Spotted, catching up.

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Verona, Wisconsin, August 2014. This time, the fawn followed the doe closely.

We used to dress up for parties.

Evergreen Park, Illinois, June 1963. The graduates wear white dinner jackets.

(Here we are ready to depart for the party, and here's another photo from that party.)

A Closer Look (Part 3)

There's a story circulating about spouses who learned recently they'd met as preschoolers.

We have a story like that, too:

Kaunas, Lithuania, 1928. My Parents attend a birthday party. Here's the original post.

Be cautious near the edge.

Glacier National Park, Montana, July 1970. Iceberg Lake is deep.

Counting Stitches

Suburban Chicago, 1966. Mom relaxes after work. My Skipper doll's box is in the background.

We're all together again.

Chicago, Illinois, Summer 1952. My Best Friend's Parents, Louise and Dolfo, join Dolfo's family.

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

"Did you want to take a photograph of me?"

Glacier National Park, Montana, July 1968. "Act quickly, before I flee."

Our Brief Visit

Badlands National Park, South Dakota, July 1966. There's little relief from the heat.

Leaving

Parry Sound, Ontario, Canada, July 1959. My Parents later never took Dad's VW to our vacation destinations because Mom didn't know how to drive a manual-transmission car.

Repeat-Visitor Reunion

Verona, Wisconsin, August 2013. This fellow (or one of his relatives) stopped by again today.

I'd rather stay here.

Wasaga Beach, Ontario, Canada, July 1960. It's tough when a long vacation ends.

Delighted

Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Spring 1953. My Dad's twin sister, Jonė, must be taking this snapshot of her daughter (my Toronto Cousin) and her husband (Kadis).

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

"Many Chinese can now seek out what Western consumers have long enjoyed: cars, flat-screen TVs and, yes, pet poodles."

China denounces dog ownership.

"As China grows more prosperous and globally connected, top party members are mounting an ideological purification campaign to reconnect the masses with Mao's ideals. During Mao’s 'cultural revolution,' dog ownership was condemned as elitist."

Distant Reunion

Glacier National Park, Montana, July 1970. It's a forest/trees issue.

Dwarfed

Utica, Illinois, October 1963. The background is impressive at Starved Rock State Park.

Happier Times

Kaunas, Lithuania, about 1936. Kaunas Nina (bottom right) enjoys some outdoor time.

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

They peak this week.

Pope Farm Conservancy, Verona, Wisconsin, August 2013. Most of the blooms have opened.

There will be time to knit.

Glacier National Park, Montana, July 1970. Mom takes her gold, vinyl knitting bag on our hike.  Her striped top lasted a long time, too.

Her Favorite Person

Suburban Chicago, April 1970. Gigi was attached to my Dad.

Watchful, in Three Takes

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Brookfield Zoo, January 1973. It's good to get some fresh air on a winter day.

Evening Knitting

Suburban Chicago, April 1974. My Mom and my Dad's paternal Aunt, Victoria, visit during Victoria's stay at our home.

Related by Marriage: A Sunday Tradition

St. Casimir Catholic Cemetery, Chicago, Illinois, about 1940. Mr. Irene's maternal Aunt Martha, his Mom, and his maternal Grandfather Stanley observe a tradition.

A Closer Look (Part 2)

Mariampolis, Lithuania, 1927. The early photos of my Mom's maternal aunt, Dora, in part prompted me to start this blog. Here's a close up of Dora from a family photo.

It was a short-lived fad.

Suburban Chicago, August 1975. It was popular (among crafters) to needlepoint canvases printed with the images of art by "great masters." Mom and I gave into the fad for a while. I never finished the Fragonard; Mom completed her piece, and it hung above the television.

(We're sitting in our familiar spots.)

I start thinking about autumn in August.

Verona, Wisconsin, February 2008. It's time to start thinking about cold-weather projects.

Beach Lift

Wasaga Beach, Ontario, Canada, July 1957. My Dad's twin sister, Jonė, carries her daughter, my Toronto Cousin.

I got a lift, too.

Wasaga Beach, Ontario, Canada, July 1960. I comply if we don't stay in the water too long.

Feeding

Glacier National Park, Montana, July 1966. Focus on the target.

Related by Marriage: Confirmation

Suburban Chicago, May 1968. Mr. Irene is ready to depart for his Confirmation ceremony. Although Mr. Irene and I grew up in the same suburb, he and I attended different parochial schools. My classmates and I wore our uniforms at our Confirmation. (The woman sitting on the porch is Danutė, the wife of Uncle D.)

It's the third "Poppyversary."

We're celebrating another Poppyversary. This is how things looked three years ago, when we went to pick Poppy up:

Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, August 2011. The name the breeder assigned to Poppy was "Bubbles."

A Summer Bath, in Three Takes

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Verona, Wisconsin, August 2014. Everyone enjoys getting under a sprinkler.

Delivery

I'd been working on a baby blanket during the last two months. The recipient, a boy, was scheduled to arrive at the end of July. I finished the blanket by the end of the month, and I just learned the little fellow arrived Monday evening.

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Verona, Wisconsin, July 2014. The pattern is not my design; it's an adaption of this one. Here's the yarn (color 26, "Duck Egg"). The first thing non-knitters ask is, "How long does it take you to make something like that?" I worked on this blanket for about 118 hours.

Babos Receptai (Part 2)

Here's the recipe my paternal Grandmother, Tatjana, used for her Babka. In the title's parenthetical, Tatjana wrote, "Velykiška," or "for Easter." The Babka Tatjana baked is similar to a Kulich. I don't know from what source Tatjana got the recipe, but she considered it her own.

