{In an act as old as driveways, walkways and paths that needed clearing, a darling little girl dons her rubber boats and helps to shovel away some of winter's snowy wrath during the winter of 1947.}
{Artistry and elegance spill over in abundance in this incredibly lovely 1920s portrait of a woman sitting alone at her writing desk in a beautifully furnished room.}
{In what has to be one of my all-time favourite vintage colour street scene shots, we see a pretty young woman hard at work (in jeans no less!) as she puts together a new store front display for a Fenwick department store.}
{Titled "Marcia and the twins, Dec. 1949" (with no further background info given) we see three completely charming little ladies each posing and radiating sweetness and confidence alike - especially the latter in the case of little Miss Marcia in the middle!
} 
{The moment I saw this delightful 1930s photograph of a smiling couple posing in a cheerful dandelion filled field, I couldn't help but think of all those in the southern hemisphere who are kicking off their summers just as our winter begins. And so, sweet friends, I dedicate this sunny scene to all of you and the hope that your summer is every bit as happy, too.}
{You've got to love a house painting, beer drinking, trouser wearing 1940s mom hard at work while two teeny puppies play at her feet.}
{Though I doubt she intended to on purpose, it's rather cool how this 1950s gal's outfit (blouse, skirt, and apron) coordinate quite stylishly with the eye-catching, boldly patterned atomic print couch she's reclining on.}
{Though it will be - baring vacations - a long time still before many of us will be able to slide our bare toes into warm sand once again, the moment I spied this wonderful beach shot recently, I knew it was too charming not to include in the next edition of Saturday Snapshots.}
{From the gentle doe eyes to her immensely sweet braided hairdo and porcelain complexion, this beautiful young 1920s lady looks as though she could have just stepped of the set of one of the eras silent movies.}
{I always adore crisp vintage group shots, such as this one from 1949 which looks as though it may have been taken outside of a university, as they so often give you a chance to see multiple real world fashions from the same year displayed side-by-side in photo.}
{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.}
December has entered, stage right, and as of the first moment of this morning, we can officially say we're partaking in the last month of the year. It's a touch too soon to reflect on 2012 as a whole, given that we do still have one 1/12 of it to experience still, but I will say that over all, I have loved this year and hope dearly that December proves as positive and lovely as many of its predecessors.
I am eager for this month to unfold, and yet part of me wants to savour each frosty air filled moment, too. Winter often gets a negative rap. It's not terribly hard to see why, it is the coldest of all seasons (if you live north of the equator) and the few amongst us relish the opportunity to drive (or walk) on ice slicked streets as near white out snow bombards our windshields (or faces). The soft palette of the earth, tinted in delicate greys, ashy browns, whisper soft blues and long faded browns can seem dreary at times, but much like artist Andrew Wyeth said in the quote above, it does entail a sense of what remains unseen, just waiting to be discovered or break forth.
I've never hated or even disliked winter, not for one tiny day. It's chill and serenity resonate deeply with me, a definite homebody who loves hankering inside from the elements or enjoying a tranquil stroll across unmarked powder. In winter my mind often springs to life in ways that are nearly impossible during the sweltering summer months, when the heat seems to gnaw away and your brain, zapping every last shred of energy you might have in the process.
As snow swirls, icicles form, and Christmas season springs to life, I cannot help but feel a sense of intense renewal this year, as I often have in winters past. New Year's may still be thirty-one days off, but already there is newness, excitement, potential, and joy in the final bow of the seasons. This month will be hectic and harried, beautiful, brazen, meaningful and memorable.
There will be carols and cocoa plenty, last minute shopping, beloved rituals and brand new traditions alike. It's the first year Tony and I have been able to spend the holidays with my family (as we always lived thousands of miles apart prior to this), and I cannot even begin to put into words how special that is to me.
Also on the winter firsts front, this winter is the first time we've had a car to de-ice the windows on or a front step of our own to shovel snow off of (having living together in apartments, basements suits, or other front step-less dwellings before this year). We get to catch snowflakes on our tongues standing in our little yard (which many of you no doubt know from the scores of vintage outfit photos that were snapped there this year), attend local holiday events together sans public transit, and even string Christmas lights outside (another first in the course of our time together).
I never completely lost that wide eyed sense of magic and wonder that children get at Christmas, yet not in many a year have I felt it so strongly - or so early in the season - as I do this December. Something is indeed waiting beneath the surface this month: the chance for so many firsts and favourites, the passion and power of the holidays, and the final moments of what has been a sincerely wonderful year.
