Nov/Dec 2020

On any given day, happy yelps, barks, and meows shower the staff and volunteers at The Humane Society of Northwest Iowa. Located on the northeast side of Milford, this non-profit no-kill animal shelter serves Dickinson, Clay, Emmet, Palo Alto, O’Brien and Osceola counties and currently has partnered 93 dogs and 141 cats in new forever…

I am wishing for a white Christmas this year and the holiday treats for this issue support that dream.  My family and I are celebrating Christmas early this year by opening our gifts on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. My son and his family are traveling to Colorado to visit his wife’s family for Christmas. My…

Little Secrets  by Jennifer Hillier “All it takes to unravel a life is one little secret…” This year is all about thrillers for me and I have to say, this is one of my favorites! Little Secrets is my first Jennifer Hillier novel and I’m thoroughly impressed yet not surprised because so many of my…

Through the years, many of us have played the license plate game to pass time down the road. We would call out different letters, hoping to be the first one to make it to the letter Z. These unique plates share not just letters and numbers but also showcase where the vehicle is from and…

Whimsical Santa Clauses of all shapes and sizes line the shelves of Diane Dykema’s craft room. Each handcrafted Santa is one of a kind and uniquely made for customized orders, online clients, and craft shows. An accomplished seamstress, Diane thoroughly enjoys each Santa she creates and loves the personalized orders often made from a client’s…

During the winter months, a flash of color against the white snow or dark tree bark often brings delight to those who enjoy watching for birds. Inside or out, birds can be observed eating, resting, or soaring through the air. Many Iowa Great Lakes residents will place bird feeders in crucial places for shelter and…

This spring, 13-year-old Libby Leinbaugh took her education to a whole new level. Bored with quarantine and an avid baker, she decided to master the art of macarons. “I saw macaron recipes on Pinterest and thought they looked cute, so I decided to try them,” Libby said. “I also love to find new things to…