From time to time I have a
fascination with doors. This
happens for me most often in the fall, when people unveil their finest wreaths
and patio decorations as Thanksgiving approaches. The decorations make houses look like homes. I have lived here for quite some time,
and I can definitely say that the decorations on the doors of the houses of
people I know are direct reflections of the people themselves. Most are cozy and inviting, all
ready to welcome family and friends, because it is a time for good food, good
company, and just being together.
Although these are not the best of times, most of us live with a sense
of security on a daily basis. We
have a place we call “home.”
But there are other doors too; doors that no longer provide
a sense of security. Doors that
have been opened and closed by countless little hands that never really have a
place to call home. This
particular house had new families in it monthly, until it was suddenly declared
unfit to live in, and therefore was condemned. As I stared at these doors through the lens of my camera, I
could not help but wonder about those that had lived here. If they were able to do so, how would
they decorate their doors?
To my American friends, I wish you a blessed Thanksgiving,
and let us all be grateful for that place we call “home.”
54 comments:
So sad...
Makes one sit up and take notice.
Powerful image, Lisa.
Lovely post, Lisa. I share your fascination with doors -- those purple doors are wonderful! Yes, I am so grateful to live in peace and without want. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!
I love old doors, they are so full of character.
Lovely photos.
I love photos of doors. The first one you showed is beautiful. In my country, we have fences around the house so we cannot really see the doors.
Hello Lisa,
A telling contrast between these two sets of doors. Indeed, we are very fortunate to have the warm security of our homes filled with families and love.
Wishing you a blessed Thanksgiving, too!
xo ~Anna
Lovely purple doors, I'm grateful too to be safe & secure & loved in my home.
Excellent, I love these pictures, there are doors that can be turned into delicious works of art. Really lovely. Greetings.
What a great colour those doors are. Great pictures and a thought provoking post. We are so lucky to have comfortable warm homes to live in and take it for granted sometimes.
Have a great Thanksgiving!!
Yes, we are so lucky...love your shot of the purple door...
Woof Lisa!
My doors are always open and I'm always out! ;-)
both shots are great in their own ways. Maybe I like the last one a little better with it´s sepra tone and abandened apperance.
What a beautifully written..poignant story about doors and the portals they are into our homes and our lives. And - such perfect timing..when we're all expressing our thanks for all that we are so lucky to have. Thank-you for the reminder.
Hi Lisa!
I love doors too and I always wonder what goes inside.
I love those purple doors! Happy Thanksgiving!
I love those doors Lisa, they are so interesting aren't they, wondering what's going on behind them and who has gone through them over the years :)
Interesting doors, to say the least, Lisa. The purple double doors were a great find.
Happy Monday! :)
I completely understand the fascination with doors. I always admire them as well, there are plenty of craftsman style doors where we live but my favorites where when we did a road trip through southern louisiana.
Yes, and it really makes you want to reach out to some of these folks in a meaningful way. Also, makes me reflect one more time on the gratitude that i have for the stability in my own life, and also of the color and support that i have had! So many out there who do not have that. Did I already tell you how much I love the purple door, and the inviting feeling that it gives. Something to really think about in this Thanksgiving season, and during the holidays!
Lisa,
Those purple doors - what an amazing statement of "curb appeal". Although the story behind them is sad, I also am intrigued by the abandoned doors and the muted color palette.
both doorways are wonderful!
Your doors are very unique for me. Just before the Christmas, some people would decorate a wreath inJapan.
Such a contrast, such hope and warmth, such despair and rejection. Says so very, very much in these times. Happy Thanksgiving.
Those purple doors, slightly ajar, are so inviting. You've made a wonderful contrast with the second shot of the colorless, boarded-up, padlocked #63. Perhaps it, too, was once someone's gracious entry.
I find it so troubling to go into the downtown core of big cities and see the numbers of homeless people wandering around with their meager belongings in a shopping cart. A place to call home is truly central to well-being. Let's open our doors to those who have none. Thank you Lisa for this important post. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.
How thought-provoking, Lisa. The second door is haunting. My door usually has nothing on it - today I wonder what that says about me . . .
However, I do put up some spectacular wreaths for most holidays :)
I love photographing doors and wondering what lies beyond.
I wonder the same Lisa. Doors tell so much about a place, and the people who live behind them. Thanks for sharing these images!
