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christmas in killarney

1.18.2013

 
(a roll of film from the holidays)
I thought about tradition, the significance of each time-honoured practice. Why some lose their spark, or never fail to do so. How despite being hand-me-downs from generations past, welcomed year in, year out, they still preserve that certain spontaneity. I thought about this and how it all tied into my own family's traditions; the rituals and folklore we unearth every twelve months. I thought about this later, after it was all said and done. I was living it at the time. We all were. 

I'd be lying if I said I didn't wonder. I wonder where I'll be this time next year. I wonder how many more times we'll open our apple boxes. I wonder how many more games of fox and geese I'll play before I tire of it. I wonder if I'll ever tire of snow games entirely, if I'll ever lose my gift to play, really play, like a child. I wonder if any new traditions were born from our whims, if we'll go glow-bowling three days before Christmas and have supper at Wu's Chinese and Canadian Dishes three days after. I wonder and I am in wonder - of this season, this province, these people. They are good.

28 comments:

  1. ah. these are so good. why are you so amazing? whatever it is, keep doing it :) xoxo

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  2. I can't tell you how much I love this. especially because I've been living in wondering lately, and have mulled over traditions and what will be passed down. what my little family's traditions will be. how many more mornings at grandma's for Christmas breakfast? will we keep going downtown, even after the littles are grown? what will life look like in a year, two years, ten? and will I recognize who I was now then?

    Traditions are so important, often more than we realize, because they're integral to our history. They become a legacy that lasts and outlives us. We still tell stories of old traditions or those who kept them, family and friends. And part of the remembering is sad, but part of it is beautiful.

    these photos are beautiful. I am itching to buy a film camera so terribly at the moment. If I could, I'd sell all my digital equipment and switch over. Waiting for that someday.

    love you.
    h

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  3. These pictures and this description of the winter season is so beautiful and nostalgic. xx

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  4. oh my gawsh. i hate living in texas for this reason. trust me, film does not look as good on undecidedly-brown/green grass and conifer trees as it does on snow and pine trees. i am incredibly jelly, and yet in awe at the same time.

    also, what film camera do you use?

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  5. this is completely beautiful. especially the fact that it's in film. i find there's a certain element to photography that's lost in digital prints. these pictures are perfect.

    :)

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  6. Abbey. You're digitals are incredible, and so is are films. You have this way of capturing things that kills me every time. Just beautiful. xoxo.

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  7. scrolling through these photos my eyes turned green with envy. winter seems to have skipped over my home this year and i so long for the snow. these photos are so beautiful and capture the beauty of snowy days so wonderfully.

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  8. beautiful! these are amazing. what film camera do you have? xx | natalia.

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  9. I was going to say something, but then I scrolled through all your photos... & totally forgot what it was. They're breathtakingly lovely. <3

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  10. "I was living it at the time. We all were." Gorgeous, Abbey, truly. You have such a talent with photos and words.

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  11. Magic at your fingertips, my dear. You are so talented. I love your words too, about traditions.

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  12. this is a work of art, Abbey.

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  13. Traditions are astoundingly beautiful: the ones that we cherish now, and the ones yet to be born. I get tingles from head to toe thinking of new traditions to come.

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  14. i love these!!:) The snow flake picture is so amazing!!!

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  15. this is so, so lovely. also it makes me very much want to experiment with shooting film. you're so good, m'dear.

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  16. That looks like an amazing, but very different Christmas to anything I've ever known.
    Beautiful photographs, Abbey :)

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  17. These are incredible.
    (you're incredible)

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  18. this. is. so. beautiful. and those pictures are gorgeous.

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  19. Beautiful writing. I love reading your blog as you highlight Manitoban winters and family traditions.

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  20. oh i love this. love the film, good work friend

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  21. such a lovely bit of writing and some amazing film.

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  22. magic. pure magic. lovelovelove film & traditions & family & words from you. :)

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  23. All of them, but especially the first three, are amazing!

    http://www.anaruizwriting.blogspot.com

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  24. Your photography is absolutely beautiful, ohmygod!

    love, rachelsgonevintage.blogspot.co.uk x

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  25. I am pretty sure that if you keep telling Auntie Deed to do your apple boxes, she will do them! You may have many more years of them :)

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