The Smaller Parts

Glacier National Park, Montana, July 1966. Flowers make up bear grass.

Our Amusing Visitor

Lake Nipissing, Ontario, Canada, July 1964. Our cottage's Čipūlis picks up some peanuts.

Related by Marriage: Happy Training

Near Fort Knox, Kentucky, 1950. Ignas, the older brother of Mr. Irene's Dad, enjoys an activity during his basic training.

An Animal in Every Shot

Evanston, Illinois, October 1979. That cat enjoyed sitting in my favorite chair.

Sunday Lakeshore

Door County, Wisconsin, July 1979. The family of my friend Kris—her Dad Vytenis, one of the Heidis, her maternal Grandfather, and her Mom Donna—visit my Parents.

Sunday, with Poodle

Rockford, Illinois, September 1962. The Rockford Poodle naps on her owner's lap. (Here's another photo from the same visit.)

Keep Moving, in Three Takes

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Verona, Wisconsin, March 2014. A quick run brings them closer to their destination.

Savoring a treat.

We rarely had "junk food" available at our house. Soda was on hand only when we entertained: Dad used 50/50 or Canada Dry Ginger Ale to mix high balls. Potato chips appeared only during birthday parties. I so envied classmates who had little bags of Fritos and Jay's Potato Chips tucked in their lunchboxes. The absence of "junk food" didn't arise from a focus on healthy eating. After all, Tatjana often cooked with instant soup and Jell-O. I think we didn't keep "junk food" in the house because that was the type of food Americans, not Lithuanians, ate.

 
Mom occasionally accommodated my taste for American-style snacks. She sometimes let me select a "$100,000 Bar" or a Slo Poke during our Thursday trips to the grocery store. She also occasionally indulged my favorite after-school snack: a glass of Hawaiian Punch and a bowl of deli-counter potato salad.

Suburban Chicago, March 1964 . I'm watching television in the Rec Room as I sip a treat. I'm drinking from one of those tumblers from the Jewel Food Store.

Exchanging Portraits (Part 19)

Lithuania, 1936. This is the mother and sister of Kadis, the husband of my Dad's twin sister, Jonė.

Thanks to my Toronto Cousin for making this photo available to us.

Family Swim

Door County, Wisconsin, July 1981. It's nice when everyone is moving in the same direction.

The Easter Granny

Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Spring 1957. My Toronto Cousin explained that the woman standing behind her is the "Velykinė Babūnė," or "Easter Granny." I recognize the Babūnė's folk costume as one worn by older women, but I've never before heard of the Velykinė Babūnė. Only the rabbit visited our house.

Demanding Attention

Glacier National Park, Montana, July 1966. Mom captures Dad setting up another shot, and I demonstrate why it took a lot of patience to be around me.

Slipper Set

Door County, Wisconsin, July 1983. They have soft pads.

Let's take a snapshot for Tatjana.

Kaunas, Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic, June 1958. Friends of my paternal Grandmother, Tatjana, send her a "We miss you" photo.

Don't miss the view.

Niagara Falls, about 1950. Toronto Al's Dad, Vladas, and Toronto Al's Mom, Lea, visits the falls.

Thanks to Toronto Al for making this photo available to us.

Flower Wreath

Door County, Wisconsin, July 1978. It's the perfect trap.

A Ride with Dad

Rocky Mountain National Park, July 1967. I'm tentative because I'm on a horse that is new to me. This ride likely occurred after I fell off of Tiny.

Related by Marriage: A New Blazer

Marquette Park, Chicago, Illinois, Spring 1961. Mr. Irene's maternal Grandfather, Stanley, admires Mr. Irene's Easter outfit.

Spring in the City

Chicago, Illinois, April 2007. The city never looked this nice when I was a kid.

Let's check out the yard.

Suburban Chicago, June 1959. There's no fence in the backyard yet, but I won't run off if Dad carries me.

A Break from the Drive

Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Summer 1962. My Dad's twin sister Jonė, Dad's paternal Aunt Victoria, and my paternal Grandmother Tatjana visit Dad and Jonė's cousins at their summer place.

Thanks to my Toronto Cousin for making this photo available to us.

