The Spent Dandelion Retreat Center

09/06/2025

The thing about the land on which we get to live is that it just she just offers up wild beauty.

Can't help herself.

Our spot just says "Hello. Would you like some gladness today?"

For example, blooms like these are positively everywhere.

Below you see the last but still respectably vibrant colors of Summer: we love to gather flowers and plunk them in a vase to welcome people to the Spent Dandelion.

Soon, when you come to stay here, the Autumn bouquets will be a bit darker in color, maybe a bit sparser, and then, come Winter, you might be met with hot cocoa instead.

Regardless of the season, whether you want a breath before the hurry of the holiday season, or are a rostered leader staring at some yet unused continuing education time or monies, please consider the Spent Dandelion.

We, and the very place itself, would love to have you here.

Learn more about our Pay-As-You-Can Policy, and available dates, here: https://spentdandelion.com/reservations-or-caffe-sospeso-at-the-dandelion/

All Are Welcome! 🏳️‍🌈 🏳️‍⚧️

06/06/2025

And just like that, the dandelions, which made our space look more sunshine yellow than spring green, came, and then went spent.

Sometimes we all make like the dandelions: we feel vibrant, and then 'p**f!', we're spent too.

Whichever season meets you, the Spent Dandelion is here to offer retreat, reflection, and renewal.

Learn about our pay-as-you-are-able policy (Cafè Sospeso), our available dates, the built-in time for theological direction, and area attractions here https://spentdandelion.com

And to rostered leaders, stays here are valid as continuing education experiences, and so can be paid out of those budget items if you prefer.

All are welcome!

08/24/2024

We have been so thankful for a wonderful slate of summer guests to the Spent Dandelion!

But still August though it is, we've already found ourselves reaching for our flannels.

The leaves are losing their green, all while the apples are gaining their reds.

With Fall now upon us, so is the season of reflection and preparation.

Whether you be:

* a rostered leader beginning already to plan for Advent and Christmas;

* someone craving some North Shore Glory before winter befalls us;

*or a person in search of a conversation partner and a place to fuss with and suss out your faith, your theology, and how they inform your life;

we heartily invite you to consider a stay with us.

Our rates are a take on the Caffè Sospeso tradition: we have a base rate, but ask that you simply pay what you can.

That might be -less- than the rate we would otherwise charge, it might -exactly- what we would otherwise charge, or it may be -more- than what we would otherwise charge, which helps support those who might not otherwise be able to afford a stay.

Regardless, the point is: all are welcome.

Even, grudgingly, the bear that's been gracing our late nights and early mornings, and eating our apples, and tipping over our garbage, and rousing our dogs, and causing general offense to our cat.

Find out more about our Caffè Sosepso policy here:

http://spentdandelion.com/reservations-or-caffe-sospeso-at-the-dandelion/

and available dates here: https://anna-madsen.lodgify.com/

06/01/2024

All Are Welcome to the The Spent Dandelion Retreat Center!

Don’t just take my word for it. 👇

Happy Pride Month!

www.spentdandelion.com

05/20/2024

Before and after every guest, our dear friend Kelly ensures that you will stay in the spic-and-span-iest space possible. She spiffs up the studio to perfection!

But people aren’t the only guests at the Spent Dandelion.

Yesterday, after our last retreaters left, Kelly was doing her usual deep clean.

Suddenly, a new visitor pulled up.

Kelly offered the standard warm Spent Dandelion welcome, and caught it all in this clip below.

www.spentdandelion.com

05/18/2024

This yummy photo of berries picked right here was taken last year on July 31.

These berries, though, are not -our- berries.

They are the berries that our spot happily shares with us, and so we happily share them with anyone who come to this spot.

Check out what the Spent Dandelion is all about here: https://spentdandelion.com/

Check out our openings here: https://anna-madsen.lodgify.com/

Our Pay As You Can policy (Caffè Sospeso) here: https://spentdandelion.com/reservations-or-caffe-sospeso-at-the-dandelion/

And the sensation of a sweet just-picked berry in your mind wherever you are right now.

05/13/2024

Being spent clearly isn’t a condition for being here.

Just ask the red admiral butterflies, the wild violets, and the dandelions themselves.

www.spentdandelion.com

05/11/2024

We were on our deck for an hour last night—texted our present Spent Dandelioner so that she wouldn’t miss it—and bathed in the glory of these radiant northern skies.

05/06/2024

The buds and the blooms are coming out!

