Scilla

 There are great patches of Scilla flowering all over the city. I love to see the rivers of blue running through gardens although this patch was spotted in a section of a gravel driveway. So pretty.

More On The Gem

 In December there was the horrible news on the radio that there had been a fire at The Gem. The building didn't look bad and everyone hoped that it would soon reopen but in March the longtime owner announced that it was closed for good. The end of an era. This is how the front looks today although if you peek through some of the window coverings much work is being done inside so maybe something else will become a landmark in the area.

The Gem

 This is the sign from The Gem which was a great small place on Davenport Rd which at one point in my life I visited several times a week. It was full of eclectic things and friendly regulars and they would always whip up something from the kitchen for you even after service was finished for the day. I'll tell you a bit more about the place tomorrow. 

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

More In The Laneway

This laneway house is rather large compared to most of them as the lot was quite wide. I quite like it but it is too bad that some fools tagged the concrete panels.

Respect

This mural was spotted on the barriers around city construction near the Alliance Francaise on Spadina Rd and hence the bilingual messages. The artist for this one is Celia Pang aka Dreamdoodle who worked with students from several schools. There are some good thoughts included on this one.

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

Waiting

Before I totally leave Bloor St and the parade route for the St Patrick's Day parade I thought that I would show you a pre-parade pic. That wonderful building behind the waiting spectators is the York Club which is a members only social club that has been here since the early 1900s although the building is from 1892. The sky gives you an idea of the conditions on the day of the parade - we had snow, sun, a bit of rain, and a lot of wind but it was all fun.

Sleepy Time

I don't think I have ever seen a duck with its head tucked under a wing as far as this one has. She was really tired so her mate was keeping watch for her.

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