Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Lights On

This is another of the new bike stands on Bloor St that were designed by the students at Bloor Collegiate. I like the nice graphics on this one!

Monday, January 30, 2017

A Wee Mural

I love this wee squirrel that you can see in the bottom right of the pic. The black squirrel I showed you on Saturday could have posed for this one. So cute!
Taking part in Monday Murals. Click HERE to see more murals from around the world.

Sunday, January 29, 2017

Joining Together

This is the Anglican Church of St Mary & St Martha which is found in the Mount Dennis neighbourhood and is an amalgamation of 4 congregations, the Church of the Advent, The Church of the Good Shepherd, St David's, and St John Weston. The congregations had been shrinking at these churches and the decision was made to join as one at the building of the Church of the Good Shepherd and to sell the other 3 locations. I'm not sure if any sales have gone through yet. This building was constructed in 1915 and had additions through the 1940s as the congregation grew. That box shape out front certainly doesn't enhance the facade.
Taking part in Inspired Sunday. Click HERE to see more relgious buildings from around the world.

Saturday, January 28, 2017

Sweet Thing

This has to be the quintessential pose of a squirrel. They look so sweet and harmless when in this position that you wouldn't think that they could vandalize your garden and birdfeeders. It's good they are so cute!
Taking part in Saturday's Critters. Click HERE to see more creatures from around the world.

Friday, January 27, 2017

Loonie

A couple of weeks ago 20 new bike rings were installed on Bloor St W in the Bloordale neighbourhood. The rings were all designed by students at Bloor Collegiate Institute which is in the area and they are so much nicer than the usual ones installed by the city. I'll sprinkle them in among my posts over the next little while. This one is a good representation of a loon don't you think?

Thursday, January 26, 2017

Stone House

This is a wonderful stone home found in the Casa Loma neighbourhood. I like the house and particularly like that lantern that you can see at the top of the steps since it has a real flame burning in it. I'm hoping we get a nice fluffy snowfall one day and I will head over for a shot of the lantern in the snow!

Wednesday, January 25, 2017

Corso Italia

Last week I showed you a banner for Regal Heights found on St Clair Ave and this week I am showing one for the Corso Italia which is also found on St Clair and is the second Italian neighbourhood in Toronto after Little Italy on College St. The area is famous for its many cafes, bakeries, clothing shops (especially bridal shops) and its gelaterias.
Taking part in Signs, Signs. Click HERE to see more signs from around the world.

Tuesday, January 24, 2017

Tudor

I'm back in the Lawrence Park neighbourhood for this one, one of the many Tudor style homes found in the area. This is not an area where all the homes are the same design but rather every house on a street will be a different design even if many of them are the same style.

Monday, January 23, 2017

Keeping Warm

I was driving down Weston Rd in the Mount Dennis neighbourhhood and spotted this mural high on the side of a building and quickly pulled over. I love the clean lines!
Taking part in Monday Murals. Click HERE to see more murals from around the world.

Sunday, January 22, 2017

Heritage Bank Building

I've always been intrigued by this bank building in the Mount Dennis neighbourhood at the busy corner of Eglinton Ave & Weston Rd. I think it is the large round window that attracts the attention. The building was in danger of being demolished as part of LRT construction along Eglinton until the local community banded together to have the property heritage protected with the section on the left declared a wonderful example of post WWll bank branch design. It was constructed in 1949 and the modern addition on the right was added in 1981-2.

Saturday, January 21, 2017

Foiled Again!

This grey squirrel took a couple of runs at this pole that is holding two bird feeders before giving up and eating the droppings on the ground. The smart black squirrel up above had jumped over from a nearby bush!
Taking part in Saturday's Critters. Click HERE to see more creatures from around the world.

Friday, January 20, 2017

Symmetry

I'm back in the Lawrence Park neighbourhood for this one and this is a typical Georgian house that you can find in the area. Lawrence Park is one of the wealthiest neighbourhoods in Canada and it was begun to be developed in the early 1900s with most of the homes constructed between 1910 and 1950. It is a lovely area of rolling hills, ravines, and parks with a mixture of Tudor, Georgian, and English Cottage homes mixed in. And as you can see there is a little more land around the homes than in the older neighbourhoods like the Annex.

Thursday, January 19, 2017

Stairs

I took this pic at the end of what had been a warm November for us and you can see that there were still some flowers hanging around. These stairs lead up to one of the porches at Spadina House and I have seen them used as a stage for many wedding pics during the summer months.

Wednesday, January 18, 2017

Banners

A lot of the Business Improvement Associations (BIA) around the city have installed banners similar to these in an attempt to draw attention to their neighbourhood. This one, Regal Heights, is found along St Clair Ave W and you can see the typical commercial buildings in the background as well as one of our streetcars.
Taking part in Signs, Signs. Click HERE to see more signs from around the world.

Tuesday, January 17, 2017

There's a Moose On Your Roof!

