It’s been a good week with spring-like temperatures, plenty of sunshine and blue skies from Saturday through to Tuesday. I cycled most days and walked every day. On Wednesday, the daytime high temperature reached 14C (57F) which is unusual for mid-February here.
I photographed the following five utility boxes on my walks. I organized them under my Outside the Box | Animals theme and listed them by artist’s name. Most of them have different designs on the front, side and the back so two pictures for each box.
1. Raccoon by Jeff Blackburn
The raccoon is holding a camera like a tourist as this box is near St. Lawrence Market, a tourist-friendly area.
2. Pets by Tak Bùi, 2017
The design hopes to celebrate the affection humans have towards the two most popular pets. I spot a monkey, do you see it too?
3. Stinkpot Turtles Toronto Return by Jungle Ling, 2019
The design attempts to draw attention to the Eastern Musk Turtle or the Stinkpot Turtle which only grows to 5″ long. They once were common in South Eastern Ontario in our muddy flats and shallow rivers. Such habitats continue to disappear due to human activities.
4. Fish by Charles Weiss, 2015
The vertical design shows bright contrasting shapes of Lake Ontario fish. The largest fish is the Chinook salmon in two different colour patterns (brown for fall and silver for summer).
5. Birds by Avril Wu, 2021
Soft images of birds on the front and a striking crane on the back of this box.
Weekend Coffee Share
I enjoy these designs that highlight animal life around me. Which design(s) do you like?
I’d love for you to share what’s been happening, simple joys from your week and/ or favourite public art photos from around the world in the comments or Weekend Coffee Share linkup #107 InLinkz below.
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Natalie the Explorer 
Hi Natalie – the dog and cat one just made me smile – so I’m picking it as my favourite – I loved the variety though. You have so many cool outdoor art pics and I like that you’re cataloguing them into different groups like this.
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Hi Leanne, Thank you for your positive feedback about my catalogue of public art photos. I’m enjoying the process of organizing, selecting and posting them on my blog. The dog and cat design is adorable. Glad it made you smile.
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These are so attractive! I’m drawn to the stinkpot turtles because I’ve never heard of them, and it’s such a great name ! But also like the fish design, and the cat and dog. Have a good weekend
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Gail, I think the name ‘stinkpot’ is cute for the small turtles, too. I’m glad you like three of the designs. Happy weekend!
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This is great and fun and unexpected. I like the Pets one the best, but all are delightful.
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Ally, The Pets design is adorable. I’m pleased you find all of them delightful.
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I love these so much! I wish every city turned their utility boxes into murals. I especially love the raccoon and the raining cats and dogs. So adorable.
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Janet, I’m pleased you love these designs. I agree the raccoon and the raining cats and dogs are adorable.
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I love the raining cats and dogs one especially but they are all great!
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Darlene, The ‘raining cats and dogs’ design is adorable. I think it’s a clever take on the phrase ‘it’s raining cats and dogs’.
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Hi Natalie, my favourite is the “raining cats and dogs “ utility box. Thanks.
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Thank you, Kevin, for sharing your thought. The ‘raining cats and dogs’ design is adorable and clever.
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What’s spring? We had snow in Northern Alberta this week!
Love seeing this kind of art. The raccoon is cute.
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Shari, Glad you like the raccoon design. Spring will arrive eventually. Hang in there.
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I liked all of the boxes. It is a great way to “hide” those ugly utility boxes. I don’t know if I have a favorite, but will say the Stinkpot Turtles.
Hope you have a wonderful weekend 🙂
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Trent, I’m pleased you liked all of the boxes. I think the stinkpot turtles have an adorable name that suits their small size. Have a great weekend!
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Raining cats and dogs is fun, Natalie. Enjoy your Spring temperatures.
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Jo, That ‘raining cats and dogs’ design is such a clever and adorable take on the same phrase. I’m pleased you like it.
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These boxes are such fun things to see, Natalie. I love them. These are starting to show up around here, but nothing this good.
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Dan, I’m pleased you love these box designs. I saw a technician opened the door on one of them and it’s full of circuit boards and wiring inside.
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The pets one is great fun and the raccoon made me smile too.
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Barbara, Those two designs are adorable. I’m pleased they made you smile.
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Oh so fun! That pet one really made me smile. We had beautiful weather this week too and I got out hiking every day.
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Joanne, Sounds like we have similar weather patterns. I’m pleased the ‘pets’ design made you smile. Happy hiking!
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I love these. We have some near us where if you stand in the right spot they match the background and become invisible. Gorgeous! I’ll be away for a few weeks so see you late march
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Lydia, I’m pleased you love these designs. I hope you have an enjoyable break. See you in March!
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They are such great ideas and urban art does brighten up a street space. I’m linking up today with a post…and then with a house move imminent…may be absent from the blog community around end of Feb, till all set up for connection in new house in Sydney. Thanks for your friendly community and connected space, Natalie! Denyse
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Denyse, Thank you for linking up while you’re getting ready for your move. I’m pleased you like these urban art designs. Wishing you and B a smooth move day and quick settling in your new house after the move.
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Thank you for your good wishes….Denyse
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You’re welcome, Denyse.
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You are so fortunate to have art all around you. The painted utility boxes are fabulous! It is difficult to choose a favourite – but it I had to select just one, I would go with the camera-carrying racoon. How clever, creative and whimsical is that?!
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Hi Donna, I appreciate the rich art and culture in Toronto. I’m pleased you like the raccoon design. It’s clever, creative and whimsical indeed. The artist paints several raccoons in different colours in Toronto.
