A Photographed Hike

Lake Nipissing, Ontario, Canada, July 1965. Here's another image from that day.

Birthday Girl

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Suburban Chicago, July 1961 or 1962. It's my childhood Best Friend's birthday. Happy Birthday!

(I was a guest at this party, but I didn't make it into these snapshots.)

Thanks to my Best Friend for sharing these photographs with us.

CATcerto

This performance by the Klaipeda Chamber Orchestra is from 2009, but the story is new.

The Best Thing About July

Verona, Wisconsin, July 2008. The hollyhocks are prettiest in July: young blooms and no mildew.

Vacations can get tedious.

Wasaga Beach, Ontario, Canada, July 1960. I beg for something new to dig up.

Hamster in a Sweater

My first pet was a hamster. My first hobby was sweater knitting.

So here's a hamster in a hand-knit sweater.

Three of Five

Haunstetten, Germany, 1951. Three younger siblings of my "New" Cousin contemplate the future.

Thanks to my "New" Cousin for making this photo available to us.

Swallow Reunion

Verona, Wisconsin, August 2009. Several swallow families return to our backyard each summer. They build nests under our decks. The birds came back in the last week. Soon we will have chicks.

Three Friends

Seligenstadt, Germany, March or April 1948. I earlier posted images from this outing here, here, here, and here. The child is my Mom's goddaughter, and the woman in the center is Angele.

Camp Blues

Camp Aušra (later Camp Kretinga), Ontario, Canada, August 1962. My Toronto Cousin doesn't look happy, but her Mom—my Dad's twin sister Jonė—encourages her to endure the visit.

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

Turkey Vulture

Verona, Wisconsin, July 2014. He's looking for a chipmunk snack.

Walking Lesson

Suburban Chicago, July 1959. My paternal Grandmother, Tatjana, watches as Dad trains me.

Exchanging Portraits (Part 30)

Kaunas, Lithuania, about 1932. A friend of my Dad's older cousin, Henry, sits for a formal portrait.

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

"Black Ghost"

Klaipeda statue is one of "25 of the most creative sculptures and statues from around the world."

Como Reunion

Lake Como, Italy, May 1984. I didn't spend much time near Lake Como, and the weather was dreary during most of the visit.

Visiting Przewalski’s Horses

Brookfield Zoo, May 1960. It's sad to see the horses behind a fence.

Related by Marriage: Sunday at the Seminary

Marian Hills Seminary, Willowbrook, Illinois, about 1938. Mr. Irene's Mom and her maternal Aunt Petra (dark hat) visit the site with a family friend. There's more on the history of Marian Hills Seminary here.

Assumption of Risk

Circus World Museum, Baraboo, Wisconsin, July 9, 2014. Read this before you ride a pony.

Stepping Carefully

Glacier National Park, Montana, July 1970. We've reached Sperry Glacier.

A Weekend Spot

Probably near Wasaga Beach, Ontario, Canada, July 1957. My Toronto Cousin and her Dad, Kadis, enjoy a good spot.

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

"The World's Cutest Sheep"

""My girlfriend showed me a picture and I laughed because I didn't think they were real."

A Scottish farmer takes measures to protect his Valais Blacknoses.

Swiss Browns, in Three Takes

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Near New Glarus, Wisconsin, July 8, 2014. Sometimes they notice when you pull over.

Full Field

Camp Aušra (later Camp Kretinga), Ontario, Canada, about 1959. Everyone can play.

Parry Sound Puppies

Near Parry Sound, Ontario, Canada, July 1959. My Toronto Cousin last night recalled the Collie puppies born one summer near our families' rental cottage. (The puppies' mom appeared here.)

A Summer Visitor

Verona, Wisconsin, July 2014. Check the area around the basket before you water the plants.

Related by Marriage: Beach Fashions

Probably Lake Geneva, about 1938. Mr. Irene's maternal Aunt, Martha, wears the latest fashions: a swimwear playsuit and saddle shoes.

