Hey Mark, I just realized I've been so busy the last weeks I didn't even take the time to look at what my Substack friends have been up to! Luckily now I do have some time, so I'm catching up. Although your first paragraph is about the weather warming up, I don't get that impression looking at the photos of those boats in the harbor, those look pretty cold to me. The concept of the music garden appeals to me; I can imagine how marvelous it must be to celebrate a summer evening with open air-concerts, which I love. And the design inspired by a Bach cello suite! The shapes I see there are much more to my liking, especially the pole with the plant-like ornaments.
HTO and Love parks probably look better in the summer, which for sure is the case for the (snowy here) sandy beach. It almost looks surreal with snow.
It seems the animals to adorn Love park have been chosen for their public image, or maybe their cuddliness, although the squirrel seems to be eating away at the red tiles, The rabbit looks great next to the bench! I'm happy to see some real wildlife (well, the urban version of wild) too. The second one of those, the wide angle one at Humber bay, offers a wonderful view of the city. The trumpeter swan juvenile is a good image to close with (to me, as a bird afficionado at least).
Thanks, Vincent. The temperatures have been jumping around a lot recently, one day warm and the next really cold. Hopefully it’ll settle down soon.
The music garden is certainly much nicer in the warmer months, as are HTO and Love parks. It’s good to have these green spaces in the city and they get plenty of use.
I’m pleased that you like the post and the photos and, as always, I appreciate your comments.
You may be bored, Mark but not me! I get to see amazing views of Canada in winter from my sofa in the warm south 😁. Seriously, really enjoying the face of winter and such beautiful images! So different at this time of year.
That’s so kind of you to say, Juliette. It feels like it’s been a really long winter so far and I would really like to be photographing something other than snow. Pleased to know that you’re enjoying my photos though. That means a lot to me 😊
Yes, definitely close to your ‘hood. I’m out by the Junction but love spending time along the lakeshore and Harbourfront.
I was just reading your post about the Nikon FE and saw your beach photo. Very nice 👍🏻. It was also interesting to see some other very familiar sights too, like the old steam baths on Bathurst.
Great series, Mark. Love your eye on the Music Garden. Details and perspectives that are new and revealing. Do you remember Yo Yo Ma inaugurating it? Bach cellos as I recall. And the Muskoka 🇨🇦 chairs in HTO (I know it as Sugar Beach)!
Would be pretty uncomfortable down there in today’s ice storm, but some hardy soul will get some good captures.
Thanks, Marcello. I do remember Yo Yo Ma having something to do with the Music Garden and him inaugurating it does ring some bells in a long forgotten part of my brain. HTO and Sugar Beach are two different places. Sugar Beach is next to the Redpath Sugar refinery. Similar concept though.
I don’t want to be anywhere today with all the snow and ice that’s coming down right now 🥶🌨️
It’s good to hear that the temperatures have risen to 0 degrees Mark…that must feel positively balmy after the cold you’ve endured.🥵🥶 And you’ve collected a wonderful set of images – they really do give a feel for the different aspects of Toronto in winter. I love the shapes in images 4-7 and the juxtaposition of those tall grasses in the foreground looking through to the tower, such a great angle in that image and the grasses themselves stand out in that beautiful diffused light.
The Music Garden looks amazing – you must photograph that through the seasons, I’d love to see how nature reshapes it throughout the year. My favourite has to be the chairs and umbrellas on the beach – fabulous and another viewpoint that would be interesting to see throughout the year from the same angle, as the snow melts and people return to the beach…just another challenge for you!😊
Haha...I bet you dread to think what challenge may come next! If I managed all the challenges I set myself I wouldn't have time for anything else in life, so no pressure!😊
Ha! My mind’s always churning over project ideas but I don’t usually put time frames on them. If I get to them, I get to them. If I don’t, I don’t. There’s enough pressure in life without adding to it. However, it’s always good to have something in your back pocket.
Superb selection, Mark. So many of these appeal from the perspective of the contrast between the man-made and the natural. Your view across the Music Garden makes the stark lines of the city look more like just a set-piece ornamentation within the grander scheme of the gardens, rather than the other way round, if you see what I mean. It just looks so wonderfully balanced. Those grasses do, indeed, look very striking against the cloudy sky - superb. Those coloured chairs under the parasols really stand out, seemingly incongruous in the snow. I have visions of a couple sat, in their beach-wear and sunglasses, sipping cocktails, looking on as if to say "mm? what's all the fuss...?". This last could also simply be a bizarre notion of my warped mind lol.
Thanks, Ralph. I agree with your observations about Music Garden with the city in the background. It looks even more so without the snow. I like your vision of a couple sipping cocktails. Now that would have made a great photo.
These are great, Mark, the Adirondack chairs are a scream in the snow. It will be a long wait.... or a frozen backside. The little sculptures work really well on the white background. Nice! And you can never get tired of the CN Tower in the tall grasses. Great set Mark... here is to a 'short winter' and hopefully, you can photograph some grass, leaves and such, soon!
