Memorably Monstrous Golf Holes

Right in Our Region.............................................Cover & p. 24 6 Memorably Monstrous Golf Holes Your Kitchen ............................................................. 13 Before Remodeling, Hire the Right Designer Inspiration & Worship .............................................. 14 He is Risen!

Your Outdoor Living ................................................ 19 For a Lush Garden, Start These Plants Early Your Outings ................................................. 23, 33, 43 An Intro to Pickleball; A Visit to Utica; Tulip Festivals Your Home ................................................................. 27 Cover Your Roof with the Right Products Dining Out ................................................................. 31 Holiday Brunch Brings Families to The Anvil Club Your Entertainment .................................................. 35 Raue Aims High with Return of Live Theater Your Health ............................................................... 37 Men’s Health: Lose Weight, Fight Disease Your Fun ..................................................................... 44

Publisher/Editor-in-Chief Bill Hughes

Executive Editor/Web Editor Chris Linden

Managing Editor Jermaine Pigee

Editor Emeritus Janine Pumilia

Multimedia Editor Jim Taylor

Graphics Director Samantha Behling Graphic Designer Ashley Smith

Contributing Writers Katie Gray, Stephanie N. Grimoldby, Peggy Werner

General Sales Manager Brent Hughes

Sales Manager Brad Hughes

Advertising Sales Representatives Brian Hughes, Jeremy Jones, Lisa Brandt, Nita Lasky

Administration & Circulation Manager Lisa Hughes

Distribution Kelly Fairbairn Published by Hughes Media Corp. 222 Seventh St., Rockford, IL, 61104 (815) 316-2300, Fax: (815) 316-2301 lhughes@northwestquarterly.com

Smart Living. Copyright 2022 by Hughes Media Corp., 222 Seventh St., Rockford, IL, 61104. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part of any text, photograph or illustration without written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited.

Hope Springs

Wherever you look, the signs of spring abound. Daffodils are poking through the cold soil, joined by other small green shoots. Buds are popping from the trees. Bird songs are filling the air, from robins chattering to geese and cranes squawking high above.

The kids have dusted off their bikes and hit the streets. Once more, we greet our neighbors face-to-face, picking up right where we left off in the fall.

We hoped for warm, sunny skies all through this brutal winter. Finally, they’ve returned and brought some fresh air for us all.

And what a breath it is. At long last, this spring is bringing a serious awakening as we shake off the burdens of this pandemic. Two years of this battering storm, through its ups and its downs, has taught us to no longer take for granted our rights to assemble, speak or be free. We hoped for this season for so long, and we endured so much. Finally, the seeds of that hope are springing forth. It’s little sprigs, for now. But just as a mighty oak tree begins with a small acorn, we have to start somewhere.

Hope is so frail when the storm is at its strongest, but those who patiently endure find their reward in these signs of awakening.

The Easter season is upon us, and it’s an appropriate time to reflect upon hope, because that’s a central message to the story of Jesus Christ. He brought hope, life and salvation to this broken world, and on Easter day when he rose from the grave, he became living proof that good prevails (read more on p. 14).

This new month brings a period of joy and a chance to explore the good things in life. The fairways are primed, the diamonds are groomed, the trails are calling and summer vacations are right around the corner. The grills are fired up, and people are reconnecting once more – at home, at restaurants, at church and beyond.

Whatever those April showers may bring, we’ve seen the blooming of our longawaited hopes, and it feels so refreshing. ❚

Chris Linden Executive Editor