Ducks and leaves

It's pretty awful outside.  We had some snow on the ground this morning, but since then the snow has been falling as big wet flakes or just plain old rain, and it's all washed away.  Still, it's real misty out and wet and cold and blech.

The oldsquaw (aka long-tailed) ducks are still hanging around and collecting in larger numbers.

They're diving ducks, so they're fun to watch.

The trees are getting more bare day by day, but at least the ground is covered in colorful leaves.

Gold and red dominate the maples along the quay.

The UN is in town

The UN is in town, or at least someone from the UN is.

Sorry... camera phone zoom really sucks.

I haven't seen anything in the news about it, so I'm going with "it's totally not newsworthy".

Ducks and a new sign

The long-tailed ducks are beginning to congregate in (slightly) larger numbers on the harbour. Unfortunately, this was as close as I could get -- they're pretty skittish, unlike the usual mallards.

Those dots are ducks -- I swear!

Over toward the middle of the harbour, the Caledonia and the Empire Sandy have moved into their Winter moorings:

You can also see the red-hulled fire boat there.

And they've put up a new fish sign along Spadina Quay:

I've definitely seen some really large black carp in the marina itself, though not in the last couple months.

Canoe Landing

I thought it was just really foggy when I set out with the dog, but it turns out that wasn't fog out there, it was just very fine snow.  By the time I turned back toward home, it was getting pretty serious -- looks like Toronto's in for a fun commute this evening.

Anyway, this is the north end of the park known as Canoe Landing.  Canoe Landing is surrounded by the Terry Fox Miracle Mile, which I may photograph another time.

Bobber Plaza, by Douglas Coupland

In summer there is water that spurts up between them from the pavement.  Also, off to the right here (not pictured) is the "Beaver Dam" fountain that, until recently had smooth, fist-sized stones all over its bottom.  Except, apparently, people thought the stones were serving suggestion to sit by the fountain and hurl those rocks at the sculptures.

This is why we can't have nice things, Toronto.

Off at the south end of the park is a giant red canoe.  I neglected to get a photo of it from outside, but from the inside, you have a pretty good view of the Gardner Expressway.

Looking east along the Gardner Expressway (above) and Lakeshore Blvd (below).

This is the view leaning out the other side of the giant canoe:

You can just see Toronto Harbour through the buildings there.

Back behind "Tom Thomson's Canoe" are the "Iceberg Benches", another art installation.  Both pieces are by Douglas Coupland.

It's difficult to get a good, centered shot with the dog tugging
on the leash and wanting to head home like Right Now.

Gone to fuzz

The milkweed pods down along the Western Gap have burst open, releasing fuzz all over.

Fuzzy milkweed fuzz.

But just inside that fence is a planter that still has roses blooming in it.

These must be some tough roses.

Over at Stadium Road Park, it looks like the parks department has set out some work for themselves.

Loads of new trees.

That park is basically a large open rectangle of grass ringed by trees.  Looks like they're going to put trees inside it now, too.

More street art

Winter must be around the corner, as the live-aboards at the marina have started enclosing themselves in their winter plastic wrap.

Several more were starting to put up their
wooden frameworks so it's only a matter of time.

Down at Maple Leaf Quay, I took a couple pictures of the sculptures they've installed along the walkway.

A giant megaphone?

I wonder if the local residents are treated to random drunken bozos seeing if the megaphone works.  Next to it (on the right of the concrete wall) is another piece, or maybe the other half of this piece.

A ... er ... ah ... um ... I give up.

At least this one is pointed out across the lake instead of at people's homes.  Maybe it's for yelling at the Americans over there.

Flowers and a poppet

I really would have thought by now that the cold rain and occasional bit of snow we've had would have gotten rid of all the flowers.  But the garden still has some little guys toughing it out in there.

These things look a lot more purple in person, and they are really still going strong, tucked in amongst the trees.

Over near the garden's maypole are a lot of other flowers, like these:

And these which seem to be doing a lot better than most:

And there is even some foxglove left out there:

Oh, and I noticed another of these today:

These poppets are part of the Unforgotten Sisters project. The one I saw earlier in the year had a woman's details on its tag, but this one does not.