☀️📚 Good Thursday Morning, Coulee!

TOGETHER WITH

Happy Thursday, Coulee Region. It sure is a winter wonderland out there. Today, we have a mixed bag. That’s becoming a Thursday theme. Let’s settle in and knock out these last 2 days before the weekend. You’ve got this.

You with me? Let’s dive in. 👇

🎶 I have exciting news.

I have discovered a way to subject you all to my taste in music. Yes, this newsletter now comes with a soundtrack.

👀 I don’t want to tell you how to live your life, but it seems to me that scrolling through this newsletter while listening to this song would be a good way to enjoy it. (To do this, you’ll need to scroll to the top of this email and click “Read Online” to read AND listen to the music in your browser—worth it, imo)

Here’s what I was listening to while I was writing this email ⬇️

If you make music and want to be featured here ☝️, give me a shout!

✍️📚 Local Spotlight: Holly Traffas, Author

In a Good Morning, Coulee first, we are excited to highlight the work of a local author and former La Crosse Tribune columnist. She recently released the second book in her cozy mystery series under the pen name Holly Willowbrook.

Holly and her husband, Todd, raised their family in the La Crosse area, where they fell in love with the Driftless Region’s winding rivers, green coulees, and craggy bluffs. They relocated to California and, after eight years away, they’re thrilled to once again call this beautiful place home.

During her time in California, Holly immersed herself in the magic of its majestic redwood forests, stunning mountain ranges, and picturesque oceanside villages. These breathtaking settings inspired the fictional town of Greenvale, the backdrop for her Ravenwood Witches Cozy Mystery series.

A lifelong student of all things mystical, Holly weaves magic into her storytelling, bringing to life quirky characters and crafting captivating mysteries that enchant readers.

With more than 25 years of professional writing experience, Holly has worked as a newspaper feature writer and humor columnist, magazine editor, scriptwriter, and marketing copywriter. Discover more about her and her books at hollywillowbrook.com or visit her Amazon Author page.

📰 Quick Hits

• Chad Erickson Memorial Ice Rink at Rotary Lights is now open (WEAU)

• UW-La Crosse adds 2 new majors for fall 2025 (Wisconsin State Journal)

• UWL ranks second best public university in Wisconsin (Niche)

• Angel Giving Tree distributions brighten the holidays for local families (WXOW)

📆 What’s Happenin’

🎇 COUNTDOWN TO NYE IN PETTIBONE PARK

La Crosse Skyrockers will be firing a few shells nightly at 6pm to count down to 2025. Sunday, Tuesday and Fridays will be from Grandad Bluff. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday will be from Pettibone Park.

🎄4TH ANNUAL SANTA’S ORNAMENT WORKSHOP IN SPARTA (FREE)

Santa’s Ornament Workshop is a FREE craft event for kids of all ages, full of crafting, games, hot cocoa, & more!

One of the best things about the holiday season is taking a little time to focus on having great experiences, building traditions, and making memories. What better way to do that than to spend some time together creating something you can take home and enjoy for years to come? We will have a variety of crafty things to use and make including but not limited to pipe cleaners, pom poms, paintable wooden ornaments, washable craft paint (be sure to wear something that can get messy though just in case, we don’t have paint shirts at this time), bells, googly eyes, and more!

Santa & Mrs Claus will be visiting to help the little elves in their crafting, and there will be a hot cocoa bar full of delicious toppings as well. There is no fee to attend.

Address & Information Here

🎁 Coulee-Based Gift Ideas

Just want everyone to know that I feel that I’m getting extremely good at this segment. 

SO—I’m going to keep it going because I keep finding cool stuff that I didn’t know existed. And, if you’re like me, you’re going to like giving high-quality gifts that are local, handmade, and stand out.

🕊 LILY OF THE VALLEY BLAIR

Let’s take a moment to appreciate the packaging.

They’ve got lotions, hair products, slippers, decor, vests, hats, jewelry, candles, and a whole lot more. And they’ve certainly got the Christmas aesthetic down. Check them out on FB.

☮️ UNIQUE SALT LAMPS

Salt Fix Vitality Center has some crazy unique salt lamps in stock and ready to go. Take a peak.

They are located downtown, and do have a website, but you might be better off reaching them on FB or calling them. Info here.

🍪 Cookie Time

I have your attention, don’t I?

Today, we have an amazing Christmas Cut Out Cookies recipe to share with you from local photographer and creator Lindsay Moe. She is the founder of The Live-In Kitchen, where she shares easily customizable vegetarian and vegan recipes. When she’s not in the kitchen, you can find Lindsay painting, playing the piano, or adventuring in the bluffs of Wisconsin.

