This is another sculpture by Patrick Amiot (click the label below to see more) which was out front of a gallery in the Yorkville neighbourhood. This depicts one of our beloved Toronto Maple Leafs players. Hockey is probably finished for the season as are all other sports.
It was this mural of a pigeon that caught my attention but as I neared the garage it was the sound of a lot of birds cooing from inside that was intriguing. Then I noticed the little screened in area to the right of this pic a realized that this belonged to someone with a rather large flock of pigeons. I always assume that the birds you see flying around are wild but maybe a lot of them are owned by bird fanciers.
Taking part in Monday Murals. Click HERE to see more murals from around the world.
While trying to avoid crowded places I have been wandering along quiet streets. And before the leaves come out on the trees it is a good time for viewing houses. I love this group of typical Annex neighbourhood homes with the turrets and wonderful brick work.
This house is for the birds but rather than a place to live it is a place to eat, maybe more of a cafe than a house. This Cardinal was certainly enjoying a snack.
Taking part in Saturday's Critters. Click HERE to see more creatures from around the world.
In yesterday's post you could just see the very top of this sculpture over in the far left. Titled "Safe Hands", the artist for this one is Ron Arad, a British-Israeli. The 88 ft tall stainless steel structures were originally designed to be kinetic but after realizing the challenges of our winter the decision was made to have them immobile and intertwined. The inclusion of art in new developments is required by city regulations which is a good thing!
I like all of the wavy balconies on this really tall condo that was just finished a few years ago at Bloor & Yonge St. All of those stores on the main floor are closed because of the virus and there is now hardly any traffic around. I'll show you what that structure peeking into the lower left side is tomorrow.
The big guy in the window of the hat shop caught my attention. What a great mannequin that fellow is. The sign is painted in the style of the old fashioned hand-painted signs that Honest Ed's store here was known for. They became collectible when the store closed and you can find framed old signs from Ed's in some of the trendiest places around town.
Taking part in Signs 2. Click HERE to see more signs from around the world.
These are the first Snowdrops that I saw this spring and it was so nice to see them rather than snowflakes. March isn't over yet so we never know what the weather may yet bring!
This cute mural was found on the side of a garage just north of College St. It is by the artist Smoky whose work I like and there always seems to be a story to the pieces. I'm not sure what the story is here but those are awfully large feet coming out of that wee house.
Taking part in Monday Murals. Click HERE to see more murals from around the world.
Every spring the first flowers that I see are the tiny Winter Aconites. They are out as soon as the snow disappears and even before the Crocuses and Snowdrops. They are such a cheerful sight.
This dog had been fetching her ball back and forth for quite a while but was still very eager to go after it again. I usually approach this park from the other direction so hadn't noticed the cool mural on this side of the wall which is the backdrop for a garden on the other side. I guess it is a good idea to change your routes occasionally.
Taking part in Saturday's Critters. Click HERE to see more creatures from around the world.
Just down the street from yesterday's post I spotted this elegant home with that wonderful rounded balcony. With a little research I discovered that the home was built in 1893 and now has heritage protection. And even though it is semi-detached it sold a few years ago for several million $. This is another one that I would love to see inside.
I was walking along near Yonge St in the Summerhill neighbourhood when I passed this tree in the front garden of a home. The glass pieces were attached to several metal rings which each rotated around the base in opposite directions which resulted in a new look all of the time.
The building on the opposite corner from yesterday's post is the ROM (Royal Ontario Museum). In this pic you can see the original 1932 building and also the Crystal wing which was designed by architect Daniel Libeskind and constructed in the early 2000s. The sign visible on the building is for the Bloodsuckers show which explores nature's vampires such as bats & leeches. Not something I will be rushing to see. That is the Royal Conservatory of Music just peeking at us from the distance.
Taking part in Signs 2. Click HERE to see more signs from around the world.
This is the north facade along Bloor St W of the Lillian Massey building which was built from 1908 to 1912 as the Household Sciences building of U of Toronto. The architect was George Martell Miller and the building has been given heritage protection. There is no longer a Household Sciences program at the university and most of the building is now used for other faculty offices but this northerly section has been rented out to a clothing store and although the outside remains original the interior has been renovated a lot. I'll show you its neighbour across the road tomorrow.
Happy St Patrick's Day to everyone!
I spotted this door in the back of a business along a laneway. It is done partly with paint and partly with paper add-ons. It is a bit creepy but the big smile makes one feel welcome.
Taking part in Monday Murals. Click HERE to see more murals from around the world.
