Thursday, November 7, 2013

Old House

I have always had a fascination with old houses, especially abandoned ones. My heart always feels so heavy at the sight of each one I come across, seeing that there is usually no hope for it, always seeing the potential but knowing I would never have the funds to restore it (or the husband who would even be willing to live there, especially if the house is out in the middle of no where, like most of them are!).
So with that being said I would like to share a poem with you.
I hope you like it as much as I do.

I am going to share it with you twice, but with two different houses.



OLD HOUSE

I pass you by, Old House, each day,
With barely more than a glance your way.  (which we know is NOT true!)


But today, it seemed, you beckoned me,
Willing me to come and see,


In my mind's eye, the things you've been:
Shelter, Warmth, a home, a friend,
To families-how many?-who've left you here,
Beside the road, empty and bare.


What truths, Old House, would you have me know,
As down this road of life I go?
When I am old, with uses few,
Will I be loved, or left like you,


Beside the way, lonely, alone,
Just an Old House, no longer a home?


                                                                                                                              James D. Ritchie
                                                                                                                                  February 1975

The above house is located near Hermann, Missouri. And as you can see it is for sale...it may just have another chance after all.  Go ahead, make that call. :-)
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OLD HOUSE

I pass you by, Old House, each day,
With barely more than a glance your way.


But today, it seemed, you beckoned me,
Willing me to come and see,


In my mind's eye, the things you've been:
Shelter, Warmth, a home, a friend,
To families-how many?-who've left you here,
Beside the road, empty and bare.


What truths, Old House, would you have me know,
As down this road of life I go?


When I am old, with uses few,
Will I be loved, or left like you,
Beside the way, lonely, alone,
Just an Old House, no longer a home?


James D. Ritchie
February 1975

The above house in located in Marthasville, Missouri, a teeny tiny town near Washington, Missouri.

I don't want to leave you feeling down or hopeless so I will share a photo with you of a beautiful home that was not left beside the way, lonely and alone...
(the home is located in Augusta, Missouri)


and I want to share a few photos of the season's beauty with you. Enjoy and have a great day!



I am joining the following parties, please come join us...
SHOW AND TELL FRIDAY with Cindy at MY ROMANTIC HOME
PINK SATURDAY with Beverly at HOW SWEET THE SOUND
AMAZE ME MONDAY with Cindy at DWELLINGS
TUESDAYS AT OUR HOME with Maria Elena at OUR HOME AWAY FROM HOME
INSPIRE ME TUESDAY with Marty at A STROLL THRU LIFE
WE CALL IT OLDE with Dawn at  WE CALL IT JUNKIN
WHAT'S IT WEDNESDAY with Patti at IVY AND ELEPHANTS
HOME with Sandi at ROSE CHINTZ COTTAGE
TREASURE HUNT THURSDAY with Pamela at FROM MY FRONT PORCH TO YOURS
HOME AND GARDEN THURSDAY with Kathy at A DELIGHTSOME LIFE
HOME SWEET HOME with Sherry at THE CHARM OF HOME

24 comments:

  1. The gingerbread trim on that first house is amazing. I hope someone buys it. My husband and I also love looking at old abandoned houses. It's bittersweet.

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  2. Vedere le vecchie case,mette in moto subito la fantasia e la voglia di ristrutturare e arredare!Buon fine settimana!Rosetta

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  3. My husband and I have restored many a old homes.
    Seeing these pictures just breaks my heart!
    I sure hope someone sees them as we do and gives them the love and care they need to stand another hundred years!

    Thank you for sharing,
    Smiles
    Dolly

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  4. Oh, lovely, lovely photos, Gena. That first house I would definitely buy and fix up! The second one looked a little more sketchy. ha ha!

    Loved the poem and the analogy, too. That first house even had gingerbread trim and the wicker furniture on the porch didn't look too bad. Hmmmm. Wonder why it was abandoned. Perhaps and old couple owned it and then died? Susan

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  5. The Victorian house is AMAZING. I loved seeing the photos. Thanks so much for sharing them.

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  6. I always feel so sad when I see a empty house like that...once a home with love and laughter now sitting still and cold. Hope someone buys the white one, she still has some life left in her.

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  7. Hi Gina,
    Those homes are so very beautiful. I would love to purchase one and have a project like that. Thank you for visiting me. Have a wonderful weekend.
    Karen

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  8. Older homes have so much more character than new homes. I never lived in an older home as the 3 homes that i have lived in during my life were all new. Thanks so much for stopping by!!

    Hugs,
    Debbie

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  9. Gina, what a great post. Can't you just imagine the excitement and great expectations when these houses were first built. What joy those families must have felt. The broken wicker pieces on the porch are testament alone to the love that must have been there. It is like seeing an old person left alone and uncared for. I feel the same way about run down cemeteries too. I hope you can return some day and see a "sold" sign on the fence and a new generation taking care..I love the poem also, have never heard it..Happy Weekend..Judy

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  10. I do share your fascination. And I even DID buy one of those type houses.

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  11. Your poem was written by James Ritchie. My maiden name is Richey. I wonder if there could be a connection? I loved the pictures and the poem and yearn to restore a house like one of those. Great post. Thank you.

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  12. The first home is lovely; the second looks like it's almost too far gone. I know someone with talent and time and resources could make it a home again, though. I really like the poem!

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  13. The character I see in those home can be so amazing....oh the love they need and the memories they hold :-)

    Great post!

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  14. What a beautiful poem and imagine what those houses use to hold! Thanx for joining THT.

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  15. I always feel sad when I see a beautiful old house sitting alone and abandoned. Old houses have so much character and memories and I always wonder who lived there once upon a time. I have friends who have taken a couple of older homes and restored them. They just built a brand new house but they have used many older character pieces in it to give it some charm. I enjoyed the poem too. Thanks for sharing at my HOME and enjoy your weekend.

    Blessings,
    Sandi

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  16. Oh I love those old homes! I go to both of those towns frequently and I love imagining what I would do if I got my hands on one of them. Ahh to dream. Thanks for sharing! New follower.

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  17. These homes are beautiful, or could be again, wish they were near me. I've been looking for an old home, I feel the same about them as you do. They make my heart jump a little.
    Jeannie

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  18. I feel the same sadness when I see a lovely old house falling to ruin. This was a beautiful post. I love the gingerbread on the first house and the brackets on the second one. Thanks for sharing this at the We Call It Olde Link-Up this week. Take care - Dawn @ We Call It Junkin.com

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  19. Beautiful! Don't you wish those porches could talk, to fill you in on all the life lived there. Thanks so much for sharing at AMAZE ME MONDAY!
    Blessings,
    Cindy

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  20. Beautiful post about old abandoned homes! I loved the poems! Unfortunately, it will require lots of money to bring them back. But a lovely post!

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  21. Oh, don't you love old houses! I do. I grew up right beside an old house very much like the first house and I played in it every day through my whole childhood. It has fostered a life long love of all things Victorian! Thanks for joining HSH!
    Sherry

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  22. These look like some old houses where we live! Would love to have someone find them and restore them! I do appreciate you sharing with Home and Garden Thursday,
    Kathy

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  23. Just for a moment I thought …..The first one looked like my grandparents home. We always loved visiting - they had everything growing there. She always had something on the stove and always a dessert.

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  24. Who is or was James D Richie? My Grandmother had a framed copy of the poem for many years. She added a picture of the old family farmhouse to it and put it next to her bed. The house is now, sadly, abandoned. I have the poem now and it means so much to me.

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