Schedule of Events

Listen to the Birds 

Our goal is to see as many birds as we can find in the most beautiful preserves in the county. Our goal is to deepen your love and excitement for these amazing creatures and to expose you to a new way of birding where you learn from the birds, not just identify them. You will also learn field identification skills, bird sounds using a variety of sound tools, techniques for understanding the complex behaviors of birds, and fascinating discoveries that science has made about birds. The emerging importance of conserving and enhancing bird stopover habitats will be shared, as well as some of the results from the breeding bird census that is currently being done throughout Wisconsin, such as birds of greatest conservation need. You must be able to walk on unpaved trails for distances of two miles over a period of 2 ½ hours. 

Instructor: Don Quintenz

Doing Nothing

The act of purposefully slowing down and doing less has been proven to boost creativity, prevent burnout, and promote the ability to cope with stress. This participatory course will introduce participants to practices, skills, and techniques that encourage deep thinking – an essential skill for lifelong liberal learning. 

This course is based on the popular 1-unit Lawrence University course by the same name, which has received attention from news outlets including Time Magazine, NPR, and CNBC. 

Despite the course’s title, participants will be asked to complete short readings and participate in a number of skills and practices including, but not limited to: walking, gentle movement, meditation, and writing. In order to maximize the “nothing” that we do together, the use of phones or other technology will be prohibited during class time. 

Practicing Location: Internal/External  
(Mindful Movement + Nature Wandering) 

Through mindful walking, breathwork, and gentle somatic practice, we will spend our mornings listening deeply to the current of place, both internal and external. Working along the shore of Lake Michigan, we will walk the trails surrounding Björklunden, utilizing specific listening, noticing, and observing tactics to examine how our feet are meeting the ground beneath us, how our bodies and senses are attending to the current moment unfolding. Daily, we will say a gentle hello to our body, a hello to the place we are in. Daily, we will attend to the other than human world, reduce our stress and regulate our nervous systems with outdoor wandering practices.  

What we will do:   

We will walk at a slow to medium pace. We will attend to shifts in weather, temperature, color of Lake Michigan. We will track the tide and wind direction and clouds. We will sit in place and attend to the smallest rhythms, movements of place. We will practice breathing, being with our bodies. We will walk and think and move gently, even glacially paced. We will sort through our experiences with free writing, drawing, and conversation. We will rest with yin yoga postures and restorative embodied practices.   

All walking and movement will be taken at our own place. All experience with your body is welcome. All exercises and walks can be experienced seated, standing, lying down or walking, depending on your body's desires and needs. Necessary tools for the week: a journal, shoes to walk in, the desire to explore, curiosity.   

*These walks and movement exercises have been created via grants from the University of Illinois- Urbana-Champaign, and conversations with people + places: small fishing villages in Costa Rica, high up in mountains and on rooftops in New Mexico, cliff walking in Portugal, midnight forest walking in Wales, prairies and Walmarts and sidewalks in the States, and The Croft Residency. 

How We Know What We Know: Social and Intellectual History Meets Cognitive Science

The foundation of human culture is trust in knowledge inherited from previous generations. So what are the cognitive, social and historical factors that have shaped our sense of certainty about the world we live in—what everyone knows that everyone knows? The existence of natural laws; the concept of “zero” applied in math; the notion that we “have” an inner self; these are just samples of intellectual discoveries, traditions or assumptions floating around!  Why those factors? Whose opinions held sway—and why? We’ll merely scratch the surface in addressing these BIG questions, but such scratching is what keeps us coming back to Bjorklunden. We’ll scratch where you itch to know more! 

Instructor: Jerry Camery-Hogatt

The Prosecutor’s Art: from the streets to the suites … and to the Oval Office 

Street crime, white collar crime, presidential crime … whatever the crime, prosecutors must direct investigations, assemble evidence, and decide whether to charge.  They must exercise discretion – whether to ask grand juries to indict; whether to bring cases before judges and juries.  

But how?  What is their authority?  What are their criteria?  What are their strategies … their tools and techniques?  Do federal and state constitutions control them?  Do their own constitutions propel or restrain them?  Do corruptions or politics influence them?    

From behind the scenes to open court, with law, literature, cinema and more, a former state/federal prosecutor will guide our search for answers. For perspective, we’ll also look closely at the current and unfolding example of a seldom-seen prosecutor—a “Special Counsel”—investigating (and prosecuting?) a former president. 

