Today is the winter solstice so here is a wintry photograph of my cousin Art in York, Pennsylvania in 1943. His father, Art Sr., was my grandmother’s much older brother, an allergist who was probably serving in the army when this picture was taken. He died from a stroke when Art Jr. was only 7.

This is my grandmother Ethel and her older brother Arthur in what is possibly my favorite photograph of all time.

Because I like to concoct stories, I like to think that this picture was taken in Baltimore, when Ethel and her parents were visiting Arthur at college. Art was 12 years older than my grandmother and she idolized him. That’s why she’s making this pleased as punch, silly little bunny face, while he is humoring his baby sister even though he feels like he’s too old for this kind of thing.

Ethel Kalisch Hoffer (1918-1991) and Arthur Kalisch (1906-1949)