6/30/12

Leftover Images from Ireland: Last Batch

These are the last of the pictures I have to show you from my trip to Ireland.  I hope you have enjoyed the ones that came before.  This batch is a little different.  I need to begin with a little preamble:  When I traveled to Italy some years ago, I was with a group of colleagues.  I arrived a day ahead of time and spent my first night in Rome.  This was before the days of iPhones and GPS, and while I needed to go out to get some dinner, I was terrified of becoming lost.  Traveling alone in a country where I didn't speak the language and becoming lost was more than my little brain could contemplate, and so I decided to go out of the hotel, turn left, and then walk in a straight line without veering.  Then, when I was ready to come back, I would simply need to turn around 180° and find my way back.  A good strategy, and it worked.

Here's the preamble part:  Before I could walk one block, in Rome, this is what I saw.  Honestly, it was almost literally the first thing I saw in Rome:


The "No Bush" stickers were mildly amusing.  But really, McDonalds?  In Italy?  Where they make some of the best food in the world?

So with that in mind, here are some of the things I saw in Ireland that I really didn't want to see in Ireland.  If I want to see this stuff, or eat this food, I can do that quite nicely without hopping on three airplanes and flying for 16 hours.  

Nike?  Really?


Don't these people know they'll get as fat as Americans when they allow this fast food scourge to take hold? Speaking of invasive species. . . 





This was a procession to celebrate some young girl's First Communion.  Somehow the image loses some of its charm when Subway is in the background.


Now this one surprised me.  I had no idea The Salvation Army was at work in foreign countries.





Okay, so enough complaining about multinational corporations.  Now I want to show you some of the doors of Ireland.  Some of these are going to be made into quilt blocks to commemorate my trip . . . if I can get my rear in gear to do it.  I think I will.  I'm kind of excited about it.

Initially when I started taking pictures of the doors (and there are hundreds of pictures!), I was interested only in the door.  Then I realized that the window or flower box beside the door was equally interesting or amusing or charming.  Then I began to notice the facades of the buildings, and the signs above or beside the doors.  So with that in mind, here are some of the doors of Ireland.








I love the name of this bicycle shop.









Love the sconce hanging to the left side of this next door.




They were repairing the facade on this building, but I have to admit liking the bare bricks showing through.


And who could resist these thatched roofs?







This next door has to be a part of the quilt.  I love the shamrock.









So those are just some of the doors of Ireland.  I'll have to pare them down and decide which ones I want in the quilt, which ones I feel capable of making into a quilt blocks, what size to make the quilt blocks, and how many to include.  Which ones are your favorites?

I hope you've enjoyed this trip within my trip to Ireland.  This is the last of my images.  Thanks for coming along with me.

17 comments:

Linda Coleman said...

great photos's Barbara
The Penney's shop is a different one to the JC Penney's in the US, it is known as Primark in the UK and Spain but started life here in Dublin with one store on Mary's Street. I agree McDonalds and Burger King are to be found in every large town here now. Love the door photo's and I think I will have to take my camera out and take some photo's of doors now.

Junebug613 said...

OOOH! I love the doors! I am especially fond of rounded top doors. I love the shamrock door too. And the whole front of Mad Hatters. The horseshoe shaped doors on that little building. I have a new interest in doors now. I don't really go anywhere interesting, but I always have my camera, and now I will be paying more attention to doors and facades! Thanks again for sharing. :0)

Marj said...

All the doors are really beautiful! The color combinations are very interesting. I am glad that I do not have to be the one trying to decide which doors to put into the quilt. My favorite of the ones in this post is M. GREEN door. The borders on their windows would make for an interesting border on the quilt or the blocks. It will be fun to see what you do.

WoolenSails said...

That wouldn't be my favorite part either, not what I go to europe for;) I do love the doors and buildings though, really inspirational.

Debbie

Judee said...

What a great idea to make a quilt with the doors! I heard that painting a door red will keep out the devil. So I like all the red doors. I wonder if that is true.

Kate said...

Love the doors! So bright and colorful. So are you going to make the doors as "art" blocks or are you going to print the photographs onto fabric and use those in quilt blocks?

Debbie said...

Door of thatched roof number 2 is my favorite followed by the mustard yellow one. But all the colors and stone/brick texture is wonderful. I just love the personality they project. We have lost that over here, haven't we. People are afraid to stand up and be noticed I guess....and yes, leave the fast food and chain stores somewhere else.

Harriett said...

Oh My! I love all the doors. Too hard to choose.

Celtic Thistle said...

The Salvation Army was founded in East London, so not so far from Ireland!

The Georgian Doors of Dublin are lovely, will make a wonderful quilt too.

Lucky Duck Dreams said...

I had to laugh at the McDonalds. I spent a month in Munich a couple of summers ago on a study abroad. We walked about 8 or 10 blocks at lunch time to the McDonalds or KFC everyday. It was the cheaper and familiar food. I think they cook it healthier though and they didnt have all the fried sides. Fruit and veggies! I love the doors! Especially the bright green one.!

Aodhnait said...

Love your pics of all of the doors!

I was surprised to see the picture of Penney's among the fast food shops. As someone above said this has nothing to do with JC Penney's but is actually a clothes shop that originated in Ireland.

Diane Wild said...

The doors are great. I painted my front door red this spring, which was really brazen on my part. But I love it. So, the red doors are my favorite, although the blue ones are striking. Thanks for the tour. You'd make a great tour guide but George would miss you.

Jocelyn said...

I love the red doors!

Teresa in Music City said...

Wow Barbara, I sure have enjoyed sharing your trip to Ireland! I can't thank you enough for putting these wonderful posts together. The doors are just simply amazing! My favorites.... hummmm....

I would have to say the shamrock is pure Ireland and therefore definitely a favorite. Fat Freddy's is a hoot! Everything about CycleLogical! The name, the colors, and design - it's perfect! The door just below that in red with the gothic looking columns - it looks ancient except for the door. And then the next one with the matching plaid curtains. So quaint!!! And I love the framing of the windows at MCREEN.

I have no idea how you will decide which ones to use, but I can't wait to follow along as you work on it :*)

Dana Gaffney said...

I guess fast food it everywhere, so sad. The doors are a feast though. When we put a new entrance on our house the door was such a big part of it, and what color to paint it.
My favorite door is the little building with the rounded doors, different, but my other favorites because of color are Granny's Kitchen and Druid Lane. Love the name and door of CycleLogical.

Dirt Road Quilter said...

Oh, what a fun, amazing quilt that will be! I love it! Truly charming! Makes me want to go out and paint every door I see! How will you choose? Or that will be one really, big quilt! :)

quiltzyx said...

Lots of doors to choose from! I think my fave is the one with the stained glass windows & the red & white and black & white tile entry floor. Love ALL the bright colors!!