Thursday Doors 19/52 Ainsley House

Copyright ©2016 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

For my Thursday Doors post this week I visited Ainsley House located a couple of miles from me in Campbell, CA.  A little history about Campbell, and the house.

“Campbell, CA is  small city located in Santa Clara County, and Silicon Valley. It’s bordered on the east, and north by San Jose, on the south by Los Gatos, and on the west by a small portion of Saratoga, and San Jose (which is where I live).

Campbell was founded by Benjamin Campbell, after whom the city was named. He came to California in 1846 with his father, William Campbell. William started a sawmill in Saratoga and surveyed the cities of San Jose and Santa Clara. In 1851, Benjamin bought 160 acres (0.65 km2) in southern Santa Clara Valley and cultivated hay and grain on it. This area later became Campbell’s historical downtown core.” ~ Wiki-pedia

This area was largely farm land and orchards in the 1800’s.

” In 1886 John Colpitts Ainsley, and Englishman, immigrated to California and made his fortune here in the canning of fresh fruit,  which was almost exclusively exported to England. In 1925, he and his wife Alcinda, built this retirement home in the English Tudor Revival style.

The house is both a symbol of his success and a time capsule of the 1920’s. The house and most of the furnishings were donated to the City of Campbell by the Ainsley’s granddaughters, Geraldine Lloyd Hicks and Georgene Lloyd Bowen.”~ The Campbell Museum FoundationAinsley House Front Door

The house was built in 1925. The house originally sat in the southwest of their 83 acre orchard on the corner of Hamilton and Johnson (now Bascom) Avenues. The historic home was moved to its present location at 300 Grant Street in Downtown Campbell in 1990.

Since its relocation it has been restored to its original 1920’s appearance inside and out.

Today the Ainsley House is a city run historic house museum open to the public.

The Ainsley House Campbell, CA

The carriage house is now the Morgan Gallery. It offers free exhibits and videos detailing the history of Campbell.

Ainsley House Carriage House Morgan Gallery

Since the museum/house was closed I wasn’t able to get in to see the inside or the backyard, but the Ainsley Volunteer Garden was open so, I popped in there and took a several images of the lovely flowers growing there.

Sunflower

Are these Button Willows? They’re lovely! Tall, and they spread out. They’d be too much for my yard I’m sorry to say.

Button Willows

 

Macro Photography

I don’t know what this flower is either, but it has a lovely cone like center. Is it a Dahlia?

Ainsley House Garden

Nikon Df| Nikkor 28-105mm micro lens| Tripod & Hand-held| Delkin Digital Film

This post is part of Norm 2.0’s Thursday Doors.  If you love doors and would like to see the doors others are posting, or post doors you’ve photographed and join other door lovers from around the world click here.

At the end of Norm’s latest Thursday Door post is a little Blue Link-up/View button click it to be taken to a page with all the links, or add your own.

More to come…

 

 

 

Thursday Doors 18/52 Historic Alviso Revisited

Copyright ©2016 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

I went out to Alviso, CA this past week to look for a Little Stint which is a shorebird, and very rare to this area.  I didn’t see the Little Stint unfortunately, but  I did see a neat rusty, and sagging door at the old Bayside Canning Company. This Canning Company has been closed since 1936.  I blogged a little about the Canning Co. & town here.

Rusty Door- Photography

The city is letting the buildings decay, and they are currently being used by the San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory. 

The Little Stint has been hanging around the Western Sandpipers, and I did see some that were close to me. Sadly the Little Stint wasn’t hanging out with this group.

Western Sandpipers- Photography

There are deck walkways that take you right across the top of the marsh and you leave

the deck via a  facade like doorway to the levy’s that surround the ponds. You can walk around these or just gaze at the view.   Back in September 2009 I happened to be there early in the evening for Golden Hour; it was gorgeous.

