Tag Archives: mother

Bath Time

Posted on September 23, 2023 by Callen Harty

There is something elementally satisfying about taking a bath. On most days, I take a shower, following a regular routine to wash my hair, clean my body, dry off, and get dressed. Once in a while, though, I feel like … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged ambient light, ancestors, bath, bathtub, Both Sides Now, breathing, candles, classical music, comfort, familiarity, fire starter, Joni Mitchell, mother, pond, protection, relaxation, safety, shower, stream, symphony, water, waterfall, womb | Leave a comment

On Dying and Living

Posted on May 29, 2023 by Callen Harty

Let’s start with the basics. You need death to come into your life to know about mortality. Once you accept your own mortality, then you understand you are dying. And with the knowledge of your own movement toward your final … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged ability, adventures, alcoholism, alive, anxious, assured, being, bills, brother, cancer, car wrecks, childhood sexual abuse, choice, colon cancer, create, creation, crochet, death, deathbed, depression, dollars, Dr. Garland, dust, emotions, energy, escape, everlasting, existence, experience, father, fear, fearless, feel, gift, grandparents, grave, hate, heart attack, Heaven, here and now, human, illnesses, immortal, joy, life, light, living, llife, love, memories, meningitis, mentor, millionaire, miracle, moment, mortality, mother, mumps, negative, nutrients, old, plane, postive, realization, regrets, reincarnated, scared, scarlet fever, sleep, suicide, survivor, television, things, think, thriving, time, toddler, tomorrow, transforms, universe, vacation, Vietnam, wealth, weekend, wheelchairs, will to live | Leave a comment

The Agony of Aging

Posted on January 9, 2020 by Callen Harty

While I don’t really feel all that old, I am keenly aware that I am aging. I could still live for several more decades, but maybe not. I’m in my 60s now and have had several heart issues. … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged acquaintance, acquaintances, aging, Brendan Hartmann, Donato Deshmukh, dust, energy, family, friends, good times, hearing, heart, heart issues, Jim Green, Joe Johnson, journey, joys, Lars Prip, laughter, live, lonelier, loss, love, memories, Mom, mortality, mother, sight, smile, sorrows, soul, younger | Leave a comment

Decade

Posted on December 31, 2019 by Callen Harty

As 2019 comes to an end, it seems like a good time to look back at the last decade. While mathematically, the new decade doesn’t start until next January, it is the start of the 2020s and many, if not … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged 2019, 2020, A Room of One's Own, Ann Arbor, anti-Nazi, Arcadia Books, Art & Soul Innovations, Artistic Director, artists, B-52s, Backyard Hero, Benton Harbor, Black lives matter, blog posts, Board of Directors, Brian WIld, Bristlecone Project, Broom Street Theater, Cable, California, Cher, Chicago, child sex abuse, Christmas, community, Community Shares of Wisconsin, concerts, Courage Award, Cyndi Lauper, Dan Levin, death, decade, defibrillator, dementia, Dennis DeYoung, documentary, Donal Clancy, Downtown Madison, Dylan Doyle, Eau Claire, Facebook, Filthy Director, Fitz & the Tantrums, gay rights, Green Bay, Holly Near, Hollywood, ice caves, Invisble Boy, Jake Miller, KC & the Sunshine Band, Keshena, Lake Amnicon, Lake Superior, lighthouse, Lisa Lampanelli, Loretta Lynn, Los Lobos, Madison, male sexual assault, MaleSurivor, Maroon 5, Matt Nathanson, Menominie, mentor, Milwaukee Brewers, Milwaukee Pride, Monona Lakeside Neighbors, mother, Naked Eyes, nature center, Newark, Night Ranger, Oak Creek, Omaha, OutReach, Ozarks, Panic at the Disco, Paths to Healing, peace, Perfect Harmony, Peter Frampton, Plain White T's, political rallies, positive, protests, Proud Theater, R. J. Helton, rallies, Rodney Atkins, Roger Waters, Romantics, Rory Makem, San Antonio, Sandra Bernhard, Sikh temple shooting, Solidarity Sing Along, Solidarity with Child Abuse Victims/Survivors, Spring Green, St. Louis, State Street, submarine, survivor, tall ship, Tampa, Tim McIlrath, Tom Morello, travel, Two Harbors, Underserved Populations work group, ventricular tachycardia, vigils, Vilas County, Wabasha, Walker regime, Washington DC, Wayne Kramer, WCASA, We Shall Overcome, Wil-Mar Neighborhood Center, Wisconsin, Wisconsin Capitol, Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault, Wisconsin Public Radio, Your Wisconsin Authors | Leave a comment

