It is not only all the spring flowers that are yellow at this time of year but also the goldfinches have changed back to their bright yellow after appearing in dull grey feathers all winter! I took this through a slightly dirty window so it isn't the sharpest image.
Taking part in Saturday's Critters. Click HERE to see more creatures from around the world.
There is a very long row of allotment gardens that runs along below these hydro lines and one night as I passed by the sky was so beautiful that I turned around and went back for a pic. It is so nice to finally see clear skies after what seems like months of clouds!
There was something about this simple staircase I saw in a small park that pleased my eye. It seems to be so unpretentious with its simple log handrail and rough wooden steps.
Taking part in Good Fences. Click HERE to see more fences from around the world.
I showed you the original ghost sign that was here back in March (HERE) and mentioned that I had heard that it had been restored. I recently went back to check it out in its fresh condition and here it is. The Canvas Goods part on the right was from an even earlier sign that was here and these 2 words were covered by a small addition when the T. A Lytle sign was painted. I had stopped to take this pic and when I went back to my car the battery was dead and I had to be towed to my mechanic - it wasn't my day!
Taking part in Signs, Signs. Click HERE to see more signs from around the world.
This pic was taken on a lovely sunny day of the original Hospital For Sick Children building on College St. It is now the site of the Canadian Blood Services and they have kept the original features in great condition. I love that roof with all the nice details, especially against the blue sky!
I spotted another painted utility box just off Yonge St. There was a famous Sam The Record Man sign downtown for many years until the building was sold and the sign put into storage for display at another time but so far it is still in storage. It looks as if this sign is a play on that one.
Taking part in Monday Murals. Click HERE to see more murals from around the world.
For almost 40 years the Spring Run-Off Race in High Park has marked the unofficial start to the Toronto road racing scene. It takes place the 2nd weekend in April and some years it can be snowy, some years very hot, and others like this year when it is sunny but very cold and windy. High Park is very hilly so it is a tough run and the finish line is at the top of this long steep hill which I have pictured here. All the spectators line up to cheer the runners to the end and all finishers get a medal. Around 4,000 people take part each year with money going for cancer research.
It will be hard to see her but half way up this tree in the crotch of the 2 branches there is a Canada Goose sitting on a nest of little ones. She is well hidden and her partner is standing guard near the tree! I've never seen one nesting in a tree before.
Taking part in Saturday's Critters. Click HERE to see more creatures from around the world.
There was a film crew in the neighborhood last week and one of their locations was the Vesta Lunch which I have shown before and most recently HERE in a shot taken at night. I'm not sure what the film was but I noticed that they have replaced the Vesta sign On the front of the awnings with "Filly Diner" signs so maybe something from Philadelphia? There was certainly a lot of action!
I spotted these old beauties near the Kensington Market neighbourhood and it is always fun to see how people treat the same style of house. Both of these semis have been restored with one having the bricks cleaned and the other painting the bricks. I think I prefer the cleaned brick facade.
Taking part in Good Fences. Click HERE to see more fences from around the world.
I hadn't seen Mr Peanut in a long time and then one evening there he was on a illuminated billboard advertising new peanut butter. It was like seeing an old friend after a long time away!
Taking part in Signs, Signs. Click HERE to see more signs from around the world.
I was so surprised to find the door to St Clare's Catholic Church unlocked that I at first thought it must be a mistake but there was another visitor seated and quietly saying the rosary. This beautiful interior had undergone a major restoration in the late 1990s so all the stencil work and woodwork is in wonderful condition. Beautiful isn't it?
I spotted this utility box while stopped at a red light and quickly pulled out my camera. I love Queen Anne's Lace and this is a lovely rendition. It looks as if it is a photo printed on vinyl wrap - could see no artist name before the light changed.
Taking part in Monday Murals. Click HERE to see more murals from around the world.
This is St Clare's Roman Catholic Church located on St Clair Ave W. It was built in 1915 so just celebrated its 100th birthday last year. The lovely Renaissance Revival style building has heritage protection and I was actually able to get inside so will you a pic of the interior on Tuesday. There was no funeral going on - the hearse was at the funeral parlor across the road.