Here's how I modified and wrote up the recipe:

Babos ('Stakaninė') Babka 

1/3 cup raisins

1/3 cup golden raisins

1/2 cup dark rum

1 cup milk (or half and half)

1 vanilla beans, split lengthwise

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

1 cup bread flour, sifted twice

4 teaspoons active dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

3 large egg whites

pinch (about 1/8 teaspoon) each: table salt and cream of tartar

5 large egg yolks

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon

finely grated zest of 1/4 orange

3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1-1/4 cups bread flour, sifted twice

2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted twice

soaked raisin, drained (from above)

At least two hours before beginning to make the Babka, or the night before, soak the raisins in the rum. After the raisins have soaked, drain the raisins.

Place the milk in a microwave-safe measuring cup. Scrape the vanilla seeds into the milk. Microwave briefly until the milk is heated through, but not boiling. Add the 1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 cup butter, stirring until the sugar dissolves and the butter melts. Gradually add the 1 cup bread flour, beating with a wire whisk until the mixture is completely smooth. Cool to lukewarm. 

In a glass measuring cup, combine the yeast with the 1/2 cup warm water and 1 tablespoon sugar. Stir and let stand in a warm place until foamy, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the lukewarm milk/flour mixture to the yeast and stir until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until double in bulk, about 1 hour.

Using an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks and the 3/4 cup sugar until very thick and pale in color. Add the cardamom, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and orange zest and beat for a few more seconds at high speed. Add the 3/4 cup softened butter, cut into small chunks, and continue beating until the mixture is very smooth (mixture may appear curdled). 

Meanwhile, in another large bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt and cream of tartar until they are stiff and glossy. Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the egg yolk mixture.

Stir the proofed milk/flour sponge into the egg mixture. Gradually add the remaining 1-1/4 cups bread flour and 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour, mixing until the dough is very smooth and loose. Switch to the electric mixer's dough hook and knead until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. The dough will be very sticky. Knead for about 8 minutes. Toss in the drained raisins.

Transfer the dough to a clean, well-greased bowl, cover very tightly with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm, draft free place for 45 minutes. Punch down dough, knead briefly, and let rise another 45 minutes to 1 hour.

While the dough rises for the second time, prepare the baking pan. Spray the bottom of a 10-inch tube pan with non-stick vegetable spray and line with parchment paper. Butter the paper, the sides, and the center tube of the pan. (Alternatively, lightly spray a nonstick, 12-cup Bundt pan).

Punch down dough, shape it into a ring, and place it in the prepared pan. Cover with plastic wrap.  Let rise again, covered, until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

While the dough rises, preheat the oven to 350ºF and set a baking stone ("pizza stone") on the lower rack. Remove the other racks from the oven.

Bake the Babka until it is golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean, about 45 minutes to 60 minutes. Cool in the pan for about 30 minutes, then carefully lift the Babka from the pan. Remove the parchment and allow to cool on a wire rack, inverted. If preparing for Easter, spread with icing (below) and sprinkle with multi-color décors.

Icing ("Lucras") for Babka

2 egg whites, room temperature

1-1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

1/2 tsp. lemon juice

Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until frothy.  Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating constantly.  Beat 10 minutes, or until glossy.  Add the lemon juice and beat an additional two minutes, or until the icing stands up in soft peaks.

"Clear, easy-to-follow instructions for both knitting patterns and positions help guide you through every stage of the project, accompanied by detailed photographs so that readers can visualize each and every step."

Amazon is taking preorders for Knit Your Own Kama Sutra (by Trixie von Purl).

Summer Snow

Glacier National Park, Montana, July 1968. It snowed throughout July in the higher elevations.

Millinery Model

Cicero, Illinois, April 1966. Jadzė D was a skilled knitter and seamstress. Here, Mom tries on one of the hats Jadzė D crafted. (Mom's also wearing one of her own knitted suits.)

Supervision

Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Spring 1957. The Moms watch over the party.

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

Second Look

Verona, Wisconsin, July 2014. Look quickly because the double rainbow won't last long.

We stood with our sponsors.

Sacred Heart Church, Melrose Park, Illinois, February 1968. The last children to reach the altar in the Confirmation procession aren't wearing uniforms because they attended public school. Our church confirmed them after they'd completed CCD classes.

Midday Break

Kaunas, Lithuania, about 1936. My Dad's older cousin Henry photographs a contemplative friend.

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

Crazy-Cloud Reunion

Verona, Wisconsin, July 2011. We all were surprised when this cloud appeared after a storm.

A Closer Look (Part 1)

Mariampolis, Lithuania, 1927. This is a closeup from one of the first photos I posted on the blog. This is my Mom's maternal Grandfather, Silvestras. He's the relative she most loved, and Mom talks about him often.

Expressions

Suburban Chicago, November 1990. This photo dates from the interval during which Mr. Irene and I commuted between South Carolina and Wisconsin. He and I drove down from Madison to Chicago to spend the Thanksgiving holiday with our families.

Favorite-Place Reunion

Taliesen Estate, Spring Green, Wisconsin, June 2012. Go back to the place where you collect your thoughts.

A Patient Sitter

Near Toronto, Ontario, Canada, about 1954. The dog waits as my Toronto Cousin approaches the ducks.

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

Pick them when you find them.

Parry Sound, Ontario, Canada, July 1959. This time, Mom finds some wild strawberries.

Baci blends in.

Verona, Wisconsin, September 2011. He's a camoupoodle.

Exchanging Portraits (Part 32)

Kaunas, Lithuania, February 4, 1940. A friend gives Mom another "senior portrait."

Picnic Wear

Tinley Park, Illinois, June 1960. Mom must not have heard that I should have worn a hat.