Painted mortar
San Francisco, CA, March 2007 [Click to enlarge]
Old brick speaks to me, especially if it's painted by a brilliant sun. I imagine bricklayers all those years ago putting the wall together, one painstaking brick at a time. I think about their attention to detail, their ability to keep it straight and level and strong. I wonder if any of them thought the wall would still be there all these decades later. Probably not: they were busy with more immediate matters, like putting food on their tables and finding that next wall to build.
I'm far from home on this bright Southern California afternoon. I'm on a trip that will hopefully allow me to continue building on my own ability to put food on my table back home. I have no ability to build brick walls, but I figure we all build our own unique legacies. Some are more tangible than others.
Your turn: What are you building for tomorrow?
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38 comments:
Carmi, the photo isn't posting. I can't see the brick. And I really wanted to see it cuz you're here in SoCal, my neck of the woods. Hope you're enjoying the sunshine we had today.
We have so many amazing buildings and areas in LA. Endlessly interesting.
Michele says hi!
~S
Shephard: not sure what's going on with the site, as it's loading fine from here. Maybe try the direct URL for the file:
http://bp2.blogger.com/_gLbXim-e9CQ/RjJuGBKWT1I/AAAAAAAAATA/Xh7K_u43GBk/s1600-h/DSC_7504.JPG
Alternatively, here's a shortened URL for the pic:
http://tinyurl.com/2rgjeu
Sorry for the inconvenience. Please let me know how it turns out.
That's better! It shows now. LOVE the color of the brick..sorta the same color as cream of tomato soup!
Tomorrow... we're building healthy new plants for our yard. :) Love a trip to the nursery.
~S
hmmm...I'm building two beautiful women who will have brains, strength, and self respect. Hope you're having a great weekend!
You are Southern Californis, my dear? How close are you to L.A.?
I was so hoping to see you "in person" Carmi...Maybe that still will happen.
Glad you stopped by Via Michele, my dear....I've had a somewhat difficult week, I'm sorry to say...And the beat goes on...
Love this wall. Love this picture of this wall, too.
Hey Carmi! Cool photo, per usual. Send some warm sunshine our way, would you?
Just stopping by to say hello.
Hopefully, my husband and I are successful in building two confident, loving young men who know and love God... who respect others... and enjoy life. I guess I also hope that, by trying to be the best person I can be, I am building a better world... but that seems too presumtuous.
Great shot Carmi, been a while since I have gotten around and I am catching up on all your San Francisco posts. They are really neat.
Thanks for your recent comments on my wedding photos I appreciate it.
Take care.
It's always incredible to think that every building and wall was put together one brick at a time...even the most elaborate buildings... I hope your trip goes well and you will soon be home with your family.
love the colours in this picture.
I'm trying to build an environment for my family to thrive and experience life in all it's many colours, and a store of shared memories hopefully to treasure.
We think old brick is beautiful. We love seeing old brick buildings. And of course, brick walls are one of the few sure ways to keep northern breeds from escaping their yards!
here via Michele's!
What an odd little window. Your question is deeply profound. So many yesterdays have brought me to today, this singular moment, but the possibilities for tomorrow are limitless. Direction? Sure I have one, but it's more a general heading than a set course.
What am I building for tomorrow? Good question. It conjures up different aspects of life... Permanence, strength, aesthetics, contribution, practicality... legacy. Sometimes it can be overwhelming - although it's important for me to keep my eye on the ball, it's equally important not to focus to much on tomorrow. It's still today.
The photo is awesome. I actually I have a thing for bricks. I used to draw bricks and i like looking at them on books or some streets here. Anyway, hope you have a very nice week. TC!
I am building strong feet and legs to get me through the breast cancer 3-day later in the summer. I joined some other walkers this morning for an 8-mile training walk. Bet your brick wall won't need a soaking later!
Have a good weekend!
building happy, healthy successful children.....at least I hope I am.
I like to think I'm building love of nature, resposibility for the planet & others into my kids & building a home place that they can always come back to later in life, no matter how long they've been away.
Thanks for stopping by my blog earlier.
Hey Carmi...thanks for dropping by Crazy Working Mom.
This is a beautiful post.
Whoa! I just checked in at Michele's and realized we must have posted at the same time and I'd missed my visit with the gorgeous Carmi Levy!
So here I am... bricks, huh? Is this where I confess to spending hours staring at the bricks on my parents' house (our house is that cool faux stucco that's an environmental disaster but totally maintenance free). Bricks fascinate me. The patterns they make, the mortar...
Bricks are cool things and I have a ton of respect for bricklayers. That can NOT be an easy job, to get everything so exact.
