WPC – My Place in the World is Near Water

….thanks to WordPress for this week’s photo challenge Place in the World

People assumed that I would move when I retired. That’s other peoples’ dreams, not mine. So often I hear people say they want to move to the country, get out of the city. I’ve known some people who have done that but moved back to the city within a few years. I live close to downtown Toronto but I’m right by Lake Ontario and I’m surrounded by parkland. If I want to go into the city to catch a show or go to museum or art gallery I’m only a 20 minute car drive away or a short trip on the subway. When I want to go hiking or biking I just have to step outside my door and get on the Waterfront Trail. I have the best of both worlds.

I’ve always loved living close to the water and I love my city, Toronto.

IMG_1719
IMG_1739
IMG_1745
IMG_1756
IMG_1761

Too Windy

…..too windy for what?

Too windy to take photos of flowers

Too windy to walk safely on the street due to falling branches and roofing tiles

Too windy to sit by the lake (too much spray coming up from the waves)

Too windy to clean the yard

Too windy to eat outside (too much debris blowing around)

Too windy to sit on the deck and converse (the wind is so loud)

Too windy to sit at the computer too long in case of another power outage

IMG_1667IMG_1668
IMG_1669

The Boats are Back!

….you know spring is here when the boats have been returned to the water

On the weekend the marina was a hustling busy place with cranes working overtime to get the boats back into the water. When I went to see what progress had been made it looked like most of the boats were afloat but the sailboats didn’t have their masts in place as of yesterday. Here’s how it looked:

P1060074
P1060075
P1060076
P1060077
P1060078

The Aftermath of a Storm

….15 day ago we experienced a severe storm with freezing temperatures, high winds, ice pellets and freezing rain

It’s almost incomprehensible to imagine that less than 15 days ago we were witnessing a severe winter storm here in southern Ontario. Today all traces of snow have disappeared, the sun was shining and the temperatures soared to 20 degrees celsius.

On Sunday, April 15th, Lake Ontario looked liked an angry sea with strong crashing waves and many areas that were level with the lake took on water. Luckily where I live most homes and parks are situated high above the lake but the waves were so high and powerful for three days that a lot of debris from the bottom of the lake was washed ashore and sand, gravel and large rocks and boulders were tossed further inland.

Today I took a walk to Col. Samuel Smith Park where there was considerable damage to the man-made beaches on the eastern side of the reclaimed peninsula. I had seen photos of the area soon after the storm and it was evident that the Parks department had already been by and cleared away a lot of the garbage and gathered up the tree trunks, branches and large pieces of rebar and construction materials used to build this park in the first place. Much of the grassy areas are still covered in stones, gravel, bricks, asphalt and concrete remnants.P1060070
P1060071
P1060072
P1060087
P1060088
P1060089
P1060090
P1060091
fullsizeoutput_6e66
P1060094

Sunday Trees – 335

….thanks to Becca Givens for hosting Sunday Trees

If you know the weather we’re experiencing right now you know this photo wasn’t taken this week. Hard to believe that the weather was nicer in March than it is now in April.

IMG_1363