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April 12, 2015

Flickr Favourites: April 12, 2015





{Good Housekeeping, April 1951 ~ Totally Mystified}
 



{Apple pie with extra soft dried apricots ~ Sara Domjan}
 



{1950 ... bandwagon for Spring! ~ James Vaughan}
 



{John M. Gonatos in his curio shop with assistant Niki Vasilikis: Tarpon Springs, Florida ~ Florida Memory}
 



{Puteri ~ XCharlie}
 



{1957 Bird’s Custard ad ~ Totally Mystified}
 



{Postcard of Artesian Tree, Coral Gables, Florida, 1940s ~ Steven Martin}
 



{Among the lilacs ~ Don Sutherland}
 



{1956 Kangol hats ad ~ Totally Mystified}
 



{Mail order dress ~ James Vaughan}



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





April shimmers like a freshly polished gemstone, but it isn't always sweetness and light. Powerful thunder storms have made this month famous and brought with it promises of May flowers, as any fan of rhyming will quickly tell you. April can mean the tail end of winter or the glorious start of spring, depending on where you reside (assuming you do so in the Western Hemisphere).

It's a month I welcome with open arms, and no matter how rainy the days, I feel my energy levels perking back up. The knowledge that we're closer to summer's start than to (next) winter's always makes me a joyful camper. I know that I'm not alone here in the slightest and would love to hear about some of the things that are fuelling your excitement levels as we hid mid-April!

There's so much to do and see, smell, taste and enjoy about the fourth month of the year. Yard sale season is back in full force, and with it my Saturdays (health permitting) become exciting jaunts around town in the hopes of unearthing marvelous vintage treasures for both my Etsy shop and my own wardrobe (and home). The past couple of years have been pretty darn slow on the vintage front at such outdoor sales, but one never knows when and where lady luck may smile on them again, and that thought keeps on getting me up at the crack of dawn on the weekends with a big smile on my face and a symphony of coins jingling in my pockets.

The local farmer's market will be starting again soon, too, and most green grocers and supermarkets are stocking fresh, grown in BC produce already. Tiny, elegant strawberries that are perfect precisely as they are, no need for sugar or lashing of cream - though I am rarely opposed to either. Tender, proud spears of asparagus, delightful little waxy new potatoes, and plenty of recipe enlivening herbs of the season are ours to avail of once more.

Though too soon to go swimming (unless you're a duck or fan of polar bear dips), the lakes and beaches that make this part of the country the majestic holiday dentition that it is are waking up. Swarms of walkers take to their sands and sidewalks, lapping up the first ice cream cones they've eaten outside in months, and stopping periodically to take photos of the sweeping desert landscape or to turn the lens on themselves in selfie form.

Spring, like autumn, rarely lasts long in Canada, and that makes me cherish it all the more. The colours, and in some cases, imagery, in today's edition of Flickr Favourites celebrate the liveliness and loveliness alike of early spring, when it's not uncommon to wear open toed shoes with a coat still, and to rarely venture beyond your home without an umbrella.

Before we know it, we will blink and be well into the swelteringly hot dog days of summer - or, two blinks later - hauling the autumn decorations out of storage. Take time to stop and smell the roses (and lilacs, and daffodils, and honeysuckle) this season, both literally and figuratively. Life has a way of getting so busy in the 21st century that we forget about all the action unfolding right under our windowsills and beyond our front doors.

This year, let's all make a point not to do that. Instead, slip on your favourite vintage sundress, turn your face skyward, and let the uplifting, gorgeous rays of spring sunshine remind you of the countless reasons why it is an amazing gift to be alive and be able get to enjoy the good points, as well as the storms (literal or figurative), of every season - very much including those of spring, glorious spring!