Vacation Chores

Wasaga Beach, Ontario, July 1960. My Dad's twin sister, Jonė, and my paternal Grandmother, Tatjana, tidy around the cottage.

Revisiting the Rock

Near Parry Sound, Ontario, Canada, July 1960. Dad must have favored this spot.

The newlyweds will reside in Chicago.

Chicago, Illinois, Summer 1952. My Best Friend's Parents, Louis and Dolfo, move to the States.

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

Roadside Lunch

Lakeview Park, Manitowoc, Wisconsin, July 1980. We used to stop at this rest area on our way to Door County. Interstate 43 hadn't been completed yet, and our drive hugged the Lake Michigan shore. This was the summer we took both Dad's VW Rabbit and the (new-to-me) Buick Skylark.

Related by Marriage: Rest

Goodman Wisconsin, Summer 1940. The farm horses take a break after entertaining the city girls.

Off to Work

Suburban Chicago, March 1962. Dad catches Mom as she's ready to head to the office.

Visitors

Near Toronto, Ontario, Canada, about 1954. The dog has led my Toronto Cousin to the ducklings.

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

Will others still notice me if I stand next to the bear grass?

Glacier National Park, Montana, July 1970. The ptarmigan's camouflage is good in other settings.

Enjoy the yard when it's warm.

Suburban Chicago, June 1959. We've now turned, and we're looking at the camera.

Now, we pose.

Niagara Falls, about 1950. Toronto Al's Parents, Vladas and Lea, stand in the center (more images from the day here and here).

They passed by quickly.

Glacier National Park, Montana, July 1970. We encounter an organized hiking group during our trip to Sperry Glacier.

General Manners: Listen to the jokes your guests tell.

Toronto, Ontario, Canada, January 1962. My Toronto Cousin pauses during the party.

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

The Pink Cake

Suburban Chicago, July 1960. My Parents adopted American traditions: girls get pink cakes, and everyone sings "Happy Birthday."

Transition

Verona, Wisconsin, July 1, 2014. The storms have ended.

Grab a Book: Three-Dog Edition

Suburban Chicago, January 1989. Heidi the Daschund visits again; our Meškė (on the left) and Žulė are in the picture, too.

Exchanging Portraits (Part 29)

Kaunas, Lithuania, January 31, 1940. A friend gives Mom another "senior portrait."

Border Reunion

Door County, Wisconsin, July 2007. Things mature quickly.

Beach Holiday

Wasaga Beach, Ontario, Canada, July 1959. My Toronto Cousin gets out of the water.

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

July 4

Grand Lake, Colorado, July 4, 1967. Catch up on Americana. (Don't miss The Monkees float).

Chewy

Near Lake Nipissing, Ontario, July 1964. This fellow is lucky he didn't land in one of my jars.

Near Salamander Glacier

Glacier National Park, Montana, July 1972. My Parents were happiest when we visited Glacier.

Related by Marriage: Marker

Probably California, about 1952. Mr. Irene's Dad learned the history of this famous division.

"[E]ven within this small cluster of islands, there are knitting traditions specific to each island."

Knitting in the Shetland Islands.

July Road

Lake Nipissing, Ontario, Canada, July 1965. We're approaching the Lake Nipissing cottage.

She rows.

Near Toronto, Ontario, Summer 1961. My Dad's twin sister, Jonė, steers her daughter—my Toronto Cousin—and her mother—my paternal Grandmother, Tatjana.

Argyle Socks

Near Wasaga Beach, Ontario, Canada, July 1960. Dad must not have worried about ticks.

Transition from a Melon Sky, in Three Takes

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Verona, Wisconsin, June 30, 2014. This is how the sky looked last night, at about 8:45 PM, after the storms ended.

Boredom on the Beach

Parry Sound, Ontario, Canada, August 1959. Some interesting things happened that summer.

The Toss

Camp Aušra (later Camp Kretinga), Wasaga Beach, Ontario, Canada, 1957. Kadis, the husband of my Dad's twin sister Jonė, initiates the game.