Friendship – Natalie the Explorer

5 Favourites from February

March 1, 2024March 1, 2024Natalie87 Comments

Hello March and goodbye February! Before I get into my February favourites, please note that there is no Weekend Coffee Share link-up on March 8 as I will be on a blogging break. I will resume hosting on March 15.

After having an adventurous January in Boston, Philadelphia and Spain, I enjoyed a relaxing February at home. I intentionally kept my February calendar as light as possible and set two fun challenges for my mind and body. I love how the month turned out and feel grateful for two consecutive wonderful months.

1. Family

My family and I celebrated Lunar New Year, the Year of the Dragon, on February 10 and Family Day holiday on February 19. We enjoyed delicious food and good company. It was two wonderful family gatherings to ring in the new year and to have fun on a long weekend.

Dragon display at Nathan Phillips Square and delicious Thai food

2. Friendship

I met up with a good friend for a brisk 8 km walk together. She was away on a beach holiday while I was away in Spain so we had fun catching up. We saw the Jimmy Mount Rushmore mural at Jimmy’s Coffee. It features four musicians, from left to right: Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Jimmy Buffet and Jim Morrison.

*Jimmy Mount Rushmore* mural by artist Christiano De Araujo, 2014.

On our second brisk 8 km walk date, we visited the new and inspiring art installation “We Are Shaped by the Obstacles We Face“. It features a life-sized bronze statue of Terry Fox before he was diagnosed with bone cancer and three tall granite pieces in a small park.

The installation is designed to flow east-west, akin to Terry Fox’s journey, with visitors entering from Queens Quay and ending at vantage point at the southwest corner of the park. From this unique perspective, the granite pieces visually transform into a familiar silhouette of Terry Fox during his Marathon of Hope. (Look at the gap that the granite pieces create).

*We Are Shaped by the Obstacles We Face* by Jon Sasaki and landscape architects DTAH.

3. Being Outdoors

Just for fun, I set a challenge to cycle and/ or do brisk 8 to 10 km walk every day in February. This year February brought only one light snowfall so I scored 29/ 29. Even on cold days, I came home feeling warm, happy and grateful from my bike ride and brisk walk. I enjoyed the fresh air and nature’s sights and sounds. We are getting longer daylight hours and closer to Spring!

4. Being Indoors

After being active outside, I enjoyed being cozy inside, doing strength training, practicing yoga, blogging, reading and writing. Also for fun, I set another challenge to take daily Italian lessons on Duolingo for 30 days (from January 31 to February 29) and did 30/30.

I’m currently reading Fresh Water for Flowers by Valérie Perrin after finishing:

The Measure by Nikki Erlick (a thought-provoking book)
The Wake-Up Call by Beth O’Leary (a light read)

5. Trip Planning

I researched and made the essential bookings for my upcoming trip. I look forward to embarking on new adventures. I’ll share more by end of March.

Link-Up

This post is my contribution to the #WBOYC link-up co-hosted by Donna, Sue, Jo and Deb.

I’d love for you to share your February highlights and/ or public art from around the world in the Comments or Weekend Coffee Share link-up #155 below. The next Weekend Coffee Share link-up will be on March 15.

Happy March!

2023: A Year in Review

December 29, 2023December 31, 2023Natalie81 Comments

Photo by Kostas Dimopoulos on Pexels.com

As we head into the last few days of the year, I have been reflecting on all the good things that came my way during 2023. At the beginning of the year, I hoped to maintain good health, spend time with family and friends, enjoy my hobbies and travel. The last twelve months brought many joys and one personal loss. Here’s what 2023 had in store for me.

January & February

I embraced winter and enjoyed exploring Toronto by bike and on foot. I discovered a lot of delightful public art such as the sculptures at the Garden of the Greek Gods and the IceFest Dreams & Fantasies event.

March & April

I traveled to Charleston, South Carolina, in the United States for a lovely reunion with my sisters. We explored historic Charleston and had beautiful weather for a few days.

I headed home in time for Winter Stations and Lumière, two fantastic outdoor art events. Spring arrived with sunny days and gorgeous cherry blossoms (Sakura).

I made a trip to Portugal at the end of March and had a wonderful time revisiting Lisbon, Cascais, Sintra, and exploring Evora, Fatima, Tomar, Coimbra and Porto.

May & June

My sister came for a visit in early May. We explored and loved the Fleurs de Villes Voyage trail of more than thirty beautiful floral installations. I also had fun seeing many expensive cars at the Exotic Car Show in June.

