So excited! So happy to be able to walk on the sunny side of the street and not be struck down by heat stroke!
below: You could say that we’re walking on cloud nine at the change of weather.
This past Sunday was a great day for a walk. Luckily, it was also the day that Penny (author of ‘Walking Woman’ blog) and I had set aside to explore westward from Christie subway station. Actually, we were going elephant hunting. Well, it started off as an elephant hunt, but it turned into a treasure hunt – a treasure trove of Toronto quirkiness.
Eureka! As it turns out, it was also a great day for elephants to hang around outside. This is Sally, a lifesize fiberglass elephant that stands nearly 3 metres tall. She’s been standing here since 2003 and despite a little crack at the top of her trunk, she’s looking pretty good for her age.
It was also a good day for gorillas to sit in trees. A shout out to the man who was standing under this tree talking on his phone, oblivious to this furry creature above him. The same man who gave me a strange look when I walked over with my camera, but then who shared a laugh with me when he too looked up and saw the monkey.
Quirky treasures like woolly headed scarecrows.
below: Tartan columns holding up shady porches.
below: Pet waint at Lansdowne subway station.
below: A solitary dandelion in a lawn of astroturf. Even fake grass isn’t immune to the ubiquitous dandelion.
below: We encountered many Little Free Library boxes. This is not just a Toronto phenomenon and I’d have to say that it is beyond the “quirky” stage. There is now a Little Free Library organization where you can register your library. They claim to have over 40,000 registered libraries in over 70 countries.
When I checked their website, I found a map of Toronto locations. There are the libraries that are registered with the organization; I know that there are more than what is on this map. What the map does show though is that these little libraries are numerous and that they are spread around a lot of the residential areas of the city.
below: Quick, get your Valentines Day roses while they’re still on sale!
below: The middle way, in case you’re lost? There was a man standing there, the middle man so to speak, but he didn’t hang around long enough for me to get his picture.
below: Figures watching over a front yard, including angels and a buddha.
below: And of course, what’s a Toronto walk without a lovebot?
Near the end of our walk, we passed what is known as the Terracotta House.
This house was built in 1905 by John Turner, a builder. In the late 1800’s terra cotta tiles went out of style and there was a glut of them on the market. Mr. Turner was using up excess stock that he had on hand? Or advertising his business? Or just taking advantage of a cheap material? Whatever his motives, the house is still standing and is still a unique piece of architecture more than 100 years later. I wonder what his wife thought of it?
May all your walks, or cycles, be on the sunny side …
… no matter how long they are!
as I walk Toronto 