Sunday, October 26, 2008

Corner

Just a corner. Any corner, anywhere.

Look how much the same we all are.

16 comments:

USelaine said...

Ohhh! But look at that sweet, suffering bougainvillea struggling to brighten its life sentence in that gray, dry, isolated corner, with nary a living thing to keep it company, the sun barely reaching what few leaves it can produce before being overtaken by winter dormancy. With spring, it will struggle throw forth its life gathering leaves, hoping against hope that the effort will somehow be worth the pain. Now I know why the caged bird sings.

Saretta said...

I don't know Petrea...looks like an American corner to me...we don't have any corners like that in Molfetta! ;-)

And check out Elaine! She is so poetic these days! I love it!

Fashion Schlub said...

I love that fancy grate that someone has optimistically hung there, in hopes that the bouganvillea will clamber over it. However, in that shade and dead dirt, the best that little plant can hope for is to survive...it will certailnly not THRIVE.

Such an important photo you posted today, Petrea! Seems so metaphorical to me...

Sarah said...

Lovely photo!I always notice to the architecture elements and I think you are like me!Though your topic of today is another thing!

Anonymous said...

Reminds of a bunker that's somewhere near the freeway on Hill Street I think. All gray, dead grass, but on the porch a pot of plastic flowers.

John Sandel said...

The old gent shambling down the walk could be any Iraqi neighbor, returning from the market, wondering if his house will be there when he gets home … or a Bosnian fellow, looking for the radio-repair shop someone told him about … or a Chechen who missed the bus (which doesn't run since they blew up the depot) … or just a guy in Alhambra, California, wondering why that lady's standing there with that camera …

Petrea Burchard said...

I was going to say Elaine got a touch of the Bernie K's, but Elaine's Elaine. You do write purty words, missy.

Saretta, you're so right. I might change that copy.

I was wondering if I overdid the metaphorical bit, Islipian. I'm glad it came through to you.

Hello, Sara! It's nice to see you. Yes, you and I both like architecture.

AH, folks will add a touch of beauty, even to the ugliest place, to make it into a home.

Bernie, I talked to the man. He might have been Chechen or from that part of the world. He wanted my phone number.

Katie said...

I like the nearly-hidden phone sign, with no phone in sight. It's rare to see a pay phone these days. This scene looks very much like it could be in the Bay Area too (especially today with that blue blue sky). Nice daily life photo!

rob said...

Strange feeling ... I like the photo but ... I don't know why.... :) Perhaps Saretta is right: we don't have such corners in Trieste either, so your fascinate me. (hope you understand my crap english!)

marley said...

We don't have corners like that here. Its unique to you!

Kris McCracken said...

Nobody puts baby in the corner!

Ms M said...

Little nooks, little details like this are interesting. Slices from an overall scene.

Tash said...

The guy carrying groceries could be almost anywhere in the world...but the dusty Phone sign, & the credit card sign & the screen door - definitely vintage SoCal.
Kris is the man - a line from Dirty Dancing!!!! Whoa!

Petrea Burchard said...

Hmmm. Yeah, I'm seeing now that this corner isn't typical at all. Not even typically American. It's a very unusual place, as a matter of fact.

Welcome, Rob. I took a quick look at your blog and will go back when I have more time. Gorgeous! And your "crap" English is better than my best Italian, so please don't apologize. I'm lucky I speak the language of these blogs and am grateful that people from other countries are kind enough to speak English here.

Anonymous said...

That corner actually used to be much, much prettier. Our block came together to raise money and planted all kinds of lovely plants/flowers/small shrubs there. When the building went up for sale recently, all the flora came down. We have no idea why. We're back to ugly urban blight on an otherwise wonderfully pretty, historic block.

Petrea Burchard said...

Hi Sarah,
I've wondered about that corner. I've photographed it before but this is the first time I posted a shot. I don't know why it interests me but something about it is worth looking at.
I noticed the other day there's work going on in the courtyard area - painting? Some kind of fixing up. I hope this bodes well for sprucing up the corner!