Solo Reunion

Verona, Wisconsin, April 2014. Mourning Doves usually arrive in pairs.

Lithuanians—like most Eastern Europeans—like to go picking.

Door County, Wisconsin, August 1977. Gigi helps Mom pick the thimbleberries.

(Thimbleberries are quite invasive.)

"Tiny Hamsters Eating Tiny Burritos."

I can't resist a hamster:

Greeting the Bishop

Camp Aušra (later Camp Kretinga), Wasaga Beach, Ontario, Canada, Summer 1959. The Roman Catholic Bishop visits the Lithuanian summer camp. My Toronto Cousin remembers that everyone was very excited about the honor. My Dad's twin sister—and my Toronto Cousin's Mother—Jonė stand on the left, wearing the white dress.

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

Rainy Reunion

Venice, Italy, November 1983. That's how things are supposed to look at this time of year.

Related by Marriage: Coffee Service

Marquette Park, Chicago, Illinois, January 1958. Some guests at the wedding of Mr. Irene's Parents aren't waiting for the coffee.

"When you say 'photocopying machine,' what do you mean?"

A dramatization of a deposition.

Together on the Same Day

Probably Canada, 1951 or 1952. Here again are Toronto Al's Parents, Vladas and Lea, with my friend Ron's Mom.

A rose in Venice ...

... blooms in the Piazza San Marco.

Lift

Lake Nipissing, Ontario, Canada, 1965. Mom presents a treat to our cottage's chipmunk.

Sunny days are better for the spirits.

Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 1959. My Dad's twin sister, Jonė, appreciates the nice weather.

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

Vatican Visit, 1983

Vatican City, October 1983. Preparations are underway in St. Peter's Square for the beatification ceremony of three Roman Catholics.

(This photo is from my first trip to Vatican City.)

ADDED: Blogger tells me this post is number 4444!

Poodle Visit, Today

Our beloved dog breeders stopped by today to check in on their three "offspring." Here is how the doggies greeted our guests:

Verona, Wisconsin, April 27, 2014. Rex is the "designated barker."

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We also invited our friends because my Mom knitted sweaters for them:

Verona, Wisconsin, April 27, 2014. It takes about 160 hours to knit one sweater in this gauge.

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Verona, Wisconsin, April 27, 2014. The pattern is "Duxbury Point" from Simply Shetland 4.

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Verona, Wisconsin, April 27, 2014. The beige yarn is Debbie Bliss "Baby Cashmerino" (Shade 064, "Mink"), and the blue yarn is Blackberry Ridge Woolen Mill "Mer-Made" Merino Fingering Weight (Shade "Denim").

Papal Visit, 1979

Today's canonization reminded us of Pope John Paul II's visit to Chicago in October, 1979. Mr. Irene and some of his college friends took the "El" down from Evanston to see the Pope celebrate Mass in Grant Park. Here are three images from that day:

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Chicago, Illinois, October 5, 1979. My Dad did not go downtown for the Mass, but he snapped a few photographs of the images on the television. (For two other occasions on which Dad photographed the television screen, see here and here.)

Lilac Reunion

Suburban Chicago, May 1965. The backyard lilacs will bloom soon.

Not Alone

Cape Cod, Massachusetts, July 1963. Dad's not far away.

Related by Marriage: Bedside

Near Panevėžys, Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic, about 1959. I wrote earlier (here and here) about the habit of recording illness. This is Mr. Irene's paternal Grandmother, Veronica.

Northern Europe's first "cat café" ...

... opens in Vilnius.

I visit the Uffizi

Florence, Italy, May 1984. This morning's Uffizi post reminded me of my visit to Florence. I didn't find the city charming. There were more tourists than in Venice. The historical sites stood in a tight area that made the city center seem like an amusement park. The place was claustrophobic. I also had some trouble understanding the Florentine dialect, which softens the "c" sounds: "Casa" becomes "hasa," for example.

Florence is the city in which I encountered my first "ugly American." As I sat sipping a macchiato, a woman exclaimed to her husband, "Why can't these Italians make a decent cup of coffee?!"

Another Protest

Chicago Loop, December 1970. Here's one of the last images I have of the Simas Kudirka protest.

A march against Russian aggression will take place this Sunday, April 27, 2014, in Chicago.

Depict the Mayor "as the star he really is."

"Emails show Emanuel aides, producers coordinated CNN 'Chicagoland' scenes."

At the Office

Florence, Italy, 1951. My Best Friend's Dad, Dolfo, visits the Uffizi.

Thanks to my Best Friend for making this photo available to us.

"Leave your name 'cause she don't wanna miss your call."

Steven Tyler on "The Tonight Show With Starring Jimmy Fallon:"

Grazing

Glacier National Park, Montana, July 1970. A print of this image hung on my wall for many years.

Appreciation

New York, New York, 1952. Dad's mastery of the English language improves. This must have been a workplace outing because Mom does not remember the event.

Exchanging Portraits (Part 23)

Kaunas, Lithuania, January 29, 1940. A friend gives Mom another "senior portrait."

"Buttmunchies Yarnbomb"

I don't think much of "yarnbombing," but I liked this incident.

Hungry Reunion

Suburban Chicago, Spring 1966. A group of peeps have nested in our driveway evergreen.

A Big Coat

Suburban Chicago, April 1960. Dad shows me how to explore the backyard.

"By another account, a UW-Madison police officer recently noticed a fox crossing University Avenue, a chicken in its mouth."