Both trips to Montreal in May and to Philadelphia in June were wonderful. They would be followed by a series of trips to the United States for family for the rest of the year.

July & August

July was fun-filled with trips to Chicago and Washington DC in the United States. I revisited several historic landmarks in the two US cities. August highlight was a fantastic trip to Iceland where I enjoyed stunning landscapes and many natural wonders.

September & October

A trip to Los Angeles in September meant I was able to touch the Pacific Ocean water at Manhattan Beach. On October 3, my Dad passed away. My family and I felt deep sorrow for our loss and gratitude for the love and support that we received.

November

To process my sorrow, I dedicated time for self-care and time with family and friends in Toronto, Dulles, Virginia and Charlotte, North Carolina. I did 25 nature walks, 8 km each, or a total of 200 km (125 miles). These walks brought both physical and mental health benefits.

About seven weeks after my Dad died, I met him in a dream. He appeared happy with his usual beaming smile as we headed out for a walk. This dream gave me comfort and peace.

December

I enjoyed walks with friends to see the incredible Gingerbread Way, the festive Fleurs de Villes Noël floral trail, the fun Winter Village and dazzling light decorations in the downtown core.

My family and I had a lovely Christmas. I think of my Dad and his smile. I look forward to ringing in the new year.

Blogging

I’ve been active on the blog in 2023. Here are some numbers:

7th year blog anniversary in October
3 years of hosting the weekly Weekend Coffee Share (WCS) link-up
Wrote and published 48 blog posts
Hosted 47 WCS link-ups and took 3 blogging breaks
Shared about 400 images of public art at home and abroad

Thank you to all who read, like, follow, link up and/ or comment on my blog.

This post is my entry to Terri’s Sunday Stills 2023 Year-in-Review photo challenge.

Gratitude

Reflecting on 2023, I’m grateful for a year of good health, time with family and friends and wonderful experiences at home and abroad. I’m also grateful for the good memories that I had with my Dad.

I wish everyone a healthy and joyful New Year.

November 2023 Gratitude

December 1, 2023December 5, 2023Natalie99 Comments

Goodbye November and hello December! A quick review of my calendar showed many simple joys in November. I’m grateful for a good month with local exploring and travel to the United States. Here’s an acrostic version of what November had in store for me.

NOVEMBER

Nature walks were so enjoyable that I completed 25 walks, 8 km each, or a total of 200 km (125 miles). This is in addition to my ongoing fitness routine and normal walking to get from A to B. I’m grateful for the green space, blue space and my ability to walk.

Outdoor public art hunt yielded many fun finds to add to my Outside the Box digital image collection. I’m grateful for the abundance of public art in my surroundings. Have a look at these six utility boxes painted in pattern-mixing fashion by Toronto artist Hello Kirsten.

Visiting family is something I never take for granted. While in Virginia I enjoyed vibrant Fall colours and viewed chocolate displays at See’s Candies store (not available in Toronto).

Exiting Virginia, entering North Carolina in time for American Thanksgiving holiday last week and returning home this week, I’m grateful for safe travels, sunny weekends, quality time with family and good food.

Meeting friends in Toronto for coffee catch-up and making calls to out-of-town friends brightened up my day. I’m grateful for longtime friends.

Blogging and hosting four Weekend Coffee Share link-ups meant I wrote four and read 100+ blog posts. Thank you to all who join in on the fun every weekend in my virtual nook.

Entering photography challenges was an enjoyable exercise for my brain. I’m grateful that I can play with digital images without accumulating physical prints. Which images to use, how many, and how do I want to display them on the blog? I did it my way here, here and here.

Reading mystery fiction novels was strangely relaxing. I’m grateful for the availability of e-books. My recent reads were The 6:20 Man by David Baldacci, The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths and Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt. Have you read any of these books or authors?

Holiday Season

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here. After sunset, downtown Toronto shines with dazzling lights, beautiful Christmas trees and stunning window displays. I enjoy checking them out and hope to share some photos on my blog later this month.

Toronto’s Christmas tree from my photo archive

Weekend Coffee Share

I’d love for you to share your November highlights in the Comments or Weekend Coffee Share link-up #143 below. I’m linking up with Donna, Sue, Deb and J o who co-host #WBOYC, Ju-Lyn who co-hosts #TheChangingSeasons, and Min who hosts #WWWhimsy.