We here at the Spent Dandelion are celebrating the sight of green, purple, yellow….even mud (except when it’s on the wagging-tail dogs who want to be let into the house. Then not so much)!

Of course, we can all acknowledge that this past winter wasn’t exactly…harsh.

After the positively balmy snow months up this way, it’s hard to make the case that we need to “recover” from the blizzards and ice and frigid temps That Weren’t.

But we -can- make the case that, on occasion, we need to recover from -life-, or simply seek some space to Consider Things, to find a conversation partner to suss out one’s thoughts and questions, and then to begin to plot out what to do.

The Spent Dandelion is here for exactly these very occasions.

So please consider yourself welcome to our studio retreat, nestled along Minnesota’s North Shore.

We have woods and water, books and boats, puzzles and paths, and a ready listener and feedback-giver in Anna, trained in theology and experienced in grief and hope.

You can find available dates here https://anna-madsen.lodgify.com/.

Rates are variable: you can find out more about that model here https://spentdandelion.com/reservations-or-caffe-sospeso-at-the-dandelion/.

The upshot, however, is this: our costs come to $220 a night.

Pay that if you can; pay less, or less -until- you can; or pay more to support others who simply can’t.

All are Welcome.

Muddy dogs…………yeah we can converse about muddy dogs.

(Rostered leaders: Keep in mind that your Continuing Ed budget can be applied to the Spent Dandelion!)

🏳️‍🌈 🏳️‍⚧️

04/10/2024

News from the Dandelion!

We know this page has been crickets for a spell, but here at 808, we’ve been busy!

First, in the last year, we’ve been pouring most of our energy into building up Karl’s Wheelhouse, a business for son Karl, who suffered a traumatic brain injury. Take a peek at that FB page to learn more about this exciting (ad)venture!

But we’ve also been reworking the rate model for the Spent Dandelion.

The TL:DR is that we are now moving to a Pay-As-You-Can framework.

Teased out, the nightly rate for the Spent Dandelion has been based both on an average of rates for comparable offerings here on the Shore, the included hour for theological conversation and direction, and the costs of spic-and-span cleaning, upkeep, and general overhead.

We haven’t let seasonal fluctuations affect the price, or raised it since we began in 2017.

But while the rate has been fair with those costs in mind, it hasn’t been fair for those who can’t afford the cost of a stay.

That’s never sat right with us.

The Spent Dandelion truly does offer Retreat, Reflection, and Restoration.

There should be no economic barrier to access that, because there is no economic barrier to those who experience need for that.

A few weeks ago, my husband and I were watching a foodie show and learned about the Venetian tradition of Caffè Sospeso, “Suspended Coffee.”

There’s a great NPR story about it linked on the page below, but the upshot is that people who can afford a cup of coffee buy it, and also throw some money down on the counter for those less able to purchase a cup, but who might stroll along and need a splash of joe too.

We like that.

In that spirit, we are giving a Caffè Sospeso approach to rates a whirl.

We continue to suggest our base rate, which is $220 per night.

If you can pay that, and only that, welcome!

If you can’t pay that, but something—whatever it might be—less than that, welcome!

If you can pay that, and something more to help others enjoy and benefit from this place, welcome!

You can learn more about the whys and whats and hows here: https://spentdandelion.com/reservations-or-caffe-sospeso-at-the-dandelion/

To make a reservation, now simply contact me at 605-521-6284 or [email protected].

The calendar with availability, along with some more photos of the place, can be found here https://anna-madsen.lodgify.com/.

And if you would like to simply give to support those who would like to come, but would otherwise be prohibited because of cost, you can donate here: https://buy.stripe.com/4gw3eu8x8bDGcmsfYY

Please note that the Spent Dandelion is not a non-profit.

That means that there are no tax benefits associated with any additional gift.

While you may not reduce your tax burden, be assured that you will relieve someone else’s many burdens.

We thank you!

And, of course, and now all the more, all are welcome! 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

Pay as You Can, aka Caffè Sospeso The Short Scoop: The Spent Dandelion has moved to a pay-what-you-can rate. To reserve your stay, please contact Anna at 605-521-6284, or [email protected]. Feel free to look here to see which dates are yet open. To learn more about the factors that went into ...

08/27/2023

A terribly belated invitation to join me at Emmanuel Lutheran Church of Two Harbors, MN tomorrow morning at 9:00 am!

Apologies for the late and late-night notice!

I am so very honored to be preaching and presiding at this congregation, all the moreso as it is led by former Trinity Lutheran Seminary classmate Rev. Dr. Ben Stewart.

We welcome you!