Essential Readings:  

• Preet Bharara, Doing Justice / A Prosecutor’s Thoughts on Crime, Punishment, and the Rule of Law  

• The New York Times (daily); and, for comparative purposes, a local newspaper and/or internet source    

Additional readings:  

• Jesse Eisinger, The Chickenshit Club: Why the Justice Department Fails to Prosecute Executives   

• Susan Glaspell, “A Jury of Her Peers” (1917) 

• Charles B. Schudson, Ashton P. Onellion and Ellen Hochstedler, “Nailing an Omelet to the Wall: Prosecuting Nursing Home Homicide”  

• Charles B. Schudson and Billie Wright Dziech On Trial / America’s Courts and Their Treatment of Sexually Abused Children  

• Charles B. Schudson, Independence Corrupted / How America’s Judges Make Their Decisions  
• Recommended Viewing: “My Cousin Vinny” (1992) 

Instructor: Judge Charles B. Schudson

Geologic Principles, Groundwater, and Engineering Geology Case Histories  

This class will be geared for folks who may know only a bit about geology but want to know more about our truly phenomenal earth, including its groundwater realm.  After an introduction to the basic principles of the science, the bulk of the course will comprise case histories of engineering geology and groundwater related projects, some of which appear as detective sagas.  All are demonstrative of the complexity and beauty of geology.

Much of the information will be shared through Power Point presentations, with lots of photographs and diagrams.  There will also be plenty of opportunities to handle some quite spectacular rock samples.  Rocks which, nestled in the palm of one’s hand, clearly show vivid and delightful evidence of earth processes. In addition to lectures in the mornings, afternoon workshops are planned for three of the days.  

Some of the topics to be covered include:  

    1. Geology Fundamentals:  Structure of the Earth, Rocks & Minerals, and Geologic Time  

    2. Plate Tectonics: What, for most people, will be a truly revelatory experience.  (Our planet has been seething for hundreds of millions of years, with the tectonic plates skating wildly over the surface.)  

    3. Groundwater Flow and its Surprisingly Beautiful Mathematics  

    4. Selected Hydrogeology Project Case Histories: Examples of the application of the principles of hydrogeology to some major, engineered human undertakings.   

    5. Some truly unusual and rather astonishing case histories in engineering geology.   

Participants will be able to wander the cobbled shore of Lake Michigan and discover the phenomenal variety of rocks people find of interest there.  On several evenings during the week, slide shows of some geologically spectacular localities will be presented to those who would wish to see them. A suggested reading list will be provided at the time of the class but suggested advanced prep can include selecting a few favorite rocks you might like to bring along for discussion and analysis.  

Instructor: Bill Shefchik

*Registration for this week is now limited to auditors only*

Pushkin’s "Eugene Onegin" 

We will spend the week exploring Eugene Onegin: A Novel in Verse, the masterpiece of Russia’s greatest writer, Alexander Pushkin.  We will follow the exploits and intrigues of the central characters; stroll through 1820s St. Petersburg, the Russian countryside, and Moscow; learn to play whist, to dance the mazurka, and to fight duels à la russe.   All the while we will keep an eye on Pushkin, whose sparkling style, omnivorous curiosity, and tragic life have been the central point of reference for Russian culture at least since the mid 1800s.  We will close with a look at one of the most well-known Russian interpretations of the novel: Tchaikovsky’s 1877-78 opera Eugene Onegin. 

Required text 

• Eugene Onegin. Alexander Pushkin, trans. James E. Falen. ‎ 978-0199538645 

Recommended background reading 

• Selected Lyric Poetry. Alexander Pushkin, trans. James E. Falen. 978-0810126428 

• A Short Life of Pushkin. Robert Chandler. ‎ 978-1782273448 

For the adventurous 

• Pushkin: A Biography.  T.J. Binyon. 978-1400076529 

• Eugene Onegin. Alexander Pushkin, trans. Stanley Mitchell. 978-0140448108 

Instructor: Peter Thomas

After Trump?

How has Donald Trump changed American politics? Trump won the presidency in 2016 by understanding better than anyone else that there was a latent energy in the electorate—a raging desire in many voters for disruption and destruction—and he gave it a voice, a style, and a direction. Trump’s the most consequential U.S. politician since Ronald Reagan. But is the Trump era over? And if it is—what is the legacy of this extraordinary force and the man who unleashed it? And what will take its place? This seminar will take a hard look at where Trump and Trumpism stand in 2023; how Democrats and independents defeated the Trump movement in two straight elections; and what it all means for the 2024 presidential campaign.