A Haircut

Posted on November 1, 2017 by Callen Harty

Tonight I got my hair cut and it triggered a rush of memories and good feelings. Perhaps it had never occurred to me before that triggers can be good as well as bad. The sound of the clippers and the … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged animals, artwork, barber chair, barbershop, Batman, camping, cars, clippers, comic books, Elongated Man, father, father/son dinner, fishing, Ford Thunderbird, forest, gas stations, haircut, hammer, hunting, Lake Namekagon, Lake Owen, Library, loyalty, memories, men, Methodist Church, mother, mother nature, nature, pegboards, saw, scissors, sea monkeys, sports, spy glasses, stock cars, Superman, toolbox, tools, triggers, weding, Wisconsin, women | Leave a comment

Without Memories

Posted on May 9, 2017 by Callen Harty

There was one recurring dream that I had when I was a child. I would be standing just outside the side door of our house where there were a number of steps leading up the hill to the door. Looking down … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged army, Chuck Harty, dad, die, dream, father, forever young, heart attack, Heaven, love, memories, mortality, mother, photographs, Savanna Army Depot, single-parent household, sister, soldiers, stories | Leave a comment

Christmas Reflection

Posted on December 9, 2016 by Callen Harty

Last night as I was driving home under the stars on tops of evergreen trees and past lights behind frosty windows I thought of my mother and I cried. She is old now, bedridden and infirm, somehow staying alive when … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged adults, Benton, children, Christmas, country, Darlington, downtown, Dubuque, food, friends, Hanover, holidays, ice cream, Illinois, Irish, laughter, life, light, lights, love, Madison, memories, Mom, Monroe, mother, relatives, Scrabble, shopping, single mother, stubbornness, tears, trees, Yahtzee | 1 Comment

Heroes

Posted on December 3, 2016 by Callen Harty

On Friday I was invited to speak at a performance of Are We Delicious?/Musical Heroes. The company had invited audience members to nominate “local heroes” and then invited four to speak between pieces at the event. This is what … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Are We Delicious?, art, Black lives matter, Brian WIld, child sex abuse, compassion, Harry Hay, heroes, humanity, Joel Gersmann, love, mission, mother, Paul Wellstone, peace acivist, queer activist, Standing Rock, water protectors | Leave a comment

A poem for my mother

Posted on May 7, 2016 by Callen Harty

I always bring my camera because I never know which visit will be my last. I greet you and casually mention I am your son, just so you know. Words tumble from your tongue trying to find a place to … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged dying, mother, silence, son, words | 1 Comment

To Mom on Your 90th Birthday

Posted on February 18, 2015 by Callen Harty

You were born in 1925. February 19, 1925 and you came into this world as the youngest of nine children. And now, it is 2015. It is nine decades later. It is ninety years later and you are still smiling and … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Afghanistan, Cold War, compassion, empathy, generosity, Great Depression, Happy Birthday, Iraq, justice, Korea, laugh, laughter, love, Mom, moral compass, mother, ninety years, smile, Vietnam, World War II | 2 Comments

Maybe the Best Christmas Present Ever

Posted on December 26, 2014 by Callen Harty

Even as a little boy Christmas for me was never mostly about the gifts and the commercialism that mark the season in this country. As a child in a strict Irish-Catholic family it was about the celebration of the birth … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged A Family Matter: A Parents' Guide to Homosexuality, Amish, Aunt Avene, blessing, Brian WIld, Christmas, Christmas Eve, come out, Currier & Ives, dementia, driftless area, engaged, family, gay rights, Happy New Year, holiday, hometown, homosexuality, honesty, humor, Ireland, Irish, Irish-Catholic, Jesus, justice, Madison, Merry Christmas, Mom, mother, pierced ear, Platteville, political statement, potato famine, Santa Claus, Shullsburg, sprituality, Wisconsin, Yahtzee | 2 Comments

From Dreams

Posted on December 11, 2014 by Callen Harty

Yesterday morning I woke up from a hard dream and it stayed with me all day long. In the dream I was at work when my cell phone rang. It was my sister calling and all she said was “She’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged birthday, Christmas, dream, family, Hospice, last rites, love, mother, premonition, sister, sleep | 1 Comment