Taking part in Inspired Sunday. Click HERE to see more religious buildings from around the world.
More acrobatics by a squirrel. This one looks like it is hanging from its tail but the back feet are actually wrapped around the post under the tail.
Taking part in Saturday's Critters. Click HERE to see more creatures from around the world.
I have shown you this old gatehouse on Bayview Ave before (HERE) but passing by recently I noticed the old sign for the estate that was here at one time, "Uplands". A little piece of history that remains even though the estate has been divided up into smaller plots. And I like that light fixture!
What to do when you want privacy but would still like to see what is going on outside your little world - put some nice openings in your fence. These people have solved the problem nicely don't you think?
Taking part in Good Fences. Click HERE to see more fences from around the world.
It looks as if nature wasn't paying attention to this sign since we got a good dumping of snow last week. It was pretty but not welcome in April!
Taking part in Signs, Signs. Click HERE to see more signs from around the world.
This was the scene here last Wednesday! There were a lot of confused flowers and birds around not to mention the humans who were not happy either. It was all gone by the next day.
I'm into my archives for this shot as you can see from the green leaves. It's hard to tell if this creature is shy or mischievous but I like the little heart with halo so I think it is shy. This mural was found off Dundas St W but I missed getting the artist's name.
Taking part in Monday Murals. Click HERE to see more murals from around the world.
It feels as if we had very little sun this winter and spring so when it comes out it is time for a walk. Casa Loma looks as if it is absorbing the nice warmth too!
I don't think I have ever seen a butterfly here in March before but I spotted this one on Mar 29 as it fluttered around on the south-facing hill leading up to Casa Loma and then it settled onto this warm rock for quite awhile. It is a Mourning Cloak Butterfly and some of them are thought to winter over here. This poor thing is looking rather bedraggled and we had snow this week so it probably isn't very happy.
Taking part in Saturday's Critters. Click HERE to see more creatures from around the world.
I'm not sure what year this old Ford is from but it has a license plate from 1927. All the metal on it is so thick compared to our modern cars which must have made them heavy but durable!
This is the view of Casa Loma now looking up the hill from Davenport Road. It will soon disappear into the trees but before that happens all those branches hanging over the stone wall will be covered in yellow blooms as they are all forsythia bushes. I will try to get a pic of them in bloom.
Taking part in Good Fences. Click HERE to see more fences from around the world.
Taking another short-cut in the North-west end of the city I happened upon another of the Little Free Libraries. This one is painted up like a little bungalow and even has a small chimney!
Taking part in Signs, Signs. Click HERE to see more signs from around the world.
I showed you an elegant gate a couple of weeks ago (HERE) and was passing by the property last week on a sunny day and caught a pic of the whole place. There is actually a lot more property off to the right. Sorry about the bit of sun flare in the middle.
I was taking a short-cut on a rainy day and passed by this garage so made a point of going back on a sunny one. Who would have thought that such a big car could fit in a small garage?
Taking part in Monday Murals. Click HERE to see more murals from around the world.
I love spotting unusual neighbors and this pair of homes in the Annex neighbourhood fits the bill. The older home on the right has been restored to its original glory while the slightly newer one on the left has been renovated with a modern style. I like them both so it is hard to pick a favourite. Love that blue door!
Cardinals are one of our year round birds and when it snows it is particularly impressive to see the bright red against the white. We had a bit of snow & ice a couple of weeks ago and I caught these two male cardinals having a snack. The guy in the foreground was on the move so he is a bit fuzzy.
Taking part in Saturday's Critters. Click HERE to see more creatures from around the world.
The April theme for the City Daily Photo Blog community is 'the Beauty of Simplicity'. Getting ready for this theme I realized that my very urban surroundings are not very simple and are actually quite crowded with buildings, trees, etc. I did find this art piece in The Veterans centre at the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre which struck me as a great example of how well a simple image can work. The piece was done by Inuit artists in 1970 and consists of appliqués of sealskin onto wool felt. Each individual image in this "Arctic Winter Hunting" piece is quite simple but very effective don't you think?
Taking part in the April Theme. Click HERE to see more examples from around the world.
