My kids and I feel lucky to have stumbled upon Tend Native Plants out of Blue Mounds, just west of Mount Horeb. Each week, we're bringing home new seedlings that we're transplanting into a patch of yard that we're reclaiming for pollinators. We're enjoying the process of tending to the seedlings, seeing them take root, and keeping the bunnies at bay. Our little pollinator patch is growing! 

Tend Native Plants is owned and operated by Sarah Savage. You can visit Sarah at her nursery or at the Westside Community Market on Saturday mornings. Sarah is also available to visit you at your home, and help you kick-start your garden. 

Thank you Sarah for helping us get started on our native gardening journey. It's clear that this is more than just a small

We have so many ways to get out of our homes and into our neighborhoods and make a positive contribution to our community. Here are two meaningful paths to consider in Dane County: 

Become a steward of the land

Join a “friends group” for the Ice Age Trail, The UW Arboretum, Groundswell Conservancy, a Dane County Park, or a Madison Park. These organizations welcome volunteers of all skill levels who want to help preserve our local green spaces. You'll enjoy the beauty of the outdoors while learning about the natural world in community with others. Whether it's helping with trail maintenance, removing invasive species, or assisting with educational programs, your contribution makes a difference. 

Help neighbors who are food insecure

Get involved

The feeling of true community is unmistakable. Maybe you’ve felt such mutual respect and love walking into your home during the holidays, when you get together with a dear group of friends, or at your place of worship. This same sense of belonging was immediately noticeable when I visited Yahara House earlier this year.

Yahara House is a ‘clubhouse-style’ recovery center for individuals with mental health struggles. It is one of over 330 clubhouses in 30 countries that use this model. You probably have driven by Yahara House many times if you live in Madison. Behind its doors at 802 East Gorham Street is a group of members and staff focused on recovery through hope, dignity, and community. Members of Yahara House can spend 8:30 am to 4:30 pm at the

If you’ve enjoyed an afternoon on Willy Street, you’ve likely passed by Luke House. Their mission is simple: to feed the hungry no questions asked. If you haven’t heard of Luke House, it is because they go about their mission work quietly, serving free meals nine times a week, year-round, rain or shine. At each meal Luke House serves between 60 and 120 guests. All guests and volunteers are treated with dignity and respect, a major value of the Luke House. This organization has been feeding Madison’s hungry since 1986. Guests show up and are fed, no questions asked. The facility is set up like a restaurant with volunteers serving a healthy meal and beverages to guests.

The atmosphere is very pleasant, and the guests have a chance to socialize.

One way you can save money in the near year is to choose thrifting and buying secondhand over buying new. Dane County is home to dozens of thrift stores with an amazing variety of clothing and household goods, and with many high-quality and unique finds. But the truth is there are a whole host of reasons to buy secondhand. Here are a few more of them: 

1) Environmental sustainability: Buying secondhand reduces waste that would otherwise end up in the landfill. 

2) Local support: Thrifting supports locally-owned businesses and non-profits, which contribute to the overall health of our community. 

3) A sense of adventure: You never know what you might find when you go thrifting. Each time you thrift, it's like going on your own mini treasure

We found these questions interesting to ponder, and thought you might find value in exploring a few of them, too. Do any of these questions help you clarify how you might make positive changes in your own life? 

10 questions for 2025

#1) What new hobbies or interests would you like to explore in the new year? 

#2) When do you find yourself feeling most content and at peace? 

#3) Where have you found inspiration and meaning in the last year? 

#4) Who are the people in your life that you are interested in knowing better? 

#5) Who are the people who inspire you? What is it about them that you find inspiring? 

#6) What can you do to better live within your means and contribute to your financial peace? 

#7) How might you invest in

(Thanks to Laura Kocum from ABC of Wisconsin for this contribution to our blog.)

This spring, an apprentice named Melody graduated from a sheet metal apprenticeship. For Melody, this is a second career. She started as a chef, but after years of long hours, lagging wages, and instability during the pandemic, she decided it was time for a change. After researching her options, she chose a sheet metal apprenticeship.  “Everyone needs heat and air. These needs aren’t going anywhere. I can do anything with the skilled trades,” she exclaimed.

Melody wishes she had known about apprenticeships sooner and had begun her program right out of high school. She sees that her apprenticeship has created a career path that will pay well, provide stability, and give

While many of us enjoy backyard gardening, not everyone has access to land to grow their own gardens and there are barriers to successful community-based gardening efforts. Rooted, a local nonprofit based in Madison, is helping to create “healthy, equitable, and sustainable neighborhoods'' that embrace the positive impact of sharing fresh, quality food through community gardening. Rooted’s Community Gardens Network is just one of the organization’s programming efforts focused on food, land, and learning.

The Community Gardens Network is a partnership between Rooted, UW Madison Extension Dane County, and the City of Madison that connects people with the land, education, and resources to create and sustain community gardens. There are 72 gardens in the

Our friend, Jim Schumaker, is an amazing photographer. But it hasn’t always been this way. As Jim will tell you, photography was once just a hobby for him. Only over time has he come to view it and practice it as a form of art. Now Jim uses photography as a way to “pay tribute to nature’s beauty” and to “pay homage to our precious planet’s fragility”. 

Jim’s website, natureandhumanphotography.com, curates many of his photos from his life in Wisconsin and his travels around the world. Check it out, and you’ll be moved by his images that capture the extraordinary beauty of our planet and the wildlife and the people that inhabit it. 

You might also notice from his website that Jim has a history of giving his art away. Over the years Jim has donated

Winter is just around the corner, and although it may be more challenging this year due to the pandemic, there are ways to make it easier and more fun. Just because your usual winter activities may be less feasible this year doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy the season. Here are 5 ways to prepare for a happier and healthier winter that keep you safe.

1. Get outside for winter fun. Fresh air and sunlight go a long way to improving mood, so don’t forget about all of the fun outdoor winter activities that are available this time of year! Try ice skating, cross country skiing, or taking winter hikes. Dane County Park’s winter recreation guide is a great resource for finding fun ways to be active outside. You can also visit the City of Madison Parks