What a beautiful post, Lisa! I love your door shots - you are such an inspiration! Happy Thanksgiving to you, too! I'm really grateful I have a home, although the heating has been out of order this past weekend and I do hope they can fix it fast, as it is so cold...
Lisa, these are absolutely fantastic doors. How beautiful you create pictures in colors and also in B&W. I love both pictures. Of course they are very different. The first door is so festive and inviting and so warm and the doors in the second picture have quiet strong characters.
Both pictures have wonderful stories to tell. Great, so great!
Dear Lisa, I wish you a blessed Thanksgiving also!!!!!!!
Lisa, The door is the entry to our "home and family"-the center of our lives. One can't help but feel sadness when looking at the disparity of the two doors. It does make me feel even more blessed and grateful for the abundance I have had in my life. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family, and "thanks" for making us all step back and take a look at our lives. Mickie :)
I love doors! These are beautiful . . . I did an entire post last July on doors and as I was photographing them, all of which are probably 100 years old I wondered about the people who had touched those knobs and what they wore back then and what their lives were like. And in life we don't know if a door is closed to opportunity until we try to open it!
Loved this!
Lovely photos of the door. Like the first one. It wish us welcome. Have a great day and week to you.
Greeting Hilda
I love these photos... Have a beautiful Thanksgiving!!!
Thanks for hosting this... just found your blog link while reading one of the blogs I follow... hope to post here from time to time. Love the colorful purple door! The other image is very well done... it makes me feel sad.
a beautifully written post, and metaphor too Lisa. thanks for the thoughts and inspiration. and thanks too for hosting TCE each week. A blessed and Happy Thanksgiving holiday to you and yours.
Love those doors! Very pretty. I have a bit of a fascination too. Especially red doors!
wonderful pictures today....the purple doors are of course my favorite. i would do it, if only the hubs were supportive!!
we saw several home's with purple doors on martha's vineyard, they are a rare find!!
have a wonderful thanksgiving!!
Aren't doors a wonderful subject? i can never figure out why I never have a camera with me when I see a beautiful door! I really love the your first shot Lisa. Wonderful color.
Thank you for sharing my friend!
Nick.
Beautiful and moving, and you are right; we have so much to be thankful for.
Most of us are very lucky to have a place to call home. This time of year a sadness comes over me for those that don't. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
I love the purple doors. Beautiful!
Love seeing doors of wonderful colors.. Welcoming colors that invite you in. Thank you Lisa for this Creative Exchange.
Happy Thanksgiving Lisa.
These are such beautiful shots. The second one especially speaks volumes :)
A wonderful door in color and structure. A beautiful one. Great capture, Lisa.
Love these images, and the thoughts behind them. The purple is lovely-and it was great to read your words and then see the black and white come into view as a contrast. Selling real estate-I see a lot of both. Last week I was standing in a multi-million $$ ocean front home looking straight out at the Atlantic, today I'm showing a tired little 3 bedroom house lived in hard-no money-vacant-sad. I have to close my eyes and heart-and just try to help the seller with "closure", to really think and really see-is heartbreaking.
I know I've been absent-hope all is well with you. I'm up to my eyeballs in work and such. Hoping soon for a reprieve.
Did go back and view that luscious "butter" image with gaussian blur too. Gorgeous. No one does it better than you.
Happy holiday to you Lisa. Thanks for being the ever lovely hostess at CE.
I love to see wreaths on doors this time of year too!
hermoso lo que escribís sobre las puertas, y muy cierto.Preciosa la decoración de la puerta violeta! Y muy bella imagen!es toda una cálida bienvenida! un abrazo!
Love the door shots! I get fascinated with them as well :o). The purple doors are lovely and the mood of the other shot perfectly captures what you expressed. Thank you for sharing!
What a beautiful purple door!! I found myself fascinated by doors when I went to Italy last year!!
Great images and thanks for this link up. It's one of my favourites.
Beautiful post. Doors always have a sense of intrigue about them!
Thank you for the tip on the zuchinni. We are going to attempt the rollatini again!
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving! ~Val
That brought tears to my eyes... I just get so emotional! LoL! But, yes, I'm thankful for my home & everything God has blessed me with!!!
Happy Thanksgiving to you & your family, too =)
Beautiful post!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
What a beautiful blog!!! I love fotography. :)
greetings from Portugal!
purple doors?! I LOVE IT! :)
I have a weakness for doors too - these are great shots!
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