Okay, now cookies. Step 1: put on some Christmas music…

Ingredients

Cookies

• 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1 cup butter, (2 sticks) cold and cut into chunks

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 1 egg

• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

• Pinch salt, optional

Buttercream Frosting

• 3 cups powdered sugar

• 1/3 cups butter, softened

• 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

• 2-4 tablespoons milk

• Pinch salt, optional

Instructions

Cookies

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl combine flour and baking powder. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on low speed. Add the egg and vanilla and mix. Gradually add the flour mixture and beat just until combined, scraping down the bowl as needed.

4. The dough should look crumbly. Turn it out onto a clean work surface and knead until soft and smooth.

5. Roll the dough on a floured work surface to about ¼" thick and cut into shapes. You can take the scraps and gently form them into another ball to roll and cut again, but be careful not to add too much flour or work the dough a lot or your cookies will become tough and dry.

6. Place the cut out cookies on the prepared baking sheet and bake 10-12 minutes. Let cool a few minutes on the sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.

Buttercream Frosting

1. In a large bowl combine butter and powdered sugar using a hand mixer on low speed.

2. Add vanilla and mix again on low.

3. Scrape down the bowl and add the milk a few drops at a time until desired consistency is reached, mixing on medium low and scraping the bowl occasionally.

4. Use immediately or divide and tint, then use to frost cooled cookies.

For more about the recipe, tips, walkthrough, and lots of other cool stuff, check out The Live in Kitchen!

🏈🏀 Local Sports

12/12

Central Girls Basketball vs. Wisconsin Rapids // 7:15pm

Logan Boys Basketball @ Mauston // 7:00pm

Logan Girls Basketball @ Aquinas // 7:15pm

Onalaska Boys Basketball vs. Caledonia // 7:15pm

Aquinas Boys Basketball vs. La Crescent // 7:15pm

Central Boys Basketball @ Sauk Prairie // 7:15pm

Winona Boys Hockey vs. Black River Falls // 7:00pm

La Crescent Boys Hockey vs. Red Wing // 7:00pm

12/13

Winona Boys Hockey @ Albert Lea // 7:30pm

West Salem Girls Basketball vs. Arcadia // 7:00pm

Onalaska Girls Basketball @ Chippewa Falls // 7:15pm

La Crescent Girls Basketball @ Rushford // 7:15pm

La Crescent Boys Basketball vs. Rushford // 7:15pm

Winona Boys Basketball vs. Albert Lea // 7:30pm

12/14

Holmen Girls Basketball vs. Aquinas // 3:00pm

🎶🎤 Live Music

Here’s our summary of live music events in and around La Crosse. Having something to add to this list? Email us!

12/12

5:30pm // The Hatchery // Maddie & Kenny

12/13

5:00pm // Grounded Patio Cafe // Cody James

7:00pm // Brick Sip Haus (Tomah) // Rich Plinski

8:00pm // Popcorn Tavern // Dave Rogers & The Tone Benders

12/14

9:00am // Affogato Lane Coffee // Dan Modaff

1:00pm // Dewey’s Side Street Saloon // Open Jam (All Welcome)

1:30pm // Trinity Lutheran Church // The Da Capo Band

2:00pm // Track II // Cousins K&J

4:00pm // Alpine Inn // Thrill on the Hill

8:00pm // Genzie’s Gameday Pub // Brianna Rae Band

9:00pm // Popcorn Tavern // ZAMMEK, Abadden’s End, Candy Sweet

12/15

4:00pm // The Root Note // Sunset Sound by Joe Westerlund, Trever Hagen, Sarah Elstran

12/16

12/17

12/18

5:00pm // Grounded Patio Cafe // Julie B

12/19

8:00am // The Root Note // LAX Jazz Society

10:00am // Holmen Area Community Center // The Grumpy Old Men Big Band

12/20

6:00pm // Hatchery Lounge // Bryce Thomaschefsky Trio

7:00pm // Little Bird Plants (Viroqua) // Loosey Stone

9:00pm // Popcorn Tavern // Texas Toast

12/21

1:00pm // Dewey’s Side Street Saloon // Open Jam

6:30pm // The Freighthouse Restaurant // Saner & Gibbons

10:00pm // Popcorn Tavern // A Nightmarishly Good Time

Yesterday, we surpassed 500 subscribers 🎉

I just want to say thank you ❤️

I’m having a lot of fun! I hope you are, too.

Carpe diem, my friends. Be kind, affect change, and savor every moment. The Coulee Region would not be the same without you.

🙌

Interested in collaborating or participating in one of our segments or sponsored placements?

I would ❤️ to hear from you.

[email protected]