Tasty

Lake Nipissing, Ontario, Canada, July 1964. Čipūlis eats the peanut now; he's saved more for later.

Patience

Copper Falls State Park, Mellen, Wisconsin, July 1962. This is a great spot for skipping stones.

Related by Marriage: Sunday Relaxation

Chicago, Illinois, June 1959. Mr. Irene and his maternal Grandmother, Anna, picnic at the Forest Preserve.

Risky Reunion

Port des Morts Park, Door County, Wisconsin, August 28, 1994. There are no railings here.

There's a price for that.

Suburban Chicago, 1964. I record my memory of the Lake Nipissing chipmunk.

A Closer Look (Part 36)

Bridgeport, Chicago, Illinois, 1924. This is Mr. Irene's maternal Aunt, Martha, at the wake of her sister.

Here's the original post.

Earlier-Spring Reunion

Verona, Wisconsin, May 11, 2105. We sure do miss the crane family.

Recognizable

Kaunas, Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic, 1961. My paternal Grandmother Tatjana's friend wrote, "Do you recognize the fabric?" We sent fabrics to relatives living behind the Iron Curtain.

Second Grade

Suburban Chicago, 1965. That's Sister Margo. She was my favorite grade-school teacher. During one recess period, a group of children persisted in teasing me. Sister Margo walked across the parking lot and hugged me. I remember wiping my tears in her dark-brown habit.

There were 45 children in that classroom.

Yarn-Crawl Reunion

Brookfield, Wisconsin, May 2015. Here's a tidy place.

Riding Up

 Jungfrau region, Switzerland, July 1971. Mom filmed our train ride up to the Jungfrau.

Graduation Stage

Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, June 1980. Who was the speaker at your graduation? The speaker at our graduation was Abner Mikva.

In the Woods

Port des Morts Park, Door County, Wisconsin, August 28, 1994. This is the spot to view Death's Door: the waterway, not the vodka.

Related by Marriage: Passing

Near Panevėžys, Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic, July 27, 1951. Mr. Irene's paternal Grandmother, Veronica, and Veronica's youngest son Stacey mourn the loss of Mr. Irene's paternal Grandfather.

Read here for more about the tradition of photographing funerals.

Skeletal Crochet

"Fabricated nostalgia."

"Architectural Crochet"

Hello, Dolly.

"I'm interesting, too."

Verona, Wisconsin, May 14, 2015. That's what the turkey vulture said.

The Life Box (Part 19)

It's been a while since I did a "Life Box" post.

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Suburban Chicago, 1963. Here's a memento from my Grandmother's French-language lessons.

(We used to sing "Frère Baci" to that lullaby melody when Baci was a puppy.)

Little Graduates

Melrose Park, Illinois, May 1964. I'm fourth from left in the third row (I am the only child wearing glasses). Father Stanley is the taller priest on the left. We've assembled in Marian Hall.

Who's visiting the yard now.

Verona, Wisconsin, May 11, 2015. This fellow is the most interesting thing we've seen since the crane family left.

Graduation Day, in Three Takes

New Haven, Connecticut, May 25, 1987. These seats are reserved for the graduates.

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New Haven, Connecticut, May 25, 1987. There's Mr. Irene!

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New Haven, Connecticut, May 25, 1987. Even Aunt Martha had fun at the graduation picnic.

Memorial Day

The older brother of a grade-school classmate died in Vietnam. Our school cancelled classes the day of his funeral, and all the students attended the funeral mass.

Today I remember him.

ADDED:

Springfield, Illinois, 2012. Here's Dwight's Mom visiting the Illinois Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

Thanks to Dwight's sister for making this photo available to me.

Thoughtful Reunion

Madison, Wisconsin, September 3, 1994. Pupa contemplates her new surroundings.

The Ashley

My Best Friend grew up in the "Ashley" model of homes in our subdivision.

My Best Friend and I once had a sale in that garage.

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"[G]rease proof asphalt tile." The tile in our kitchen—and in my Best Friend's kitchen—was pink.

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Hmm. I thought the upstairs bath had a double sink.

Thanks to my friend Mary for sending this document to me.

