Neighbours

I have been watching this house being built on the lot of what had been a small house like its neighbours. I often wonder what the community thinks of it.

A Graphic Butterfly

I spotted yet another butterfly on a garage. This one is very hard-edge but would still be a welcome sight when arriving home. I couldn't make out the artist's name. 

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

No Baseball For A While

 We have had very little snowfall this winter although we have had some since I took this shot a couple of weeks ago. It will be a couple of months until we see any ball games here on the main baseball diamond at Christie Pits Park. The park is surrounded by hills so it is a great place to sit on the grass and watch a game.

Just Pecking Away

Another shot from one of the trails along the Humber River by James Gardens. I first spotted this Hairy Woodpecker poking around on the ground which I thought was unusual but then he headed up onto this tree and had a fine time pecking away.

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

Beaver & Friends

 There is a house in the neighbourhood which has an assortment of metal creatures all along the top of their fence. The largest of this bunch is this beaver which guards the entrance to their side garden. I like the wee mouse and the dog with their scarves to keep them warm during the winter. Notice the chien bizarre sign - they did have a dog but I'm not sure if he is still around.

Columns

This is a section of the entrance to the bathing pavilion at Sunnyside Beach. I've always loved the pavilion and the lovely photo ops it presents. The curves and the columns in particular are striking.

Smile

 This sign was spotted in a laneway behind some commercial properties. I guess they have had some problems there. I smiled at the camera. 

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

Clockworks

This little creature was spotted in the window of a building on Avenue Rd but there was no sign to say that it was a gallery, just the pieces. The large one is called Jump Hour  and the small one to the right is Ticking Time Bomb. It is hard to tell but they are totally covered in pieces from watches & clocks. The artist is Daniel Tanenbaum who calls himself a steampunk artist and who is known for making models of motorcycles from watch parts.

More Summer Dreams

This building has been under renovation construction for well over a year and yet someone has recently added this colourful mural to the back section. There was still lots of construction materials around it but it was still nice to spot all the summer images on a cold winter day. The artist for this one is Jim Bravo.

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

Cute House

I've always liked the looks of this cute cottage style home near Casa Loma. Apparently it has a ravine lot out back and has a two level apartment that looks out in that direction. So the place is not as small as it looks.

Hiding In The Underbrush

I was at James Gardens a couple of weeks ago and along one of the trails by the Humber River I spotted a birdwatcher so of course went in that direction to see what the attraction was. There had to have been at least a dozen Robins poking about in the underbrush along with about 6 Downy Woodpeckers and a few Blue Jays who were taking baths in the shallow stream there. I took a lot of shots but all the birds were well disguised by the leaves and branches and the Woodpeckers in particular never stayed still. This was my best result showing this brave Robin who has decided to stay with us for the winter. 

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

Just A Bit Left

I showed you these buildings almost two years ago (HERE) when the signs had gone up advertising what was to come on this corner in the Yorkville neighbourhood. I went by within the last couple of weeks and this is all that is left of them. Yet another tall condo will appear and these facades will be all that is left to remind of us the past. It is sad to see so many old buildings disappearing.

More Conversions

This shot was taken along Davenport Rd in the Yorkville neighbourhood just along the street from the bridal shop I showed you last week.  Originally homes, all the buildings along here have been converted to high-end commercial use and I don't think any of the upper floors are now residential. It was early in the day when I was there and so was quite quiet.

Woody

This elegant sign appeared a while ago on a building that looks rather unoccupied but in reality houses a company that makes high end winter jackets that are vegan and cruelty free. No down or fur is used. I went on a tour recently of older industrial buildings that are to be reused and the tour included this place. The interior is a wonderful space with exposed bricks and polished concrete floors. You never know what is behind closed doors. 

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

Layers

I was trying to take a shot of an antique carriage in a shop window but tried several different angles to avoid reflection and nothing worked. I really liked the layers that appeared in this shot with the reflection of the church building across the road.

Dreaming Of Summer

Butterflies seem to be one of the most popular motifs for murals on garage doors. On the grey dreary days of winter they are a nice reminder of pleasant summer days. 