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Wow. Those are just awesome. I just love outdoor public art, especially when they try to beautify things like utility boxes, etc.
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Thanks, Kirstin. I’m pleased you like those utility box art designs.
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I like number 2 the best, raining cats and dogs 😄 so cute!
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Thank you, Yinglan, for sharing your pick. The dog and cat expressions are adorable.
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These are all so good, hard to choose a favourite. No art from me this week just a general catch up!
https://travelswithali.com/2023/02/18/%f0%9f%92%8c-post-from-perth-%f0%9f%92%8c-dinner-dates-and-lunch-liaisons/
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Ali, I love a good catch up. I’m pleased you like the utility box designs.
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They brighten up the streets don’t they 😊
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Yes, I think so; better than ordinary grey boxes.
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Gives people something to smile about ☺️
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These are fabulous ideas for otherwise unattractive boxes Natalie. I was drawn to the raccoon as he seems to be trying to fit in as a tourist. Thanks for the smiles, they’re all great fun.
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Debbie, The raccoon looks playful and mischievous. I’m pleased these art designs made you smile.
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You have some awesome street art in your area Natalie. I love each of these animals but my favourite is probable the cute raccoon with his camera,.
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Jennifer, I’m fortunate to have wonderful public art around me. I’m pleased you like these animal designs. The raccoon is cute.
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My favorite is the raining cats & dogs. The look on the eyes under the umbrella is cute, adorable & kind of realistic. I like all these animal artworks.
#Weekendcoffeeshare.
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Karen, The “raining cats and dogs” design is adorable and a clever use of the same phrase. I’m pleased you like all these animal artworks.
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I love the whimsy.
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Thank you for dropping by.
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Two things I love: art and animals. And wow, the art is really good!
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Pam, I’m pleased you like the artworks.
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It’s remarkable what these artists come up with. thanks for capturing and sharing their work Natalie.
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You’re welcome, Gary. These artists are very good at creating, designing and painting.
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Stupid question from a non-native speaker of English who is also blind so can’t look at the pictures, but what is a utility box? Google Translate comes up with “gereedschapskist”, a word which I’d translate as “tool box”, like the box people put their screwdrivers into. I doubt you’d find those in public places across Toronto though.
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Hi Astrid, Not a stupid question at all. I’m glad you asked. These utility boxes are usually traffic signal or telecommunications boxes. In Toronto, they’re usually located at street intersections, close to the traffic lights, or close to a group of buildings. Some utility boxes are vertical, about 2 meters in height, some are wide, about 2 to 5 meters in width. They have door handles or locks that the technician opens when they need to check or work on the wiring or system signals inside the box. The artists are commissioned to design and paint their artworks on the surfaces outside of these boxes. The default box colour is grey. The artworks make the boxes look more interesting and attractive. I hope this helps.
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Oh thanks. Now I guess I understand.
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I can’t decide. They are all wonderful.
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Thank you, Antoinette. I’m pleased you like all five boxes.
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I just love that your community has so many interesting and gorgeously decorated utility boxes, Natalie! The “raining cats and dogs” box is my favorite!
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Terri, That ‘raining cats and dogs’ design is adorable and such a clever use of the phrase.
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Very well graphically interpreted!
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These are wonderful, Natalie. I love the crane one, but they are all really good.
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Thank you, Sofia. I’m pleased you like them all. The crane looks both dramatic and graceful.
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Hi Natalie, our town has done this with a selection of bird photographs, but I like this idea much better – each one is individual, colorful, and creative. I like the cat with the umbrella.
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Suzanne, The cat’s expression is adorable. I like how these artworks are designed by individual artists. I discover so many talented artists in the city and their styles.
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Love the racoon
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The raccoon is adorable. Thank you PTP for joining the conversation.
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My pleasure Natalie.
Namaste.
🙏🙏🙏
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Namaste.
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👍👍👍
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Wow! Those are really beautiful. I’ve noticed one box painted something like these in a town just to the north of us. And one year we drove through a town on Lake Superior that had painted all their boxes…can’t remember what the town was now, but if I were to look at a map I could probably pick it out…it was on the way to Deluth MN.
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Dawn, Painting utility boxes is catching on in cities and towns. I’m pleased you like these designs. Thank you for stopping by.
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Your weather sounds lovely and the painted boxes are great! I can only imagine, (or perhaps I can’t?) what’s going on in the artists minds. Thanks for a great post. Enjoy your evening.
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Maria, It continues to be spring-like today (high 6C). I’m pleased you like these boxes. Have a great week ahead!
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Glad that you are having nice weather. I love them all but the pets one is the best. Thanks for hosting and I hope that you have a wonderful week.
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Thank you, Patrick. The pets design is adorable and well-liked. Have a great week!
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Very cute, Natalie. I love the raccoon taking a picture. I adore all your boxes, actually. They are perfect examples of PPAC! I finally finished my post. https://alwayswrite.blog/2023/02/19/coffee-with-cuddly-softness/
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Marsha, I’m pleased you adore all these boxes. I’ll post more as I organize them into small batches. Thank you for your coffee share. I’ll be over to your blog now.
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🙂 It’s so smart to organize them and post smaller numbers of pictures.
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It’s more manageable for me as the blogger to post smaller number of pictures. I hope it also works well for my blog readers (short post, quick read, a few interesting images).
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It works well!
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That’s great! Thanks for your feedback, Marsha. Hope your week is going well.
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My contribution
https://philosophyvia.photos/2023/02/22/proud-to-be-a-farmer/
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PTP, Thank you for your PPAC contribution. The mural is a nice tribute to farmers.
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You are welcome Natalie.
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