Monday, July 31, 2017

Thistles

This is another of the murals from the same laneway as the last several weeks, all of these ones painted by the same unknown artist I would guess. There are more murals along another part of this lane which are quite different - we will start to see those next Monday. This garage door looks nice but it is lacking the creature that is found on all of the others - maybe a butterfly would have been nice.
Taking part in Monday Murals. Click HERE to see more murals from around the world.

Sunday, July 30, 2017

Shingled Library

There is a new Little Library in the neighbourhood and it is a beauty with its nice shingled roof. I think there are 5 of them within a few blocks of me now!

Saturday, July 29, 2017

Mellow Yellow

There is nothing like the yellow of a Goldfinch glowing in the sunshine. These two were busy eating and catching some rays at the same time.
Taking part in Saturday's Critters. Click HERE to see more creatures from around the world.

Friday, July 28, 2017

Opposite View

This pic was taken after turning 180˚ from yesterday's pic to give you a different view of the dog fountain and a view of the buildings on the other side of the park along Wellington St. The tall office and condo towers were built in the 1980s but the red building on the right has been there since the 1850s and has always housed shops.

Thursday, July 27, 2017

Old Town

The St Lawrence Market neighbourhood is the oldest part of the city and I thought I would show you a closer view of the buildings that were behind the dog fountain of last week. These three buildings on Front St E were built in the 1870s and have now been lovingly restored and house offices and retail spaces but were originally warehouses. The one on the left is the only  building remaining in the city with a totally cast-iron facade. The one in the middle was the model for the patterns in the wonderful mural on the Flatiron Building which we saw last week. 

Wednesday, July 26, 2017

Shakespeare In High Park

Every summer there is a production of Shakespeare in High Park and this year it is King Lear that is being presented. I'm not sure if a squirrel is really playing King Lear but I do love this sign for the production! 
Taking part in Signs, Signs. Click HERE to see more signs from around the world.

Tuesday, July 25, 2017

A Temporary View

This is a view of the back of St Lawrence Hall, a view that wasn't possible until the demolition of the north Farmers Market Building of the St Lawrence Market. Once the new building is finished the farmers will be housed in a beautiful structure which will also be the location for the Sunday Antique Market. I like this view of the cupola since when shooting from the front of the building you are always pointing into the sun and all of the shadows. I'll show you the front of this wonderful hall built in 1850 and restored in 1967 another day - if I ever get a pic of it that I like!

Monday, July 24, 2017

Dog Garage

I'm back in the laneway that I have been showing for the last while. At first glance I thought this was a fox but I really think it is a nice dog. Still no artist name!
Taking part in Monday Murals. Click HERE to see more murals from around the world.

Sunday, July 23, 2017

Antique Market

There has been a Sunday antique market for many years at the St Lawrence Market but the building housing it is being replaced and so a large tent has been erected on a nearby parking lot until the new building is done. You can find all kinds of collectibles and antiques here. Years ago I had a booth here for several years and it was great fun - made lots of friends and learned a lot!

Saturday, July 22, 2017

Waiting

These two were staring down the street so intently that they must have been waiting for someone to join them. The dog  particularly was concentrating on the distant sidewalk.
Taking part in Saturday's Critters. Click HERE to see more creatures from around the world.

Friday, July 21, 2017

Flatiron Building

I thought I would give you an idea of where the park I have been showing all week is located. The park is directly behind the Flatiron Building that is visible in the centre of this pic and the mural I showed on Monday is on the back wall of the building. It is a popular backdrop for pics like for the 2 ladies in the foreground. And of course we have the CN Tower peeking at us.

Thursday, July 20, 2017

Kitty

It is not just the dogs that can be found in BerczyPark that I have been showing you this week. There is the one cat on the edge of the fountain and if you look up at the top of this reflective utility box you can see another one. I think this kitty is looking for birds up in one of the 50 new trees that have been planted in this small park.

Wednesday, July 19, 2017

Dogs

The small cast iron dogs around yesterday's fountain are all life size but some of the larger ones around the outside are a bit smaller in scale. The row of dogs in the bottom pool of the fountain are all Pugs while the rest are an assortment. As you can see from this Golden Retriever the casts are nicely detailed.

Tuesday, July 18, 2017

Dog Fountain

This is the wonderful new fountain that is in Berczy Park which I have been showing you for the last few days. There are 27 cast iron statues of dogs each of them spouting water and all looking up towards a golden bone up at the very top of the fountain. There is one cat statue sitting on the edge of the fountain visible just to the right of the centre of the pic. I'll show a bit of detail tomorrow.

Monday, July 17, 2017

The Flatiron Mural

This is the mural which you can see in the background of yesterday's pic. It was installed here on the back of the Flatiron Building in 1980 when Berczy Park originally opened. The artist is Derek Michael Besant and the work is probably the best piece of public art in the city, definitely the best mural. It is always a pleasure to see and the newly refurbished park sets it off nicely.
Taking part in Monday Murals. Click HERE to see more murals from around the world.

