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The wrapping’s recycled, the lights are unplugged, and the tree is out at the curb. Corks have been popped, balls have been dropped, and we’ve emptied plenty of cups of kindness. The bustle of the holiday season has waned. Now what? Time to settle in for Iowa’s customary lull, the low temperatures and short days of January and February, that two-month stretch when I often hear weather-weary residents lamenting, “There’s nothing to do in Iowa in winter.” Our January/February issue begs to differ. Naysayers and hibernators, you are hereby put on notice. In the deepest days of winter, Iowa’s prairie is alive with buffalo, owls, hawks, and more. Don an extra layer and enjoy an exploration of blanketed terrain by snowshoe. Throw in some shin pads and there’s a winter game of broomball with your name on it. Want others to do the work? Sit back and take in a performance on any number of stages across the state — some formally lit and draped, others fashioned out of multipurpose gymnasiums. You’re in luck: There’s something playing at the Donna Reed in Denison. And if your luck holds out, you may catch Iowa’s own world-renowned bass-baritone as he tours the state. Visit any one of some 112,000 architectural, historical, and National Register-listed destinations around the state, then drop in at the Wagner Gallery in Perry to meet the mind that helped fuel Iowa’s historic preservation movement. Journey with Dream Green’s roving reporters to Iowa destinations where projects and possibilities are transforming the way we think about and use energy. (You don’t even have to put on a coat; the radio series’ content is available online.) If culinary journeys are more your style, there’s plenty of adventure brewing in the state. From light lager to dark dunkel, from English brown to Belgian blond, from sweet stout to sour ale and everything in between, tap into the place-based artisan craft of microbrewing. (There’s even an app for that!) The mercury may testify to frigid temps outside, but things are heating up inside Wells Fargo Arena. While March Madness will later dominate the state spotlight, it’s preceded in February by Iowa’s largest sports spectacular. The tourney showcases not only the athletic excellence of high school wrestlers from all pockets of Iowa but also the devotion and esteem that their fans — the largest high school wrestling crowd in the nation — heap upon them. And if all else fails, well, we’ve got bacon.
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Beth Wilson, Editor
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