Recent content from Connie Nelson
Oh, You Turkey contest winners
Our 45th annual contest brought out the young artists in the Twin Cities
Meet the Oh, You Turkey artist
Art director Mike Rice channeled his inner child to design the bird for the 45th coloring contest.
Famed Minnesota photographer Jim Brandenburg offers a daily dose of nature
The work of Jim Brandenburg shines in one-minute videos that counter today's noisy world with the quiet of nature.
When's the best time for lawn care? Right now
Adding some steps to your fall routine can save you time in the spring.
Get outside! Five outdoor activities around the Twin Cities
Here are five things we're itching to do now that the weather is nice. What are yours?
Norway House has a new addition and Minneapolis' answer to Chicago's 'bean'
Tasty cafe offerings add to the draw of this E. Franklin Avenue fixture.
On a library waitlist for Prince Harry's new book? Here's what to do in your 'Spare' time.
The royal family tell-all isn't the only juicy scandal story out there.
Here are the winners of the Star Tribune's annual Oh, You Turkey coloring contest
We received almost 1,200 submissions this year.
Take a gander at these winning birds
We received almost 1,200 submissions this year.
Minnesota photographer makes waves with abstract images of Lake Superior
Craig Blacklock, one of Minnesota's best-known nature photographers, goes abstract in his latest book on Lake Superior.
'Project Runway' star Christopher Straub expands his fashion empire from Shakopee
He's curating fashion shows, making the rounds on local TV shows, crafting leather goods and writing and illustrating children's books — while raising two boys and a flock of chickens with his husband.
Want to be in 'Bridgerton'? This is your chance (BYO Regency-era gown)
The immersive experience revels in the music, romance and pageantry of the popular Netflix series.
What Minnesota's reading next
One Book One Minnesota has picked "We Are Meant to Rise" for latest statewide reading selection.
Why you should leave your garden messy in the fall
What's a green-leaning gardener to do in the fall? As little as possible.
An 8-year-old cat whisperer brings lost Lucy home
A 17-year-old cat methodically plotted her escape from her new home, and her owners feared she was lost forever.
What really beats the heat? We separate the myths from the reality
Does drinking hot coffee, wearing seersucker or firing up the swamp cooler really work?
More Minnesota brides buy off-the-rack, vintage or rent dresses for the big day
They want their dresses and they want them now.
Meteorologist Paul Douglas says kids can do more than worry about climate change — they can fight it. Now.
His new book explains the science behind climate change and how kids can be part of the solution.
Here's one weed to invite into your garden
Monarchs need milkweed to survive. Good thing there are plenty of garden-friendly species of this "weed."
Minnesota summer camps are filling fast. Here's how to get the right camp for your kid.
After two years of COVID-caused disruption and isolation for kids, there's an explosion of interest in summer camp.
Minnesota's Faribault Woolen Mills makes blankets to cheer on U.S. Olympians
The Team USA Blanket Collection is designed and made in Minnesota by Faribault Woolen Mill.
Want to make a New Year's promise you can keep? Try these 11 Low Effort Resolutions
Need an emotional boost as we head into what could be another tough year? Make a resolution you know you can achieve.
Top pet names for MN cats and dogs
From Bella and Oliver to Maui and Suni, we continue to name our pets for people and places we love.
Pandemic pets still wanted at home
Pets adopted during the pandemic aren't being returned to shelters after all
Howl-o-ween is getting closer
It's time to enter our pet costume contest
How Minnesotans can beat the heat in practical and kooky ways
It's hot, and it looks like it's going to stay that way. You can hide out in your basement or get creatively cool.
Minnesota summer camps making comeback after year of closures
Camps are rebounding — with masks, social distancing, pods and other safety measures in place.
St. Paul's 'Laundry Evangelist' has turned cleaning obsession into a profession
Patric Richardson is starting a national campaign to elevate the lowly chore of washing clothes.
Lavender may not be hardy in Minnesota. Don't let that keep you from growing it this summer
For a taste of Provence, pot up some lavender this spring.
New Star Tribune comic features a happy-go-lucky Latino teen and his family
Strip features the everyday adventures of a Latino teenager.
Looking for comfort? See if you can find your cat
When I'm in need of a little lift, I see if I can find my cat in one of her many hiding places.
