Hello and welcome to Weekend Coffee Share #23! I’m glad you’re here. Please come on in, help yourself to a cup of coffee, or tea, or hot chocolate at my coffee station and let’s chat.
A Warm Week
Toronto broke a record on Saturday June 5 when the temperature rose to 31C (88F). According to Environment Canada, the highest temperature recorded for June 5 is 30C set in 1940. The scorching temperatures and heat warning continued on Sunday and lasted through Wednesday.
I went outside earlier in the morning when it was cooler to cycle and walk. In spring season, I like to visit the gardens at least once a week to catch the new flower blooms before they disappear or get destroyed by strong winds or rain.
Gorgeous Flowers
Here are something pink for Terri’s Sunday Stills photo challenge: Poppies, azaleas and peonies. The attractive Oriental Poppy (Papaver orientale) flowers have large, layered, crepe papery, pink petals with dark purple eyes and black splotches at their base. Have you seen them before?
Azaleas 
Peony
Interesting Sculptures
On one of my cycling excursions I passed by the Canary District in Toronto’s West Don Lands. I took a cycling break and walked along Front Street East and Mill Street to see five interesting sculptures. Once I took time to examine each of them at different angles, I liked them more than at first glance.
Canary District was the site of 2015 Toronto Pan American Games Athletes’ Village. After the Games were over, the six buildings were converted to condo buildings, a YMCA Centre, and student housing for George Brown College students. Forty one plaques along Front Street promenade display the names of the participating nations at the Games.
Sunny days, gorgeous flowers and interesting sculptures. I enjoy my discoveries and feel grateful for this leisure time. Life is good.
Linked to Marsha’s #PPAC Public Art Challenge #1.
How did your week go? I’d love to hear your comments.
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Natalie the Explorer 
Hello Natalie from Australia where some areas have been inundated with snow this week, and lots of damaging winds and rain. Opposites hey! You get the hottest day records and we are sharing coldest ones. Seriously though, Australia is still affected by border restrictions with Covid and as well as that, some people defied that restriction and drove all the way to Queensland, via NSW and left a trail of potential Covid transmission behind. Been hard work trying to get many people tested and shows how easily covid gets spread. Enough of that. Your photos are great and I too try to view something I know well from another angle just as I also try to take a new path or road somewhere. Your pink is perfect for Terri’s challenge. Thank you for #weekendcoffeeshare. Many of us in Australia have a long weekend for the Queen’s Birthday…the same monarch we share as countries of the Commonwealth.
Denyse.
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Hi Denyse, I hope Australia continues to be successful at keeping COVID-19 and its variants from spreading to a minimum. On Friday, June 11, Ontario started re-opening at Step 1, allowing outdoor dining for up to 4 people per table, outdoor social gatherings and organized public events for up to 10 people, non-essential retail capacity at 15%, and a few other outdoor activities. The weather has been good here. We have Victoria Day long weekend in May. Thank you for linking up with #Weekendcoffeeshare. Have a great long weekend!
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Hi Natalie, I’m happy to be back at the Coffee Share! Your flower photos are gorgeous, and I can’t wait to see my own azalea and peony bloom (it may not happen this year though). It’s been a rainy and dull week here but for the weekend they say it could be above the 20s so I’m definitely looking forward to that.
Interesting sculptures, I like the future follies one, it reminds me of the Luke Kelly sculpture in Dublin. 🙂
I wish you a nice and relaxing weekend!
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Welcome back, Susanne. The two Luke Kelly sculptures in Dublin are well done. I appreciated the Garden of Future Follies more after I looked at each of the items closely. I hope your weekend weather is good. The heat will help the azaleas and peonies bloom. Have a great weekend!
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Hi Natalie – the flowers are beautiful and I’m glad you’re getting such lovely warm weather. Interesting statues – more industrial than a lot of other ones you’ve shared. Great that you’re still getting out and about so much.
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Hi Leanne, The weather has been good here, with temperatures back to normal and more comfortable since Thursday. I’m getting out and about almost every day to enjoy the outdoors as much as possible. The artworks in the Canary District are modern, a reflection of new developments in Toronto. I hope you’re enjoying off-line and in-person experiences. Thank you for linking with #Weekendcoffeeshare. Have a great week!
