picture my realia

photo project moving to my main blog space

I started this photo journal for the purpose of feeding my creative hankerings, enhancing my ability to see.  To see if I could commit to a daily act for a year.  I wanted to enrich the Realia project, add more layers and depth to it.

But my participation in this one has distracted me from the writing Realia efforts.  I remain committed to putting up a photo a day, and I am still really enjoying it.  But I miss living in my original blog space.  I still want to make stories about my life and experiences the main thrust of my creativity.

Some time ago I came to the conclusion that I never should have started this second blog, that I should have just incorporated the project into Realia.  Why did I feel the need to keep them separate?  It was a brain fart.

So this photo blog is moving back over to Realia, and the two projects will become one.  The photos will continue to be posted daily, and they will be accompanied more often with the stories.

I hope this won’t alienate the people who come here to see the daily photo.  If you update your feed reader to Realia, I'll be glad to see you there!  And I hope those who subscribe to the main blog enjoy the increased visual aspect.

Live and learn.  Onward!

Duncan Street at Adelaide, Toronto

sister love and a rainy monday

 

I get home and find a card in the mail from Jane, with a bunch of cut out articles and Beatrix Potter. Sure is nice to be reminded that your sister is thinking about you.  I miss you lots Janey.  (Seems to me, a little girl I knew got a card like that from another sister (aunt) who lived in the UK years ago...

Mirvish Walk in the rain. King Street, Toronto.

LEAVES! Off Wellington Street near John Street, Toronto

blossoms on a very special day

Blossoms on a tree in Clarence Square, off Spadina Ave., Toronto

Happy birthday Dad.  I love you very much. 

I smelled these blossoms before I saw them. 

a gate, on way to pre-birthday celebration

 

A gate. Windsor Street near Front Street. Toronto

A gate. Windsor Street, near Front Street, Toronto

Detail of gate. Windsor Street near Front Street, Toronto

I took these shots after work on my way to meet up with Carly and Kelsey for a pre-birthday (mine) bite to eat and drinks.  We lingered longer than anticipated; was a great visit.  I love to be with them, and feel so lucky my family likes each other so. 

walking day, walking night, handmade gift

The Westinghouse Building, 355 King Street, Toronto, 1927. The building's beautiful front (not shown) is slated to become facade on the front of a tower. What is [not] lovingly referred to as "facadism" is preserving the facade of an historical building on the front of a tower, as opposed to preserving the building itself.  In other words, skirting the historical preservation laws.

 

Walking later. Spadina Ave. at Lake Shore Blvd. / Gardiner Expressway, just north of Queens Quay

 

 

When I get home I find in the mail a beautiful hand-painted card from Sherrill, thanking me for giving her some books I didn't need anymore. Thank YOU Sherrill.

 

wallpaper, sunday dinner and streetcar home on a mild evening

 

A wall waiting for some decoration.

Two strips up. Mia on cutting duty.

Second room, bathroom. This picture doesn't come close to conveying how beautiful this lillies of the valley print looks on the wall. We were going to put up one strip before dinner. Then just had to see two. Then decided we must finish that wall. Great choice Meem.

I always enjoy the 504 King car ride home from Mia's. Tonight it's especially pleasant because it's so mild I can open the window.

Another blurry King Street at night image from the window of the streetcar.

I spend the morning doing some spring cleaning at home, getting rid of some piles of clutter.  After lunch, Mia picks me up and we go to her place to wallpaper her living room wall, and if there's time, do some of the bathroom.  I've always enjoyed wallpapering because the change happens quickly - with each strip hung, the impact is big.

Later, we have dinner of Asian flavour marinated ribs, asparagus risotto and salad.  It's a later dinner and we're hungry from our labours.

I enjoy the evening on my way home - first streetcar, then walking the last bit.  It's quite mild, still 18°C. 

Easter

 

 

Omelette and baked pancetta made by Ceri for breakfast.

 

A market vendor was selling two bunches of freesia for $10. Of course I had to.