26 comments:

  1. You always write such lovely things. I'm in the middle of Autumn and we still haven't had much rain this year, which is so strange. We usually have a bit of a mini-flood around or just after christmas, but we only really got a few showers. So all the farmers have to take a chance and plant and hope big rain doesn't come and wash it all away. I have been enjoying many of the beautiful beaches in my part of the world lately. And taking some pictures of the sea and shells and things. It's been nice to appreciate nature a bit more and to get some vitamin d

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    1. Thank you deeply, sweet dear. There are so many lovely (and at times, not so lovely) parallels between the two seasons. They're both (here at least) short lived, lovely and filled with holidays (Thanksgiving, Halloween, and Remembrance Day here in Canada for us in the fall) and can usually be covered by the same portion of one's wardrobe.

      How awesome that you've been enjoying some time at the beach lately. I am very eagerly looking forward to when its warm enough to do the same here. Swimming is beyond the scope of my health (much to my chagrin, it practically took a team of wild horses to pull me out of the water when I was a kid), but I love wading a little and then relaxing in the shade with a good book and perhaps a beach picnic.

      Thank you very much for both of your great comments this weekend. Have a fantastic week!

      ♥ Jessica

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  2. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on Spring, and finding these great vintage pix--I love the open toe shoes, something I could wear today in So Cal, where it's sunny and not too hot (yet), so I'll make a point of doing a bit of basking with my face to the sun (not to forget the sunscreen).

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    1. That is very kind of you to say, Susan, thank you. I'm delighted to know that you enjoyed it.

      Have a beautiful week,
      ♥ Jessica

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  4. Oh I hardly know where to begin! Such a feast for the eyes! :D

    I think I'll start with lilacs. Oh lilacs, how I love thee! Ours will be blooming in a couple weeks. I live in a wooded area & they are just springing to life! My favorite little woodland flower Dutchman's Britches (or Breeches) is in its prime right now. They make me think of little fairies' drawers hung out to dry. :) I want to capture some photos of the sweet little blooms. Our pear tree is *just* about to bloom. After the blossoms have fulfilled their purpose the April breezes will shower them on the ground - a fragrant Springtime confetti. A friend gave me some daffodil bulbs for my birthday last year & I just love seeing their happy faces spreading their sunshine for all to see. What delights this season holds!

    I'm especially in love with this illustration of the mother & daughter & her new mail-order dress. Getting something in the mail still holds such excitement. That's one thing that technology hasn't altered! :)

    We've had some pretty fierce thunderstorms around here the past couple weeks. Even some tornado activity in the surrounding areas this past week. Thankfully not any great devastation or any loss of life. I really love a nice gentle thunderstorm. (Not the sort you're afraid you'll end up in Oz.) ;) The rain really does the little flowers a lot of good & there's something so cozy about being safe indoors while droplets race down your windowpanes.

    Well, I think I've blathered on quite long enough, my friend! :D
    Happiest of Springtime wishes to you, dear Jessica!
    Love,
    Michelle ^_^
    Delightful Handwork

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    1. Hello sweet lady, thank you very much for your wonderfully lovely comment. Reading it felt like we were sitting over a steaming pot of tea, early springtime sunlight streaming through a window, and sharing a wonderful conversation. I loved hearing about some of your most treasured elements of this gentle, elegantly pretty season. How marvelous that you have a pear tree - does it produce fruit or is it ornamental? We don't have a garden or much of a yard (we live in a condo with just a wee bit of grass, one tree, and a teeny patch of soil that we planted small rose bushes on the first year we lived here), but fortunately there's plenty of greenery in the neighbourhood. We haven't seen any lilacs yet, but chances are they aren't too far off, especially with the buckets of rain we've been getting most days here lately.

      Oooohh, I so massively agree! I absolutely love the thrill of getting something in the mail. It can be a letter, a postcard, the arrival of a purchase, a surprise gift - just about anything other than bad news or bills makes me such a happy camper. I so hope that we never loss this important element of everyday life in the face of ever more present technology.

      Goodness! I sincerely hope that you're not affected by a tornado or any bad storms. I love a little thunder and lightning, but do wish the universe would get rid of tornadoes and hurricanes!

      You didn't "blather" at all. I really enjoyed your comment and sincerely appreciate that you wanted to share so much with me. I hope that you have a terrific rest of this gorgeous season.