Instructor: Terry Moran

Beauty and Creativity 

The area of philosophy known as Aesthetics asks the question: What is beauty?  The most popular answer is, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” But this is only one among many possible answers.  Perhaps beauty is not in the eye of the beholder at all, but in the object itself.  Or maybe beauty is a product of the intention of the artist (regardless of public acceptance or the properties of the art object).  Or, maybe there is no such thing as beauty, or...maybe everything is beautiful!  (If either of the latter two theories are true, there would be no need for the concept!)  We need to get beyond these traditional theories so that we can explain progress in the arts and nurture the processes that contribute to that progress.  Terry will argue that a theory of, and standards for, creativity are needed in order to understand beauty and to advance the discussion.  Join Terry for a fun-filled week of theory, live performance, a virtual tour of three unusual art museums, and even some show and tell!   

Instructor: Terry Goode

Democracy and the Arts 

“Democracy demands wisdom and vision in its citizens. It must therefore foster and support a form of education, and access to the arts and humanities.” With these words, a 1965 law established the National Endowment for the Arts. In this seminar, we will explore the rich and complex relationship between democracy and the arts in the American context. We will discuss works by artists who are also activists, such as Faith Ringgold, Nicolas Lampert, Sister Corita Kent, Pegi Christiansen, and Edgar Heap of Birds. We will discover how collectives such as Rural Urban Flow, Artists 4 Democracy, and For Freedoms are working to increase civic engagement in order to strengthen and improve democracy. We will study local and state art agencies to understand how government supports the arts in local communities. Finally, we will engage in a hands-on art-making activity where seminar participants can express their views of democracy. As artist Sandy Rodriguez has said, “There is an authentic way of speaking your lived experience and truth that can appear in a physical object that also inspires change and action.”  

Instructor: Bronwyn Mauldin

A Sky Full of Planets:  Exploring the Night Sky and Our Solar System 

On a clear night, far from the light and the rush of the city, you can see thousands of stars. They tell our stories, guide our way, and quietly mark time. From a twinkle of light, the stars reveal something much more: the history of our celestial home, the Universe. From the formation of our planet, to the life of our Sun, the swirling maelstrom of our galaxy, and the unimaginable deep of Infinity, the lights of the night sky reveal the vast sweep of the cosmos. 
 
In this course we will explore the history of our exploration of the night, particularly our home in the cosmos: our own Solar System.  You’ll learn about the discoveries of the latest missions, our plans for the future, and the nature of the more than 10,000 other solar systems now known to exist.  Weather permitting, you’ll learn practical astronomy with both naked eye and telescopic night observations, during a week chosen to avoid a bright moon. No prior background in astronomy or physics is required. Please join me in what Wordsworth would call the “poetry of the heavens.”  

Suggested readings:

• Cosmos by Carl Sagan, with updates by Druyan and deGrasse Tyson. Paperback. ISBN-10 :‎ 978034553943. 
• The Stars: A New Way to See Them by H. A. Rey. Paperback. ISBN-10  : 0544763440.  

Instructor: Megan Pickett

Faith Builds a Chapel: The Legacy of Winifred C. Boynton  

The Norwegian "stavkirke" chapel is the icon of Björklunden, and sits like a jewel at the edge of the forest, facing the shore of Lake Michigan. Visitors often ask, “How did Winifred and Donald Boynton come to create such a unique work of art?” What is the story behind the chapel and the woman who conceived of it, designed and painted its frescoes, designed and helped carve its wooden pieces?  

In her book, Faith Builds a Chapel: Story of an Adventure in Craftsmanship, Winifred Boynton shared “the joys and struggles, successes and failures” of creating the Norwegian stavkirke at Björklunden from 1939-1947.  Her goal was “to bring into light the experiences of these past years, to build again with the tools of memory, our Chapel…built for the glory of God.” 

This seminar will provide an in-depth study of the chapel’s creation, carvings and murals, as well as the Viking myths, Biblical passages and personal stories behind them. By reading and discussing Faith Builds a Chapel, we will “hear” the artist’s story in her own words, learning about the nine summers during which she and Don created the chapel. Using her book, the chapel itself, family archives and albums, this seminar will be held in Winifred’s studio, and will help us appreciate more fully the unique vision, creativity, spirituality and legacy of Winifred Case Boynton.

Instructor: Marjorie Meyers-Graham, M.A.

Spore Losers: The World of Mushrooms and Non-flowering Plants 

This week we will learn mainly about the many types of wild mushrooms in the county. Several PowerPoint color slide programs will be presented about the variety of mushrooms as well as ferns, lichens, mosses, clubmosses and liverworts. 

