"Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands........" 1 Thessalonians 4:11

Monday, June 22, 2009

If These Walls Could Talk

You will find me waiting at the end of some dirt road, overgrown with weeds from the absence of footsteps. You can find me along with countless others on the internet....labeled as abandoned......eerie...creepy....scary..........but......
if these walls could talk, you would hear another version, ........these walls........

these walls have been painted on, wall papered, grease splattered and colored on. They have held photos of young married couples, old married couples, babies,....families of those who made this house a home.....These walls have kept away the storm's wind and rain, snow and cold.....and have kept a warmth surrounding this family..........

These floors have been walked on, stomped on, spilt on, crawled on, and scrubbed on. These doors have been slammed in moments of hurriedness, play and sometimes anger. These windows have let the sunshine and cool breeze in while keeping the danger of outside......out.

These porches have been a place where plans have been thought out, where the best of childhood games have been played and where everyone seemed to like to gather the most. A welcoming retreat from the blazing heat of the day. The place where the end of the day is sorted out and given rest.



I was once a happy place, hidden away from the fast pace of this maddening world.....a place of quiet........ calm.....peace.......security.




I was once someones castle, protecting all of those who lived inside of these walls. Each room heard different conversations......the radio telling of the news.......recipes for the strawberry jam.....the next best move at the baseball game.... prayers for each and everyone who lived within......and the secrets told to a dear diary about the boy down the road.......





I was once someones dream....... the new bride....the babies...the new barn....the hay field....... the harvest.....







I have known the laughter, sadness, worry, and hopes that make up a family.






I was once what everyone thought home should be..........








I was once a dream, a well thought out plan.......that for some reason....did not come true.....










Abandoned........yes......eerie, creepy, scary?.......no..............I would say more..........
protector, refuge, .....a touchstone......
..........home........ waiting at the end of a dirt road.
......whenever I see and old vacant house......I want to pull over and go inside and look at every room.....something always calls to me in these old beauties.....
My question to you......how do you feel when you see an old vacant house? I always love hearing your thoughts.











35 comments:

Anonymous said...

What wonderful photos. I always wonder if the family was musical and had a parlor full of old instruments or if there are old canning jars under the kitchen sink. I wonder too when I see an abandoned house, if in the spring the flowers planted so lovingly all those years ago, still come up.

Pat / Silver Thimble Quilt Co. said...

I wonder if the ladies of the house were quilters.

Beautiful post...wonderful, simply wonderful.

Thank you
Pat

Elaine/Muddling Through said...

When I see an old abandoned house, I usually think of "It's a Wonderful Life" and Donna Reed working tirelessly to restore an old abandoned house back to a place full of love and family.

Debbie said...

I'm like you; I have a strong desire to wander through old houses and look for clues to the lives of the people who once lived there. Overshadowed of course by my fear of being arrested for trespassing or falling through old stairs or floors and injuring myself. I do take photos though;)

Linda said...

Hi Kathleen, this was just a wonderful post. I love seeing old homes...to me they are just beautiful. I know each one has their own story and I always wonder what it is. Hugs, Linda

Old Centennial Farmhouse said...

i think of the history there, the struggles, i also think of the baseball game playing on the radio on the countertop, everyone gathered around the radio for news of WWII, the celebrations, the birthday cakes, wedding photos, Easter all those holidays that bring out the camera along with the memories. I LOVED THIS POST...of course, as a lover of old homes, it makes me think of all that took place within our house, too!
XOXO
Joni

Irma's Rose Cottage said...

Love the photos. I always wonder when I see an abandoned house... who would have lived there and what was the circumstance as to why they left. Why was the house left alone and why no one else came to live there.

Hugs :)

Irma

Childers Corner said...

Beautiful! The photos and the words. I always love to look at old houses like that too. I don't find them scary now, I did as a kid lol. Now I feel almost like crying that their time has passed and they are alone now. Kind of like the Velveteen rabbit.

KathyB. said...

We once bought, lived in, and fixed up an old home...it did look like the haunted house of the neighborhood. It even had a "scary hidden room" , my children's words....later I did find an old letter stuck behind a closet shelf that told of family tragedy, but the home was happy for us.

I too often wonder about these old homes, but since they are often behind fences with 'No Trespassing' signs, I don't venture in. Great and thoughtful post.

Jen's Farmily said...

I think exactly like you do. Whenever I see an old house, I wonder about the families that lived there. So many of the houses are a good size. I also wonder the same thing about barns- how many crops and critters did they hold?

Lisa @ Life with 4! said...

oh kathleen, you and I have something in common. Sometimes I just can't resist walking around an old abandoned house and wondering what life was like in that home.
We have a house a few miles down the road that I always think about stopping at, but the Do Not Trespass sign keeps be back.
I love the pictures on your post! Not creepy at all... just old, worn-out memories of homes.

Vickie said...

I love this post. My sentiments exactly. Those old houses seem to be sad somehow, missing their families and the memories made and the happy times there. They have no one to protect, house, & comfort anymore. I hate when I see one being torn down, but some of them are no longer safe and liveable. Great post, Kathleen!

Dirt Princess said...

I love this, I LOVE it! I LOVE old houses, I can only imagine the stories the walls hold. Amazing! I would gladly have ANY of those houses, with $300,000 too fix them up!!

papel1 said...

