At The Pond

 This is a view of the duck pond taken at James Gardens about a week ago before any leaves have started to change. We had just had a lot of rain so the pond was full for the ducks and my feet got soaked in the grass. The turtle looks happy with its view too.

Urban Coyotes

Coyotes have become a fairly common sight in the city's ravines and large parks. There is an issue with people feeding them which makes them more likely to approach humans which is not a good thing. Some little dogs and cats have become prey so it is good to keep an eye out when walking in forested areas. 

Taking part in Signs 2. Click HERE to see more signs from around the world.

Begging For A Drink

Some creatures get quite demanding out on the patio at the pub! Steamwhistle is a locally brewed Pilsner.

Man With Hat

 On the opposite corner from yesterday's streetcar shot there is this huge mural of a man with a red hat. I saw it from a block away and pulled over for a shot. Unfortunately there was no signature. I left the light pole in to give you an idea of the scale.

Taking part in Monday Murals. Click HERE to see more murals from around the world.

Riding The Rails

I took this shot of one of our streetcars last Sunday morning just after it had picked up a load of people who had come out of the church down the street. It was a lovely September morning.

A Lineup Of Sparrows

At this time of year it is not unusual to come upon a large flock of sparrows poking around in a patch of weeds and they are often reluctant to move very far. That was the case here where I disturbed a group of them who then went to the top of this fence and glared at me until I had gone by and they could resume their foraging. 

Taking part in Saturday's Critters. Click HERE to see more creatures from around the world.

Keeping Things Tidy

The light in autumn is so wonderful. This was the scene at James Gardens last week.

House With Turret

This has long been one of my favourite houses in the city. It is located in the south Forest Hill neighbourhood and the back looks out onto one of our wonderful ravines with a very private large patio and swimming pool. It has been undergoing renovations for at least a couple of years but that seems to be finally finished.

Needs Coffee

 I spotted this wonderful sign at one of the locations for picking up bicycles in the city. I thought it was brilliant!

Taking part in Signs 2. Click HERE to see more signs from around the world.

Restoration

The wonderful stone walls that surround Casa Loma have suffered wear and tear through the years and restoration has been going on on parts of it for the last year or so. This section has had the columns replaced with new stonework while the lower horizontal parts are being remortared. When I went by a couple of weeks ago this lone man was working on the mortar but recently there have been several on the job and they are doing a great job. I'll keep an eye open for the finished product.

Three Beauties

Yet another mural with butterflies, this time joined by a hummingbird and a lily. It is quite a lovely image by artist C_Mack2.0. There has always been a lot of shadows on this when when I have passed by but I felt it didn't matter for this image.

Taking part in Monday Murals. Click HERE for more murals from around the world.

Howling

 I've been by the shop window in Koreatown to check out the new pop-up cards. Love this wolf howling at the moon. These cards are so fascinating.

A Mother

The black squirrels in the Wychwood Park neighbourhood seem to have a  colour mutation that effects their tails. I have seen some like this one with a totally brown tail whereas others have 1/2 a brown tail or even just a few inches of brown at the end. This one thought I might have some food for her. She looks like she may be nursing so I guess she had a late summer litter.

Taking part in Saturday's Critters. Click HERE to see more creatures from around the world.

A Grand Old House

This house is found at the top of a steep winding roadway that leads up from Davenport Rd. It has a spectacular view looking down over the city and I was so tempted to walk up the driveway to shoot the view but didn't want to infringe on their property. The room up over the front entrance has a glass roof and would make a super place to sit in winter.

Determined

 A couple of weeks ago someone dumped some scrap wood along the side of the road which I often pass as I head out for a walk. When going by this week I noticed that this weed that was trapped underneath has sent out a new leaf through a hole in the wood. That is determination!

Special Areas

This sign was spotted along the pathway in one or the many ravines in the city. They are indeed special places for wildlife and for us humans too. 

Taking part in Signs 2. Click HERE to see more signs from around the world.

Getting A Shot

I couldn't figure out what this fellow was shooting at James Gardens but he was certainly well equipped with lenses. There were lots of flowers and people around so It could have been anything.

A Butterfly Admirer

This mural by the artist Sadar is a little unusual but really quite lovely. Everyone loves a butterfly. 

Taking part in Monday Murals. Click HERE to see more murals from around the world.

Late Summer Flowers

The flowers that blossom in late summer are a treat and this bench offers a wonderful spot to sit and enjoy them. They will be distant memories soon enough.

The Duck Horde

I stopped by James Gardens to see how the flowers and creatures were surviving after our long stretch of heat and humidity. As soon as I got out of my car these ducks, who had all been sleeping near the pond in the background, jumped up and started walking towards me like a horde of zombies. They obviously thought I might have food and were greatly disappointed when I didn't. 

Taking part in Saturday's Critters. Click HERE to see more creatures from around the world.

Casa In the Late Afternoon

I passed by Casa Loma in the late afternoon and was pleased to see that all the construction that had been going on near the entrance has been finished. I guess they took advantage of the lockdowns to do needed maintenance. It is again open and the tourists have returned.

The Pathway

This path runs through one of the many ravines that crisscross the city.  The temperatures are always cooler in the ravines and they are easy places to social distance. The person coming towards me way off in the distance had a very cute and friendly dog which made for an even nicer walk.

Reflection

 I was trying to get a shot of an old Triumph motorcycle in the window of a shop along Bloor St W but there were too many reflections. I like the pic though.

Taking part in Signs 2. Click HERE to see more signs from around the world.

Waiting For The Mailman

I seem to be finding strange creatures lately. This dog with mailbox was spotted on the front garden of a large home near Casa Loma. It is great fun don't you think?

Butterfly Lady

This one is from my archives. Found on a garage in a laneway off Harbord St, this lovely lady and the butterflies were painted by MCK Studios aka Meaghan Claire Kehoe. I like it. 

Taking part in Monday Murals. Click HERE to see more murals from around the world.

Urban Wilderness

When wandering along the ravines along the Humber River you can venture off the main paths into areas that allow you to feel that you are far from civilization even though you are in the middle of the city. This little stream passes through one of those areas. Those pieces of logs and sticks used to form a make shift bridge but it looks like the elements have had their way with it.

Big Duck

Imagine my surprise to turn a corner and come upon this cute trailer attached to the back of a pickup truck. Of course I had to stop for a few pics! 

Taking part in Saturday's Critters. Click HERE to see more creatures from around the world.

Orange

There was something cool about this bike with its orange accents. It is one of the stripped down bikes with a single gear, one brake and that's about it. It does have a bell though. I like it.

An Annex Mansion

There are many of these large old homes in the Annex neighbourhood. Originally built in 1893 as a single family home this one now houses the Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office. Many of these homes have been taken over by U of T for various offices and others have been divided into flats. This one has heritage designation and so the exterior is well protected.

September Theme: Right Under Your Nose

The September theme for the City Daily Photo Blog community is "Right Under Your Nose". I had decided a couple of weeks ago to take a pic of my Rosemary plant which is the most fragrant of the herbs that I have. Even in winter when it comes inside it puts out a lovely aroma. Suddenly over the last week the Morning Glory has decided it likes the fragrance too and has been blooming all around the Rosemary more than anywhere else. 

Taking part in the theme. Click HERE to see more examples of it from all over the world.