      Tons of hugs,
      ♥ Jessica

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    2. Ooo, I can hear the kettle whistling now! ;) I'd have tea & talk of Spring with you any ol' time!
      Does the pear tree produce fruit? And how! Bushels of them! It's been a great blessing - we can't even manage to use one fourth of what it produces. (Maybe if I were more on the ball with preserving...) We end up giving away loads of them, and sadly some go to waste. Though not really to waste - the deer, squirrels, & raccoons put them to good use! When the ones we've stored in the garage start to spoil we put them outside for those critters to enjoy. It's usually around mid winter so it's very timely for them. :)

      Hugs to you too!
      Michelle ^_^
      Delightful Handwork

      PS - I've completed the Profoundly Loved Q&A. It's my newest post! :D Thanks again for nominating me, hun!

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    3. You're so very welcome, dear gal. Thank you so much for taking part in this delightful blogging game/tag post. As soon as I wrap up this comment, I'm off to read your lovely answers.

      That's wonderful! I love pears. I mean really, really, really love them. They're my second favourite fruit and thankfully one of many that are grown in abundance around these parts (though, sadly, not quite to the degree that the were when I was a youngster), so we always stock up in late summer/early fall. My mom makes an incredible freezer jam with them that also stars my very favourite fruit, raspberries, and which was a staple on our table when I was growing up. I should post the recipe here when pears are in season again. :)

      On a largely unrelated note, spring hasn't been very toasty for us yet, so I've been wearing your handmade scarf lately and have been absolutely inundated with kind comments on it each time I go out in it. I've even handed out a couple of my business cards and told people (strangers) who especially adored it to email me so I can point them towards you. Not sure if they will, but I wanted to let you know all the same. It really is a darling piece and one that does a great job of keeping chilliness at bay, too.

      Have a beautiful week,
      ♥ Jessica

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    4. Oh my goodness! I'd love to have that recipe! I'm always on the hunt for pear recipes.

      I'm so glad you're enjoying your fox scarf! That's so sweet of you to "promote" it for me. :D

      ~Michelle ^_^
      Delightful Handwork

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  5. Jessica your post is a beautiful reminder to me to just stop and be glad for the beauty around me. I love your term of hot dog Summer days. I'll remember that for next Summer. What's giving me boundless energy right now is our cooler weather, seeing the Autumn glow on the trees and finally being able to wear my fabulous jackets (especially my new leather one) and playing with Autumn fashion! Oh - and my upcoming holiday ;)

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    1. There are so many wonderfully lovely parallels between our two halves of the world at this time of the year - not the least of which is that we could practically swap wardrobes. I hope that you have a sunny, mild, beautiful autumn, dear Debs.

      Big hugs,
      ♥ Jessica

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  6. We've just had a SNOW storm, a flippin SNOW storm!! Most of the snow had melted and we were having temperatures in the mid 50's. Just Friday, I wore my first full skirt, sans stockings and was in joyous spring spirits. Saturday morning we woke up to 2-3 inches and it snowed all day. That's Alaska for you! I'm holding on to hope that spring will reach us (for real) some time soon and I can get out the rest of my spring/summer wardrobe.

    She Knits in Pearls

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  7. wonderful written my dear! i especially love the last paragraph - yes, we should enjoy the moment! spring is here and there is no need to run around for a swimsuit yet, instead we should sniff the flower scented air and listen to the concert of the birds and watching the butterflies in the sunshine and the frogs in the pond.....
    our garden bursts with life at the moment, it really feels like paradise!
    fabulous flickr finds too! the graphic of the kangol ad is awesome!
    tons of hugs and a sunny week!!!! xxxxxxx

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    1. That's very sweet and kind of you to say, dear Beate. Huge thanks! Spring has sprung here, too, albeit in its very dampest form. I don't really mind though, other than that it can put the breaks on taking outdoor outfit photos. Not that I have time for such things this week (I don't), as I putting in very long days preparing to sell at a local classic car show that allows some vintage vendors in to sell that's coming up this Saturday. There is no where near enough time to get everything I wanted to do, but if nothing goes off track, I should have a decent amount of items prepared, priced and ready to be displayed by the time it's ready to set things up (the night before at the event venue).