Alviso Golden Hour Fall 2009

Top two images- Nikon D700| Nikkor 200-500mm| Lexar Professional Digital Film| PS CC 2015

Bottom Image- Nikon D90| Nikkor 70-300mm VR| SanDisk Digital Film| PS CC 2015

This post is part of Norm 2.0’s Thursday Doors.  If you love doors and would like to see the doors others are posting, or post doors you’ve photographed and join other door lovers from around the world click here.

At the end of Norm’s latest Thursday Door post is a little Blue Link-up/View button click it to be taken to a page with all the links, or add your own.

More to come…

 

 

 

Thursday Doors 17/52 Sveadal

Copyright ©2016 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

I’m dipping into my archives for my post to Thursday Doors this week because I didn’t get any images of pretty or interesting doors this past week.

Sveadal located in Morgan Hill, Ca is a little Swedish village that one must pass through to get to a popular Santa Clara County Park called Uvas Canyon.  I pass through this village when I go looking for waterfalls in Winter.

In 1926, the Swedish American Patriotic League purchased 110 acres of beautiful mountain property for a potential retirement home that soon evolved into a summer resort. It has a beautiful Clubhouse, recreational facilities including a swimming pool, tennis courts, playground, ball field, picnic and camp grounds, two creeks and two outdoor dance floors. There are 49 private cabins and 10 rental units. ” ~Sveadal.org

 This past January while on my out of the area after photographing waterfalls, and little cascades here, I stopped to make some images of the doors in the village.

Nº D10– I really like the shape of the rails, and color scheme of this cabin right down to the delicate white curtains.  The listing awning over the French Doors with its shingles covered in moss is also quite charming I think. 🙂

Swedish Architecture-Photography

…Nº D10 

Swedish Architecture-Photography

Shed Door– the rust and mold caught my eye. It gives the door more character I think.

Sveadal Shed

Nº D6-The scalloped trim on the portico, the panel door,  the 9 paned windows with their shear white curtains, and the smoke stack…this is where I’d like to be tucked with my camera, a good book, plenty of tea, wine, food that isn’t fussy or too complicated to prepare, and He-Man, and Diva Dog for the week-end.

Swedish Architecture-Photography

I also love the patina on the fence in front of Nº 6. I wonder what metal it is made of? Iron?

Metal Fence Patina

Apparently Fairies, or Hobbits live here. Unfortunately, not one Fairy or Hobbit answered the door.   I love this and want one in my yard.  I wonder what the story is behind it? Is this a tradition I wonder?

Carved house from tree stump

For the History buffs I will let Ted Olsson’s speech  given on the 100th Anniversary of the Swedish American Patriotic League speak to that here.

There’s a bit more to see here, and I’m sure more than a few hidden gems. I hope to find those in future trips back to the area.

This post is part of Norm 2.0’s Thursday Doors.  If you love doors and would like to see the doors others are posting, or post doors you’ve photographed and join other door lovers from around the world click here.

At the end of Norm’s latest Thursday Door post is a little Blue Link-up/View button click it to be taken to a page with all the links, or add your own.

Nikon Df| Nikkor 28-105mm| Delkin Digital Film| PS CC 2015

More to come…

 

 

 

Thursday Doors 16/52 Guest Rooms: Hearst Castle

Copyright ©2016 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

In W.R. Hearst’s heyday  of the 20’s and 30’s he would invite many of Hollywood elite to “come to the Ranch and ride with me.”  Some of the famous who stayed there are:

Winston Churchill, Howard Hughes, Charlie Chaplin, Joan Crawford, Clark Gable, Greta Garbo, Cary Grant, Mary Pickford, David Niven, and Jean Harlow but, many more influential and famous people stayed there as well.

Hearst had rules that must be followed or you’d be asked to leave. Our guide said if you were asked to leave you weren’t invited back!

The Rules: “No drunkenness, no bad language or off-color jokes and, above all, no sexual intercourse between unmarried couples.”

Unmarried couples had to stay in a room with two beds. Each room had a bathroom.

On our tour of the upper floors we saw several of these lavish guest rooms.

