Entrances

On my walks in California, I saw many beautiful and imaginative gates and entrances. Here in the midwest, front yards and gardens tend to be more open and public, with private spaces in the back yards. In my neighborhood, there are only a few elaborate gates, like the one above.

People with gates frequently leave them more or less permanently open.

Some homes have stairways and other decorative elements to welcome visitors -- the most lavish of these in our neighborhood is above. It belongs to a house called "The Hermitage."

Most of the walks, gates, and entrances are pretty standard. The oldest style has a straight cement walk from the sidewalk to the door. Some people have replaced the cement with brick. You also see good old chain-link gates and fences. The KEEP OUT sign is the exception, not the rule!