Posts Tagged ‘Lake Ontario’

get outdoors!

Posted: May 23, 2016 in abstract, nature, waterfront
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Well, this May 2 4 weekend has been splendidly sunny and fabulously warm!  I hope you’ve had the chance to take advantage of it, whether sitting on a patio with a cold drink and friends, or out enjoying the the greenness that has bloomed all around us.   It’s been a great few days to get up close and take a good look at nature.

looking down at a piece of concrete at water's edge, in the concrete is a cut off hollow pole, there are pebble and water in the hole.

below: Old moss covered metal seems to reach out of Lake Ontario like claws.

old bent metal embedded in concrete but partially inderwater. Moss is growing over it and making it look green

below: Reflections in the Yellow Creek, Beltline trail.

reflections of trees and blue sky in a creek, blue water, dark brown tree trunks and mottled greens of the leaves, in a ravine, in the city

below: Wet pebbles with the beginnings of green moss growing on them shine in the morning sun.

pebbles in greys and browns in the water near the shoreline of Lake Ontario. The pebbles closest to the shore are bright green with the beginnings of moss growth

below: Greater celandine, a yellow flowering plant, blooms along the railing of Milkmans Lane.

yellow flowers in bloom in the ravine, against a railing post, with shadows cast on the wood, large green leaves

below: New growth unfolds in the sunshine.

small maple tree with lots of new red leaves that have just come out. Grey rocks blurry in the background

below: The dark pink blossoms were at their peak this week.

many pink blossoms on the branch of a tree

below: Green and brown mosses sway with the water currents along the shore of Lake Ontario.

looking in the water beside some rocks. There is moss and algae in green, yellow, rust and brown swirling in the water of Lake Ontario

the end of a shovel is in the ground, behind a chainlink fence. The sun is shining and making reflections. The reflection of the chainlink fence is on the shovel.

below: The snow fences have been bundled up and put away for the summer.

rolls of wood slat snow fences bundled away for the summer in large rolls. 4 rolls viewed from the end.

good morning Cherry Beach!

Posted: April 8, 2016 in nature, waterfront
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It was a nippy morning at Cherry Beach today. The ice has been off Lake Ontario for a while now and the snow that fell this past week has melted. There was only a small clue that winter is still clinging on.

icicles hang from a stick that is embedded in the sand beside a lake. pebbles, water.

The morning started off grey but it wasn’t long before the sun came out.

below: Cherry Beach lifesaving station in the distance.

Cherry Beach lifesaving station in the distance, shoreline of Lake Ontario

(Except for a few airplanes and the shouts of a lacrosse tournament in the distance) the only sounds on the beach were the chirps and tweets of birds and the squawking of seagulls.
The noises increased when food arrived!

a woman wearing a bright red hat is feeding the seagulls, ducks and other birds at Cherry Beach. sand, water, Lake Ontario. There are lots of seagulls.

There was even a lovebot hanging out at the beach, standing tall at the lifeguard chair.

an empty red metal frame lifeguard chair on the beach in early spring, no leaves on the trees. Cherry Beach, Lake Ontario. There is a large lovebot wheatpaste on the lifeguard chair.

an abandoned red plastic shopping cart with a Value Village label on a beach, long shadows, a few trees, Cherry Beach, Lake Ontario. There are some empty cans in the cart

A spindly leafless tree with knotted gnarly roots above the ground, on the beach beside Lake Ontario. small waves catching the sunlight, morning sun, small rocks and pebbles on the beach

three yellow tires attached to lumber have washed up on the shore and gotten caught in the roots of a shoreline tree, Cherry Beach, Lake Ontario.

driftwood log, rocks, trees and sand on a beach

shoreline of Lake Ontario, driftwood, sand, trees, shrubs, in spring, no leaves

banners on Queens Quay

Posted: September 18, 2015 in public art
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 Waterfront Outdoor Photo Exhibit

For the past four years, the Waterfront BIA has organized a photography contest.  East year fifty finalists are chosen.  This year they have organized a photo exhibit of a different kind.  One hundred and fourteen images were chosen from the 200 finalists from their previous photo contests.  These images were used (and cropped!) to make vertical banners, 5 ft x 2 ft in size.   The banners are made of vinyl and the same image is on both sides.

below: You can see many of the banners on Queen’s Quay between Yonge and Bathurst.

Looking west on Queens Quay towards Bathurst street. New TTC streetcar is in the photo as well as a number of condos and other buildings on the north side of the street

Picture of round orange life ring on the edge of the waterfront in Toronto.

Three pictures in one. Each of the pictures is of a banner hanging from a pole outside. On the left is a picture of seagull, in the middle is a picture of two houses and on the right is a winter waterfront scene

A pole with a vinyl banner with a colourful picture of boats. Also on the pole is a street sign that says Yo Yo Ma Lane

looking towards the waterfront. A banner with a picture of the Canadian flag is on a post by a tree in the foreground. The old silos for Canada Malting Company are in the background as is a boat moored beside the silos.

A banner with a picture of a seagull on it. In the background of the banner picture is the CN Tower. In the background of this photo, there is also the CN Tower.

 

below: Sometimes it’s difficult to see the banners amongst all the other things along Queen’s Quay

TTC streetcar on Queens Quay

below: There are also some banners on Lakeshore Blvd between Bathurst and Spadina.

A woman is walking on a sidewalk, away from the camera, beside the Lakeshore Blvd in Toronto. There are a few cars on the road. There are skyscrapers in the background. The elevated highway, the Gardiner Expressway, is also in the picture.