Looking Back

Verona, Wisconsin, February 2014. It may look like this again in the morning.

Looking Ahead

Suburban Chicago, May 1961. Mom and Dad are in the backyard; they stand next to one of the Weeping Willows.

(Here's a color photo that shows Mom's skirt.)

Related by Marriage: Early Spring

Chicago, Illinois, 1959. It's still not warm enough to put away that winter coat.

Roofing

Door County, Wisconsin, July 1980. There's no hurry to tear down the barn.

Early-Spring Woods

Near Kaunas, Lithuania, about 1940. Two friends accompany Dad on a walk in a Lithuanian forest.

Thanksgiving Socializing

Rockford, Illinois, November 1960. We've driven west to visit the Rockford friends.

"'We are non-citizens. They called us occupiers, but now they turn out [to be] occupiers themselves. This is Russia's land'."

Ethnic Russians living in the Baltic States speak out.

Flash

Brookfield Zoo, March 1966. It's a Marmoset.

Solitude

 
Lake Nipissing, Ontario, Canada, July 1964. I'm fishing at our rental cottage's dock.

Grab a Book: Smile-for-the-Selfie Edition

Door County, Wisconsin, February 1979. Dad sometimes preferred a serious expression.

Slow Melt

Glacier National Park, Montana, July 1966. It lingers longer in some places than in others.

A Visit from Mikey

Suburban Chicago, April 1961. Mikey—the Poodle that belonged to our neighbors—is in our yard.

Weekenders

Toronto, Ontario, Canada, about 1956. Toronto Al and his Dad, Vladas, share some time together.

Thanks to Toronto Al for making this photo available to us.

Unraveling ...

… designer sweaters.

Tail End

Verona, Wisconsin, March 2014. They're on their way to the next yard.

Related by Marriage: Army Buddies (Part 23)

Camp Irwin, Barstow, California, 1952. In this "Army Buddies" snapshot, Mr. Irene’s Dad takes a desert break.

Welcome, Spring

Toronto, Ontario, 1949 or 1950. My Dad's twin sister, Jonė, and her friend say, "Ka Bloom!"

Dusk Reunion

Verona, Wisconsin, March 2014. We're focused on the east.

Closer

Toronto, Ontario, Canada, January 1959. My Toronto Cousin has an admirer.

Thanks to my Toronto Cousin for making this photo available to us.

Eyes on Estonia

"Russia signaled concern on Wednesday at Estonia's treatment of its large ethnic Russian minority, comparing language policy in the Baltic state with what it said was a call in Ukraine to prevent the use of Russian."

See also here.

Feeling Lucky

Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, July 1967. I felt charmed when I found the horseshoe.

"Cancer patients relieved that they can get insurance coverage because of the new health care law may be disappointed to learn that some the nation's best cancer hospitals are off-limits."

"'What we learned was that people are willing to make trade-offs in order to have access to affordable health care,' the company said. 'Our provider networks reflect this.'"

Old-World Charm

Kaunas, Lithuania, August 2011. My Toronto Cousin visits our families' home town.

Thanks to my Toronto Cousin for making this photo available to us.

Soundtrack

Vilnius, Lithuania, March 18. 2014. The United States Embassy in Vilnius has posted this footage of Vice President Biden arriving in Lithuania.

Spring nears.

 

Suburban Chicago, June 1965. My paternal Grandmother, Tatjana, likes the background.

Exchanging Portraits (Part 18)

Kaunas, Lithuania, about 1936. Here's Suzanne at around the time her daughter, Kaunas Nina, was a little girl.

Thanks to Suzanne's Granddaughter—my Kaunas Cousin—for making this photo available to us.

Late Afternoon

Verona, Wisconsin, February 2014. She's stepping out early.

Late-Winter Promenade

Suburban Chicago, March 1959. Mom and Dad air out the baby.

Spring Dresses

Kaunas, Lithuania, 1940. My Dad's twin sister, Jonė, and her friend are in the garden.

Thanks to my Toronto Cousin for making this photo available to us.

Watching Days

 
Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin, January 1990. We came to watch the Bald Eagles.