There was a lot of chirping going on on a nearby garage a few weeks ago and the source of it all was this young Robin. His colours are still quite muted and he seemed to be calling for mum to come and feed him. As I looked closer there were 5 other young Robins poking about on the lawn below the garage. Mum sure had a big family to look after!
Taking part in Saturday's Critters. Click HERE to see more creatures from around the world.
This is part of the stonewall that encloses the grounds of Casa Loma along Davenport Rd. You can see other views of the wall in different seasons by clicking the 'wall' label below.
Yesterday's post showed a bit of Ryerson University, the youngest in the city and today this shows you a bit of U of Toronto, the oldest university in the city. This is Croft Chapter House which is part of University College and was built in 1859 to serve as the chemistry lab of the university. It is now used for offices. I love its round shape.
There are three universities in Toronto, The University of Toronto, York University, and Ryerson University. This is a pic of one area of Ryerson which is centrally located downtown and being the youngest university always seems to have some construction going on.
Taking part in Signs2. Click HERE to see more signs from around the world.
While wandering down a laneway I stumbled upon this building which was at the intersection of two laneways and hence the chopped front. The building is in rough shape but someone has spent money on that new door so I wonder if the walls are to be coated in the future. There is no indication of what is inside.
These beautiful utility boxes were spotted along Dundas St W. I totally love the colour of the flowers and the diversity of the hands. There didn't seem to be any artist signature.
Taking part in Monday Murals. Click HERE to see more murals from around the world.
I showed you a spring shot of this walkway in May (HERE) when the trees had no leaves and went back for a summer pic. This is the walkway that runs between Casa Loma and Spadina House and leads to the stairs that descend down to Davenport Rd. I'll try to remember to do an autumn pic and a winter pic just to show the contrast.
This is the chrysalis stage of a Monarch Butterfly about 5 days after the caterpillar changed form. There will probably be another 5 or 6 days before the butterfly appears. It is magic!
Taking part in Saturday's Critters.Click HERE to see more creatures from around the world.
This is a pic of the building I showed in yesterday's post taken after it first opened in 1933. Whoever owns the property has not only restored the buildings but they have built a wall which has several panels showing historical views and info about the complex. Someone with heart!
I showed you the other side of this building that houses a brewery and an event space back in June (HERE) and went back to catch a pic of the other side which had been the main entrance to the building when operated by the city. I love that the Art Deco features have been so lovingly restored.
This wonderful Art Deco building was built in 1933 as part of a city waste management complex but is now wonderfully renovated and restored. It now houses Grace, an event venue, and Toben, a catering/event space. Fabulous isn't it?
Taking part in Signs2. Click HERE to see more signs from around the world.
This is as close as I could safely get to these monsters that I spotted on a windowsill along a laneway. I'm sure that house is safe with these guard creatures on duty!
An elephant with its trunk up is supposed to be good luck so this colourful mural on Adelaide St W is certainly wishing us well. It is on the side of Kiin, a Thai restaurant. There seems to be no artist info for this one.
Taking part in Monday Murals. Click HERE to see more murals from around the world.
Our lily season is coming towards the end but there have been some spectacular ones around. These pink ones were particularly beautiful.
This little Song Sparrow was poking around beneath a bird feeder looking for treats when I spotted it. They are one of my favourite birds mostly because of their sweet song.
Taking part in Saturday's Critters. Click HERE to see more creatures from around the world.
You all know how I love wandering about the laneways of the older parts of the city and it is not just garages that you find along them. There are often older commercial buildings built behind the houses many years ago that served as mechanic shops, dairies, etc. I spotted this large building recently and I'm not sure what it was originally but is now used as a residence. I love that large arched window you can see and there is also a roof deck.
I found this cute green structure along a boulevard by a school yard where there are several community maintained gardens so I assume that this was installed for entertainment of some kind. There seems to be a solar collector on the top and that dark rectangle along the post is a glass viewing opening but the glass is all fogged up and opaque. It is a complete mystery as to what it is and I could find no info at all.