Easter Sunday we wake up to another beauty day, though clouds roll in later in the afternoon.  I edit pictures and do Friday's blog post and edit more pictures.  Ceri makes breakfast.  Later we walk back to my place.  Kelsey and Jared come over for dinner.  I make pasta with asparagus, peas, pancetta, parmesan, fresh basil and parsley, with salad.  It's delicious, and the company great, though we missed Carly.

 

Out Walking: The Beaches, St. Lawrence

 

 

Waiting for a streetcar at Queen and Broadview, I spot this gargoyle watching over the street.

 

Walking out to the boardwalk. The Beaches, Toronto.

 

Dog run, The Beaches, Toronto

 

The Beaches, Toronto

 

Boardwalk, The Beaches, Toronto

 

St. Aidan's Church, Silver Birch Avenue, Toronto

 

St. Aidan's Church, Silver Birch Avenue, Toronto

 

Shadows, The Beaches, Toronto

 

Jarvis Street, Toronto

 

The Bombay Palace, Jarvis Street, Toronto

 

St. Lawrence Market - according to National Geographic, the best market in the world.

A gorgeous Saturday morning.  We take the streetcar out to the Beaches to meet Sean, Sam and Janice for brunch at the Beach Side Grill.  Then we go down to the lake and take a walk on the boardwalk, back up Silver Birch Avenue, then up to Seans where we sit on his back deck and enjoy the sunshine.  Later, we come back downtown and walk down from Queen via Jarvis, have a beer at The Corner Place patio and watch the comings and goings at the market across the street.  Go into the market later and get veg, herbs and pasta for tomorrow's Easter dinner. 

 

streetcar and family

 

Waiting for the Queen car in front of Old City Hall. Whenever I look at those gargoyles up there I wish I had a long zoom lens. I read that the city almost tore down this building in the 60s. I will photograph more details of it before this project is finished, and you will agree that they were insane in the 60s.

Taken from the 501 Queen streetcar on my way home from the Beaches.

Fence and grounds at Osgood Hall, taken from the window of the streetcar. Captured the shadows. Did not capture how brilliant that forsythia looked in the sun.

I left work early today to go get my teeth cleaned at my dentist in the Beaches.  I enjoyed the ride on the infamous Queen streetcar.  Infamous for a couple of reasons - one of them is the fact that the cars are always late, always getting tied up with the traffic, as they don't have a dedicated lane on Queen Street; further complicated by it being the longest streetcar route in North America.  When I lived out in the Beaches, I had many a long wait for that car.

Later, Ceri and I met up with brother Scott and sister-in-law Jennifer, who came in from Washington to spend Easter with my family in St. Catharines, and taking a brief, baby-less couple of days in Toronto.  We walked over to Il Fornello on King Street and had dinner with Carly and Kelsey.  Great fun, great visit.  So fun, I forgot to take a picture.

The four of us left Scott and Jen at their hotel and went to Fionn's where we met up with Cathy who had just finished working a Leafs game.

Great night.

sunday: daytime, dinnertime, nighttime

Is anything as beautiful as a bird's nest harbouring eggs?  Mourning Dove nest in my sister's pine tree. Mississauga.

 

Five girls and a boy. Or, the next generation. (Missing the littlest guy.) (F) Carly, Sydney, Elaine, Paige, Kelsey (R) Chris.  Mississauga.  Photo attributed to guest photographer of the day - Catherine Morrison!

Home again home again jiggedy jig. Walking home from Union Station; streetcars and a bike. Queens Quay, Toronto

Family dinner at Cathy's today.  My girls, Ceri and I catch the GO train and Stan picks us up at Port Credit.  Dad, Julie, Jeff and his girls arrive soon after we do.  Wonderful dinner of perch (caught on the Manitoulin by Dad last summer, frozen for a special occasion), cole slaw, baked beans, broccoli salad, green salad and potatoes.  Even more wonderful company.  Arrive back in the city, tired and content.