She's looking forward to socializing.

Suburban Chicago, June 1963. My paternal Grandmother, Tatjana, dresses up for a party.

Class Notes (Part 3)

Kaunas, Lithuania, 1934. My Mom's Dad wasn't the only adult who sketched in my Mom's memento booklet. Mom's maternal Aunt, Dora, wrote, "A remembrance from your aunt. From Aunt Dora."

Tree Line

Glacier National Park, Montana, July 1972. It's easy to see where things change.

A Closer Look (Part 20)

Russian Soviet Socialist Republic, May 1931. This is my Great-Grandmother, Nina K. She was fifty-seven years old when she sat for this photo. Here's the original post.

Sporty

High Park, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, July 1960. Kadis, the husband of my Dad's twin sister Jonė, takes a break during the family's hike around the park.

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

Palmetto Reunion

Charleston, South Carolina, September 1988. The trees grow throughout the city.

I give the hamster a break.

Suburban Chicago, February 1964. We'll have time to dance later.

Related by Marriage: Family Table

Marquette Park, Chicago, Illinois, January 1958. Mr. Irene's family shares one side of the head table at the wedding reception of Mr. Irene's Parents.

Dwarfed Reunion

Glacier National Park, Montana, July 1970. Mom captures a still of me and Dad as we approach Gunsight Pass.

Sunday Sendoff

Suburban Chicago, October 1983. My Parents hosted a small dinner party the week before I moved to Venice. I don't recall cooking for the occasion, but it looks like we served turkey, roast beef, "Cauliflower Polonnaise," baked potatoes, and salad.

Some of the guests—Vytenis, my Godmother, my Godmother's husband, and my Godmother's father—listen to a description of my plans.

Solemn

Brooklyn, New York, about 1952. My Dad's younger cousin exchanges vows with her husband.

Thaw

Suburban Chicago, February 1965. The Des Plaines River stays frozen for only a short time.

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.

He's awake now.

Kaunas, Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic, June 9, 1965. A friend of Tatjana (my paternal Grandmother) sends an updated garden photo.

Snowy Driveway

Suburban Chicago, December 1973. Mom's LeSabre will need a little cleaning.

Thinking Ahead

Door County, Wisconsin, July 1981. My Mom and my Dad's twin sister, Jonė, enjoy the shoreline during Jonė's and Kadis's visit to the cottage.

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Lunch with the Bishop

Camp Aušra (later Camp Kretinga), Wasaga Beach, Ontario, Canada, 1959. They've set the table with real dishes.

More photos from the Bishop's visit here and here.

A Finished Piece

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Verona, Wisconsin, January 2015. I knitted this late last year, but I only got around to the seaming and finishing work this month. I usually knit fair-isle patterns in Shetland yarn because that fiber is best suited to colorwork. This garment, a Debbie Bliss design, is done in a cashmere-blend yarn (I earlier used the same yarn for a baby blanket).

Grab a Book: Serious-Tweed Edition

Suburban Chicago, December 1973. Sometimes Dad smiled for the selfie, and sometimes he struck a serious expression.

Related by Marriage: Sunny

Chicago area, probably about 1950. Mr. Irene's paternal Uncle, Ignas, visits the forest preserve.

Colorless Reunion

Verona, Wisconsin, February 1, 2015. The wind during this weekend's snowstorm blew our bird feeder off the Redbud.

Lighting the candles.

Toronto, Ontario, Canada, January 1961. My Dad's twin sister, Jonė, lights the candles of my Toronto Cousin's birthday cake.

It looks like Jonė and my paternal Grandmother, Tatjana, shopped together for fabric.

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

Celebration

Evergreen Park, Illinois, June 1963. My Godmother's family celebrates a graduation.

Day-Dreaming Reunion

Brookfield Zoo, 1965. Olga takes a break from entertaining the visitors.

Success.

Door County, Wisconsin, February 1980. Mom finds her balance.

We are ready.

Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, July 1967. Dad accompanies me on another trail ride. I'm riding "Tiny." Dad's wearing that London Fog windbreaker.

What did the groundhog say?

Door County, Wisconsin, February 1978. It's not clear. But a local groundhog bit the mayor.

Driving Going-to-the-Sun Road

Glacier National Park, Montana, July 1966. This clip is from one of our first drives along the road.

Related by Marriage: Floral Hat

Marquette Park, Chicago, Illinois, January 1958. Mr. Irene's maternal Grandparents, Stanley and Anna, chat with a friend (center) at the wedding reception of Mr. Irene's Parents.

Aftermath Reunion

Suburban Chicago, January 1979. Here's how things looked after a January blizzard.

An Understanding

Suburban Chicago, December 1973. My paternal Grandmother, Tatjana, learned to admire Gigi.

Sunday Custom

Suburban Chicago, December 1966. Mom often relaxed by practicing the piano.

Half Smile

Suburban Chicago, November 1965. Dad relies on a familiar expression for the self-timer setting.

We are on the trail.

Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, July 1967. I have that weary-cowboy look. Mom feigns enjoyment.

Rex Relaxes

Verona, Wisconsin, September 2013. He remains alert.

Preoccupied

Toronto, Ontario, December 1959. My Dad's twin sister, Jonė, takes a break from the party.

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

Class Notes (Part 2)

Kaunas, Lithuania, 1934. Friends weren't the only ones who wrote in Mom's memento booklet. Here, Mom's Dad, Jake, drew a "nykštukas" (elf) and wrote, "For memories! From your Dad."

"Lap dancing is a vague phrase: it covers a lot of sins."

News from the home town: The Missionary Sisters of St. Charles Borromeo amend their lawsuit against their neighbor, the "Allure" strip club.

Light Reunion

Glacier National Park, Montana, July 1966. It's easier to see the snow when we reach a clearing.

A Closer Look (Part 19)

Suburban Chicago, February 1962. This "Closer Look" is not an image I cropped; instead, it's one Dad enlarged and printed. Here's the original post.

An Arrival

Kaunas, Lithuania, about 1934 or 1935. Suzanne—the wife of my Dad's older cousin, Henry—introduces her daughter, Kaunas Nina, to a friend.

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

Poised

Brookfield Zoo, 1975. The Arctic Fox cracks a smile.

Tolerance

Downers Grove, Illinois, Autumn 1963. Here's another shot from the afternoon with a kitten.

Related by Marriage: Welcome Home

Suburban Chicago, January 1959. Mr. Irene's Dad introduces Mr. Irene to the Master Bedroom.

Afternoon Blues

Verona, Wisconsin, January 2013. The days are getting longer.

Back at the Cottage

Door County, Wisconsin, January 1978. Dad has finished the round and returns to the spot from which he started.

The work goes quickly when we work together.

Suburban Chicago, January 1979. It's also more enjoyable when you share a joke.

Check out the "little spruce!"

Fresh Dusting

Thatcher Woods, Suburban Chicago, February 1966. It's safe to walk along the edge.

Thank you for a lovely performance!

Bulger Park, Veterans Park District, Melrose Park, Illinois, February 1966. The pianist accepts the applause at the annual Independence-Day minejimas.

Class Notes (Part 1)

My Mom's schools did not issue yearbooks. The students therefore did not have a publication in which to scribble notes to one another. My Mom and her classmates instead carried booklets—similar to the "autograph books" I remember—in which the friends recorded messages. 

Mom still has her memento booklet. I'll be posting some images from it. Today I start with scans of the booklet's cover, interior binding, and a drawing a friend did for Mom.

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The inscription shows Mom received the booklet as a birthday gift in 1931. Mom still lived in Panemunė at that time.

(I see a sweater design in that weave-inspired motif.)

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Kaunas, Lithuania, February 16, 1934. Mom's friend, "Z.M.," wrote, "A remembrance!"