We have been spending most Januarys in southern Florida for 30 years. Every few years we would mention the painted house, the one with flowers and vines and birds and birdhouses. We found it as we were walking to the beach one evening many, many years ago. In resent years we drove around looking for it – but couldn’t find it. We knew about where it had been but it wasn’t there now. Maybe we weren’t looking in the right place. It was lost.
The other day I was looking for some other pictures and found these. Yes, the painted house! Just as I remembered it.
I think I know where the house went. The bulldozer got it. It was on a corner, in that first block from the gulf beach. People can’t own beach property in this city, but they can own property along the beach. And all of these small, quaint southern-Florida houses are being bought up to build HUGE houses, with lots of foliage blocking the views of the beach for people going down the street. It makes me sad.
I guess there are times when we want to hold onto the past. I know that European cities face this dilemma. I was talking to a woman in London about city ordinances to preserve the old buildings. She wasn’t in favor of it because she said what is built today will become tomorrows historic buildings. Of course she is right. We need a balance of preserving and inventing, hanging on and letting go, old and new. But I do miss the painted house.
A New Day: Living Life Almost Gracefully 
How sad that it’s gone.
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It is. I get sad every time one of the old houses is torn down for a new mansion.
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what a lovely house, and my heart all but hurts to know that it was destroyed. what a soul it had; it would be great to find out its history.
lisa/z
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Excellent idea. Maybe I’ll ask around when we eat at local restaurants that are owned by long-time residents. Someone may remember it and give me more information.
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A friend of mine works with historic preservation; if the house were in Mississippi, Ron most likely could solve the mystery.
I’ll lob your post to him – who knows, maybe he knows someone who knows someone…
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One of the reasons I love photography is because it is a way to keep what otherwise might be lost to memory. It is magic! How fortunate you took a picture, and then was able to FIND it!
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You are so right – and more is getting lost in my memory with every passing year. Sometimes I have a hard time remembering if I remember the event or just remember the photo of the event. 🙂 Life sure is funny.
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Well, at least you still have the pictures to remember the houses that once existed – to hang onto a small piece of history.
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I agree. 🙂
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What a lovely place. I wonder who did all the painting and were they upset when it disappeared?
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I often thought that, too. Usually these “cottages” stay in families for generations until there is a time when the owner dies and no one else wants it or there are no heirs. This is also very desirable real estate and people buy up several smaller parcels to build their big homes on. They were probably offered a sweet deal.
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Balance, isn’t that what so much of life is about. Finding it, losing it, one area comes into it as another goes out and on and on. Thanks for sharing this beautiful treasure with us. Whimsical musings for a sunny morning. much love to you. love the new name. Beth
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Thanks so much for the thoughtful, stimulating comment, Beth. You touched my thoughts and I think I feel a blog coming on. 🙂 Thanks also for the support for my new name. It is very right, but I’m having to get used to it. Funny.
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Very interesting….. i need to share with you the sea-shell house in L’Agulhas…. will send a photo or a link to one….
Love your new name. Every day is indeed a new day with new opportunities…. Lovely…. and the beginning of the rest of your life.
Christna
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You were the one that confirmed that it was the right thing to do. 🙂 Thanks for that comment. I will look for the link to the sea-shell house. If you put a link in a comment on this post others will be able to see it too.
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I like to keep up with the times in some ways. But – this is something I would have kept & built around it. Cute painted house!
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Me, too. But I don’t need a 7,000 sq ft house. They could have kept it as a guest house. 🙂
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wow… that really IS a painted house!
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What a lovely house! Too bad it’s gone!
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Yeah! But money gets things and frequently destroys them in the process.
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