Sinsinawa organ recital

SINSINAWA -- The Summer Organ Concert Recital series continues with the 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 27, concert in Queen of the Rosary Chapel at Sinsinawa Mound.

The featured artist will be Sr. M. Arnold Staudt, of Sioux City, Iowa. The concert is free and open to the public.

Sister Arnold is a member of the Franciscan Sisters of Dubuque, Iowa. She holds a bachelor of music degree from Briar Cliff College in Sioux City, Iowa, and a master's degree from the University of Iowa.

She has taught in several elementary and secondary schools in Iowa and for the past 26 years as a member of the music department of Briar Cliff University in Sioux City.

The concerts, sponsored by the Sinsinawa Mound Outreach Music Department, will continue every Wednesday evening throughout August.

For more information on these and other activities at the Mound, contact Sheila Heim at 608-748-4411, ext. 869, or visit the Web site at www.sinsinawa.org/moundcenter. Sinsinawa Mound, the Motherhouse for the Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters, is located in southwest Wisconsin on Cty. Rd. Z, off Hwy. 11, about five miles northeast of Dubuque.

MADISON -- One of the more pleasant rites of summer is the series of outdoor Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra performances on the grounds of the state Capitol.

Wisconsin Public Television (WPT) will bring one of those concerts to statewide audiences. Concerts on the Square will air 9 p.m. Friday, July 22, with an encore at 7 p.m. the following day.

Maestro Andrew Sewell and the orchestra perform a "Night for Dancing" for families and individuals who have spread out picnic blankets on the sweep of greenery surrounding the grandeur of the Capitol building.

The performance, which takes place on Wednesday, July 20, will present American tunes from the '20s through the '40s.

The evening's guest artists are Manhattan Rhythm Kings. The group has appeared with more than 80 orchestras, including the Boston Pops and the National Symphony.

MADISON -- Theater Bus for people over 60 is planning a trip to Racine on Friday, Aug. 26.

It will start with a tour of SC Johnson's company administration building designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, followed by a special photo exhibit and movie in the Golden Rondelle Theater and lunch in the Radisson Inn Harborwalk. In the afternoon the group will journey to the Racine Art Center.

Trip, transportation, and meal are included for $45. Call 608-257-0003 for reservations before the Aug. 2 deadline or until full.

MADISON -- Come experience and explore the beauty and transformation of butterflies at Olbrich's Blooming Butterflies from July 20 through Aug. 14.

Free-flying butterflies will flutter through the lush tropics of the Bolz Conservatory. Families can search the outdoor gardens to find butterflies in their natural habitat and collect stamps on their butterfly passports to earn a free cone from Michael's Frozen Custard.

The exhibit is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for children ages 12 and under. Ages two and under are free. Admission is free for Olbrich members.

Tickets to Olbrich's Blooming Butterflies are sold at the door. Outdoor picnic seating is available, weather permitting. Parking is free.

For more information, call 608-246-4500.

Olbrich Gardens is located in Madison on the shore of Lake Monona at 3330 Atwood Ave. Visit Olbrich's Web site at www.olbrich.org

MADISON -- Olbrich Botanical Gardens will sponsor a summer bus trip to tour several of Wisconsin's most historic gardens.

The two-day tour, on Tuesday, Aug. 23, and Wednesday, Aug. 24, will highlight a series of unique gardens, including Ten Chimneys in Genesee Depot,  West of the Lake Gardens in Manitowoc, Boerner Botanical Gardens in Hales Corners, Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum in Milwaukee, and Rotary Gardens in Janesville.

Lunch will be at the charming Cornerstone Restaurant in Genesee Depot. There will be an overnight stay at the Inn on Maritime Bay along with dinner at the Breakwater Restaurant overlooking Lake Michigan.

After breakfast on Wednesday, the tour will visit Boerner Botanical Gardens. Lunch will be al fresco at the gardens at Nell's Garden Cafe.

The cost of the tour for Olbrich members is $259 and $289 for the general public. The fee includes motorcoach transportation, hotel, four meals, and all admission fees. Reservation deadline is July 22. For more information, or to register, call 608-246-4550. For membership information, call 608-246-4724.

Portions of this tour require a significant amount of standing, stair climbing, and walking on uneven terrain.