Guest Rm II Door

Guest Room Door-Hearst Castle_Photography

Guest Room door detail

Hearst Castle Guest Room Door detail-Photography

Guest Room II- A dinner suit laid out for a guest on the bed as it would have been in the 20’s and 30’s.  Hearst did serve beer, and wine our guide told us, but it wasn’t allowed in the guest rooms, and neither was food.

Hearst Castle Guest Room_Photography

Guest Room Door III

Hearst Castle-Guest Room Door

Guest Room III- these rooms were off a narrow hallway on the north side of the Castle. We climbed a very narrow circular staircase to reach them. The windows of the guest rooms faced East.  The artwork, and lamps, and furnishings were gorgeous.

Hearst Castle Guest Room

The separate sleeping beds for unmarried couples was a bit hypocritical of Hearst considering he lived in the Castle with his long time Mistress Hollywood actress, and ex-showgirl Marion Davies.

This door was in the North Bell Tower .

Door in Heart Castle's Bell Tower

Nikon Df| Nikkor 24-70mm| Delkin Digital Film| PS CC 2015| Hand-held

This post is part of Norm 2.0’s Thursday Doors.  If you love doors and would like to see the doors others are posting, or post doors you’ve photographed and join other door lovers from around the world click here.

At the end of Norm’s latest Thursday Door post is a little Blue Link-up/View button click it to be taken to a page with all the links, or add your own.

More to come…

 

 

 

 

Thursday Doors 15/52 Hearst Castle Pt II

Copyright ©2016 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

For this week’s Thursday Doors I am continuing on with my recent trip to Hearst Castle, and sharing some exterior doors.

Outer door

Hearst Castle Exterior Door-Photography

Outer Door II- This door was quite plain compared to everything else there. Hearst Castle Exterior Door-Photography

Hearst Castle’s Front Door.

Hearst Castle Front Door-Photography

There are 3 Guest cottages on the property. Hearst lived in one of them while the Castle was being built.  This is a  back door to Casa del Monte; the view from those windows faces north.

That’s Hearst Castle with the Bell Towers on the left.  The inspiration for the Bell Towers was the tower of the Church of Santa Maria la Mayor in Ronda, Spain.

Casa del Monte-Hearst Castle Guest Cottage

There were many flowers and shrubs in bloom while I was there. I really wish I had taken my Lensbaby with me!

Copyright © Deborah M. Zajac
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Copyright © Deborah M. Zajac
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Copyright © Deborah M. Zajac
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

and one last view today from the south side of the Castle with two balcony doors.

Copyright © Deborah M. Zajac
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

This post is part of Norm 2.0’s Thursday Doors.  If you love doors and would like to see the doors others are posting, or post doors you’ve photographed and join other door lovers from around the world click here.

At the end of Norm’s latest Thursday Door post is a little Blue Link-up/View button click it to be taken to a page with all the links, or add your own.

Nikon Df| Nikkor 24-70mm| Delkin Digital Film| Hand-held| PS CC 2015

More to come…

 

Thursday Doors 14/52 Hearst Castle Guest Room

Copyright ©2016 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

At the end of March while down in Morro Bay, CA. He-Man and  I visited Hearst Castle. It had been over 30 yrs since our last visit.  The tours and visitors center have changed since our first visit.

We saw a bit of everything back then, but this time that wasn’t an option so, we chose to the Upstairs Guest Rooms, Hearst’s Bedroom, and Marion Davies Bedroom.

I’ll be sharing more doors and rooms in future posts, but here’s a Guest room door.

It was one of the most decorative and opulent doors I saw while on the tour.

Hearst Castle Guest Bedroom Door

 

 

The entire bedroom was gorgeous; trimmed with gold leaf, and works of art on the walls, and decorating the furniture.

Guest Bedroom Hearst Castle

Mantle in Guest Bedroom Hearst Castle

A view of the castle while riding up the hill to the castle in the transport bus.