I spotted another of the Little Free Libraries, this one for kids. It looks like it is popular in this area near a school.
Taking part in Signs, Signs which is now hosted by Tom. Click HERE to see more signs from around the world.
I spotted this vibrant blue door & porch on the side entrance of a house just down the street from yesterday's mural. Somehow it makes me feel like I am in the Mediterranean somewhere!
This mural was found down a laneway near yesterday's restaurant. I'm not sure if it is a family or a bunch of neighbourhood kids but they don't look too happy to have to stand still to pose for the mural. Such a cheerful background they have. The artists for this one are Ross Bonfanti & Sandra Tarantino.
Taking part in Monday Murals. Click HERE to see more murals from around the world.
Early on a Sunday morning I went by this restaurant on St Clair Ave W which was all set up and getting ready to open for Sunday brunch. Weekend brunch is a real event in Toronto and you often have to line up for ages to get a table especially on a nice summer day!
I was out for a walk and passing by a fountain that was undergoing some maintenance when I heard a lot of birds tweeting away. It turned out to be a flock of Cedar Waxwings who must have been thirsty and were taking advantage of some water left behind by a rainstorm. As I pulled out my camera they all took off except these two. Such elegant looking birds to be walking about in this messy place!
Taking part in Saturday's Critters. Click HERE to see more creatures from around the world.
This is the view of the street from yesterday's post taken a bit further along this winding roadway as it follows the original route of the creek. As you can see the creek had opened a fairly deep ravine in area and the houses on each side of the road are located up steep hills. It is quite a pretty neighbourhood.
A couple of years ago people in the Regal Heights neighbourhood got together and painted this mural on the roadway just down the street from yesterday's plaque. It is meant to draw attention to the creek which does indeed run along beneath this street. They have touched up the mural a couple of times but it has survived remarkably well.
Garrison Creek was a stream about 5 miles long that once ran through the west end of the city down to Lake Ontario. In the 1880s parts of it were buried or diverted into the sewer system and by the 1920s the whole creek was buried. You can see the results of the creek's past existence in various ravines and in places like Christie Pits park. There has been a move afoot for several years to try to uncover part of the creek and in many places along its former path you can find these plaques marking its presence underground. This plaque was found in the Regal Heights neighbourhhood just south of St Clair Ave W. More from that area tomorrow.
Taking part in Signs, Signs. Click HERE to see more signs from around the world.
This is another car from the show of vintage cars at the Veterans Centre at the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. It is a 1973 Ford Mustang Mach 1. It would be fun to take this one for a spin!
This is another mural from the Butterfly laneway and it is one of the loveliest. Rather than the doors of the garage the side wall has been painted but this meant that it wasn't possible to get back for a head-on pic. I really like this one.
Taking part in Monday Murals. Click HERE to see more murals from around the world.
This seems to be a good year for perennial flowers - maybe they have liked the hot sticky weather we have had after the wet spring. I spotted these orange beauties this week. I'm not sure but they may be a type of coneflower.
I don't think that I have ever seen as many Monarch Butterflies flitting around the city as I have this year. There has been a big push to plant milkweed for their caterpillars to feed on and I think it must be having a positive effect on the population.
Taking part in Saturday's Critters. Click HERE to see more creatures from around the world.
I considered using this pic for yesterday's Black theme but didn't so I am showing it today. I was enjoying the contrast between this elegant old commercial building and the construction site beside it where another condo is going up but when I viewed the pics on the computer the crane had almost disappeared into the nigh sky. A bit like a ghost crane!
The August theme for the City Daily Photo Blog community is "Black" and for this I offer a little black dress (LBD). Found in a gallery it is ceramic and made to reference the paper doll clothes of days gone past. I remember playing with paper dolls & clothes for hours.
Taking part in the theme "Black". Click HERE to see more examples of black from around the world.
