Living

Summer is a time for relaxing with family and close friends. Although many individuals remain hard at work, there is almost nothing better than retreating to the family cottage or finding some spot of sun-kissed sand.

Our end-of-summer staff picks:

Just outside of Milwaukee you’ll find a one-stop shop for all your seasonal and traditional fall activities. Apple Holler, a family-run business since 1987, offers 78 acres of orchards for exploration, 40 different varieties of fruit to taste, a restaurant serving home-style cooking and a bakery offering fresh pastries.

We’ve all heard that in order to reduce stress, we should “reconnect with nature.” However, science suggests that we may not be taking this advice literally enough.

Along with enjoying the outdoors during our summers in Wisconsin, the season is also busy in the world of home renovations, remodeling and working to cross tasks off the do-it-yourself project lists we all have.

Where is the best location to own a home in Wisconsin? Matt Stone, licensed Realtor and Door County resident, will tell you: northern Wisconsin. Where else can one find shopping strips, expansive woods, growing neighborhoods, clean beaches and cozy taverns all in the same roughly 10-mile radius?

Our favorite rooms include:

My master bathroom. It was recently remodeled. – Marlo

Nothing beats sipping morning coffee on my porch during the summertime. – Grace

While picking through heaps of geological wonders for a recent project, I came across a collection of petrified wood. From the Greek root meaning, literally, “wood turned into stone,” this is a plant that fossilizes in the Earth. Without oxygen, the wood is replaced by opal, calcite, pyrite and silica.

Don’t get us wrong: We love the four seasons in Wisconsin. But when summer comes around, there’s a feeling that we, as a state, live these fleeting months of hot, sunny days to their fullest. We know they won’t last forever.

Madison, La Crosse and Door County offer memorable tourist experiences to fit any schedule.

Holy Hill: The lush scenery and 178 steps to the top of the steeple have attracted visitors for decades. A spot for all seasons, Holy Hill’s 21 acres will leave you breathless and your Instagram enviable.

Crivitz is known for some of the best summer waterways, and the Peshtigo River is notable as one of the most riveting whitewater rafting sites in the state — an action-packed activity for a group of daring friends.

Surf in Sheboygan: Centrally located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, the “Malibu of the Midwest” is perfect for surfers of all levels. Rent a board at EOS Surf & Outdoor and spend the day hanging 10.

Like the last vestiges of winter giving way to spring, graduation is an annual rite of passage in Wisconsin. As our staff developed The Wisconsin 100’s Education Issue, we decided the best way to showcase the feelings, thoughts and hopes that accompany graduation season should come from recent and upcoming graduates themselves.

St. Norbert College student-athlete Fiona Hehir will be entering the workforce as an elementary teacher after graduating this May. During her time at SNC she played for the women’s soccer team, where she learned soft skills like time management and organization, built strong relationships and eventually found a familial unit on campus – something Hehir values.

In the fall of 2016, Emma Baumgart, Corporate Communications ’18, found her dream career path thanks to a new major offered at Marquette University. The Environmental Studies major allowed Baumgart to combine her creative, communications-focused interests with her passion for environmental issues.

There’s no place like home … or at least that is what Notre Dame graduate Rachel Lauterbach believes.

Shuyi Wong, 24, is a graduating senior at Marquette University from Malaysia. The hefty doses of snow and freezing temperatures presented some personal challenges but did not stop her growing affection for Milwaukee.

This May, about 2 million college graduates nationwide will enter the workforce. While many seek different cities offering new opportunities, Marquette University senior Brendan Flanagan is looking in the city he’s called home as an undergrad.

Each semester, Branigan Communications welcomes an intern to the team to assist with a variety of tasks and experience agency life. It’s always rewarding to see how students progress during this preview of life in the “real world.”

The Bonnet Carre Spillway opened this month to alleviate flooding along the Mississippi River in New Orleans. This is the twelfth time the spillway has opened in its 80-year history.

Wisconsin ice rinks and ski hills are capitalizing on Olympic fever.

Chasing the ever-elusive work-life balance? Consider a move to Madison. The state capital ranked No. 1 on a recently released list of the top 25 cities in the United States with the best work-life balance.

She shocked the world taking gold for Team USA, and Kikkan Randall’s becoming a household name. Alaskans have long known, though, about Kikkan’s grace, infectious positive attitude and dedication to helping others.

If you’re a seasoned traveler to Milwaukee and think you’ve done it all, try one of these activities just a bit off the beaten path.

2018 will be a fitting year for our state motto, “Forward,” with exciting developments and productions ahead. Here are four of the biggest:

For a new team in a new arena, in a city without professional basketball since 1987, everything is a first. For the Wisconsin Herd, the Milwaukee Bucks’ NBA G League affiliate who opened Oshkosh’s Menominee Nation Arena in December, the first challenge is building a culture from a fluid roster of Bucks assignees, draft picks and journeymen.

https://player.vimeo.com/video/247883410

Every year is full of milestones and reasons for excitement. Here is a sampling of what the team at Branigan Communications is looking forward to in 2018:

Ancient Babylonians created the concept of New Year’s resolutions 4,000 years ago. But it was Julius Caesar who established January, named for Janus, the two-faced god, as the beginning of the new year on the calendar. Janus had one face looking forward to the future and one looking backward reflecting on the past.