Sunnyside Beach

A friendly reminder that there will be no Weekend Coffee Share link-up on April 26 and May 3 as I will take a blogging break. Please plan to join me again on May 10 when I will resume hosting.

This week I had so much fun being outdoors every day, except Wednesday. I explored nature by bike and on foot and went to an outdoor light-based art exhibition. I am lucky to have wonderful places to explore and enjoy close to home. Here are some of the things I saw and did. To view captions, please click on the photos.

Don Valley Brick Works Park

Outing 1: I set out for Don Valley Brick Works Park which was once a former quarry on a sunny and mild morning (12C or 54F). I cycled to the park then hiked for about two hours before cycling home.

I started from the quarry gardens at ground level then climbed up the steep trail to the quarry ridge lookout. After enjoying the views from the lookout, I made my way down a few switchbacks and over to the Belt Line Trail to walk the Mud Creek Loop.

It was a glorious and peaceful hike. I listened to the trickling sound of water in the creek, birds singing and squirrels foraging in the woods. Pretty coltsfoot flowers lined the trails and on the banks of the creek. On my way back, I watched turtles and saw a small garter snake in the grass.

Outing 2: I rode my bike to Sunnyside Beach then jogged a 5 km loop along Lake Ontario’s Humber Bay. It was a beautiful sunny day with fantastic views of the bay. I love listening to the sounds of water gently touched the shore and birds singing.

The Sunnyside boardwalk was under reconstruction with the old section in grey and the new section with brown wood planks. As I returned to get my bike, I visited some of the swans and found two butterflies on dandelions.

Lumière: The Art of Light

Outing 3: I enjoyed a lovely walk with a family member to see the free outdoor Lumière art exhibition at Trillium Park. The theme this year is Connections which aims to explore the various ways in which light can create connections between people, the environment, and different aspects of our lives. Here’s a sampling. To see all 17 light-based installations and their descriptions, please click here.

Gardens

Outings 4 and 5: One final gallery to finish which shows a variety of spring flowers I spotted during my garden walks. Altogether, these outings made me a very happy explorer!

Link-Up

If I invited you to go for a walk, which outing would you choose? Feel free to choose more than one.

I’m linking up with Min’s #WWWhimsy this week.

I’d love for you to share your week’s highlights and/ or public art from around the world in the Comments or Weekend Coffee Share link-up #161 below. The next Weekend Coffee Share link-up will be on May 10. Enjoy the rest of April and happy May!

Hello and welcome to my blog! I’m glad you’re here. It’s week 22 in 2022 and I’m hosting Weekend Coffee Share linkup #72. Come on in for a coffee or tea and let’s chat.

It’s been a week of hot and humid weather from Monday to Wednesday. Toronto hit a record-breaking high of 32.1 C (89.8F) on Tuesday. It felt more like 36C (97F) with humidity. Cooler air arrived on Wednesday night. Trees are full of green leaves, flowers are blooming and pollinators are busy.

I cycled to the waterfront for a fresh lake breeze and walked in the morning when it was cooler. Here are some pictures from the two parks, two beaches and a courtyard that I explored.

1. David Crombie Park

David Crombie Park is located in the St. Lawrence neighbourhood in the east end of downtown Toronto. The park is named after the former Mayor of Toronto who served from 1972 to 1978 and oversaw the creation of the St. Lawrence neighbourhood.

It’s a long park with plenty of tree shades. At the east end, there is a wall with two murals on its two sides. The murals, with nature and community themes, were painted by artists Shalak Attack and Bruno Smoky (also known as Los Clandestinos) in 2014.

Mural by Los Clandestinos — One side has a circular stage for performances.

2. Sugar Beach

A few blocks south of David Crombie Park is Sugar Beach with white chairs under pink umbrellas, a tree-lined promenade and beautiful lake views. In May, bright daffodils and tulips were planted along the bike path and sidewalks. It’s a nice place to relax and enjoy a sunny day.

3. Sunnyside Park

Sunnyside Park is located in the west end of Toronto on the shore of Lake Ontario. The park has big trees, grassy fields, picnic tables, a nice 3 km (1.9 miles) long boardwalk, and benches facing Humber Bay.

4. Sunnyside Beach

Running parallel with the park is Sunnyside Beach, a wonderful spot to cool off on warm days. Walking on the beach, on a clear day, one can see the CN Tower to the east and the white Humber Bay Arch bridge to the west.

5. Sunnyside Pavilion Courtyard

Steps from the beach is Sunnyside Pavilion Café which has a lakefront patio and a charming courtyard behind the iron gate. The small garden complete with a fountain was designed by landscape architect, artist and horticulturist H. Stephen Went (1952-1989).