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

View From The South

I always like this view of Casa Loma taken from 2 blocks south and looking up through the back driveway of the townhouses that are along Davenport Rd. In the summer the trees on the grounds of the Casa block a lot of this view.

They're Back

I showed you the pond at James Gardens a couple of weeks ago with no ducks present which was quite unusual. I am happy to report that this week I went by the park and they were back! I have no idea where they had gone but they were just as eager to beg food from me as they ever are.

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

Winter Bride

 It was the flowers around the window and above the sign that grabbed my attention as I walked by this high-end bridal shop in the Yorkville neighbourhood. When I looked it up on-line it seems that they change the flowers to match the seasons.

Leaning

I spotted this guy leaning on that post when I was about a block away and hurried along to get closer and to pull out my camera before he could move. I didn't need to worry as he stayed like this for a while as he waited for someone who was in a shop.

Transit Signs

These signs were found displayed along one of the walls in the space that I showed you yesterday at the Wychwood Barns. There was no info that I saw to tell us where they had originally been along our transit system but they may have been signs showing the destination of various bus routes. I quite like them all together like this. 

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

A Streetcar Barn

 This is a shot of one of the streetcar maintenance barns at the Wychwood Barns which have been renovated and now are used as a community and cultural centre. The barns were built in 1913 and have heritage protection. This hall, barn 2, is used for many events throughout the year and houses the Saturday farmers market all winter. Some of the other barns house a theatre, a community greenhouse, artist studios and also some artist homes. It is an active place.

Hair

Another fine mural from the Oakwood Village neighbourhood. This one shows people having their hair braided or cut or just brushed out and I like the way the kids are running through the background. The artist for this one is Curtia Wright with assistance from several other people. 

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

The Birds

Shortly after seeing yesterday's Cardinal I was walking along and could see some birds sitting atop a tall fence right by the sidewalk. I assumed that they were pigeons and would fly away when I got closer but they didn't move and then I realized they were metal crows and they had been placed all along the fence. I could use some to scare the squirrels away from the deck.

Peek-a-Boo

 While I was walking around the path beside the pond in yesterday's post I could hear Cardinals peeping away to each other in all the trees. I couldn't spot them until this guy came down and sat near me for a few minutes and then he was off again. They seemed to be enjoying the warmer temperatures and there are several homes around the pond with bird feeders so it was a happy place for them.

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

Melting

 The pond in the Wychwood Park neighbourhood had been frozen over but in the warm weather we had for the first week of the year the ice was melting. The ice in this pond is never safe enough for skating but it looks tempting so luckily there is a fence around it. I like the soft reflections of the trees in the water sitting on the ice.

A New Find

I was out walking in the warm weather that we have been having when I spotted this Lovbot in the front garden of a house. I hadn't seen one for a while so it was a real treat. You can click the label below to see more of them that I have discovered through the years.

A Happy Place

I hadn't walked this route in a while and was surprised to see the sign Euphoria so of course had to cross the road to see what was in there. It is a bakery with the most delicious looking cakes! I'll have to go back when I need a cake.

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

Twilight On The Deck

We finally had a clear sky one evening so I went out onto the frigid deck to catch a shot of the view. I like how the neighbour's window shows up through the darkness.

Walking Figure

This sculpture by Etrog was  found out front of one of the hospitals along University Ave. There was a lot of construction around it so the shot has been carefully cropped as it was actually difficult to see the piece. Called Pieton which is French for pedestrian this is from Etrog's walking figure period of the 1970s. I showed you a smaller one which I spotted in a front garden last May (HERE).

January Theme Day: Photo Of The Year

 The January Theme for the City Daily Photo Blog community is Photo Of The Year and I chose this shot of Casa Loma framed be the trees on the grounds of Spadina House. I really like the wonderful structure of the trees especially that large one on the right. It was a fine winter day and the shot brings back those memories for me.

Taking part in the theme day. Click HERE to see more Photos of the Year from around the world.