Driftless Tribe #0004

Driftless Tribe

Welcome to the 4th edition of the Driftless Tribe.

You can submit events to be highlighted in the newsletter & recap your past week. If you would like to share highlights from a recent weekend or your ideal weekend routine to be featured in the newsletter, please complete the form on the bottom of the newsletter.

Before we get into it, just one quick little thing…Please share this newsletter with friends/family/enemies/etc. thanks 🙏

Merry Christmas, Merry Traditions 🎁

We hope you have a great Christmas filled with delicious food, family, and cherished traditions.

As I get older, I find myself reminiscing more often about old traditions that have faded over the years — small, mundane routines that once seemed ordinary but have become extremely special.

One tradition I hold close is the ritual of making the 30-minute drive to Highland to fill my grandparents’ basement with firewood for their stove. My two younger brothers and I would work together, hauling and stacking dried wood into their unfinished, rock foundation basement through a makeshift hole in the wall. The chilly windy air of Highland biting at our faces was contrasted by the warmth waiting upstairs: a pot of my grandmother’s homemade chili simmering on the stove & grandpa’s fudge. A decent reward for chores well done.

Also, does anyone else notice that Highland is windy literally all of the time?

We’d repeat this every couple of weeks like clockwork, all winter long. The sound of the wood clacking together, the faint smell of wood smoke, and the camaraderie of my family filled those moments with a simplicity I only truly appreciate as time passes.

Eventually my grandparents grew older and became unable to navigate the steep steps down to the basement - the wood stove went unused, and our tradition abruptly ended. For a long time I didn’t care. I didn’t think about it at all.

But looking back, I now feel nothing but gratitude for those moments. The work we did, the time spent together with my grandparents, and the quiet lessons in effort, work ethic, and care for one another are what I appreciate the most.

This Christmas, as we all embrace new traditions and cherish old ones, I hope we all take a moment to reflect on the small acts of love and labor that shape our memories.

Moment in Time

Happenings

12/24

La Crosse, Popcorn Tavern - Open Mic with Justin Urness Check It Out

Sparta, American Legion - Annual Pre-Christmas Potato Peeling Party Let’s Go

Mineral Point, Opera House - It’s a Wonderful Life Get Tickets

12/25

La Crosse, Popcorn Tavern - Open Jam More Info

Viroqua, Library - Chess Club Link

Sparta, American Legion - Community Christmas Dinner 2024 Check It

12/26

Dodgeville, Dodger Bowl Lanes - Count Down the Clock Let’s Go

La Crosse, Popcorn Tavern - Blues Night with Special Guest Stan Hall Guitar

Prairie Du Chien, Pine Tree Inn - Xtreme Bar Bingo More Info

12/27

Lancaster, Fireball Lanes - Cosmic Bowling Check It

New Glarus, Dirty Dog Taphaus and Eatery - Live with Mark Croft Let’s Go

Dodgeville, Dodger Bowl Lanes - Ugly Sweater Moonlight Bowling Ugly

Spring Green, Slowpoke Lounge & Cabaret - Karaoke More Info

La Crosse, Popcorn Tavern - Live with Space Bandits FR Check It Out

12/28

New Glarus, Sportsman’s Reloaded - Live with Two County Lines Let’s Go

Baraboo, Broken Bottle Winery - Live with Sam Ness Join Us

Coon Valley, N884 Cornell Road - Create Your Own Charcuterie Board Check It

Cassville, The Neighborhood Slush - Bad Mom’s: Blacklight Bingo More Info

Prairie Du Sac, River Arts Inc - Annual Holiday Market Check It Out

Baraboo, Balanced Rock Winery - Live with Marc LaMere Live Music

Muscoda, English Prairie Distilling Co. - Live with Tom Burr Link

Lancaster, Fireball Lanes - Bingo More Info

12/29

Dodgeville, Dodger Bowl Lanes - Free Bowling Community Event Check It Out

Baraboo, Balanced Rock Winery - Live with Jayson Benson Let’s Go

Spring Green, Slowpoke Lounge & Cabaret - Mystery Movie with River Valley Film Club More Info

New Glarus, Tofflers Pub & Grill - Live with Bekan Trio Check It

Sparta, American Legion - Chicken & Biscuits Join Us

12/30

Lancaster, Library - Noon Years Eve Party Let’s Go

We will check in again next week.

Let us know any events / establishments you would like to be added to this list via IG @driftlesstribe or email [email protected]

If someone forwarded this to you, time to make the leap and join the Tribe!

👇👇👇