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Happy to hear about the warm June weather. The sculpture collection is good, it looks like there are not a lot of people out. The weekend is here so maybe that will change
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Alice, I took the photos during lockdown and on a weekday morning so few people were out. Ontario just started re-opening on Friday June 11, allowing outdoor dining for up to 4 people per table, outdoor social gatherings and organized public events for up to 10 people, non-essential retail capacity at 15%, and a few other outdoor activities. I’m sure the outdoor patios at the Canary District have been busy since Friday.
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I was wondering if they were from the lockdown
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I love your pink flowers, especially the Oriental Poppy 🙂 And the sculptures are interesting, especially when you learn a bit about the thinking behind them. We’re heading for 30 degrees in London early next week, they say, before it cools off a bit later in the week. A bit too much for me!
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Sarah, The oriental poppies are beautiful IRL. They come in a few other colours. I always like to read up on the sculptures to understand the artists’ intentions or what inspired them to create such artwork. Sounds like you’re getting the warm weather we had last week. 30C is a bit much for me, too, unless I go swimming outdoors. Thank you for stopping by. Have a wonderful week!
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I really need to get back to Toronto for an extended visit. . .
Thanks Natalie.
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Gary, An extended visit would be nice, to have time and explore a city. Have a great week!
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Those sculptures are awesome. The downside of living in a small town is that there isn’t always a lot of fascinating things to see. And I don’t get to the city often. BUT I need to remember to get pictures when I do get to the city. And those flowers are stunning. The first one looks like it’s not even real.
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Kirstin, The petals of those Oriental poppies look like crumpled papers. They’re beautiful IRL and come in a few other colours. I always try to take photos when I see them. I’m glad you liked the sculptures, too. Have a great weekend!
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Your photos are exquisite, Natalie! A feast for the eyes! You remind me how nature’s colours cannot truly be replicated. I heard about the Toronto weather. We have visited in the past when I learned about “muggy” and how draining the heat can be. The sculptures are fascinating. I agree “Life is good.”❤️
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Thank you, Erica/ Erika, for your compliment of my photos. Sunny weather and beautiful blooms help 🙂 The weather is back to seasonal temperatures this weekend so it feels more comfortable than the warm days that we had. Heat and humidity are definitely draining. I slow down and try to stay hydrated and in cool places on those days. Have a wonderful weekend!
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I love the creativity and whimsy in these sculptures. You’ve got lots of sunshine and blue skies. You’re lucky that you can enjoy and share them.
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Susan, I’m glad you liked the sculptures. The nice weather continues and is less hot this weekend. I feel grateful every day. Have a great week!
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Marvelous! Quite an unexpected array of modern art! Thanks so much!
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Thank you, Lizl, for your comment. I’m glad you liked the unexpected modern art. I enjoyed looking at these sculptures up close and sharing my photos.
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Beautiful flowers, sculptures, weather and photography! Our weather has been up and down so I vicariously enjoyed your warmth and sunshine. Thank you for taking us to the Canary District!
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Thank you, Donna, for stopping by. The nice weather continues this weekend with less heat. I hope you get sunshine and warmth, too. Have a wonderful week!
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I don’t know which I like better the photo of the poppy or the LED eyes on the steel sculpture. Both are wonder and something I don’t usually see anywhere around here. Very cool beans.
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Ally, Cool beans indeed. The oriental poppies come in a few other colours and they’re beautiful IRL. Have a great weekend!
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The flowers are so gorgeous, Natalie. Our weather has been unusually humid. Thanks for the tour!
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Thank you, Jill, for your comment. I hope you get more moderate weather soon. Heat and humidity tend to bring thunderstorms. Have a wonderful week!
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We had some pretty hot and humid weather this week too (not sure if we broke any records or anything though) but we made sure to get out nice and early for some walks and hikes before the heat of the day settled in. Those pink poppys are beautiful!
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Yes, early walks are good to beat the heat and humidity. Thankfully, we’re back to seasonal temperatures with lower humidity this weekend. Have a great week!
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Always such a pleasure to read your posts and learn more about Toronto.
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Thank you, Barbara, for your comment. I enjoy exploring and sharing my discoveries.
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Such beautiful flowers and wonderful sculptures. Your posts always make we want to return to Toronto for an extended visit.
