Contents
Contributors
Contents
13 COLORING CONTEST 15 HISTORY MYSTERY
SUBSCRIBE
16 Art Camp with Amanda ~ by Brian Blair
22 Indiana Bigfoot Center ~ by Bob Gustin
24 Male & Female Instinct ~ by Boris Ladwig
34 Waves of Migration ~ by Mark Blackwell
38-39 Photos by Casie Zoellner *
40-42 CALENDAR / EVENTS 46 Fingerstyle Guitar Festival 47 Nashville Art Walk 52 ChamberFest Brown County
53 At Dusk ~ by Michele Pollock
56 Southern Indiana Blues Fest
60 Kelli Bruner at Helmsburg ~ by Sara Clifford
65 State Park Marker
68 Solitary Bees ~ by Jim Eagleman
72-74 INFO PAGES
Bob Gustin worked as a reporter, photographer, managing editor, and editor for daily newspapers in Colorado, Nebraska, and Indiana before retiring in 2011. He and his wife, Chris, operate Homestead Weaving Studio. He enjoys expanding his book and record collections.
Joe Lee is an illustrator and writer. He is the author of Forgiveness: The Eva Kor Story, The History of Clowns for Beginners, and Dante for Beginners. He is an editorial cartoonist for the Bloomington Herald-Times, a graduate of Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey Clown College, and a veteran circus performer.
Boris Ladwig is a Columbusbased journalist who has worked in print, online and TV media in Indiana and Kentucky and has won awards for features, news, business, non-deadline news, First Amendment / community affairs and investigative reporting.
Contributors
Brian Blair is a former longtime features writer for The Republic in Columbus. His work has appeared in publications ranging from the Miami Herald to U. S. News and World Report.
Michele Pollock is a poet and visual artist who works in several mediums, including fiber art, books arts, and photography. She loves living and working in the woods of Brown County.
Mark Blackwell no longer makes his home in Brown County where“ the roadway is rough and the slopes are seamed with ravines.” He now resides within sight of the sixth green of an undisclosed golf course. He was born in the middle of the last century and still spends considerable time there.
Jim Eagleman is a 40-year veteran naturalist with the IN DNR. In retirement, he is now a consultant. His program“ Nature Ramblings” can be heard on WFHB radio, the Brown County Hour. He serves on the Sycamore Land Trust board. He enjoys reading, hiking, music, and birding.
Sara Clifford spent the first 20 years of her career as a print journalist and as editor of The Brown County Democrat from 2009 to 2021. She is now managing editor of an earth science research journal. She lives in Brown County with her husband and three sons.
* Casie Zoellner is a proud mom of four kids and a lifelong resident of Brown County. She has been on the team at Birds Nest Café since the day it opened, and she manage their social media. When not working, she spends time with family or cares for her collection of plants.
Cindy Steele is the publisher and editor of this magazine. She sells and designs ads, sometimes writes, takes photos, and creates the layout. For fun, she likes to play the guitar or banjo and sing.
Melanie Voland is a writer, poet, recreational historian, and arts enthusiast. Recently retired, she stays busy working on various boards and commissions in the community. She regularly promotes events at All Things Brown County.
OUR BROWN COUNTY P. O. Box 157 Helmsburg, IN 47435
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Cover:
Art Camp with Amanda Mathis and guest artist Madelyn Cage
~ by Cindy Steele
Thanks, Mom, for making it happen! copyright 2026
July / August 2026 Our Brown County 9