Hearst Castle from the Visitors Center

More about Hearst Castle from Wiki-Pedia

Hearst Castle is a National and California Historical Landmark mansion located on the Central Coast of California, United States. It was designed by architect Julia Morgan between 1919 and 1947[3] for newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst, who died in 1951. The California Park Commission voted to approve its inclusion in the California State Park System, which was approved by the California State Legislature in 1954 with a proposed admission charge of $1 per person ($9 adjusted for inflation) and a 50¢ bus ride.[4] However, ironing out the details with the Trustees of the Hearst Estate and the Hearst Corporation took several years. Agreement was finalized in 1957, and it opened in 1958.[5] Since that time it has been maintained within the Hearst San Simeon State Park where the estate, and its considerable collection of art and antiques, is open for public tours. Despite its location far from any urban center, the site attracts “millions of travelers each year”.[6]

This post is part of Norm 2.0’s Thursday Doors.  If you love doors and would like to see the doors others are posting, or post doors you’ve photographed and join other door lovers from around the world click here.

At the end of Norm’s latest Thursday Door post is a little Blue Link-up/View button click it to be taken to a page with all the links, or add your own.

Nikon Df| Nikkor 24-70mm| Delkin Digital Film| Hand-held| PS CC 2015

More to come…

 

Thursday Doors 13/52 Morro Bay, CA

Copyright ©2016 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

I spent the week-end in Morro Bay, CA. and of course couldn’t help but notice a door or two. 🙂

The first door I encountered that I loved were the built-in sliding blind doors that covered our sliding glass doors in our room at Embarcadero Inn. I liked them so much I’m going to have them put on our sliding glass door when we replace the 5 doors we didn’t do in the remodel last year. That will be after we finish the new retaining walls, and planting in the backyard which is happening this week.

Anyway, here’s what those blinds look like. We had a view of the Harbor, but not Morro Rock.

Rm 211 Embarcadero Inn, Morro Bay CA.

Nº 495- I liked the waves etched in the glass on this door.

Nº495 Door Morro Bay CA

Nº 830- Sun~n~Buns Bakery’s side door +1- there were delicious odors wafting from this door. It was with great will-power that we walked by it without going in. We were saving our appetites for dinner.

Nº830 Sun~n~Buns Bakery

Nº 1185- The Portal Window and flag drew me to this door, the menu drew us in for dinner. Great American Fish Co.  We both had the Mesquite Grilled Talipia. It was so tender, and good I ate the whole filet!

Nº1185 Great American Fish Co. Morro Bay

I couldn’t pass up the doors on two boats docked in the harbor. Could you? 🙂

This first one I liked how weathered the door was, and I saw an abstract image in it. I wish I had my longer lens with me just then!

Fishing boat, Morro Bay, CA

Papagallo II the yacht’s door struct me as being clean, classic, and the oak gave me the impression that it was sturdy and strong.  Is she a yacht? I don’t know boats very well, but I know what I like! 🙂

Papagallo II, Morro Bay, CA

There were two unusual  homes that I came across while keeping an eye out for doors, although one is only a partial door I hope Norm, and the Door Purist forgive me for this entry, but I couldn’t resist.

The Windmill House: Was the home of Gladys Walton the silent film star. She added on the Windmill late in her life.  She also built a Lighthouse house in Morro Bay, but I missed that one! She died in Morro Bay at the age of 90. You see, I could only see part of the upper door on the balcony, and the back door due to the fence.

The Windmill House-Morro Bay, CA

Nº 1270- The Pueblo House- I thought this house was really out of place here at the coast, but perhaps not being California. While I was taking photos of the doors, and house the owner or resident came home. Thankfully, he was really nice and thought it was cool that I was taking photos of his doors. PHEW!

Nº1270 The Pueblo House, Morro Bay, CA

Nº1270 image 2, front of the house

Nº 1270 The Pueblo House, Morro Bay, CA

This post is part of Norm 2.0’s Thursday Doors.  If you love doors and would like to see the doors others are posting, or post doors you’ve photographed and join other door lovers from around the world click here.

At the end of Norm’s latest Thursday Door post is a little Blue Link-up/View button click it to be taken to a page with all the links, or add your own.

Nikon Df| Nikkor 24-70mm| Delkin Digital Film| PS CC 2015

More to come…