I'm building on being debt free in about 12 - 18 months...fingers crossed. (While still being able to live a semi-normal life)
Michele says hi, Carmi...
I'm going to add you to my ever expanding blogroll :)
Thanks for stopping by! I LOVE brick buildings, and unfortunately in this part of California, there aren't many, and those there are, are painted such as this one. Love the SF posts as I grew up about 20 miles south of SF and miss the area - there is so much to do and see!
hi carmi! thanks for your compliment. you've got great pictures here and love those sober questions.
What a lovely blog! I'm glad you stopped by mine so I could in turn, find you. I'll have to add you to my blog roll, if you don't mind...
What I'm building for tomorrow.. That's a good question. I hope that I'm helping to build caring, responsible and loving adults in my teenagers. And I think that by trying to be kind and touch people both through words and actions, we impact people and build towards things we never would have imagined (and oftentimes, never even know about).
Take care...I look forward to reading more.
I've never thought about a window in brick being rare.
It's definitely an odd looking window, though. LOL.
Thanks for stopping by my site. :-)
Wonderful photo's and very well written, thought provoking posts! I was fortunate to be able to watch a new brick addition on my neighbors home go up. Truly amazing the ease in which that fellow worked, as if it came natural to him. Thanks for stopping by, it will be my pleasure to visit you again.
Good question. I would have to say that for tomorrow I am trying to be wiser, stronger, more loving and more faithful. Is that too much to ask? :)
Hope you are well Carmi!
Great picture - as if I had taken it myself ;-)
I'm building love, because without love, there won't be any LIFE. At least not something worth calling life...
Thanks for stopping by leaving that very kind comment.
Funny thing we haven't stumble into each other earlier. I've seen comments of you somewhere earlier but never hopped over here.
I added you as a contact at Flickr - you have really excellent photos! Very interesting. I have to check them up further later.
Well I suppose my physical building days are over. but I am building - on my blog - a memoir for my children and grandchildren and anyone else who is interested. There are family tales and my tales that would die with me otherwise - (with lots of old photos) which seems a shame.
I'd love to have a go at brick-laying. Churchill found it very absorbing. I do find physical tasks mentally relaxing.
Michelle says hi!
Carmi we are looking to you to sort out the problems with Blogger:)
I love the photo, but I like the way you share your thoughts about the photo. It really brings people we do not even know to life.
Where I am from, brick is a standard tool for building, but here in New England, it is quite expensive and if you're house is built with it...$$
Of course, you know I am building the minds of tomorrow. :)
Great photo! I'm building a family. Hopefully a healthy, happy family. Thanks for stopping by. Very nice blog you have here. I'll be back to visit often.
I agree with shepard, that brick looks like it was painted in cream of tomato soup. What a strange color. I'm a big fancier of brick myself, which is fortunate considering where I live! I missed brick when we were back in CA.
I'm hopefully building a new bed in my garden tomorrow, depending on old man weather. It poured buckets this evening for about an hour so it might be too damp. But I'm hoping!
Carmi, I enjoyed reading your thoughts on the wall and it's builders. I also like the reflection of the flag in the window. I'm not sure whether or not that was by design.
Thanks for stopping by my blog and dropping a comment.
Tomorrow I'm building family unity by taking my wife and kids to church with me.
Good luck on your trip and may you be successful in your goal.
I'm afraid, I lack direction. I seem to be lounging around while others build a good future. I realized this when I had a reunion with my friends. They all seem successful and stable while I'm still thinking what I want to do in my life.
I'm just happy being a mom and taking things one day at a time.
Body building ! lol !
Nice to meet you ! Glad that you "discovered" me ! Scrolling through your blog I notice that you like to take pictures of things which usually nobody would take. I like that ! "see" you !
:) brick bldgs are not so common here in North America...but back in Idia where i come from, bricks still rules supreme.........love ur pink bldg and the window.......incredibly i shot a a pink gated door this evening on my outdoor trip......hoping to share it soon..:)
and what am i building for tomorrow??? a library for some kids back at home who need books desperately.....
I have spent years buildings walls around myself, I'm now in the process of tearing them down...
Thank you for providing an opportunity to think.
What am I building? Maybe a club sub after work with mayo, lettuce, ketchup, salad mustard, pickles, old bay, toasted nice and crisp ...
Daily- building confidence.
Future- A big, fat bank account to start my new business and pay for my son's wedding.
Carmi- these are great posts. My brain hurts from all of this thinking. No pain, no gain!
Thanks for visiting this weekend. Your kind words were very much appreciated.
You are a good read and talk in terms that I understand. Not a lot of writers seem to see things from my perspective. Then you combine that with photos too.
I do believe you'll be part of my daily read.
Take Care
Michael
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