Happy December!

September 2023 Highlights

September 29, 2023September 30, 2023Natalie62 Comments

The last weekend of the month is when I do my monthly review. A quick scan of my September calendar shows blocks of time for exploring outdoors, walk dates with friends, a trip to Los Angeles for family and my blogging and photography hobbies. Here’s what I enjoyed in September.

Exploring Outdoors

I continued my health routine of cycling, walking, strength exercises and yoga. We had a heat wave in the first week of September then the weather has been pleasant for the rest of the month. I enjoyed many bike rides on my own and nature walks with friends.

We chose trails that take us to a variety of habitats (wetland, meadow and forest). Wildflowers are in bloom and the leaves have started changing colours.

On one nature trail, it was so peaceful that all I heard was the trickling sound of water in a creek, birdsong and the sound of leaves rustling in a light breeze.

On another nature walk, we paused to watch a great egret catch a fish while swans, ducks, cormorants and turtles calmly swam around. We were delighted to see chipmunks, red cardinals and other birds.

Travel: Los Angeles

I took a trip to Los Angeles to see family. We got together to chat, eat, hang out, and just enjoy company. One of the family members is doing well after cancer surgery and treatment so we celebrated together. I am grateful for the quality time we shared.

On one gorgeous morning, we went to Manhattan Beach for an 8K walk and visited the small aquarium at the end of the pier. I love that Manhattan Beach is less crowded than Venice Beach and Santa Monica. We enjoyed watching surfers and volleyball players, as well as admiring the beautiful oceanfront homes and gardens full of pretty flowers and succulents.

Blogging

In addition to my August 2023 Highlights post, I wrote three posts and shared many pictures of my adventures in Iceland. I enjoyed reliving the wonderful experiences that I had while sorting through my photos. Here are the links for September’s posts in case you missed any and want to catch up:

Photographing Public Art

As usual, I see and photograph public art when I am out and about. Here are two “Sankofa Building Project” murals by illustrator Troydell Wallace on display at the Brick Works in Toronto. For more information, visit astrosankofa.org.

Weekend Coffee Share

I’d love for you to share your September highlights and/ or photos of public art around the world in the Comments or InLinkz #136 below. I’m participating in the What’s Been on My Calendar and The Changing Seasons link-ups to see what others have been up to this month.

Happy October!

August 2023 Highlights

September 1, 2023September 1, 2023Natalie115 Comments

Goodbye August and hello September! August was all about family, friends, nature and travel adventures. I spent the month in Toronto, Washington DC and Iceland. Here’s what I enjoyed in August.

Outdoor Fun with Friends

In August, I continued my cycling, walking, strength training and yoga practice. I met with friends for 10K walks and coffee catch-ups. August weather in Toronto was warm without the intense heat of July. In the wetlands, we saw beautiful water lilies at peak bloom, listened to frog sounds, watched birds, fish and turtles. Around the gardens, we admired cheerful flowers that attract many bees and butterflies.

Floating Art

I photographed many interesting public art installations in August. Here are two environment-focused art installations: Floating MAiZE by Jean Shin and Tangle by Emily Chudnovsky.

Jean Shin has repurposed thousands of green plastic Mountain Dew bottles into a large-scale artwork that floats above audiences in the Allen Lambert Galleria. Her message is in the quote below. Learn more at jeanshin.com.

“In the case of Floating MAiZE, the repurposed single-use plastic Mountain Dew bottles, once filled with soda containing corn syrup, illustrate the issues of corporate extraction and overconsumption, and the harmful effects of highly processed foods on our health. The sheer mass of plastic in Floating MAiZE encourages visitors to consider the failure of the beverage industry to take responsibility for the scale of plastic waste it generates, less than 9% of which is recycled, and this waste’s detrimental effects on the environment and our collective well-being.”
Jean Shin

Emily Chudnovsky’s Tangle conveys how we (plants, people, plastic) are all inextricably linked.

Travel: District of Columbia

I traveled to the District of Columbia (DC) for family for eight days. It was hot the entire time I was there so we stayed in during the day and went out late in the afternoon until dark to revisit a few iconic sights. I’m grateful for the quality time we shared.

From left to right, clockwise: The White House, the official residence of the President of the United States; the Lincoln Memorial illuminated at night, and the Washington Monument mirrored in the long Reflecting Pool at its foot. Click on the image to see its larger version.