Kathleen,
On our last trip we saw many old usualy empty houses. I usually look to see if there is any kind of activity, fluttering curtains etc. Could one move into an abandoned house during a snow storm and not be attacked by mice, bugs etc. Sometimes I wonder why didn't someone tear it down. I love collecting pieces of barn wood and making a plaque out of it.
Judy
My hubby says I should be taking pictures of abandoned RV's.

Rue said...

I think you must be my long lost relative. Please read this post I wrote a little while back...

http://ruespeanutbutterandjellylife.blogspot.com/2009/03/can-house-die.html

Beautifully written and thanks to Joni at Old Centennial Farmhouse I found your blog ;)

rue

Brenda Kay Ledford said...

What wonderful photos of the old houses. Yes, I've wondered many times what would walls say if they could speak. I absolutely love this posting. It's great!

Grammyof13 said...

Kathleen, this is one of the most precious posts, and so well written. I love the pictures and will probably save some of them. There is nothing like an old house - even empty, it speaks volumes to me.
Blessings - and keep up the good work.

Shari from Big Yellow Farmhouse said...

What a wonderful post! I've always been fascinated by old buildings of all kinds, especially if they are abandoned. I used to poke around inside these kinds of places when I was young and brave. Now, I still want to, but I stay away. Never know what you might get into these days.

Like you, I think to myself, this was someone's dream . . . and I want to know the stories, want to know what happened to cause it to be an empty place. How I wish there were such a thing as a time machine, just so we could go back and watch and see the way things were!

Nancy M. said...

Great pictures! I love really old homes. I feel a little sad when I see that they have fallen into disrepair.

Pamela said...

Thank you so much for sharing these gorgeous images. So far have spent entirely too much time gazing at them....chores can wait...gonna gaze some more.

Gorgeous!

Conni said...

Such a creative and thoughtful post, Kathleen. You always give us such great food for thought, here - and great food for our tummies in your recipe blog...

Connie said...

Kathleen, that was such a lovely post. I really enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing it. So many lives that knew those homes, and so many stories to be told.

Lanny said...

Enjoyed catching up and reading the last two posts. Full plates and empty houses.

Julie said...

I feel exactly as you do, Miss Kathleen, only I wouldn't have taken the time to be as eloquent in speech as you have. Thank you. I love reading posts like these, so much thought and feeling put into it. I just ramble on quickly and silly (much like I am, now!)

I LOVE old houses and it breaks my heart to see abandoned ones -- really breaks my heart. I get a "rubber neck" every time I see one and will often have hubby turn around several times so that I can study it more. Hubby and children don't get it and tease me so! I don't mind, though -- I dream and feel and wonder, as you do about the life, love, heartache, and hope that those homes lived and breathed for so long....

BTW that snake scared the beeheebies out of me! Thanks for posting it, though. I need the reminder! I'm on the children and hubs to look out, but I can be so ditzy sometimes in my rushing about! Bad, BAd Julie!!!

Oh! Your garden looks soooooooooooo great! Have you thought of posting a tip of the week (or day, for the truly clueless - like moi!) with gardening and raising hens?!?!? Pleeeeeeeeease?!?!

Blessings,
Julie

peggy said...

What beautiful words and photos. I always want to take a picture when I see these kinds of houses, they stir something within us. thank you.

Carol Murdock said...

I have been giving places like these a voice, a story, a life for as long as I can remember!
What a wonderful post!!

Vintage Linen Treasures said...

Hi Kathleen!! Just dropping in to say Hi and see what you're up to. And as usual, you have the most beautiful post. I love old houses and dream that I can restore an old Victorian back to glory one day. Though I have to admit that I would be a tiny bit leary as I think I've seen a few too many episodes of "Ghost Hunters" Ha ha ha ha

Patricia :o)

PS: Thank you for your sweet blessings you left on my blog. I sure needed them. :o)

Wsprsweetly Of Cottages said...

At every home I saw the tree's in full leaf shading the home. I saw them all freshly painted and repaired as when new and proud..and I heard childrens laugher and mothers calling them in to supper..I saw flowers blooming and gardens overflowing with fresh vegtables and I heard dogs barking..in the background...soft music coming from a radio on top of the ice box...

Tipper said...

Amazing post. You know what I think-I wish all the old houses could talk and tell me their stories.

Glad to see you're settling into summer.

Paula said...

Oh, I always wonder about the families that lived there, and why the house is empty... it's sad to think of all the memories that were probably made inside the house, good and bad... and no one around to remember them...

Terri said...

I LOVE your photos of the old homes. What part of the country are you in? Around here(N. Illinois), we mainly see sad old barns and outbuilding falling to ruin. We live on an old (150+) farmstead. There's always work to be done, keeping up the old buildings.

monica said...

The pictures are so wonderful to look at especially considering that I dream of some day living in a big old farm house with a wrap around porch!

Stephanie Suzanne Designs said...

Hello Kathleen,
I love, love, love old vacant houses. The stories they tell us are endless. I find them to be full of spirit longing for some comfort to be given to them.

Thanks so much for stopping by to visit. I'm always so happy to see your comments. :0)

Have a great week,
Stephanie

Princess S said...

I always feel sad when I see an abandoned house.....to see a home that someone once cherished being reduced to waste.

Lindsey said...

when I see home homes that have been abandoned I feel really sad. A thought that comes to mind is, "Why was this home left all alone?" "Why wasn't it passed down to the next family?" I adore old homes and I just hate seeing an old home torn down. I at least think the materials of the old home should be reused some how. To fix up an existing old home or a new home.