This building is the original mansion of the Oaklands estate which is found on Avenue Rd just south of St Clair Ave W. It was built in the 1860s and was a private home until being purchased by the Brothers of the Christian Schools and turned into a private Catholic school for boys in 1931. This Gothic Revival building has heritage protection and is now used as a residence for the brothers while the school activities take place in several other buildings. The school is now coed and offers classes from grade 5 to 12. Once again this is a view we only get in winter without the leaves on the trees.
I thought I had better use up my snowy pics before the spring comes and had never posted this pic of a Junco reaching way out to harvest some seeds from an Echinacea plant. It didn't seem like there were as many Juncos around this winter as usual.
Taking part in Saturday's Critters. Click HERE to see more creatures from around the world.
I thought I had better post this one before winter disappears for us. This is another sculpture by Patrick Amiot & Brigitte Laurent and it was found outside a gallery In the Yorkville neighbourhood while a bit of snow was falling. I always love the humour in their work. You can see several more of their pieces if you click the Amiot label below.
I always like this home found along Poplar Plains Rd in the Republic of Rathnally neighbourhood. It is so unlike its surrounding homes which are large multi million $ ones. Even it is probably well over a million. It looks cute in winter and really nice in summer so I will have to remember to get a pic when the flowers are out.
It is hard to read the sign in the window but this little cafe in the Kensington Market neighbourhood is called Fika which is Swedish meaning a nice coffee & cake break with friends. The day I passed by they had a sign out stating that they had Semla available. These are wonderful Swedish pastries full of cardamon and other spices and filled with whipped cream. It is the traditional food for Shrove Tuesday where here we have pancakes. I resisted going in for a semla.
Taking part in Signs 2. Click HERE to see more signs from around the world.
This sculpture, "Reclining Torso", has been one of my favourites for years and every time I see it I am struck by its visual strength. It was done by John Filion in 1969 and sits in the front courtyard of an office building along St Clair Ave. I tried to keep the signage of the neighbouring coffee shop out of the pic!
The artist Birdo has done a really large mural 10 stories high on a building at Yonge St & St Clair Ave just down the street from yesterday's building. The deer in the mural makes reference to the surrounding Deer Park neighbourhood. That rounded structure below is the entrance to the St Clair subway station.
Taking part in Monday Murals. Click HERE to see more murals from around the world.
This Art Deco apartment building on St Clair Ave near Yonge St is famous for being the longtime home of world famous pianist Glenn Gould who spent most of his adult life here. It is wonderful to see an old beauty like this being maintained and in no danger of being replaced by a condo tower.
When I first saw this unusual bird feeder at the Veterans Centre I thought it was impossible for any birds to get peanuts but it turns out that the ones with long thin beaks like the Red-breasted Nuthatch have no trouble at all. They poke through the openings and get the peanuts out of the shells while the resident squirrels find it impossible to get anything.
Taking part in Saturday's Critters. Click HERE to see more creatures from around the world.
I spotted this moose family walking through a parkette along Yorkville Ave. I'm sure they look quite different when lit up at night but I like the daylight pic too.
It looks as if another condo tower is on its way to the Yorkville neighbourhood. The lovely old buildings in the forefront are due to be torn down soon and construction will soon begin. Yorkville was the centre of the hippie lifestyle in Toronto in the 1960s but it would be hard to tell that now with all of the gentrification that has taken place.
It is hard to believe but this is the 10th anniversary of Occasional Toronto! I've loved every day of it and love the meeting of minds with all of my blog friends around the world. So for the day I present this sculpture by Australian artists Gillie & Marc Schattner which I found on a day after a snow fall in the Yorkville neighbourhood. We can all join the couple in a nice cup of coffee or tea!
When I was visiting the Bloor Yorkville Ice Fest I spotted this fellow off in the park removed from everyone enjoying his cigarette. Even when some kids ran past him there was no reaction. I love the feeling of mystery about him.
This mural that was found along Queen St W was probably painted last year after our Toronto Raptors basketball team won the NBA championship. Kawhi Leonard was the star of the team and a real hero to fans. It looks as if some work has been done to the building which has blocked part of the mural but hopefully it will be restored when the weather improves in the summer.
Taking part in Monday Murals. Click HERE to see more murals from around the world.
The March theme for the City Daily Photo Blog community is "Municipal Building" and the obvious choice for mine is our City Hall. I have had lots of posts from there but it looks best in the summer so I am using a pic from my archives. There are always lots of cameras around the City Hall and you can see a photographer in a red shirt set up with a tripod.
Taking part in the theme Municipal Building. Click HERE to see more buildings from around the world.
