October 24, 2009

Saturday Snapshots {October 24, 2009}


“Curiosity ... endows the people who have it with a generosity in argument and a serenity in their own mode of life which springs from their cheerful willingness to let life take the form it will.” ~ Alistair Cooke




{Gazing at these two adventurous young women (Jean and Margery) perched with a dog in a tough-as-nails looking all-terrain vehicle, photographed in Tanzania in 1950, I feel compelled to nickname them “Hemmingway’s daughters”.}



{An attractive blonde woman peers into a mirror while someone else snaps her photo from behind, thus showing the viewer both the front and the back of her wonderful hairdo. This lady, however, was not overly pleased with her hair, for on the back of the photo she wrote (though to whom is not stated), “Please try and fix my hair where I have it marks [marked]”. To my eyes, her locks, tucked up in the back under a thin snood or hair net, look marvelous, but evidentially she wasn’t entirely pleased with them.}



{London’s famous Piccadilly Circus, complete with a traffic constable and iconic double-decker buses, was captured (circa the 50s) in this postcard worthy snap taken by a man who was traveling through Europe at the time.}



{A mother and her two daughters, each sporting a charming summer dress, seem to be caught in the midst of a happy moment in this lovely snapshot of suburban backyard life, for which no date or information is provided.}



{There is something both entirely adorable and (most likely unintentionally) well composed about this darling 1953 photo of a young man and two precious kittens, each one walking off in a different direction on the back of the sofa.}



{A trio of soldiers share this photo with two civilian men and three youngsters, leading one to wonder if the boys in uniform were perhaps relatives or close family friends. The photo’s poster, whose mother is the little girl in this shot, does not know who those gents were, which may rule out close relatives at least.}



{Dressed to the nines and looking every bit a lady, a young, unidentified women posed for this portrait studio shot in 1931. I love looking at her beautiful outfit, from the bow bedecked shoes to her elegant floral brooch, it simply buzzes with charm and grace.}



{Four teenage gals enjoy a moment of fun as they pose – perhaps trying to imitate chorus line girls – in this darling, undated shot which was captured in Staten Island, New York.}



{An employee, in her crisp white uniform, scoops up eggs for a customer in this “slice of life” shot for which no information is provided. What instantly drew me to this photo (aside from the fact that you don’t see too many vintage images that were snapped inside of supermarkets) were the rows upon rows of impeccably well stacked and artfully arranged tins of food in the background.}



{The vivid hues in this street (and very wide sidewalk!) shot seem to jump like flying sparks off this serene photo of Durango, Mexico taken in 1956.}

{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.}


A curious and open mind is truly one of the most incredible gifts a person can give themselves. The desire to forever absorb knowledge, to be open to the new and the odd, the beautiful and the brazen is to add a profound depth to life the likes of which no amount of riches could ever begin to compare.

Throughout all of human history there have been countless examples of those who opened themselves up to the wonders of approaching life with a curious mind, often to benefit from the repercussions of such a choice. From the first brave souls who said the world wasn’t flat (and those who went on to prove it) to every person who has ever left their own homeland in search of a different, perhaps better life elsewhere, curiosity has shaped and often dictated the course of human evolution. Yet, one does not have to discover new lands or make profound scientific finds to embrace curiosity. All you must do is always be ready to ask “why”, welcome learning, and remain open to possibility.

22 comments:

  1. Dont know what happened, but will try again to comment :o)

    You have, as usual done such an awesome job with the captions to these lovely photos! You are such a gifted storyteller...it is like opening a book and taking a peek into the lives of these wonderful photos!

    Your choices of photos are wonderful and my favorites are: the "Hemmingway" girls, the mom and her 2 daughters, the elegant woman in the portrait pose, the "chorus line" friends, and the little girl at the street scene. ( I was not able to see the one with the in store scene.)

    ...happy to get a chance to catch up on some blog reading.

    Blessings & Aloha!
    I have an award (aka bloghug) for you at my place. I do appreciate you, dear friend, and thank you for coming by and for all your past comments!

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  2. These shots are just so fun. I love the kitten shot (and that dude is hairy!) lol. The portrait from the 30's is amazing!

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  3. I love the shots of all the girl friends. Remaining open to possibility...perfectly put!

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  4. Once again, you've found some magnificent snapshots, dear!
    -Andi x
    PS I was totally obsessed with looking through Joey Harrison's photos of his parents (the fella with the kittens) a little while ago. I felt kind of creepy. I just couldn't believe two people so gorgeous actually existed. Haha.

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  5. Adorably fun snapshots today. Have a wonderful weekend!

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  6. Oh yes...you so often echo my thoughts dear girl...curiousity...what a quality to be nurtured...love that last pic from Mexico...and your description...

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  7. Oh what a beautiful line-up.

    Hope you're having a lovely weekend.
    xxx

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  8. Oh how I love these photos.. funny about the girls showing their legs.. not much lift on those skirts.. how different a time that was. I love your choices for today and think you have a great eye for finding exactly what you want!

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  9. Hey there. Happy Sunday to you. I hope you've been enjoying the weekend. Take care. Good luck with the week ahead. Cheers!

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  10. Just adore those top 4 photos. Something so charming and peaceful about them. Much love and hugs! xoxo

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  11. Wow, there are some really lovely photos there! Thanks!

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  12. Wow...great photos Jessica. You always seem to make me long for an earlier time where things seem much more simple. Have a great Sunday. Kori xoxo

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  13. What a lovely collection, yet again! I love seeing old images of London, they remind me of all the fun I use to have when we use to get dragged around the art galleries for art class! Fun times!

    Hope you had a lovely weekend, doll!

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  14. That...is a lot of chest hair!

    And I love the teenage "chorus girls" - so sweet! Back when teenagers could be a little cheeky without being slutty. It's adorable in its innocence.

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  15. What a beautiful post!! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE looking back.

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  16. Great collection of photos. Love the Picadilly Circus one. Been there dozens of times, always so exciting!
    Maureen

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  17. I am completely enchanted with your vintage photos! I collect them as well and, from time to time, post a few! They offer such great inspiration for thought! Love this post!

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  18. the pictures are beautiful...and....the young man is not bad at all!!!!hihihi....
    greetz sweet Jessica!

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  19. Good morning, my wonderful dears! Thank you each deeply for your beautiful comments. It is a joy to read your thoughts on these timelessly classic snapshots, and appreciate each one of your visits so much!!!

    Big hugs & joyful Wednesday wishes,
    ♥ Jessica

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  20. The London postcard picture is absolutely fantastic. I'm going to keep it on my desktop. Things have changed so much since it was taken!

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  21. @ July Stars, thank you so much for your wonderful comment. It warms my heart to know that you enjoyed that particular vintage snapshot so much!

    Big hugs & happy Wednesday wishes,
    ♥ Jessica

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