I have shown you some of the moose that were part of the Moose event in Toronto in 2000 and you can see some of the painted ones if you click the moose label below. This one I spotted on a house in the Lawrence Park neighbourhood and unlike most of the rest it has managed to keep hold of its antlers. It is also unusual since it hasn't been painted. He looks pretty cool with some snow on his antlers.

Monday, January 16, 2017

Shoemaker

Another mural that I spotted on a garage, this seems to show a shoemaker at work. I wonder if there is some kind of history attached to the choice of subject.
Taking part in Monday Murals. Click HERE to see more murals from around the world.

Sunday, January 15, 2017

Autumn Flowers

It's nice to remember that winter will be over and the world will bloom again. This wild assortment of plants was actually on a narrow boulevard in the Yorkville neighbourhood! Even late in October there was a lot of colour there.

Saturday, January 14, 2017

"I'm Sure I Put Something Here!"

This black squirrel was spending a lot of time digging around in the snow looking for what must have been a tasty morsel but I never did see him find anything. He must have things buried everywhere but has no memory of what is where!
Taking part in Saturday's Critters. Click HERE to see more creatures from around the world.

Friday, January 13, 2017

Hand Pump

I hadn't seen one of these in years until I spotted this one in the apple orchard of Spadina House back in October. I was afraid to give it a crank so I don't know if it still works!

Thursday, January 12, 2017

Ravine Path in Snow

I went back to the ravine while we still had some well worn snow to give you a look in winter. The footing is still a bit tricky but the path is well used by people with dogs despite that!

Wednesday, January 11, 2017

Glidden Ghost Sign

I spotted this ghost sign along a very narrow walkway between 2 buildings so it was hard to take a decent pic. If you look carefully it is for Glidden Endurance Paints - Varnish and the bottom line says J P Parker which must have been the name of the store where the paint was sold. And right below where it says Glidden there is small writing that says Everywhere Everytime. The building now houses a barber shop.
Taking part in Signs, Signs. Click HERE to see more signs from around the world.

Tuesday, January 10, 2017

September Flowers

Our winter weather has not been tempting me to be out and about very much so when going through my archives this flowery pic of Casa Loma which I took in September really caught my eye. I can hardly wait until spring!

Monday, January 9, 2017

Horses

I found this mural on the side of a tattoo parlour and it has the look of a tattoo about it don't you think?
Taking part in Monday Murals. Click HERE to see more murals from around the world.

Sunday, January 8, 2017

Lights Out

I've been showing you a few posts lately about the closing of Honest Ed's, the legendary discount store on Bloor St at Bathurst and this is a pic I took in 2010 of the huge sign at the corner. Well, at 5pm on December 31 2016 the lights were turned off for good - all 23,000 of them. The closing of this store, which opened in 1948, has been a big event in the city and we now wait to see how the new development will fit into the surrounding neighbourhood.

Saturday, January 7, 2017

Ready For A Long Winter?

This has to be one of the largest grey squirrels I have ever seen and I think it is mostly a thick fur coat that is making it look that way. I'm hoping that doesn't mean we are in for a long cold season ahead!
Taking part in Saturday's Critters. Click HERE to see more creatures from around the world. 
My 2,500th post!

Friday, January 6, 2017

Red Doors

On Lawrence Ave East in the Lawrence Park neighbourhood there is a row of buildings of this size but all of a different style. I like the Tudor styling of this one and particularly like the red doors. I'm not sure but I think each half of the house is duplexed.

Thursday, January 5, 2017

Side Entrance

I am back visiting my new favourite house which I first showed you in mid December (HERE). This is the side entrance to the house and the drive into the underground parking space. The house has the look of the Brutalist poured concrete but it is actually a stone facade the we see. I love all the planes and angles from this view as well as that great fence which encloses an inner courtyard.
Taking part in Good Fences. Click HERE to see more fences from around the world.

Wednesday, January 4, 2017

Davenport Road

I love these signs that the Historical Board installs around town since they give so much information that you would otherwise spend a lot of time searching for. This one found at Davenport Rd & Bathurst St gives a bit of the history of Davenport Rd which is one of the oldest roads in the city and was a trail used by First Nation people for many years before Toronto was founded.
Taking part in Signs, Signs. Click HERE to see more signs from around the world.

Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Plowed Under - Almost!

This poor guy was built close to the street and the snow plows almost knocked him over but he survived. However he did not survive the warm weather we had last week so is now just a memory!

Monday, January 2, 2017

Crowds

I spotted this garage door in a laneway off College St. I'm assuming it is meant to represent the multicultural makeup of Toronto with everyone out to celebrate something. Maybe the New Year?
Taking part in Monday Murals. Click HERE to see more murals from around the world.

Sunday, January 1, 2017

January Theme - "Photo of the Year"

The January theme day for the City Daily Photo Blog community is "Photo of the Year" and one of my favourite pics this year was this one I posted in November, taken in one of the many ravines around the city. I just liked the light and the textures!  Happy New Year!
Taking part in the Theme Day. Click HERE to see more Photos of the Year from around the world.