Related by Marriage: Sunday Picnic

Suburban Chicago, June 1980. Everyone looks more relaxed in this snapshot.

Dogs Allowed

Door County, Wisconsin, July 1980. Gigi enjoyed visiting that beach.

Fish Boil: It's a meal of boiled fish.

Door County, Wisconsin, July 1980. We treat my Godmother and her husband to a traditional Door County meal.

Related by Marriage: Summer Night

Stratford, Ontario, Canada, Summer 1979. Mr. Irene enjoys a little bubbly.

A Side Excursion, in Three Takes

During one of the annual, Lithuanian-school picnics, my Dad escorted a few of us to the nearby Fabyan estate.

Near Geneva, Illinois, June 1967. I do not appear in this photograph because I am taking the picture (you can see the camera strap here).

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"While the Fabyans lived on the estate, they employed more than 60 people in positions and maids, gardeners, chauffuers, scientists and farmers. They even employed a sculptor to create numerous stone and concrete fountains, statues and furniture as well as cages for the various wild animals they brought to the [Fox] Riverbank."

Related by Marriage: Summer Visitor

Suburban Chicago, June 1980. Mr. Irene's paternal Uncle, Ignas, visits the Chicago branch of the family. He's at the head of the table. Mr. Irene's Mom sits on the far left, and Aunt Danutė takes charge of serving (even though she is not the party's hostess). Anthony sits to Ignas's left.

Helping with the bait.

Geneva area, Illinois, June 1965. We're at the Lithuanian-school picnic again.

A Closer Look (Part 53)

Kaunas, Lithuania, about 1938. This is my maternal Grandmother, Jadzė, and my Mom. I hadn't thought about this photo in a while, but Mom today mentioned the picnic at which it was taken. As the group lunched in the forest, a fortune teller approached Mom. The fortune teller read Mom's palm. She stated Mom would live "in another country, across the deep ocean" and correctly predicted how many children Mom would have. Everyone laughed.

The fortune teller then read Jadzė's palm. The woman shook her head and said nothing to Jadzė.

Related by Marriage: Boyhood

Suburban Chicago, 1961. Mr. Irene inspects a new friend.

Picnic Cheer

Suburban Chicago, June 1965. Mom's worn a favorite dress to the outdoor party.

Well Attended

Tinley Park, Illinois, June 1967. The girl in the blue pants is my friend Kris.

Picnic Culture: Patio Storytelling

Suburban Chicago, June 1969. The woman standing, wearing sunglasses, is Godmother. Standing on the left is my Mom; my Mom's best friend, Donna, sits on the left.

June Sun

Rockford, Illinois, June 1961. I've adjusted to the bright light.

Related by Marriage: Sunday Relaxation

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

I could use some sunglasses.

Rockford, Illinois, June 1961. Mom wears her pearls to the picnic.

Related by Marriage: It's warming up.

Probably Marquette Park, Chicago, Illinois, about 1959. Mr. Irene's maternal Aunt Martha (face obscured by the fist) and her husband, Wally (holding the baby), join in a birthday celebration.

Picnic Candid

Brooklyn, New York, June 27, 1950. Mom's sporting the "horns" hairstyle; she even may be wearing a hair net.

Related by Marriage: Church Picnic

Marquette Park, Chicago, Illinois, about 1918. This photo of parishioners picnicking appeared in the 1942 booklet commemorating the 50th Anniversary of St. George's Parish. The photo caption reads, "Do you remember 'way back when?" Mr. Irene's Mom added a few observations as well: "No picnic tables. Long table cloths spread out, had to sit on grass to eat."

This photo reminds me of another snapshot.

Kumbaya

River Forest, Illinois, September 1975. A cherished high-school friend visit me this week. She took a day off and drove up from the Chicago area. I had seen her twice in the last thirty-eight years. We picked up as though no time had passed. She brought a photo album filled with some touching snapshots. Among them was this one she took at the "Big Sister/Little Sister" picnic the high school hosted at the beginning of our senior year. We attended a mandatory, outdoor Mass during the picnic. My friend correctly remembered that I disliked going to Mass, and she recalled I was annoyed by the 1970s-ish "cool" Mass trappings. I'm (wearing a bandana and) apparently singing compliantly in this image, but my friend spotted a look of discomfort and skepticism in my brow.

Thanks to my friend Mary for making this photo available to us.

The Adults' Table

Near Geneva, Illinois, June 1967. We didn't share our table with the adults.