Dear Curiosity Journal, 

For years, Rufus has shared his vision of building out an amphitheater in the curvature of the valley. I’ve looked out over the land with him envisioning a platform nestled in the hillside more times than I can count. As the Driftless Curiosity campus expands, these “someday dreams” start to come to life. Hosting community gatherings has pushed us to move projects forward that would have otherwise lingered at the bottom of the long farm to-do list. At dusk, once the highest demands of the day have been handled, Rufus gravitates toward his passion projects, and today he trimmed the branches of the tree which grows center stage of the amphitheater-to-be, framing an idyllic ridgetop view. We walked around the space, talking through design ideas, assessing the slope of the land, and imagining an acoustic set or lecture series. We stand in the shoes of the presenter and the audience, trying to get a feel for an experience outside of our own. These playful co-creative projects, which invite us to use our imagination, and even play pretend, nurture our inner child, and spark joy through pondering the possibilities. 

~Joy