French Cottage Door
2012 copyright Louise Ann Stowell
It has been a few weeks since the fire destroyed our property. In this time, I started thinking about the usual "why's" and "now what's."
For years I have collected photos of doors, gateways, windows and doorways. They have always fascinated me in their many forms, colors and contours. One of my favorite is a gate located on Telegraph Hill under the beautiful tree canopied stairway leading up to Coit Tower. Sadly, I don't have a clear photo of it to share. There is a brass lion head door knocker with glittery green jewel eyes that adorns a gateway there. It's about 3/4 of the way to the top of the stairway. I had to stop and admire it (along with catching my breath!) on our way up and down from Coit. There was a mischievousness about it, maybe due to the green jewel eyes...maybe because it stood out from the many other gateways and doors on our trip up. Whatever it was, it attracted me and made me feel that there had been many joyous parties here...a feeling of long night discussions with revelations and epiphanies over coffee or brandy. Sunlight poured over the green leaves of the stairway and made this gateway feel like one I wanted to knock on...find out who lived there and compliment them on heir choice of color and knocker. Of course, I didn't. We didn't have time and I doubt Tony, my former husband, really would have understood what drove my impulse. Still I wonder...and I feel like I lost something in passing it by.
The doorway to the bookstore in Disney's The Sorcerer's Apprentice was fantastic. There was something about the doorway that pulled you in automatically and made you curious about looking at everything inside. Even though you knew there might be things in there that were horrifyingly creepy...you still couldn't help but want to look anyway. That is one store I still would love to explore.
For years I have collected photos of doors, gateways, windows and doorways. They have always fascinated me in their many forms, colors and contours. One of my favorite is a gate located on Telegraph Hill under the beautiful tree canopied stairway leading up to Coit Tower. Sadly, I don't have a clear photo of it to share. There is a brass lion head door knocker with glittery green jewel eyes that adorns a gateway there. It's about 3/4 of the way to the top of the stairway. I had to stop and admire it (along with catching my breath!) on our way up and down from Coit. There was a mischievousness about it, maybe due to the green jewel eyes...maybe because it stood out from the many other gateways and doors on our trip up. Whatever it was, it attracted me and made me feel that there had been many joyous parties here...a feeling of long night discussions with revelations and epiphanies over coffee or brandy. Sunlight poured over the green leaves of the stairway and made this gateway feel like one I wanted to knock on...find out who lived there and compliment them on heir choice of color and knocker. Of course, I didn't. We didn't have time and I doubt Tony, my former husband, really would have understood what drove my impulse. Still I wonder...and I feel like I lost something in passing it by.
The doorway to the bookstore in Disney's The Sorcerer's Apprentice was fantastic. There was something about the doorway that pulled you in automatically and made you curious about looking at everything inside. Even though you knew there might be things in there that were horrifyingly creepy...you still couldn't help but want to look anyway. That is one store I still would love to explore.
Another door that I love is this one:
(Yes, I did get permission to download this photo! It was granted by the wonderful folks at: http://www.clarioncontent.blogspot.com/. Thank you, guys! You're blog is awesome and so are you!)
Doors figure prominently in my life. They are new beginnings, new experiences. Like the bookstore door above, I like to think that unless you walk into the bookstore with an open mind (door), you're never going to allow yourself the experience of all the wonderful books, wisdom and knowledge that's in there.
Sometimes the entry is sad and faded...cluttered with debris. Another time it was a recently painted green door, encased in a stucco icing as it was when we moved into the first house I really remember at the age of 4. Steel doors (sterile) stained glass (church or bookstore) leaded glass (mortuary or old home) peeling Craftsman style door...all have held an appeal for me. They say something to me...look here! There is something to be gained...something to be learned! Maybe it is nothing more than inspiration, but doors have triggered a mechanism in my brain like the gears and switches of an automaton.
Open the mind and you open new vistas and opportunities. Never go in and you never know what joys you missed. Never pass by those doors that beckon and leave you stopped in your tracks wondering. There is treasures there. Of course, use your common sense! There are some doors that should never be wandered through if one wants to get out alive and in reasonably one piece.
Stepping away from the ashes of our property I realize that with the clean up there are tons of possibilities! Tons of opportunity! It's a blank canvas waiting for paints.
Time to knock on another door!
