have a good thud to it,” Johnson said.

Johnson has big plans for the album, including recording it all himself.

“So I’m over dubbing all the parts. So, I’ve never done that before; it's going to take a while,” he said. “I think it will give it that full sound instead of just being one guitar and one vocal.”

For Johson, writing songs is something that he does to relieve stress.

“It’s definitely a good way to vent and instead of doing something stupid or getting in fights, you can just go home and write out a tune,” he said.

Writing and recording, though, take a back seat to performing, he said.

“There’s nothing like having a cool crowd, you know, they bounce good energy back at you and you give it right back to them. It’s a lot of fun and it’s good.”

·

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504 Paul Bunyan Dr. NW Bemidji • 751-8868

Richard Phelps

Lakeview Liquors

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Winter 2016

1. Soulfish is located along Paul Bunyan Drive across from Dunn Bros Coffee and was created by artist Tim Nelson.

2. The fireman statue is located right outside the Bemidji Fire Department. 3. The clock is located in the middle of the Bemidji State University campus. 4. This Little Free Library is in Diamond Point Park. 5. The USS Sally is located on the corner of Second Street Northwest and Midway Drive South.

5 Can you identify what these five objects are and where you can find them in Bemidji?

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Where is it?

3 2

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