Questions & Answers from:

Adam Borger (AB) – Pipe Sergeant, Quartermaster

Greg Bruno (GB) – Piper

Kevin Hendryx (KH) – Piper

Every artist has antecedents. The very best of artists understand that a ruthless search for absolute originality will be fruitless. Viewers need a touchstone, a place of entry to begin the dialogue that any successful work of art provokes. “Great artists steal” has become a clichéd notion often ascribed to Picasso or, in modified form, to T. S. Eliot. Conversely, weaker artists often fail to do little more than imitate their betters. But once in a great while, an artist emerges who presents us with a gift of magisterial synthesis. An artist who understands and lives in their present while creating an alchemy of past artistic realizations coupled with a totally modern sensibility.

When discussing the environment in our state, everything ends up feeling like a call to arms or an us versus them. It’s easy to feel that those who don’t agree with you on everything won’t stand with you for anything. But when the rhetoric of politicians with cheddar-stained pockets is ignored and good-faith ecological studies are upheld, even the most disillusioned skeptic finds allies across the aisle.

Have you ever heard the bleating skirl of Great Highland bagpipes and thought about your love for Jamaica? No? What about Paris? Madison? In fairness, if you answered yes to any of these, you might need to get out more or maybe watch Highlander. Or you might be familiar with Madison Pipes & Drums, but, I mean, come on, Scotland—right? Ignoring that the origin of using a bag to push air through a reed to make music might go back as far as ancient Greece, few instruments capture a sense of place as well as the bagpipes.

Great Latin soul food is inspired and comes from the heart. According to Mango Man Chef Thony Clarke, owner of Café Costa Rica, “The best thing a creative has ever created is what has not been made yet. If you are an artist, chef, or musician at the top of your game, you can’t get too comfortable because then you’re not creating anymore.”

“At the end of the last year of culinary school, I was serving tables part-time, and I was at home with our new daughter. Then the owner of the restaurant I was working at came to me and was like, ‘I got you scheduled at 11:00 on Sunday for Mother’s Day.’

The great outdoors is great for a reason. According to Yale Environment 360, not only can nature lower blood pressure and reduce stress and anxiety levels, it can also enhance our immune systems, increase our self-esteem, and improve our mood. A study by the University of Exeter found that, as long as people feel safe, only two hours of time in green spaces per week can foster a stronger sense of well-being.

It’s my wish for spring to bring to all of us hope, peace, and kindness toward one another. I welcome it and you.

Wisconsin is truly a world-class destination for those who love a good bike ride, whether they’re just off training wheels or on their way to the Tour de France. It isn’t an accident that we’ve come to be known for biking. It’s actually tied to our unique history as the dairy state.

What runs 41.9 miles through Dane County offering scenic views, a traipse through a golf course, a trail through stunning prairies, and a good look at some glacial kettles?