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Land of Midnight Sun Comes to Light in Door County
Scandinavian traditions in the Door
By Kay McKinley Arneson

Scandinavians staying in Door County have been known to experience a more friendly type of “Stockholm Syndrome” whereby the affected travels thousands of miles to feel as if he never left home.

Case-in-point is recent Swedish immigrant Helene Ingsten-Anderson, owner of Flora Special Occasion Flowers in Sister Bay, who sees glimpses of her homeland at every turn. (more)

 

Speeding Off to “Virtual Work” on the Information Highway
By Kathlin Fisher Sickel

Every morning Jana Raines of Baileys Harbor finishes her morning coffee and a chat with her husband and leaves for work – in Somerset, New Jersey, 1,047 miles away.

It takes only seconds as she sits at her desk, just off the living room, turns on her computer and logs onto the company’s website with its new state-of-the-art software. (more)

Nestled into the Landscape
By Katie Dahl

Anyone with a basic working knowledge of children's mythology knows the dangers of building a house out of straw: a mere huff or puff from an irritable wolf can take your house—not to mention you—permanently out of commission.

A small community of builders and homeowners in Door County, however, are disregarding the moral of the first little pig's tale and adopting straw as their primary construction material. Their numbers are growing, and their homes—far from blowing down—are thriving. (more)

Warm Memories of Cold Winter Fun
By Karen Nordahl

Many Door County locals experience a wave of nostalgia every time they drive past Little Sweden on Highway 42 between Egg Harbor and Fish Creek.

A quick glance in the direction of those rolling hills brings back fond memories of a crackling fireplace, knit caps, seeing your breath in the cold air, lace-up boots and bear-trap bindings. Such memories exist because in days gone by, this location was the site of the popular ski hill Nor-Ski Ridge, where a generation of Door County residents learned to downhill ski. (more)

Paul Sills: Theater Games
By Christine Callsen

Paul Sills is quite possibly the most influential man in American theater that you have never heard of. Like so many successful people who have chosen to make Door County their home, Paul has had a long career of triumphs in the New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles theater scenes, and now focuses on sharing his unique vision with local actors and audiences here.

While the name Paul Sills might not be widely known outside of the theater community, you have no doubt heard of some of the products of his work. The Second City, Comedy Sportz, and even Saturday Night Live all sprang from the visionary philosophies of Paul Sills and his mother, Viola Spolin. Nearly every great actor working today has been influenced by the techniques they created. (more)

A Little Less Isolated - DCA Lecture Series Brings World Issues to the Door
By Patricia Podgers

Each January, Door County experiences a mass exodus as the snowbirds fly away to warmer climes. The hearty souls who remain hunker down for the winter to enjoy the pastimes of snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and indoor activities, many of which include sitting by a roaring fire…and that includes the fire burning in the Door Community Auditorium’s fireplace.

For the past four years, the Door Community Auditorium (DCA) has hosted the St. Norbert Distinguished Lecture Series and it has proved a most rewarding experience for the peninsula’s winter warriors. A series of Saturday morning lectures featuring some of St. Norbert College’s most “distinguished” professors, the topics discussed have ranged from the war in Iraq to the geographical disaster wrought by Hurricane Katrina. (more)

Kites Over the Bay
By Megan O’Meara

After the holidays wind down and spring begins to feel like it will never come around, Fish Creek will have a much-needed break from the winter doldrums. For two days over the Winter Fest weekend in February, spectators will be treated to a skyline full of spectacular color, artistry and drama, also known as Kites Over the Bay. This is the fourth year that Fish Creek has celebrated winter with the kite-flying event and the attendance has expanded steadily. Co-sponsor Toby Schlick, owner of the Fish Creek Kite Company, is not surprised to see interest grow. “People get so excited seeing those big kites over the ice,” Toby reflects. “Anyone who has seen our kite fly or the one that used to take place in Madison [Kites on Ice] is still talking about it years later.” (more)