Natasha

Soviet Union, 1950. This is Natasha, a sister of my paternal Grandmother, Tatjana.

Natasha appeared earlier in this 1910 or 1911 photo in the bottom row, at the far left.

If you go skiing, then don't forget to take the dog.

My Dad usually took our Poodle, Gigi, with him when he went cross-country skiing.

It's hard to photograph a black dog, unless the dog is running on snow:

Door County, Wisconsin, March 1980. Dad is wearing his beret, and Gigi sports her bright, red coat.

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My paternal Grandmother Tatjana's younger sister, Natasha, enjoyed cross-country skiing, too. She also loved dogs.

Natasha had a Spitz dog. This was a common breed in Eastern Europe; my Mom remembers seeing many in Lithuania. After the "German Spitz" arrived in North America, the breed name changed to American Eskimo Dog sometime around World War I.

It's hard to photograph a white dog when the dog is sitting in the snow:

Russian Soviet Socialist Republic, 1970. Natasha and her Spitz are ready to ski the Russian forest.

Natasha with a Dahlia

Russian Soviet Socialist Republic, 1958. Natasha admires a large specimen. This photo is from the "Grandma's family in Russia" envelope.

Fifty

Soviet Union, October 16, 1924. This is Nina K., the mother of my paternal Grandmother, Tatjana. This is a second image from the same photo shoot.
 
One of Nina K.'s other daughters, Natasha, sent this photo to Tatjana. Natasha noted that their mother had just turned 50 when she sat for this photo.

Late-Summer Garden

Penza, Russian Soviet Socialist Republic, June 1969. Natasha, a sister of my paternal Grandmother, Tatjana, wrote, "From Natasha. Actually I am not this plump. To my own dear sweet sister."

 
Thanks (again) to my dear friend D for translating the text from Russian to English.

Every now and then, a blind squirrel finds a nut.

(Or as Lithuanians say, "Even a blind hen stumbles on a corn kernel now and then.")

My Toronto Cousin sent an email last night. In it, she explained that she had found, among her mother Jonė's things, some photos dating back to the early 1930s. I remembered seeing the images my Toronto cousin described, but I could not recall whether we had the original photos or, if we did, where they were.

I started digging around for those 1930s photos, but I did not find them. I instead stumbled across a box I'd not yet seen. My Dad had written "Babos Nuotraukos"—Grandma's Photos—on the box's side. Inside the box were many duplicate photos that my Dad had printed for my paternal Grandmother, Tatjana. Dad organized the duplicates by person. There was, for example, an envelope containing snapshots of each of Tatjana's grandchildren, an envelope with mid-century photos of cousins living in the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic, and even an envelope with images of my Mom's maternal aunt, Dora.

I didn't plan on finding an envelope called "Babos šeima Rusijoi"—Grandma's family in Russia. In the envelope are photos of my Grandmother's sisters, Natasha and Elena and their families. The photos date from the late 1950s (corresponding roughly with the time Stalin died) to the 1970s.

The envelope also has some old photos I'd never seen before, like this one:

Summer Cottage, Russia, 1914. My paternal Grandmother, Tatjana, on the far right, sits in the yard with her younger sister, Natasha, on the left. In between them is family friend. A large dog rests under the table.

This is the oldest photo in the "Grandma's family in Russia" envelope. Like another snapshot I posted earlier, this one is in rough shape because it, too, survived the Russian Revolution. It's printed on paper with prominent watermarks, and it looks as though it might have been glued to some cardboard or heavier paper at one time. It is what it is.

Summer Hammock

Penza, Russian Soviet Socialist Republic, 1967. Natasha, a young sister of my paternal Grandmother, Tatjana, writes, "I love you and remember always. Don’t forget, my own one. Your Natasha, Summer 1967."

Thanks to my friend D for translating the Russian text.

Native Places

These two photo are from the envelope called "Babos šeima Rusijoi"—Grandma's family in Russia.

Nina K., the mother of my paternal Grandmother, Tatjana, was born in this house in 1875.

Tatjana would have remembered it as the home in which her maternal Grandparents lived.

Tambov, Russian Soviet Socialist Republic, August 1962. Natasha, one of Tatjana's two younger sisters, writes, "The house on Sadovaja Street, home of our dear Grandfather and Grandmother, and our Mama. I am sitting here with my husband. Tears are dimming my eyes, full of memories."

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Tambov, Russian Soviet Socialist Republic, August 1962. Natasha writes, "Sadovaja Street in Tambov, our hometown. I always long for native places."

Thanks again to my dear friend, D, for translating the texts from Russian to English.

Summer Basket

Probably Penza, Russian Soviet Socialist Republic, August 1969. Natasha, a younger sister of my paternal Grandmother Tatjana, wrote, "To Tanechka, my darling! Shura is convinced that I am not as thin as I look here, and he is probably right: I am average."

Thanks to my dear friend D for translating the text from Russian to English.

September Table

Near Penza, Russian Soviet Socialist Republic, September 1963. Natasha, a younger sister of my paternal Grandmother Tatjana, wrote "To dear, always beloved Tanjusha. On our balcony."

Thanks again to my dear friend D for translating the text from Russian to English.

Late-Summer Basket

Near Penza, Russian Soviet Socialist Republic, 1933. My paternal Grandmother Tatjana's younger sister, Natasha, goes mushroom picking with her son.

Aunts

Penza, Russian Soviet Socialist Republic, 1962. Natasha, a sister of my paternal Grandmother, Tatjana, poses with her aunt.

Suzanne with Dahlias

Kaunas, Lithuania, about 1935. Suzanne, the wife of my Dad's cousin Henry, poses with dahlias. The photo is similar to one of Natasha. Dahlias were popular flowers in pre-war Lithuania.

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

Summer Still

Near Penza, Russian Soviet Socialist Republic, Summer 1956. Natasha poses for Tatjana.

Harvest

Penza, Russian Soviet Socialist Republic, September 1964. Natasha, a younger sister of my paternal Grandmother Tatjana, wrote, "Natashenka, with a pumpkin, and I, to our beloved one."

Thanks to my dear friend D for translating the text from Russian to English.

Later in the Season

Penza, Russian Soviet Socialist Republic, 1965. Natasha, a younger sister of my paternal Grandmother Tatjana, wrote, "With Sashenka in our garden in late autumn."

Thanks to my dear friend D for translating the text from Russian to English.

Summer Mood

Near Penza, Russian Soviet Socialist Republic, 1954. Natasha enjoys the season.

Summer Joy

Near Penza, Russian Soviet Socialist Republic, Summer 1952. Natasha sent this candid to her older sister—my paternal Grandmother, Tatjana.

Summer Sweater

Penza, Russian Soviet Socialist Republic, Summer 1962. My paternal Grandmother Tatjana's younger sister, Natasha, wrote, "On our little terrace."

Skiing in Russia

Penza, Russian Soviet Socialist Republic, January, 1964. Natasha, one of the two younger sisters of my paternal Grandmother, Tatjana, cross-country skis.