Crying For Mum

There is a condo being built near my place and a large crane has been erected on the site. While walking by on Sunday I could hear loud baby bird calls coming from above and looked up to see these two young Red-tailed Hawks crying out and flapping their wings looking for Mum. I've seen them up there again during the week. Haven't seen the parents but they are probably close by.

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

A Laneway Discovery

Behind the small shops that run along Bloor St W like in yesterday's post there is usually a laneway that provides access to the service areas of the stores. Usually they are full of garbage bins etc. But behind the restaurant (Bar Neon) that was at the right in yesterday's post I happened upon this funky little sitting area and the takeout window to the place. During Covid lockdowns restaurants were trying to squeeze in outdoor space where ever they could. This one actually looks across the lane to a kid's playground so not a bad place to sit at all.

Streetscape

This is a typical streetscape along the older parts of Bloor St W away from the areas near Yonge St that are being taken over by condos. There is something much more charming about these small eclectic shops and the people wandering around. This was taken on a Sunday morning when the streets were quiet. That guy on the far right was using the free wifi from the restaurant he was standing in front of. 

House Of Nuts

That giant walnut hanging over the sidewalk along Bloor St certainly gets your attention. The shop specializes in nuts of all kind as well as lots of other food goodies. 

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

With Heart

Wandering around in the Bloordale last week I noticed that there are a few new bike rings along Bloor St. I liked this one with the hearts and there are lots of spaces on it to loop a lock through.

Creatures

I was lucky to spot another fine mural by First Nation artist Philip Cote. I know little about the symbolism of his images but admire them greatly.

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

Bunnies Are Welcome

I spotted this sign in a coffee shop window last Sunday morning which was Easter and thought it was so cute and today is Orthodox Easter so here it is. Sweet.

Through The Window

 While wandering along Bloor St W I spotted these two turtles in the window of a reptile supply store. It was a lazy Sunday morning and the two of them were very relaxed with the large one on the right parked right under the outlet of the pump giving it a nice stream of water over its back. The smaller guy was busy looking at me!

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

More Yorkville Beauties

I love to wander around the Yorkville neighbourhood and remember back to when it was the gathering place for hippies and people like Joni Mitchell played in the coffee houses. In those days these houses did not look so posh and there was many a great party taking place most nights. Today the whole area is a heritage conservation area and the homes have been restored and wonderfully maintained and cost millions of dollars to buy. These two are great beauties. The one on the left was built in 1880 but I could find no info for the one on the right.

Spring Flowers

This small garden is on a south facing hill and every year it is one of the first places that has croci blooming. It didn't disappoint this week with this fine display and with even a few Scilla sprinkled in there.

Dreaming Of Flowers

 The city bike sharing stations always have ads of some kind and I particularly liked this one. It says in the small print that it is art for dreamers and this pic seems perfect for that.

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

Spring Blue

One of my favourite sights in spring is when the Scilla pops up and opens its lovely blue flowers. It spreads so easily that you can often find huge swaths of it in a lawn. This patch was spotted poking through a gravel driveway up against a  wall which provided warmth from the reflected sun.

A Noble Bird

I am still showing shots of murals from a railway underpass. The city had commissioned many artists to paint along the long concrete wall. This noble bird was painted by Caitlin Taguibao  who has done a lot of murals around town. I think it is a rooster although at first I thought it was a chicken. 

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

An Annex Gate

I've always liked this gate that is at the entrance to the back garden of an Annex home and have tried several times to catch it when it is closed but with no luck. Even against the brick wall you can see the lovely swirling patterns of the metal.

Happy Easter to all who celebrate it.

Bully

This shot was taken in mid March when we still had some snow on the ground. I happened upon a sweet Red Squirrel who was munching on something he had found in the snow and I was getting ready to take a pic of him when this Black Squirrel came along and pushed him away and then proceeded to eat the treat. The little guy went up into a tree and nattered away for a while before heading off to look for food elsewhere. 

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

Ready For Anything

Not really. I have had a thing for Defenders since watching so many episodes of the British detective series Vera and seeing her old one. But I would never buy one and actually drive a small fuel efficient car. This Defender is a beauty though.

Posh Stables

All of this structure is the stables of Casa Loma. It is just as detailed and full of decoration as the Casa itself. I have not been through the whole place but have toured the area where the horses lived and it is quite elegant with mahogany used for the stalls and beautiful tiled floors. I did not venture through the tunnel which runs several hundreds of feet to the Casa.

Stables

This is the heritage sign found outside of the stables which belong to Casa Loma but are up the street from the Casa and connected to it by an underground tunnel. They were built in 1906 and have been kept in great condition. I will show you a pic of them tomorrow. You are in for a bit of a surprise. 

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

Victorian Yorkville

This Gothic Revival home in the Yorkville neighbourhood was built in 1878 for George Lee who was the village registrar for Yorkville before it became part of Toronto. The house looks as if it had just walked out of the Victorian age with all its original details so lovingly maintained and with that fine fence.

There Is A Story Here

This is yet another mural from the railway underpass. I really like this one and I'm sure there is a story to it that I haven't figured out. The artist is Taraman Mehrsa. 

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

End Of The Parade

This is the last shot I took at this year's St Patrick's Day parade and it was suitable to end the parade with a band especially with such nice kilts and outfits. The day had started cloudy but was ending with nice sun for all the participants.

Horses On Parade

The Toronto Police always bring a few of their horses to march in the St Patrick's Day parade and they are always a hit with the crowds. These horses are always so calm and seem to love the attention that they get. 

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

Clicking Of Heels

 Following along behind the Mexican women came the Mexican men in outfits equally as nice. They were all smiling and laughing as the stomped their heels along the parade route. Such fun.

Twirling Skirts

 Following the sign for the Mexican heroes came this group of wonderful dancers who were twirling their skirts in the warm sunlight. They looked so happy and beautiful!

Who Knew?

 I certainly didn't know that there was a large number of Irish who fought with the Mexican army in the Mexican-American war and there was a whole battalion named after St Patrick. I'll show you the Mexican groups that followed this sign for the next 2 days.

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

Misty

The Shriners always are ready for a parade and they had several floats/vehicles in the St Patrick's Day parade. I particularly liked this wee boat named Misty with all its green.

Under The Rainbow

This is yet another of the murals found along a west-end railway underpass. I love the colours and gentle images in this one as all seems to thrive around the rainbow. The artists for this one are Mo Thunder and Shawna Howe.

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

People Powered

This contraption seems to be in the St Patrick's Day parade every year, always with different decorations and different people moving it along. It looks like it is quite heavy to move as they have two people pedaling and several others pushing it along. They always seem to be having fun.

Redheads

This was a fun group of Irish Setters who were taking part in the St Patrick's Day parade. I was near the beginning of the route and the dogs were all quite excited by all the people and the applause but I wonder how they were by the end. Usually there is a group of Irish Wolfhounds but they gave the parade a miss this year.

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

April Theme: Symmetry

The April Theme for the City Daily Photo blog community is Symmetry and for this I chose this shot of a pair of semi- detached homes that I took recently in the Yorkville neighbourhood.  When I was researching the homes I found a shot of them taken a few years ago when one of them was for sale. There were no porch roofs in that shot so the 2 owners must have got together and had the additions done so that each half would be be identical. There are always cars parked on the street in this old part of the city.

Taking part in the April theme. Click HERE to see more examples of symmetry from around the world.