Lives Lived

Still catching up on the end of 2012, and catching my breath now that I'm back to teaching after six months (!) off.

So, one thing I've always enjoyed—but still haven't had time to get through this year—is the Times' The Lives They Lived magazine, which they put out at the end of the year.

Thankfully Emily reminded me to take a look at the video piece they ran about Maurice Sendak. Seriously, that guy is just awesome.


I cannot wait to read some of his books with Franklin!

Another item that got buried under the metaphorical holiday snow was a very nice email from my distant cousin Sławek, who shared some great pictures of the lives our family's lived. Hard to believe some of these photos are over 80 years old!

So, with thanks to Sławek, let's take a look:

First, my maternal grandmother, Louise Kuta (née Kalucki), in 1927:


And with her mother Mary and brother Frank:

Is it just me, or does Franklin have a little of Frank's look to him? Handsome fellas either way.

Nice big family photo, though I can't name everyone, also from 1927:

Sławek tells me this shows "siblings of your great-grand-mother, her children and the family heads: great-great-grand-parents; taken in Brzesko (I’m guessing) – the circumstances was the trip of Mary Kalucki with children through Europe."

UPDATE 14:34: Just heard this great backstory on the picture: "[Us having the] picture taken in Poland in 1927 had been luck.
My grandfather Wojciech [lost] many of his photos when he was moving from Swierklany to Chrzanow. But the picture survived because it was covered by another photo put into a frame. My father's sister found it in 2008."

Finally, here's my grandparents' wedding photo:

7 October 1933 (right Mom?)

All right, reader, back to work. Hope your lives are as wonderful as can be!