Newest Minnesota-made apple may not be a star, but it's a game changer
The new apple from the University of Minnesota, named Triumph, helps cut chemicals.
Meet the artist who inked this year's Oh, You Turkey coloring contest
The Minneapolis artist's image of George Floyd, one of the first rendered and posted on social media, has been shared around the world.
Minnesota author shares how to find joy in 'A Walk Around the Block'
NONFICTION: Spike Carlsen's new book sheds light on the extraordinary in the ordinary.
Gyms are closed, but you can still get a good workout by walking: Here's how
With gyms closed, how to get the most out of walking, the default outdoor exercise for many.
StretchLab, an assisted-stretch boutique gym, opens in Minneapolis
Assisted stretching can help you get the relief your body needs.
Tips to help you get an early start on winter pot and window-box season
Wintertime plant containers are "little pieces of art that make a house a home."
5 Twin Cities hotel bars with the best staycation getaway vibes
These Twin Cities spots feel like an escape -- no plane ticket necessary.
A Mayo scientist wants to help you live longer — and better
A Mayo Clinic scientist promotes health on a physical — and cellular — level.
Erin Lee Carr remembers her wild and loving dad, David Carr, in new memoir
NONFICTION: Journalist David Carr's daughter Erin Lee Carr intertwines his story with hers.
'Global Bohemian' author to appear at Junk Bonanza vintage market in Shakopee
The eclectic bohemian style, all the rage on the coasts, gets an international twist in a new book.
Want better bones? Skeletal strength is the aim at new Eden Prairie gym
OsteoStrong promises a "sweat-free," "painless" way to strengthen your skeletal system.
What women can do to fight 'menopause belly'
It's only one symptom of menopause, but women say it's the most bothersome.
Vintage Minnesota: Andy Warhol visits a swinging '60s Valentine's party
Art dealer and salon owner Gordon Locksley threw a bash at his Minneapolis mansion.
Vintage Minnesota: The 2010 Dome collapse
After a fierce winter storm dumped 17 inches of snow, three sections of the Teflon-coated fiberglass roof tore.
Vintage Minnesota: Fire destroys Minneapolis landmark Harry's Cafe
No one was injured, but it was the end of a long culinary tradition.
Vintage Minnesota: A high-flying tribute to the Wallendas
The Wallendas performed in the Twin Cities in 1978.
Vintage Minnesota: Remembering Hubert Humphrey
Statesman was honored in many ways, including with snow.
How to care for poinsettias, the Christmas forever flower
We've had a lasting love affair with poinsettias, in part because they get better every year.
Not feeling the joy of the season? Here's how to be happier all year
Happiness isn't guaranteed to come to us like a delivery from Amazon Prime, even — or especially — at this time of year.
Review: 'The Melody,' by Jim Crace
Fiction: An aging singer is attacked by an unknown creature, which terrifies his town.
Where to eat and shop in Stillwater, a town with year-round holiday cheer
The river town offers boutique shopping, upscale cuisine and a taste of the holidays year-round.
Acclaimed Minnesota cartoonist redesigns beloved 'Oh, You Turkey': 'It's iconic'
Artist Kevin Cannon ditches Mary Tyler Moore for pumpkin pie in illustration.
Say goodbye to 7-10 days: This and other little-known facts about common cold
A Mayo Clinic expert on cold weather, if zinc can help, when to see a doctor and if there's a cold vaccine on the way.
What does your gut say? How 'the bugs inside us' affect overall health
A Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist talks about good bugs vs. bad bugs, food vs. supplements, "brugs" and more.
Mayo Clinic expert on caring for elderly: 'We're going to face a huge crisis'
Prof. Joan Griffin on why caregiving has been women's work, the risks and benefits of being a caregiver and what older adults can do to be prepared.
If Minnesotans want colorful spring gardens, plant hardy bulbs now
Plant tough, hardy minor bulbs now for a surefire show of color once the snow is gone.
The cutest rescue dogs in Minneapolis pose for pictures in hopes of getting adopted
A Minneapolis photographer takes glamour shots of rescue dogs to help them get adopted.
Famous 'Curly Girl' hairstylist now urging women to embrace their gray
With her new book, a longtime stylist hopes to free women from the tyranny of coloring gray hair.