From fairgrounds to classrooms, community parks to college labs, 4-H youth in Shawano County are proving they’re not just ready for the future, they’re beyond ready.

During National 4-H Week, celebrated Oct. 5-11, local clubs are showcasing how 4-H equips young people with the skills, confidence, and resilience to lead in a world full of opportunity and change.

Lynda Drews will be visiting Oconto through an event put on by Farnsworth Public Library.

Her visit will take place at 6 p.m. Oct. 19 at Oconto City Hall, 1210 Main St., Oconto.

Drews will share about the research behind her historical true crime books, “Disposable Wives” and “The Maid and the Socialite.”

Sacred Heart Catholic School students Bailey Wild, left, and Brecken Bystol were among those wearing orange shirts Sept. 30 to remember the children who went through residential and boarding schools in the past.

October is my favorite month, the most scenic time of year if you are lucky enough to live on a lake in northern Wisconsin. The end of summer brings not only fall colors but new rhythms of life as Mother Nature prepares for a long winter nap.

Menominee elder Sylvia Wilber taught me that there’s a truism behind the motivations about the United States’ Native American policies: “It’s all about the land.”

Bring a little fall color indoors by adding a croton to your indoor garden. Their colorful leaves echo many fall colors in the landscape, including red, yellow, orange, green and purple.

Croton leaf shapes can vary, adding to their ornamental appeal. They can be broad or narrow, shaped like an oak leaf, twisted like a corkscrew or somewhat pinched in the middle. You may decide to buy a few to place throughout your home.