A composite of three pictures, each of a vertical banner hanging from a pole outdoors along a street. One banner is a kayaker in the harbour in front of the Toronto skyline. Another is a sunset over Toronto skyline on a cloudy day

urban mud hero

Posted: May 26, 2015 in events, people
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Mud Hero – Urban Toronto
Ontario Place, 23 May 2015

6km course with more than 20 obstacles,
with lots of water and mud!

A row of muddy legs with very brown socks and filthy shoes, after the Mud Hero race

Ontario Place cinesphere, the dome, with an obstacle course being run in front of it

At Ontario Place, looking towards the meeting area for the Mud Hero race - where the race starts and finishes. Some competitors are just heading out and some muddy runners are just coming back in.

A team dressed in bright pink tops await their turn to start the race at the course start line.

Two young women pose for the photo, being taken by a man whose back is to the viewer in this photo, before they start a race

A man with his back to the camera watches team mates jump through, and off the side of, old wooden boats that were once part of a tourist attraction at Ontario Place

Two young women, mud hero participants, pose for the camera

runners in a race around Ontario Place go through the old "loading zone" area. Toronto skyline and CN tower in the background.

Two runners are holding hands as they cross a very tippy and wobbly floating bridge, many runners are behind them, waiting their turn to cross

runners on the beach with the Mississauga skyline in the distance

A couple is helping each other over the top of a wood A-frame climbing frame as they come over the top and change positions to go down the other side

crossing over the top of a green wood climbing frame.

A race organizer in a bright orange jacket stands on a platform between two large tanks filled with muddy water as racers wade through the chest high water

a group of people are wading through deep muddy cold water and they don't look happy about it

wading through deep muddy cold water

A young man stands on top of a car with his arms upraised in triumph as he proceeds through an obstacle course

A group of people running over some wrecked cars as part of an obstacle race. They are muddy.

A couple holds hands while running across the roof of some wrecked cars

runners at Ontario Place, with part of the dome and white metal structures in the photo, only 2 runner, one coming down a blue ramp and one in the immediate foreground. The man in the foreground is running to the right and is almost out of the picture

Competitors climb over the top of a very large and very tall rope climbing frame

people climbing over the top of a rope climbing frame

A muddy man balancing on a metal beam as he makes his way past some large green punching bags

People balancing on metal beams as they walk through many punching bags, as part of an obstacle race

The front of a Tshirt on a competitor at the end of the Mud Hero race, along with the medal earned for completing the course

A very muddy couple walks past the shower area after the Mud Hero race in Toronto, many people are trying to get the mud off themselves using hoses and cold water

A woman covered in mud poses for a photograph while a couple of people give her strange looks.

a person is holding a muddy pink running shoe, close up shot of the hand and the shoe

warming up to art

Posted: February 20, 2015 in public art, waterfront
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5 lifeguard posts
5 art installations
5 places to sit and/or get out of the wind

All in one place – along the waterfront at Kew & Balmy Beaches
until 20 March 2015

1. Snowcone by Lily Jeon and Diana Koncan

Art installation that looks like a giant white pinecone on the beach in winter. The inside of the parts of the cone are bright translucent coloured plexiglass

Looking from inside a dome shaped structure that is made of geometric shapes of coloured plastic, looking to the bright blue sky, with snow on some of the pieces of plastic. Lots of bright colours.

From the inside of the Snowcone, looking up through the center.

 metal frame of a lifeguard stand surrounded by brightly coloured shapes of translucent plastic
2. Driftwood Throne by Daniel Madeiros

Beach in winter, snow, snow fence and lots of blue sky. There is a wooden art installation that is also seating for those who want to sit and look out over the cold lake.

Lifeguard station that has been partially enclosed by a wooden structure. Two people are sitting on the lifeguard chair with their backs to the camera

3. Sling Swing by Ed Butler, Daniel Wiltshire and Frances McGeown

The art installation, Sling Swing, in the breeze on a frozen snow covered beach. It consists of large pieces of orange fabric slings hanging from a metal frame. One can use the slings as swings.

Two women sitting on the orange sling swings on a cold winter day at the beach

orange lovebot sticker inside an orange life ring on a lifeguard chair. Pieces of orange fabric are draped around the chair.

4.  Wing Back by Tim Olson

Wooden structure on a winter beach between a snow fence and the lake

wooden structure on the beach in winter. Part in painted red. It is supposed to be a large chair, semi-circle, can seat a number of people.

5. Hot Box by Michaela MacLeod and Nicholas Croft

A large black box on a winter beach. The box is large enough to fit several people inside it.

This one feels creepy inside. No windows. Interior walls form narrow passageways.

sugar beach

Posted: November 25, 2014 in general Toronto, locations, waterfront
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Sugar Beach on a November afternoon.

A time when you have your choice of seats to sit and watch the clouds race past and the wind whip the branches of the trees around.

Sugar beach with its white chairs and pink umbrellas, looking over the sand towards Lake Ontario

Late afternoon beside grey Lake Ontario.

Sugar beach with its white chairs and pink umbrellas, there are no people here, and the lake is looking a little grey.

The first hint of sunset appears in the sky.

Sugar beach with its white chairs and pink umbrellas is in the foreground and the city is behind it.

Darker skies over the city as the rain clouds pass by.

Sugar beach with its white chairs and pink umbrellas is in the foreground. The Toronto skyline is in the background, including the CN tower.

With the city behind.

Sugar beach with its white chairs and pink umbrellas, with a four storey building behind as well as some willow trees

The low sun of late afternoon is reflected off the umbrella stands as well as the glass of the Corus building behind.

Sugar beach with its white chairs and pink umbrellas,

Canada Day!

Posted: July 1, 2014 in events
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Happy Canada Day everyone!

 

large display of fireworks over Lake Ontario

fireworks at Harbourfront, Canada Day Eve, June 30

 

*****

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