Sunday, March 31, 2019

A Survivor

This garage looks quite old, probably older than the house that it belongs to as you can see in the background. I love the textures and the warmth of the rust.

Saturday, March 30, 2019

Lucky Squirrel

Every once in a while the kind people at the Veterans Centre at the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre put up this peanut feeder to give the squirrels a treat. This particular squirrel seems to be the matriarch of the group and she sat there eating away for a long time even though others came along and tried to get one. They had to wait until she finished and left before they could take turns getting a peanut. You can see that her coat is a bit ratty as it is time for the summer coats to start coming in even though it is still a bit cool here. 
Taking part in Saturday's Critters. Click HERE to see more creatures from around the world.

Friday, March 29, 2019

A Mystery

I spotted this logo above a door downtown in the entertainment district but could find no information about it at all. It looks like a bird to me and I wonder if it is the entrance to some kind of nightclub that doesn't need to have a sign - if you don't know about them then you aren't moving in the trendy circles. I do like the logo though.

Thursday, March 28, 2019

"Enter If You Dare"

This is one of the dragons who were inhabiting Casa Loma and its grounds during the Imagine Dragons event. Most of them were inside the building but this one out by one of the gates was really popular with people taking pictures. I had to wait for him to be alone to get this one.

Wednesday, March 27, 2019

Imagine

Our March Break for the school kids was a couple of weeks ago and Casa Loma ran a special event called Imagine Dragons for the kids. There were dragon figures, circus acts, bouncy castles and lots of other things to enjoy. I happened to go past that week and the place was buzzing with families going in and out. This sign was on the lower entrance into the gardens which isn't used in winter.
Taking part in Signs, Signs. Click HERE to see more signs from around the world.

Tuesday, March 26, 2019

A Vintage Doorway

I spotted this lovely doorway along Adelaide St in the historic downtown area of the city. It is hard to read but in the stonework above the door it reads Commodore Building. The Commodore was built in 1929 as a commercial warehouse but now is divided up into offices serving those in the creative fields such as architecture and advertising. I love the nice Deco carvings in the stonework.

Monday, March 25, 2019

Metallic Bunny

If you look carefully you can see one of the artist Poser's bunnies on the right side of this garage door. The other metallic streaks are spelling out the name Poser. The whole thing reminded me of those metallic balloons that you can buy for special occasions.
Taking part in Monday Murals. Click HERE to see more murals from around the world.

Sunday, March 24, 2019

Spring Is Coming?

I took this pic a couple of weeks ago just as all of our snow was starting to disappear. Throughout most of the year this home across the road from Casa Loma is fairly hidden behind leaves as you can see in this pic (HERE) taken last May.

Saturday, March 23, 2019

Red Squirrel

I spotted this red squirrel out on a day when the snow was starting to disappear. I hadn't seen one of these guys since our deep snow arrived.
 Taking part in Saturday's Critters. Click HERE to see more creatures from around the world.

Friday, March 22, 2019

Guard Cats

No one gets past these large cats outside one of the entrances to Casa Loma without a little inspection. They have a nice sunny spot to sit even on a winter's afternoon!

Thursday, March 21, 2019

Through The Gate

I took this pic about a week ago when we still had a lot of ice and snow around and had a wonderful winter sky as a background. This is a view of Spadina House through one of its gates which aren't used at this time of year.
Happy Spring to all of us northerners!

Wednesday, March 20, 2019

Good Stuff

Cannabis became legal in Canada last year but in Ontario the shops selling it will not be opening for another month and up until then it is only available by mail order. The Good Grass shop opened this winter on Danforth Ave and they intend to provide "a new & refreshing experience for the contemporary Canadian cannabis user". I didn't go in but assume they offer a lot of accessories at this time. I like the look of their storefront.
Taking part in Signs, Signs. Click HERE to see more signs from around the world.

Tuesday, March 19, 2019

Rear Entrance

This is the rear entrance to one of the engineering buildings at U of Toronto. It looked quite dramatic on a crisp fall day last October. You can't see it in this pic but during the summer there is a channel by the fence on the left that has water running through it and babbling away to offset some of the city noise.

Monday, March 18, 2019

Blue Geese

This is another section of the long mural by artist Christiano De Araujo that I have shown you on the last couple of Mondays. These wonderful geese fly towards the smiling faces from last week and the shadows from the tree above makes it look as if they are flying through some woods. I've never seen a blue Canada Goose before but it really works well here. 
Taking part in Monday's Murals. Click HERE to see more murals from around the world.

Sunday, March 17, 2019

Wearing Of The Green

Happy St Patrick's Day to everyone. Our St Patrick's parade was last Sunday but it was a miserable day and I had work to do so I'm using this pic that I took at the parade last year. This wee leprechaun was having a grand time as he marched along waving to all of the kiddies!

Saturday, March 16, 2019

Another Snowy Lunch

This pic was taken a couple of weeks ago during one of our mini blizzards that were so common this winter. The Dark-Eyed Junco and the House Sparrow had managed to push some snow away and get at some seeds to help them keep warm! 
Taking part in Saturday's Critters. Click HERE to see more creatures from around the world.