Travel: Iceland

I revisited Iceland, the land of Ice and Fire, for nine days. I first visited Iceland years ago and had planned to return in 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic delayed that plan until this year. I had a wonderful time exploring Iceland’s incredible landscapes and many natural wonders on the South and West Coasts. Coincidentally, I also visited Bessastaðir, the official residence of the President of Iceland.

I met and made new friends, hiked a lot, enjoyed nature, ate good foods, and feel so grateful to experience all these good things. Some of the natural wonders that I’ve seen include glaciers, volcanoes, lava fields, waterfalls, glacial lagoons with floating icebergs, geothermal lagoons, geysers, mineral springs, black sand beaches, beautiful Icelandic horses and adorable puffins. More to follow once I reflect on my adventures and sort out my photos.

Weekend Coffee Share

I’d love for you to share your August highlights and/ or photos of public art around the world in the Comments or InLinkz #132 below. I’m linking up with Donna, Sue, Jo and Deb who co-host #WBOYC and Ju-Lyn at #TheChangingSeasons.

Happy September!

July 2023 Highlights

July 28, 2023July 31, 2023Natalie84 Comments

The last weekend of the month is when I do my monthly review. July has been a hot summer month filled with fun local outings and travel. Here’s what’s been happening in my corner of the world and what I enjoyed in July.

Lake, Parks & Gardens

I did many bike rides along the shore of Lake Ontario and took breaks in parks to stay cool. The lake views never get old and the mature trees provide wonderful relief from the direct sun and summer heat.

I also took garden walks with family and friends. Roses, daylilies, hydrangeas and many more flowers are in bloom. They keep the pollinators busy at this time of year.

Rose Garden in front of Acqua Restaurant at Bandshell Park.

Art & Culture

I am fortunate to have easy access to beautiful public art and many wonderful cultural events in Toronto. In July I enjoyed the Toronto Outdoor Art Fair that showcased 400+ emerging and established visual artists.

Toronto Outdoor Art Fair – Artists’ booths are in the white tents.

I also visited the 6ix Art Outdoor exhibit that featured twelve unique statues, standing over 8 feet tall, painted by some of Canada’s most talented multicultural artists. Have a look at the twelve statues at the 6ix Art Outdoor exhibit below and let me know in the comments if you have a favourite. Click on the arrow to see the slides.

“Paper cuts and bouquets” by Gosia Komorski
“Gingerly growing, a tender root blooms” by Caitlin Taguibao
“Corazon Abierto” by Clandestino Art
“Je suis toutes les versions de moi” by Alex Garant
Untitled by FatsPatrol
“Senescence” by Natasha Kudashkina
“Manitou Nemeen” by Que Rock
“Nature movements, Organic flow” by AlFalfa
“Horangi” by Jieun Kim
“Ring of Fire” by Jacquie Comrie
“Playing Tiger, Sittin’ Dragon” by Yen Linh Thai
“Kesariya Balam” by David Anthony
6ix Art Outdoor exhibit

Travel: Chicago

I took a four-day trip to Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. I have been to Chicago before. It was great to see my family there and to revisit some of Chicago’s attractions. The hot weather followed me from Toronto to Chicago so we spent time near bodies of water and in parks.

We enjoyed the Chicago Architecture River Cruise while admiring Chicago’s numerous architectural styles. We also walked to Navy Pier, Magnificent Mile, Grant Park and Millennium Park. More on that when I have time to write my ‘postcard’.

On The Blog

I wrote about Toronto’s new Love Park and my adventures in Philadelphia. Here are the links for July’s posts in case you missed any and want to catch up:

For more blogging fun, I’m linking up with Donna, Sue, Jo and Deb at #WBOYC and Ju-Lyn at #TheChangingSeasons.

Weekend Coffee Share

I will be taking a blogging break in mid-August for two weeks. Please note the following linkup schedule in August:

August 4: Weekend Coffee Share #130
August 11: No linkup
August 18: No linkup
August 25: Weekend Coffee Share #131

I’d love for you to share your July highlights and/ or favourite public art photos from around the world in the comments or Weekend Coffee Share linkup #129 InLinkz below.

Happy August!

June 2023 Highlights

June 30, 2023June 30, 2023Natalie94 Comments

Greetings! The last weekend of the month is when I do my monthly review. Similar to May, June is a month well spent with family, friends, nature and travel. Here’s what’s been happening in my corner of the world and what I enjoyed in June.