Sunday, July 16, 2017

A Small City Park

This is Berczy Park which is in the St Lawrence neighbourhood near Front & Yonge Streets. It was opened in 1980 replacing a parking lot but has been closed since 2015 to undergo rejuvenation. I'll be showing you some great features from the park, which is less than an acre in size, over the next few days. Yesterday's puppy was photographed here.

Saturday, July 15, 2017

Puppy

Think of the softest thing possible and that is what this puppy felt like. It was all over everyone so impossible to get it to pose for the camera!
Taking part in Saturday's Critters. Click HERE to see more creatures from around the world.

Friday, July 14, 2017

Market Street

Another early Sunday morning pic, this time we are on Market St in the St Lawrence Market neighbourhood one of the oldest areas in the city. This pic shows the patios of several restaurants all ready for the Sunday brunch crowd. The businesses all got together and coordinated their patios and were also involved in restoring the brick roadway.

Thursday, July 13, 2017

Cleaning Time

This pic was taken early on a Sunday morning in a courtyard in the Financial District, a time when no one is around. That is except for these two men who were walking circles around in the fountain with some sort of broom/squeegie to give it a good cleaning. The glass atrium and patio in the background belong to the Jump restaurant that I showed you yesterday.

Wednesday, July 12, 2017

Jump

I like this sign for Jump which is a restaurant and bar in the financial district. I've never been inside but the food is supposed to be quite good.
Taking part in Signs, Signs. Click HERE to see more signs from around the world.

Tuesday, July 11, 2017

Act Of Kindness

Some dear friends dropped by with a lovely bouquet of flowers for me the other night. They are beautiful Peonies and Phlox. What a nice surprise that was!

Monday, July 10, 2017

Ant

I'm still in the same laneway as the last several weeks with another of the local creatures found on a garage door. Somehow the daisies turn this into nice scene!
Taking part in Monday Murals. Click HERE to see more murals from around the world.

Sunday, July 9, 2017

Domes

For about a year I have spotted these domes from afar but I had never had time to explore and find the building until recently. It turned out to be St Mary's Ethiopian Orthodox Church which was completed in 2012 and is unusual in that it is built along a commercial street surrounded by small factories. I love the domes and the sky gave them a dramatic background!

Saturday, July 8, 2017

Baby Bunny

I was doing repeats on the stairs leading up to Casa Loma when I spotted this wee bunny munching on grass beside the steps. It was really tiny - only about 6 inches long and seemed to be fearless since I passed by it 6 times and he was just busy eating paying no attention to all the tourists going by. I kept wondering where mum was as I don't think she would be amused to know he was so close to humans!
Taking part in Saturday's Critters. Click HERE to see more creatures from around the world.

Friday, July 7, 2017

Blue House

I always like this house which is located in the Tarragon Village neighbourhood. I must have a thing for porches because yet again I'd like to sit out there for a while and watch the world passing by possibly heading to the Tarragon Theatre which is just down the block.

Thursday, July 6, 2017

Hazy Skyline

It was a hazy, humid day when I took this pic from the north end of the city looking towards downtown and Lake Ontario. It is interesting how the distant towers are so muted. They are about 10 miles away from where the pic was taken.

Wednesday, July 5, 2017

Warm Weather Gate

I showed you this gate in winter (HERE) when it looked rather bleak with dead vines on it and lots of snow. Well, last week it was looking a lot nicer - the vines have turned out to be Clematis not Morning Glory and there have been lots of flowers planted around it. Even the Neighbourhood Watch sign seems happier in the nice weather.
Taking part in Signs, Signs. Click HERE to see more signs from around the world.

Tuesday, July 4, 2017

Another Annex Porch

This is another nice big porch in the Annex neighbourhood which looks like a fine spot to sit and watch everyone going by while you sip a cool drink.

Monday, July 3, 2017

Bird

There are enough murals along the laneway that I have been showing for the last few weeks to last me through the summer but I will be out looking for more cool examples. I like this silhouette of the bird which is probably a crow. I wish the artist for all of these murals had signed them!
Taking part in Monday Murals. Click HERE to see more murals from around the world.

Sunday, July 2, 2017

Waterlilies

A waterfall in a park is always a pleasure to see but when you add some waterlilies it becomes wonderful. I found this scene in the garden at the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre just outside of where my dad was in the gym in yesterday's pic. Isn't summer great?

Saturday, July 1, 2017

July Theme Day: Motion

The July theme for the City Daily Photo Blog community is "Motion" and for this theme I present my dad working out on a machine in the gym at the Veterans Centre. After this he went to the weight machine! He Just turned 96 a few weeks ago and shows that if you keep moving you can keep moving.
Taking part in the theme Motion. Click HERE to see more pics of motion from around the world. 
Happy Canada Day to all my fellow Canadians. Happy Canada 150!