There is an abandoned house in our village. It has been gradually decaying since we moved here 20 years ago. At the beginning, we had many dreams about what we might do with it.
But now, all we dream of is that it fall down under the weight of snow and wind in the near future.
It does, nevertheless, provide me with images that are fun to experiment with...
some of which I might even describe as haunting...
The rear view of the place is the real eyesore, and we can see that from our house. It's too snowy right now for me to tramp around behind it but I just bet there are some good images to be had there. I have pix of the back from summer, but of course I'm lusting after some with the snow drifts inside.
I love these, Lynne! You know I have a thing for tumble-down houses. When they renovate them in Sicily, they're never half as charming as they once were... And as you prove, they're a photographer's delight.
Somehow those tumbledown houses in Italy seem so much more romantic! I had Big Fantasies about many of them when we were travelling around the south there. You might be interested to know that the "apparition" in the window of the last image was a photo I took of a memorial picture on a grave in the cemetery in Tropea.
Yes, slowly, irrevocably, left to its own devices, Nature will take care of what has outlived its welcome, as you say. Perhaps all of humankind included.
These abandoned places just seem to draw one in rather than repulse. Perhaps because they raise so many questions and make the imagination take flight.
I know the bare bone facts of the place...certainly a creative imagination could fill in the blanks or embellish the history or dream up a completely new narrative. I think I'd prefer to bending the truth a little with images, though.
How about a nice big mug of Ovaltine to help calm your nerves...laced with something a little stronger, perhaps...or maybe forget the Ovaltine and just go for the something stronger?
I always have a twinge of sadness when i see a once wonderful house fallen to this state. they are everywhere. They always make me wonder what happened to the people and what are their stories. we had and still have a few in this village. oh, and I love your photographs.
I always wonder just how people can walk away from a place and let it die. When I first moved to the Maritimes I was appalled at how many lovely old abandoned houses there were, with vinyl-sided bungalows sprung up in the yard next door. The families were tired of the old and wanted all new and shiny. I actually lived in an abandoned house for several months.
Paneless windows, painless eyes. What do you see? Emptiness? Have the echoes of play ceased? Can you not imagine that there was once a fire within? The ashes have been scattered and lost but perhaps the memory of warmth somewhere remains and a child's laughter rings unknowing of its source.
When someone looks at your windows in fifty years what will they see? What would you want them to see? _____________________________________
And a very evocative poem to accompany my images! Thank you. Gives one pause to think on the question you pose at the end. I think, for this house, the one I live in now, I would want the message to say, "She loved it well, but she had to move on..."
It was a nice house, a simple farm house, but with a charming curving staircase leading to the second floor. The back is falling off it now, and the floors rotted out, the inside walls crumbling...far too gone to salvage, except perhaps for the clapboard.
I'm positive you could spin a marvellous tale based on this falling down house. I wonder what smells you would find to augment the imaginings...surely decay and mushrooms...and a faint whiff of fire, I suspect...
I imagine it's an eyesore to see out of your window but it does have that old charm which makes for good photos.. and Photoshopping. Fun treatment.
ReplyDeleteThe rear view of the place is the real eyesore, and we can see that from our house. It's too snowy right now for me to tramp around behind it but I just bet there are some good images to be had there. I have pix of the back from summer, but of course I'm lusting after some with the snow drifts inside.
DeleteI love these, Lynne! You know I have a thing for tumble-down houses. When they renovate them in Sicily, they're never half as charming as they once were... And as you prove, they're a photographer's delight.
ReplyDeleteSomehow those tumbledown houses in Italy seem so much more romantic! I had Big Fantasies about many of them when we were travelling around the south there. You might be interested to know that the "apparition" in the window of the last image was a photo I took of a memorial picture on a grave in the cemetery in Tropea.
DeleteThe middle image is my favorite, speak of the passage of time, of nature taking care of what has outlived its welcome.
ReplyDeleteYes, slowly, irrevocably, left to its own devices, Nature will take care of what has outlived its welcome, as you say. Perhaps all of humankind included.
DeleteI love your experimentations.. especially that last image.. Wonderful!
ReplyDeleteOh, goody! I'm so glad you like them because I have several more up my sleeve to experiment with.
Deletealways something haunting about abandoned houses that were once homes - always rich material for photography though - especially that last image...
ReplyDeleteThese abandoned places just seem to draw one in rather than repulse. Perhaps because they raise so many questions and make the imagination take flight.
DeleteOne would love to ask you to write a small novel about that house and certainly about the last image. Great work.
ReplyDeleteI know the bare bone facts of the place...certainly a creative imagination could fill in the blanks or embellish the history or dream up a completely new narrative. I think I'd prefer to bending the truth a little with images, though.
DeleteOh oh, you're scaring me right before bedtime,,,,
ReplyDeleteHow about a nice big mug of Ovaltine to help calm your nerves...laced with something a little stronger, perhaps...or maybe forget the Ovaltine and just go for the something stronger?
DeleteI always have a twinge of sadness when i see a once wonderful house fallen to this state. they are everywhere. They always make me wonder what happened to the people and what are their stories. we had and still have a few in this village.
ReplyDeleteoh, and I love your photographs.
I always wonder just how people can walk away from a place and let it die. When I first moved to the Maritimes I was appalled at how many lovely old abandoned houses there were, with vinyl-sided bungalows sprung up in the yard next door. The families were tired of the old and wanted all new and shiny. I actually lived in an abandoned house for several months.
DeletePaneless windows, painless eyes.
ReplyDeleteWhat do you see?
Emptiness?
Have the echoes of play ceased?
Can you not imagine that there was once a fire within?
The ashes have been scattered and lost but perhaps the memory of warmth somewhere remains and a child's laughter rings unknowing of its source.
When someone looks at your windows in fifty years what will they see?
What would you want them to see?
_____________________________________
Very evocative - nicely done!
And a very evocative poem to accompany my images! Thank you. Gives one pause to think on the question you pose at the end. I think, for this house, the one I live in now, I would want the message to say, "She loved it well, but she had to move on..."
DeleteOoh, scary! I know what you mean about places just getting too derelict to bother about.A shame though - it looks as if it was a nice house once.
ReplyDeleteIt was a nice house, a simple farm house, but with a charming curving staircase leading to the second floor. The back is falling off it now, and the floors rotted out, the inside walls crumbling...far too gone to salvage, except perhaps for the clapboard.
DeleteSo very beautiful and haunting!
ReplyDeleteI am so pleased that you see the beauty in this.
DeleteOoooh, now you're talking my language! Wonderful stuff.
ReplyDeleteI'm positive you could spin a marvellous tale based on this falling down house. I wonder what smells you would find to augment the imaginings...surely decay and mushrooms...and a faint whiff of fire, I suspect...
Delete