      How wonderful that you have frogs in your neighbourhood. I'm sure there are a few around here, but I haven't seen one in our town since I was a child. I do see the occasional turtle at some of the local lakes though, which is fun. :)

      Have a marvelous, sunny week complete with oodles of hugs from this side of the Atlantic from me.

      ♥ Jessica

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  8. I love the image of the little girl with her new dress, I always feel like that with my vintage dresses. Spring is my favourite time of year because it feels like we have been living in monochrome all winter and now we are in technicolor. Very nice wizard of oz if you know what I mean!

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    1. That is such a poetic, perfectly apt way to describe spring's glorious return, Christina. I love the picture it paints and agree with you completely there. Three massive cheers for the return of not just sunshine, but the colours its paints back into the world again.

      Oodles of hugs,
      ♥ Jessica

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  9. Hello Jessica!
    How many lovely images and full of spring!
    kisses
    serena

    http://madhouseautoproduzioni.blogspot.com

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  10. such gorgeous images I love them all. Spring always been brings such hope

    retro rover

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  11. Dear Jessica,

    This is such a beautiful and inspiring post! I just realized that today...April 14th, marks the 103rd anniversary of when the Titanic struck the iceberg. Time sure does fly, but I am so glad to have the opportunity to come here and reminisce about days gone by. Thank you so much for sharing.

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  12. My excitement levels? I think about getting out in my garden all the time. Both to cut the roses, clear the weeds, and just sit in my vintage garden swing with a cup of tea and knit while I talk with DH. I will drive my vintage car and sit behind DH on his motorcycle. The daylight makes me happy and gives me so much more energy. We have talked a lot about when the flea markets starts again. I have a purse full of coins I have collected all winter, so I am ready. I simply cannot wait. :) And we have just barely started visiting my tiny summer cottage at the same isle my parents live on, it is so cosy. And flowers, flowers, flowers. My favourite flower of them all is the lilacs, and I have some in my garden. I really wanted to read that magasine you showed. The finance for fiancees titel really made me curious, and I wonder what tips for a happy marriage was back then. I am so lucky to have a happy marriage, but you can always learn. Today is my weekly day off, and I will rush around doing my "this and that" route as usual, and then I've planned some sewing. I have a small pile of repairs and alterations. It is so cosy to do in my own room, playing vintage records. Thank you for the lovely and inspiring photos, dear. Wishing you a lovely day (here in Denmark it is cold and rainy). :)

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    1. You're super welcome! I feel that in general there's been a decline in the last year in my reader's interest in this particular series (perhaps because Flickr is not as popular as it once was?), but I still enjoy putting them together and will likely keep it going for a while longer at least. If I do phase it out, I have a new idea for a fairly similar post series that I'll bring in to replace it.

      I hope that you have an awesome flea market season! We don't have many around here (especially since the biggest one in Kelowna, which had been there for years if not decades, shut down for good last autumn - which I was thoroughly bummed about!), but we do get a decent number of yard sales, which - even if the vintage pickings are often slim there these day - always get me excited and eager to head out at the crack of dawn on Saturday morning.

      I absolutely, flat out adore lilacs, too. From the scent standpoint, I think they're my very favourite flower, too (visually roses win though for me and of course I adore their heady, romantic scent as well). If I ever (finally!) have a garden of my own, plenty of both will be planted. :)

      Thank you so much for your great comment. I so adore the conversations back and forth that we share though them.

      Big hugs & happy day off wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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  13. thank you for visiting my blog .. this is my first visit to yours (i think) and oh wow.. i've decided you need a vintage trailer to go along with your vintage life. seriously. :)

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  14. I love all of these images! That shoe advertisement is dreamy, can I please have one of each!?! x

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    1. Wonderful images this week. I adore those shoes and wish they made them today. Definitely cuter than most today.

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  15. I will take all the Kangool hats! Some lovely thoughts about April, you expressed them beautifully. In the garden of the house I spent my childhood in we had a big lilac tree and it was right near my bedroom window. I used to love looking at the super colours of it.

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