Family Celebrations

On my June calendar there were birthdays, Father’s Day, my niece’s wedding, school graduations, and two visits from my aunts and their husbands (different weeks). So, every week we had something special going on. Aside from the celebrations, we explored gardens, beaches and parks along Toronto’s waterfront.

We enjoyed a few free art exhibits. One of them was the intriguing Stitched in Ages by Moya Garrison-Msingwana, also known as GANGBOX. Each of the five figures in the exhibit is dressed in upcycled Canada Goose materials and is artfully positioned within a small park to reflect the importance of the human impact on our environment and wonderment of exploring in nature.

We admired some of the world’s greatest sports cars and classics at the 13th annual Yorkville Exotic Car Show. Admission is free and proceeds support Melanoma Canada. The outdoor red carpet event was well attended and well organized with at least 100 stunning cars on display. It exceeded my expectations. Here are a few cars that I’ve seen at the show.

Fitness & Friendship

My June fitness calendar includes cycling, walking, indoor strength training and yoga. Some of my nature walks were with friends to catch up on what’s been happening and to appreciate nature’s beauty together. We enjoyed walking in ravines (for shades and hills), near wetlands (for aquatic life) and in gardens (for birds, butterflies and gorgeous flowers).

Travel: Philadelphia

I just got back from a fantastic family trip to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. It was good to revisit Philadelphia and explored some of the great sights in the City of Brotherly Love. More to follow after I find time to write my ‘postcard’.

On The Blog

I had fun sharing Toronto’s public art and seasonal flowers on my blog. Here’s the links for June posts in case you missed any and want to catch up:

For more blogging fun, I’m linking up with #WBOYC and #TheChangingSeasons.

Weekend Coffee Share

I’d love for you to share your June highlights and/ or favourite public art photos from around the world in the comments or Weekend Coffee Share linkup #125 InLinkz below.

Happy July!

May 2023 Highlights

May 26, 2023May 31, 2023Natalie116 Comments

The last weekend of the month is when I do my monthly review. What have you been up to in the past four weeks? Here’s what’s been happening in my corner of the world and what I enjoyed in May.

Family & Fleurs de Villes

My sister visited our Toronto family for ten days. The weather was mainly sunny during her stay. We did family activities together, including multiple outings, BBQs and a Mother’s Day celebration. The ten days flew by. I’m grateful for the quality time we shared.

While my sister was here, we walked the Fleurs de Villes Voyage floral trail on a beautiful sunny day in the Bloor-Yorkville neighbourhood. We oohed and aahed over more than thirty incredible floral arrangements. It was my sister’s first time to a Fleurs de Villes event and she really enjoyed it.

I include a slideshow of ten of the floral designs below, five outdoors and five indoors. To me they are art and since the event is free, it’s public art. Click on the arrows to move through the slides.

Champagne floral sculpture
Canadian Mountie mannequin
Chinese floral lanterns
English Garden
London Phone Booth
Germany mannequin
Japan Cherry Blossom mannequin
Spring in the Netherlands
Scotland mannequin
Spain mannequin

Fitness & Friendship

It’s been lovely to get outside and enjoy spring. I continue my cycling, walking, strength training and yoga. After having so many beautiful bike rides and walks this month, I feel like a multi-millionaire. Spring is in full swing which means everywhere I look there are newly blooming flowers.

Some of my 8K walks are with friends. We choose a different route for each walk and since we are in a big city called ‘A city within a park‘, we often start and end in a park. I greatly appreciate our friendship and the green space to absorb the peace and natural beauty of the outdoors without leaving the city.

Travel: Montreal

Last weekend I traveled by train to Montreal for a three-day visit. As I was in Montreal more for family than tourism, most of my time was spent with family. I took walks every day and enjoyed being in this dynamic city.

In the following gallery, top left, clockwise: Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral, a National Historic Site of Canada; The Cathedral dome seen from Dorchester Park; Murals in Montreal Central Station designed by Toronto artist Charles F. Comfort and carved by Sebastiano Aiello depict Canadian life, cultures, industry and passages of the national anthem.

Gallery: Buildings and Murals in Montreal

On The Blog

The weekly Weekend Coffee Share and Photographing Public Art Challenge continued to thrive in May. Thank you to all who have shared updates, comments and/ or photos from around the world. I wrote my three ‘Postcards from Portugal‘. Here’s the links for May’s posts in case you missed any and want to catch up:

I’m contributing this post to #WBOYC and #TheChangingSeasons link parties.

