Saturday Snapshots {September 26, 2009}

“Happiness is like a butterfly which, when pursued, is always beyond our grasp, but, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you.” ~ Nathaniel Hawthorne

{The moment I spied this cheerfully hued photo, I was instantly reminded of the children’s nursery rhyme that began with the words, “Mary, Mary quite contrary, how does your garden grow?”. Don’t you just love her plaid dress and darling Heidi-esque braids.}



{The woman in this photo is beguilingly lovely, even fifty six years after the shutter was snapped, her lips still look cheery red, her pearls as pristine as snowdrops. I adore her ensemble, hair and make-up, and wonder what “Aunt Martha” (as she’s identified) was dressed so elegantly for.}



{A group of young women sit intently around a large quilt they’re crafting together in this charming photo. Are you also curious what colours their creation was composed of?}



{The ladies are all smiles in this fantastic - cheekily whimsical – 1930s photo, the fellows however seem to be a bit more sombre. Perhaps they were wishing they looked half as fabulous as their dates did!}



{The fantastically bright hues in this shot of Fremont Street, Las Vegas, and the wonderful assortment of (now) classic cars, make this vacation snap look like a scene plucked from a movie.}



{A stylish young couple pose in the Texas sunlight against their car in this lovely shot from 1937. I wonder who these stylish youngsters were, what became of their lives, and - on a less intense note - what brand beverage they're holding in their hands.}



{Vintage snapshots are not only about posed photo ops. Just as is the case today, photographers of yesteryear often turned their lenses towards scenes that they found captivating or interesting for whatever reason (beauty, uniqueness, strangeness, for the sake of remembrance, etc). This shot is strikingly well composed; the rider and horse mirrored perfectly in the pristine water, speak to the temporary reflection of a moment in time that all photos ultimately share in common.}



{A beautiful pair of brides pose together in this 1945 photo. As someone who remembers discussing the option with more than one childhood friend of having a double wedding (none of said mutual nuptials panned out, but it was certainly fun at the time to dream), I’m intrigued by photos of actual friends (or sisters, cousins, etc) that decided to share their special day of matrimonial bliss together.}



{The family’s warmer clothes would indicate that the weather was either unseasonably chilly or that this 1954 snap was taken during the colder months. Each of relatives’ expressions is interesting. The boys seem a tad quizzical and bored, mother appears to have something on her mind but she’s forcing out a weak smile, and grandmother’s stern expression could make her a shoe-in for a school headmistress.}



{A lone woman (“Maxine”) poses confidently and reflectively against a fence post in this photo from the 1940s. I adore not only her becoming trouser outfit, but also the look of intent thought across her lovely face.}

{All images above are from Flickr. To learn more about a specific image, please click on it to be taken to its respective Flickr page.}


I treasure happiness and believe in seeking it out in all that I do and say, from each new encounter and every person I come in contact with. Though felicity is not always with us, it is never truly far away either. The pursuit of personal joy can be a lifelong mission, one that has woven itself through the story of humanity for as long as it has been written, but I could think of fewer journeys more rewarding to find oneself on in this world.