Drive north.

Near Lodi, Wisconsin, October 1989. It's a nice getaway.

Our Christmas Cards: First Editions

Two years ago I posted the photo cards my Dad had sent as holiday greetings. Mr. Irene and I maintained this tradition for nearly all the years we've been married. Unlike Dad's cards, our greetings usually featured an image of our pets. I'll be posting our cards, in reverse chronological order, in the next few weeks.

During our first holiday season, Mr. Irene and I had card-writing fatigue because we had just finished penning our wedding-gift-thank-you notes. We therefore chose templates that featured little space for lengthy notes. We were ambitious in one way, however: we ordered three cards and selected the images based on the recipient's relationship to us and tastes.

Madison, Wisconsin, December 1989. We chose this snapshot for our Lithuanian friends. This Vytis guards the entry to the Lithuanian chapel housed in St. Peter's basilica.

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Madison, Wisconsin, December 1989. Dog lovers and close family friends received this image of Meškė and Žulė. Yes, it took several takes to get the pose.

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Madison, Wisconsin, December 1989. Most recipients got this snapshot from Lodi, Wisconsin.

Amber Field Reunion

Near Lodi, Wisconsin, December 1989. I took this photo when Mr. Irene and I were on another local vacation.

It's nice when beautiful places remain beautiful, year after year.

Mr. Irene and I were newlyweds during the autumn of 1989. He lived in Wisconsin, and I worked in South Carolina. We commuted between those two states for two years. In October 1989, I flew up to Madison from Columbia to quench my taste for my native Midwest and to enjoy the Fall colors.

Mr. Irene and I did a mini-tour of the surrounding area. We spent the weekend at a B&B, took the ferry across the Wisconsin River, and ate (things like roast duck with kraut) at supper clubs.

Near Lodi, Wisconsin, October 1989. A nice memory from the "local vacation."