Exchanging Portraits (Part 47)

Probably Schweinfurt, Germany, about 1946. This was one of my Dad's friends.

Quiet-Side Reunion

Door County, Wisconsin, August 28, 1994. Door County folk refer to the Lake-Michigan shoreline as the "Quiet Side." The Green-Bay side of the peninsula is where most tourists cluster.

I took this photo at the old town park at Europe Bay. It's one of my favorite spots.

Holiday Weekend

Suburban Chicago, May 1970. I earlier posted photos from this afternoon here and here.

A Closer Look (Part 35)

Mariampolis, Lithuania, 1927. This is my Great-Grandmother Zigmunta. Although she married a clever and curious man, Zigmunta remained unhappy. After the war, Zigmunta lived with her daughter, Dora, in the house my Mom's parents had built.

Here's the original post.

May Blooms

University of Wisconsin—Madison, May 2013. The Lilacs bloomed later that year.

"Ticket Nunsense"

The President of my high school encounters a vanity-plate problem.

"But you’re very healthy so it may take longer."

Are believers better at accepting death?

Related by Marriage: Memorial

Near Goodman, Wisconsin, about 1938. Mr. Irene's Mom (left) and his maternal Aunt Martha (second from right) visit Cousin O's burial site.

Class Notes (Part 8)

Kaunas, Lithuania, 1934. On this Class Notes page, my Mom's friend wrote:

For Memories!
I'm not a poet, verse I do not write
if you don't like that
then I apologize

Your friend E.

... A Secret

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Kaunas, Lithuania, 1934. The "secret corner" reveals the penalty for peaking:

Whoever looks here
The horns of a devil must wear.

Seasonal Reunion

Madison, Wisconsin, May 2013. It's possible to find morels at the Madison Farmer's Market, but sometimes local grocery stores carry them as well.

Capturing Dad

Glacier National Park, Montana, July 1970. I'm a few steps ahead of Mom and Dad.

Summer Cut

Kaunas, Lithuania, about 1937. Kaunas Nina gets clipped.

Thanks to my Kaunas Cousin—Kaunas Nina's daughter—for making this photo available to us.

Abundance

Near New Glarus, Wisconsin, May 9, 2015. It's easier when the goodies are in one place.

Chat

Suburban Chicago, January 1966. My paternal Grandmother, Tatjana, visits a neighbor.

The Artist's Birthday

Suburban Chicago, 1976. This is the artist Bronius Murinas. He lived in our suburb. He was older than my Parents, so we didn't see him often at social occasions. The Lithuanians in our enclave did, however, gather to celebrate Murinas's seventieth birthday; Dad took this photo at that party.

Most families had some of his art in their homes.

Going Up

Chicago, Illinois, April 2007. The Trump Tower is under construction.

Edge

Copper Falls State Park, Mellen, Wisconsin, July 1962. It's more interesting off the path.

Related by Marriage: Express yourself.

Probably Marquette Park, Chicago, Illinois, about 1959. Mr. Irene's maternal Aunt Martha and her husband, Wally, attend a birthday party.

Little Feet

Verona, Wisconsin, May 2015. The tree attracts Goldfinches, but other birds like it, too.

Review the subject.

Rockford, Illinois, Summer 1957. My Dad considers the Rockford German Shepherd before he photographs the dog.

Exchanging Portraits (Part 46)

Kaunas, Lithuania, about 1941. One of my Dad's high-school friends offers a graduation memento.

Potential

Chicago, Illinois, April 2007. It's fun to meet new dogs in the big city.

"Luxury living at its best"

My Parents bought their home in a new development. They had hoped to settle in nearby Elmhurst, but they couldn't afford houses in that suburb. Mom and Dad chose the middle of the three models offered for sale, the "Beverly." The house measured about 1,725 square feet. Most "Beverly" homes housed five- to six-person families.

Here are some images from the promotional brochure created for the development:

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I think the definition of "walk-in closets" was a bit different in the 1950s.

Thanks to my friend Mary for sending this document to me. I'll post more from the piece later.

Suspended Reunion

Chicago, Illinois, April 2007. Here's the view from the other side.