Posts tagged family

Thief of Words and Music

As kids, the stories our parents and other relatives tell us about their lives often bore us. It’s only later that we come to value them. Writer Anthony Bukoski  tells us how he reconnected with his father.

Anthony Bukoski is the author of several books, including Time Between Trains and North of the Port.

Bad Santa:

Gift giving often inspires noble intentions if less successful results. Writer David McGlynn tells us about his family’s gift giving history and how sometimes the best gift is the one you didn’t expect.

David McGlynn is the author of A Door in the Ocean and The End of the Straight and Narrow. He teaches at Lawrence University.

Family Reunions:

Summertime is reunion time for many families as far-flung aunts, uncles, and cousins use their vacation to reconnect. Commentator John Hildebrand tells us about his summers at Delavan Lake.

John Hildebrand teaches English at the UW-Eau Claire and is the author of three books, including A Northern Front.

Image courtesy of the Wisconsin Historical Society, Image #88621.

Trout Season:

Father’s Day is this weekend. Writer Susan Lampert Smith reminisces about her father and a 65 year tradition marking the opening of trout season.

Susan Lampert Smith is a science writer with the UW-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health.

Big Mama:

Mother’s Day: Commentator Cynthia Woodland remembers the woman she calls “the last of the big mamas” — the matriarch of her family.

Cynthia Woodland is a producer and commentator for Wisconsin Life.

Mother’s Day at Horicon Marsh:

Mother’s Day is coming up this weekend. Every year, poet Kim Blaeser and her family celebrate by spending a day outdoors. Blaeser tells us how their annual trek allows her to connect with the earth and her memories.

Kim Blaeser teaches creative writing and Native American literature at the University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee. She is the author of three books of poetry, including Apprenticed to Justice.

Food Pantry:

With the holiday giving season over, donations to area food pantries are dropping off - making life harder for folks who are already struggling. That weekly bag of free groceries can make all the difference – especially in this economy. Today, we visit a food pantry run by the Middleton Outreach Ministry, and meet one of their customers.

The Big One:

Musky season is here and many Wisconsin anglers are obsessed with catching the big one. With its dorsal fin, needle-sharp teeth and impressive size, the musky is Wisconsin’s very own Moby Dick. This fishing season, commentator Michael Fedo is hoping to complete a family quest.

Commentator Michael Fedo is the author of several books including A Sawdust Heart, The Lynchings in Duluth, and The Man from Lake Wobegon.