Friday, March 15, 2019

Winter At the Casa

I showed you this same view of Casa Loma last October (HERE) and wandered by recently and noticed that they still have the artificial trees installed. Those yellow and white 'flowers' are actually lights on trees that they construct each winter and then remove so that an entertainment tent can be installed.

Thursday, March 14, 2019

Danger Overhead

After some snow storms you really have to keep an eye open on what is above your head. If the snow falls and there is little wind it will gather like this on evergreen trees and create big snowballs that later fall and soak you as you walk along. Pretty though!

Wednesday, March 13, 2019

Along The Danforth

Toronto's Greek Town is found on the Danforth as this banner tells you. Even the lampposts have Greek stripes on them along this stretch of Danforth Ave. In the summer there is a huge festival where the street is closed and millions of people come out to eat and enjoy entertainment.
Taking part in Signs, Signs. Click HERE to see more signs from around the world.

Tuesday, March 12, 2019

Domed

This building on Bloor St E was constructed in 1954 for the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario. I really tried to find out some info about the architecture but had no luck so can't tell you what goes on under that domed roof. Perhaps it is their library. This was taken just after another of our snowstorms so you can see all of the wet marks along the facade - winter is hard on us all!

Monday, March 11, 2019

The Smile

This is another section of the colourful mural by Christiano De Araujo which I showed you last Monday. How nice to be greeted by happy smiles as you go by this one. Those shadows from a neighbouring tree are always there.
Taking part in Monday Murals. Click HERE to see more murals from around the world.

Sunday, March 10, 2019

Lighting The Way

This hallway leads to the dental clinic at the Veterans Centre at the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. I've always liked the whimsical way the lights were installed and finally caught the hallway empty of people.

Saturday, March 9, 2019

Nuthatch

This seems to have been a good year for nuthatches and in particular the White-breasted Nuthatch. They are sweet birds who crawl up and down the trunks of trees quickly, then fly in to a feeder for one seed and then back to the tree. There is almost constant movement!
Taking part in Saturday's Critters. Click HERE to see more creatures from around the world.

Friday, March 8, 2019

A Wintery Ravine

This is another of the ravines that run throughout the city. It is located just up the street from Casa Loma and is called Nordheimer Ravine after a family that had a large estate bordering the ravine many years ago. Castle Frank Brook ran through here but was covered over in the 1970s as many of the smaller creeks and streams were. Now this is a great spot to walk a dog or just go for a walk.

Thursday, March 7, 2019

Making It Through The Winter

I took this pic last week when the Clivia flowered for the second time since Christmas offering a bit of colour to help make up for all of the snow you can see on the deck out through the window. We are all waiting for spring and the end of this snowy winter!

Wednesday, March 6, 2019

Pub Sign

The Black Swan Tavern has been a fixture on the Danforth since 1972 and continues to be a great neighbourhood pub as well as a venue for live music. It is impossible to get a pic without a car parked out front but it is their great sign I wanted to show. Black swans are a bit unusual in Canada so it is nice to see this one.  
Taking part in Signs, Signs. Click HERE to see more signs from around the world.

Tuesday, March 5, 2019

What's The Story?

I spotted this tricycle a couple of weeks ago parked and locked near the Wychwood Barns where there is a farmers market on the weekend. The trike looks like it has been there a while and you wonder if someone forgot it or have no where to store it for the winter. I'll have to go back soon and check whether it is gone.

Monday, March 4, 2019

9th Blog Birthday!

This colourful boat is just part of a very long mural painted by artist Christiano De Arauja along Rogers Rd in the north-west part of the city. The mural was painted in summer 2018 and especially during winter it is a cheerful sight to see along the roadway. I will show you some more sections over the next few weeks.
Taking part in Monday Murals. Click HERE to see more murals from around the world. 

It is hard to believe that it has been 9 years since I started this blog and that I still love posting every day and looking for new things to show you. I'm so happy to have made so many blog friends and miss the ones who no longer post but who inspired me so much at the beginning. Thanks everyone!

Sunday, March 3, 2019

Another Downtown Church

A week ago I showed you St Paul's Church on Bloor St E which was surrounded by condos and office towers and just a few blocks away you will find this lovely church also with tall neighbours. It is the Church of St Peter and St Simon-the-Apostle which is an amalgamation of two parishes which took place in 2016. The church was built in 1887 as St Simon-the-Apostle and had a few additions through the years. It is likely that the bricks for the church came from the brickyards in the nearby Don Valley.

Saturday, March 2, 2019

Lunch In The Snow

I took this pic in the middle of a mini blizzard that didn't last long and didn't stop the birds from having a bit to eat. The Chickadee and the Downy Woodpecker were already settled in when the Goldfinch decided to get in on the action so he is a bit out of focus since he was moving so fast. He eventually landed above the woodpecker and they all had their fill.  
Taking part in Saturday's Critters. Click HERE to see more creatures from around the world.

Friday, March 1, 2019

March Theme Day: Green

The march theme for the City Daily Photo Blog community is Green and since it is a bit difficult to find green here at this time of year I went back into my archives. Every summer at the Veterans Centre at the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre they arrange a visit from a local car club and the cars are pulled into various locations around the gardens. This Jaguar E Type was a real crowd pleaser with the vets. I'm not a big green car fan but this one looks beautiful! 
Taking part in the Theme Day Green. Click HERE to see more green from around the world.