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Janis, An extended visit would be very nice, to explore the city leisurely. Have a wonderful weekend!
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Your Toronto tours are so enjoyable. What lovely pink flowers for the Sunday Stills challenge. We had azaleas around my childhood home.
All of the art is creative and unique. Especially like the follies piece – the way it replicated other pieces all over the city. And the rolled back pavement. Bet it is interesting at night
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Leslie, You’ve got excellent art observations! The pieces in the Garden of Future Follies are very interesting up close and the Peeled Pavement looks nicer at night. Thank you for stopping by. Have a great weekend!
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Hi Natalie, Your flowers are lovely. The statues are perfect examples of public art. You find the coolest things for your weekend shares. 🙂
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Thank you, Marsha, for your kind comment. I’m glad you liked the flowers and public art that I shared. Ontario just started Step 1 of the 3-step reopening plan yesterday (June 11). It allows outdoor dining for up to 4 people per table, outdoor social gatherings and organized public events for up to 10 people, non-essential retail capacity at 15%, and a few other outdoor activities. If you were here, we could sit down at a coffee shop’s outdoor patio for a chat. Before Friday and during the lockdown, it was coffee to go only.
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I’m so glad that is changing. There are so many differences world wide. The recovery is going so much differently in different countries, and I just wonder how people manage. I’m sure this COVID phenomenon will be studied for decades.
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Beautiful flowers. I haven’t seen the Oriental Poppy before. The public sculptures are great. You are inspiring me to get out and see some of the public art here in the desert again.
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Deborah, The oriental poppies show up in the gardens here in June or later. They come in a few colours, all look beautiful IRL. I look forward to seeing your photos of public art in the desert.
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Hi Natalie, we’re having a very cold winter here in Australia so it’s nice to hear that you’re getting hot sunny days. Our summers are very long, with temperatures above 30 degrees for about 6 months. The sculptures are interesting. It would be a nice area to walk around. Have a nice weekend, Christina
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Hi Christina, The four seasons in Toronto last about 3 months each. In the summer, we may have some hot and humid days that are uncomfortable. Some people like it hot at 30C all the time but I prefer 25C to 27C. The humidity makes a big difference, too. I hope you get your seasonal temperatures back. Have a great week!
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I haven’t seen that Oriental poppy (at least not much,) and I really love it. You saw an interesting collection of sculptures. The first two are especially fun. 🙂
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Susan, Oriental poppies are beautiful IRL. I’ll share more photos of them in different colours in a future post. I’m glad you liked the poppy and some of the sculptures that I shared. Have a great week!
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🙂
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Wow that’s pretty warm temperatures for you Natalie, it’s currently quite cold here and we had snow fall the other night. At the moment we’re fogged in!
I love those statues and the peeled pavement one is really cool! Your pink flowers are lovely and perfect for Terri’s Sunday Stills this week. Thanks again for having us visit!
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Debbie, I know those cold winter days, brrr. Hang in there for brighter spring days ahead. I’m glad you liked the modern art and flowers that I shared. They’re fun and free to see 🙂
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I like the Garden of Future Follies. It’s quite interesting. Thanks for sharing your latest trip, Natalie 🙂
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Moumita, Excellent choice! That garden has seven pieces and once I took a closer look at their details, I was really impressed by the artists’ skills and creativity. Have a great week!
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Looks like an interesting area. Great sculpture! I hope you had a good week and are having a wonderful weekend 🙂
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Trent, The weather is back to glorious with low humidity, just ideal for going outside. Wishing you a wonderful weekend, too.
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Those are some interesting statues… My favourite would be the lamp posts… they seem to have a profound meaning write at the edge of your mind but it all comes crashing down if you pull at it…
~B
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Yes, you saw the fragility of things in the sculpture. The artist’s intentions were to connect Toronto’s history and geography together as the lamp posts came from various areas and times. Kawamata is very talented. He has done many art exhibits around the world.
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I can never take too many flower pictures! We stopped by Bruckner Gardens this week to see the rhodos and peonies.
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The rhodos and peonies are at their peak, just gorgeous. I have tons of flower photos on my phone, too.
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Beautiful flower pics. Are you taking them with a phone or real camera? Love your city tours.
