“The land knows you, even when you are lost.” - Robin Wall Kimmerer
It’s the reawakening of life and the resurgence of green that makes summer in Minnesota such a dream. Gradually, then all at once, our surroundings are overtaken by chartreuse tints and deep olive shades, silvery tones and yellowy hues; every year I think, “Was it this amazing last year?” We are made spectators again to the great show, and have fully embraced worry-free walking as the treacherous ice beneath our feet is long gone, and we’re able to look up. Up into the canopy of trees, the soft blue skies, the new world of life above us. Our sightlines change, and so do our habits and lifestyles and minds.
In the verdant landscape, I find a wonderful sense of quiet and wonder and the slowing of time. There’s a yearning within me that surfaces when I see a captivating plant—a deep desire to try to soak in its beauty. It has my undivided attention and I stop to study all its special eccentricities, the characteristics that make it exist in the world as it does—its fuzzy stem, the way its leaves are shaped and how they’re arranged, the delicate texture of its flower’s petals, the way it moves in the breeze, how it feels to be in its presence. All you can do is listen and observe. What a trip for a modern human.
Listening, accompanied by slowing down and observing, encapsulates the meaning of this collection of stories, essays, guides, interviews, and recipes. I learned so much from the people who contributed to and are featured within this issue—gathering new perspectives on complex concepts related to humans and our connection to nature. In the pages ahead, an artist reflects on how the greens of Minnesota compare to the greens of her childhood home in Hawaii. A creative duo considers the transformative nature of summer as an inspiration for awakening creativity after the stark dormancy of winter and early spring. A musician explores the terrain of the Iron Range, recording sounds of the altered landscape and listening to the stories of her birthplace, the place of her roots in America. A Minnesota-based climate organization shares the most beautiful and culturally significant places along the projected route of the Line 3 pipeline. A grower and herbalist offers a simple guide to growing medicinal herbs. And more!
The voices in this issue embody the many shades of what green can be. Growing, making, listening, painting, dyeing, teaching, and being—as a color, an idea, a way of living—its inherent subjectivity leans toward ambiguity, and yet, there’s a certainty in its presence. But there is an impermanence to green, isn’t there? A transformation has taken place, will take place. To bask in green feels indulgent, yet light; curious, yet peaceful; pensive, yet imaginative. Green is alive.
With a stunning cover illustration by Isa Gagarin, I invite you to dive into this collection with an open mind and a desire to explore green in novel ways. I found so much hope and inspiration in making this issue alongside Art Director Sara Fowler, and feel honored to work with the talented humans who contributed their ideas, art, and vulnerabilities. Thank you for reading and supporting our work in making this magazine; it’s endlessly inspiring, and we’re grateful to publish these voices.
- Kara