Weekend Coffee Share

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 #120 InLinkz below.

Happy June!

April 2023 Highlights

April 28, 2023April 29, 2023Natalie120 Comments

The last weekend of the month is when I do my monthly review. What have you been up to this past month? Here’s what’s been happening in my corner of the world and what I enjoyed in April.

Portugal

Week 1 of April was the second half of my adventures in Portugal that I started in the last week of March. I had good weather throughout my trip, with daytime high temperatures ranged from 20C to 27C (68F to 81F). My itinerary included Lisbon, Cascais, Sintra, Evora, Fatima, Tomar, Coimbra and Porto.

I used local transportation systems to get around, walked to explore every day, visited several incredible UNESCO World Heritage Sites, met other travellers, savoured Portuguese cuisine and enjoyed Port wine tasting in Porto. I returned home with wonderful memories and many photos. I’ll publish my ‘Postcards from Portugal‘ starting next week.

Homecoming

Week 2 was a fantastic homecoming week. The highlights include Easter weekend with family and catching up with friends. During week 2, Toronto set new temperature highs (26C-28C) a few days in a row. Suddenly we had summer weather in mid-April. I enjoyed seven consecutive fun outings that include bike rides, walks with friends, bird and turtle watching, and seeing spring flowers in bloom.

Sakura

Week 3 highlight was the viewing of cherry blossoms or Hanami Sakura. The warm temperatures in week 2 encouraged cherry trees to bloom early this year. The cherry blossoms are spectacular but peak bloom lasts only about a week. Such fleeting beauty. I feel grateful to see these delicate flowers every spring.

April 16: Individual blossoms are clearly seen

April 20-27: Gorgeous cherry blossoms at peak bloom

Lumière

Week 4 highlight was an evening walk to see public art at the Lumière: The Art of Light festival. This free outdoor light exhibition allows visitors to explore Trillium Park and experience sixteen light art installations developed by Ontario artists. The theme Renewal of the exhibition celebrates the change of seasons from winter to spring.

To see some of the light exhibits, use the arrows to move through the following 8 slides. For more information about the artwork and artists, click here.

Umbra Transit
Ghost Canoe
The Flora Arcana
Aerolian Soundscape
Fiddlehex
Allochory
The Numerology of Mushrooms
Disco Wall

On the Blog

The weekly Weekend Coffee Share linkup and Photographing Public Art Challenge have been going well in April. Thank you to all who have shared updates, comments and/ or photos from around the world. Here’s the links for April’s posts in case you missed any and want to catch up:

For more blogging fun, I’m linking up with Sue’s #WBOYC and Ju-Lyn’s #TheChangingSeasons.

Weekend Coffee Share

Happy May!

In Pictures: 7 Fun Outings

April 14, 2023April 16, 2023Natalie93 Comments

It was my first week back from Portugal and back to the familiarity of home. I resumed my exercise routine, chatted with family and friends, booked coffee and walk dates, restocked the refrigerator, did laundry, and caught up on emails and blogs.

It was also a week with plenty of sunshine and unusually warm temperatures. The daytime high temperatures reached 29C (84F) on Wednesday and 31C (88F) on Thursday. I was happy to cycle to some of my favourite places in the city. I also took daily walks, met friends and together we enjoyed spotting spring flowers and watching birds and turtles.

Seven Fun Outings

Here’s a selection of my nature photos from Toronto, taken in the past seven days.

1. Friday bike ride along a string of parks with beautiful views of Lake Ontario

2. Saturday walk: Soft pink glory-of-the-snow and grape hyacinths cover the grounds

3. Sunday bike ride and walk: The big trees look like giant hands

4. Monday bike ride and bird watching along the Don river

5. Tuesday walk: Purple and butter yellow crocus flowers open up in the sunshine

6. Wednesday bike ride and hike with a friend: We saw about 50 turtles sunning on tree logs

7. Thursday walk with another friend: We adored these puschkinia, hellebores and white star magnolias

One Mural

To continue my floral theme, for the Photographing Public Art Challenge (PPAC) this week, here’s a mural painted by Alexandra. It was on the side of a flower stall in Rossio Square in Lisbon, Portugal. Obrigado means thank you.

Weekend Coffee Share

How was your week? 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 #114 InLinkz below.

For more pastels and white, visit Terri’s Sunday Stills April colour challenge.