Expect some walking into wet areas on our field trips to study these plants, so bring waterproof hiking boots and perhaps a hiking pole for steady travel. You may also want to bring a ten-power, small magnifier plus a notebook and pen. If you have any favorite field guidebooks, you can include them as well. 

Instructor: Charlotte Lukes

Astonish Us in the Morning

This course, which takes place concurrently with Lawrence’s Door Kinetic Arts Festival, will examine daring artistic collaborations in process. Every year, artists from across the country collaborate with one another and perfect projects they are working on, for one-week residencies at Björklunden. Artistic Director Eric Simonson leads a seminar which examines topics ranging from the current state of the arts in America, the future of artistic collaborations, and the value of new arts that defy categorization. Nationally recognized artists participating in the festival — which in the past have included actors Campbell Scott and Rainn Wilson, playwrights Lydia Diamond and Keith Huff, and Dance companies Lucky Plush and The Seldoms — will serve as guests, discussing and, when called on, demonstrating their talents and showcasing their current projects. This course includes a free guest pass to the arts festival, which, this year, will include dance, music, cinema, theatre, cocktails and more.   

Instructor: Eric Simonson

Watercolor: A Fresh Start  

This watercolor seminar is designed for absolute beginners as well as for those who have had some experience painting with watercolor but need a refresher to gain the confidence to start again. Explore the fall at Björklunden while enjoying this opportunity to learn or re-learn watercolor from an artist passionate about the medium in a supportive and friendly learning environment. Seminar participants will explore basic traditional approaches to watercolor painting as well as fresh and experimental wet-into-wet watercolor techniques. Seminar participants will go home with the skills and tools to keep on painting. There is a $35 materials fee for this course added upon registration.  

Instructor: Helen Klebesadel

Wildflowers and Birds 

These two most popular nature subjects will be the object of our explorations in Door County's many beautiful parks and preserves. The early tinges of nature's fall color palette will make the scenes most picturesque. Our goal is to find as many beautiful wildflowers and birds as we can and learn about their interrelationships in their respective communities. You must be able to walk on unpaved trails for distances of two miles over a period of two and a half hours. 

Instructor: Don Quintenz

Cinematic Cinderellas

Although there is a story of a maiden losing her shoe in the Greek tradition and a young woman who sleeps by the fireplace in Chinese history, the standard version for the American tradition is from Charles Perrault.  In 1697 he published Tales and Stories of the Past with Morals (Histoires ou Contes du Temps passé), subtitled Tales of Mother Goose (Les Contes de ma Mère l'oye). His telling with additions sometimes from the Brothers Grimm forms the basis for us. The story was locked into our tradition by the Disney animated version of 1950, but there have been many variations and recreations since. The seminar will explore these variations from Disney to Pretty Woman and beyond, investigating how the story can be adapted and modified to reflect changing roles for women and men, different expectations for courtship, and expanding career opportunities. We will range outside the strict boundaries of Cinderella to include other expressions of courtship and gender roles with The Philadelphia Story and Shakespeare in Love. 

Instructor: Doug Northrop

Best of the Bard: Shakespeare’s Greatest Hits 

For some theater-goers, the archaic nature of Elizabethan English can be a barrier to fully enjoying and appreciating William Shakespeare—but it needn't be, if one is aided by a handful of minor verbal translations into standard/contemporary English. And why not? Elizabethan English was, after all, contemporary to its time. And re-engaging with Shakespeare is always worth the effort, for never has there been a more gifted writer—at least, not in our tongue: with their deft dialogue, soaring soliloquies, and versatile deployment of verse, his plays and sonnets represent the apex of English-language “wordsmithery.” Shakespeare also displayed a genius for chronicling human nature; as a result, his works ring as true today as they did four centuries ago. By approaching his writing more by listening to it in performance (as, after all, was intended to be the case) and then discussing it than by reading it flat on a page, one can appreciate with particular depth the many levels of what The Bard continually accomplished in terms of form, content, theme, and impact. A screening and discussion of Joel Coen's powerful 2021 film adaptation The Tragedy of Macbeth starring Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand caps off a week of performance and analysis by the instructor (who is an actor as well as a scholar) plus lively class discussion. Works to be performed, heard, and studied include excerpts from Antony and Cleopatra, Hamlet, Henry IV, Henry V, Julius Caesar, King Lear, Macbeth, The Merchant of Venice, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Othello, Richard III, Romeo and Juliet, and The Tempest, as well as two sonnets. Recommended advanced reading: William Shakespeare's play Macbeth. 

Instructor: Paul McComas