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Thank you, Antoinette, for your comment. I’ve been taking photos with my phone camera for about two years now.
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The peeled pavement is great!! Simple but clever!
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Yes, there are four of them located on the sidewalks at street corners. Each shows different artifacts.
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Wow, such a beautiful place. So very lovely and nice. I would love to stroll around there. Very cool.
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Thank you, Patrick, for your comment. I greatly appreciate it.
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Sounds like many people have experienced a heat wave in North America this week …. or maybe it’s just the northeast part of the continent!
Am glad it didn’t stop you from getting out and about – such lovely blooms, and all those wonderful sculptures!!!! My favourite is the Water Guardians … I am intrigued about the water feature they are placed with … fountain? springs? pool?
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The water feature is fountains with lights illuminated at night. The rubberized blue and green mounds in the shape of running water provide a child-friendly soft surface for young children to play. Ontario just started Step 1 of 3-step re-openings on June 11 and water fountains were turned back on in public space after my visit to the Canary District.
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Woohoo! I love it, the fountains are back on!
Thanks for this wonderful description: I can see and hear the water, and the children playing!
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Hi Natalie!
What beautiful flowers! I just love them all. And I love all the statures you shared. It seems it is hot everywhere as we are getting really hot too. Thank you for the coffee today and I actually was able to join in earlier this weekend! ❤ ~Diana
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Diana, I’m glad that you liked the flowers and sculptures. The weather here has returned to normal temperatures this weekend so it feels much more comfortable. I hope you have a relaxing weekend and a great week coming up. Stay cool 🙂
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You always have the best images of your area, Natalie! The Canary District looks wonderful, I especially love that water feature area and the pink florals are gorgeous! Thanks for linking with the color challenge this week. As for the weather, I think the last couple of weeks’ temps broke records everywhere! Spokane hit 96 around Memorial Day, which is 20 degrees higher than normal! Now we are back to “normal” although in the low 80s. Summer is here! Enjoy!
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Thank you, Terri, for your comment, and for hosting Sunday Stills. I love colours and try to participate in colour challenges. It does feel like summer is here before the official date of June 20. Have a great weekend!
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We have had warm weather but not as hot as you. I love your modern sculpture.?
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Thank you, Anne, for your comment. I greatly appreciate it.
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I love the Oriental Poppies! They do look like poppies.. Thank you for another adventure! You always have such interesting things to share!
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LOL I meant they look like CREPE PAPER!
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The oriental poppies come in different colours and they all look beautiful. Thank you, Kathleen, for stopping by. Have a great weekend!
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That’s a gorgeous poppy!
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Yes, there are other poppies in different colours. They’re all beautiful.
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The sculptures look pretty cool! Are they always there or do they change? As always, love sightseeing through your eyes!
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The sculptures stay in the Canary District, Sanch. Have a great week!
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Oh what fun public art. I like the blue with three sets of LED eyes. Brilliant post. 😀
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Thank you, Cee. I’m glad you like the Water Guardians. The PPAC that you and Marsha are co-hosting is a terrific idea.
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Congratulation! I have selected your post to be featured on PPAC.
I sure hope you have a fantastic weekend.
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Thank you, Cee, for selecting my post. Have a wonderful weekend!
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I love these. I especially liked the lamp post.. they’re all great. Now I must come visit to see them in person🙂.
Thanks for sharing Natale.
Pat
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Pat, Welcome to my blog and thank you for your comment. I like the lamp posts, too. Along that promenade, there are benches, tea/ coffee shops and eateries. It’s a nice area to visit and go for a stroll.
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Sounds nice. Thanks for the intro🙂. Have a good weekend.
Pat
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Natalie, as you may have read in the news, western Canada was under a “heat dome” at the end of June, and broke records for the highest temperatures ever recorded — 46 degrees C in Lytton. Then a day later, fire swept through Lytton and burned it to the ground. It is still very warm here, with drought conditions. More than 200 wildfires are burning around BC.
Jude
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Hi Jude, Yes, I read about Lytton, the record-breaking hot temperatures and wildfires in BC. It’s devastating. I thought about you and our blogger friends in BC. I hope you’re not affected by the smokes or the fires, and that rain will come to help the firefighters. The smokes are full of toxic chemicals. Stay safe and well. Thank you for stopping by.
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