Watch your coops! The campus foxes are adorable, but they're also hunters.

"Foxes among Badgers." Awww:

A fox meets a real badger: 

The menfolk appreciate the tulips, too.

 
Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 1949 or 1950. Kadis—the husband of my Dad's twin sister, Jonė—and others join the women in the enjoyment of the tulips.

"A 'WTF' article that made me think of you!"

That's what a friend wrote when she sent me the link to a story about a woman who knit a boyfriend for herself.

 

Also in the news: knitting as a health ritual.

Canadian Dollscape

Toronto, Ontario, Canada, January 1959. My Toronto Cousin also preserved a memory of her dolls. The chimp looks like one of those Soviet plastic-faced dolls; I wonder if someone sent it to my Toronto Cousin as a gift.

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

Eating our way through Austria.

Vienna, Austria, July 1971. Food was a highlight of our European vacation; we didn't skip a meal.

Mom and I wear two of the polyester dresses we sewed for the trip. That's Hofburg Palace in the background.

Related by Marriage: The Men in the Party

Chicago, Illinois, November 23, 1949. Mr. Irene's Dad—on the left—again stands up in a friend's wedding. The groom is the fellow wearing the white bow tie.

Trio

Verona, Wisconsin, April 2014. They're not looking for cover.

A damaged image is still a keepsake.

Kaunas, Lithuania, 1944. My Mom and her friend didn't know that this would be their last Spring in Lithuania.

Bring some toys to amuse the baby.

 Near Vilnius, Lithuania, about 1928. Suzanne—on the left—joins her Parents, Sister, and Nephew. (The wheeled cat toy reminds me of the wooden horse.)

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

Our Easter Table

 
Here's the holiday table (the food is still in the oven). The Margučiai are wooden: most are Lithuanian, but three are from Ukraine.

(Thanks again for the flowers!)

The work is finished.

Suburban Chicago, January 1969. My paternal Grandmother, Tatjana, stands in her workspace.

Happy Easter

Suburban Chicago, April 14, 1963. Are you wearing your finest today?

Peek-a-boo Peep

Glacier National Park, Montana, July 1968. Someone's waiting for Mom to return.

Related by Marriage: Don't worry about the basket.

Marquette Park, Chicago, Illinois, Easter, April 1961. Mr. Irene's maternal Grandfather, Stanley, distracts Mr. Irene from his focus on the Easter basket.

Easter Manners: You're not too old to color eggs.

Suburban Chicago, March 1970. My egg-lifting skills improved every year.

John Barleycorn dies.

John Barleycorn was my favorite "spot" when I was in college. I often met a friend there after the friend got off work—at 11:00 pm.

Late-Afternoon Visitor

Verona, Wisconsin, April 2014. It's starting to look like Spring.

Tatjana prepares for Easter.

Suburban Chicago, April 15 or 16, 1960. My paternal Grandmother, Tatjana, keeps an eye on me while she works.

Exchanging Portraits (Part 22)

Kaunas, Lithuania, January 29, 1940. A friend gives Mom another "senior portrait."

Stormy Reunion

Glacier National Park, Montana, July 1966. This was Dad's favorite Glacier photo.

General Manners: Be firm.

Suburban Chicago, November 1971. It's dinner time, and Gigi is mooching again.

Resizing Liechtenstein

The country is getting smaller. We visited the principality during our 1971 tour of Europe's German-speaking countries.

The two-day stop in Liechtenstein was memorable for one incident. We stayed at a 1960s-style motor inn. The one-story structure looked out onto a valley, and the room doors opened directly to the outside. My Dad awoke early one morning, and he stepped outside to take some photographs. As he returned to the room, he found it peculiar that a little dog followed him through the door. Once inside the bedroom, Dad realized that he'd stepped into other guests' quarters. The couple had let their dog out for its morning business, left the door unlocked, and were in the midst of enjoying their privacy when Dad walked in on them.

Vaduz Castle, Liechtenstein, July 1971. The castle is one of the few sites in Liechtenstein. It's not open for tours, however, because it still serves as the prince's residence.

"You don’t think Venice is so modern until you try to make it look like it was 700 years ago."

Filming Marco Polo.

ADDED: Here's Marco Polo's Venetian home:

Venice, Italy, April 1984. Okay, that looks 700 years old.

Daffodil Season

Toronto, Ontario, Canada, April 1961. My Dad's twin sister, Jonė, and her daughter—my Toronto Cousin—are at the park.

Occasional Hikers

Glacier National Park, Montana, July 1966. We're on another guided hike; the destination likely is Iceberg Lake.

Spring Scene

Suburban Chicago, May 1976. Keep an eye on your chicks.

We're missing a captain.

Lake Nipissing, Ontario, Canada, July 1964. I'm anxious to go fishing with my paternal Grandmother, Tatjana, during her visit to the lake.

"Isn't he nice?"

My Best Friend's maternal Aunt, Mame, met her husband Gino while she traveled in Genoa, Italy. Mame thought Gino's brother, Dolfo, would be a match for one of her sisters, Louise. Mame sent this 1950 photo of herself and Dolfo to Louise. The two stand in front of the Piazza della Vittoria.
 

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Louise later married Dolfo. The couple sailed to the United States on the Andrea Doria. Louise and Dolfo settled in a home situated about three blocks from the house Mame and Gino bought.

Thanks to Louise and Dolfo's daughter—my Best Friend—for making this photo available to us.