How can we live our lives with intention—and not only that, but beauty? It’s a question I’ve been considering throughout these long months of winter—a time that I’ve surmised is perfect for just that purpose. It’s easy to be caught in the flow of our lives and quite a bit harder to stop to create and enjoy the beauty in it. There is a bit of balance to be maintained, for sure, but I can’t help but continue to manifest the exciting opportunities my one, wild and precious life will hold.
The stories within this issue fall within that vein of intention. In the very
first pages, you’ll hear from Afton furniture maker Tyrel Bleifus, who has
tied his life and business deeply to the landscape of the St. Croix Valley. The
way he perceives and works with nature—even naming his pieces after local
bodies of water—can be a lesson to us all. Speaking with the coaches and swimmers of the synchronized swimming
team at Stillwater Area High School brought forth all the nostalgia of
high school sports for me. Though (or perhap