Thanks, Søren. I never get tired of seeing the CN Tower. The city wouldn’t be the same without it. Sadly, winter doesn’t seem to want to leave just yet as it’s started snowing again today. Not nice 😡
Some fantastic shots in there Mark. I love the tall grass. Would make a gorgeous large print! And the sun chairs in the snow at the water front is great. Roll on spring though!
Terrific set, Mark. I can see the harbour front has changed a lot since I’ve explored the area. More high rises on the skyline, too. I love the shot with the swan. You’re right about the snow getting messy after a while. Good to hear it’s close to melting, though.
Thanks, Mark. The skyline is constantly changing and there’s a huge redevelopment of the eastern portlands going on right now. I doubt you’d recognize it when you see it next.
Unfortunately, the melt didn’t last long. The temperature dropped today and we’ve had ice pellets and more snow.
One of my brothers lives in Port Credit (he missed the last family Teams chat during the most recent snow storm as he was shovelling snow). I went on a bike ride with him along the waterfront bike trail from The Beaches to his place when I visited in July 2023 (considerably less snow then). I was amazed to see how built up it is now all along that corridor. He said there was a large development planned for Port Credit. Toronto just keeps spreading, it seems.
Yes, the city does keep spreading but the powers that be do seem to be putting some thought into the planning. The development in Port Credit is huge but it will be high density and mixed use with a large area of green space. It’ll be interesting to see what it’s like when it’s completed.
Ah, so wonderfully captured, Mark! Thank you so much for sharing them all.
My eye went straight to those deckchairs in the snow. The scene looks so bizarre, yet somehow it feels hopeful to me ... as if whispering sunnier times will come, just hang on.
Those music gardens look beautiful too. I'd love to see them in their season. And I can't ignore the "Love is the solution" sign, especially finding it all during Valentine week. 🙏💖
Thanks, Deborah 😊. The music garden is really nice when in season. It feels very calm there away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Personally, I prefer the deckchairs (we call them Muskoka chairs) in the summer but they do look good with the snow.
Great set of images Mark! Love the colored chairs and umbrellas!
Thanks, Deborah. I really like that one too
The whole set was awesome! Love that you are doing this.
Have a good weekend friend. ox
Thanks, Deborah. You too.
Hey Mark, I just realized I've been so busy the last weeks I didn't even take the time to look at what my Substack friends have been up to! Luckily now I do have some time, so I'm catching up. Although your first paragraph is about the weather warming up, I don't get that impression looking at the photos of those boats in the harbor, those look pretty cold to me. The concept of the music garden appeals to me; I can imagine how marvelous it must be to celebrate a summer evening with open air-concerts, which I love. And the design inspired by a Bach cello suite! The shapes I see there are much more to my liking, especially the pole with the plant-like ornaments.
HTO and Love parks probably look better in the summer, which for sure is the case for the (snowy here) sandy beach. It almost looks surreal with snow.
It seems the animals to adorn Love park have been chosen for their public image, or maybe their cuddliness, although the squirrel seems to be eating away at the red tiles, The rabbit looks great next to the bench! I'm happy to see some real wildlife (well, the urban version of wild) too. The second one of those, the wide angle one at Humber bay, offers a wonderful view of the city. The trumpeter swan juvenile is a good image to close with (to me, as a bird afficionado at least).
Thanks, Vincent. The temperatures have been jumping around a lot recently, one day warm and the next really cold. Hopefully it’ll settle down soon.
The music garden is certainly much nicer in the warmer months, as are HTO and Love parks. It’s good to have these green spaces in the city and they get plenty of use.
I’m pleased that you like the post and the photos and, as always, I appreciate your comments.
Great series. Love the variety. The chairs and sunshades especially.
Thanks so much, Pat.
You may be bored, Mark but not me! I get to see amazing views of Canada in winter from my sofa in the warm south 😁. Seriously, really enjoying the face of winter and such beautiful images! So different at this time of year.
That’s so kind of you to say, Juliette. It feels like it’s been a really long winter so far and I would really like to be photographing something other than snow. Pleased to know that you’re enjoying my photos though. That means a lot to me 😊
You almost made it to my neighbourhood. I'm just at the west end of the harbour at the Western Gap.
I am very fond of photographing the fake beaches along the harbour front.
Yes, definitely close to your ‘hood. I’m out by the Junction but love spending time along the lakeshore and Harbourfront.
I was just reading your post about the Nikon FE and saw your beach photo. Very nice 👍🏻. It was also interesting to see some other very familiar sights too, like the old steam baths on Bathurst.
Great set, Mark! I especially love the chairs and umbrellas photos. It feels so optimistic with the snow all around ... perhaps wishful thinking 🤔
Thanks, Todd. It’s definitely wishful thinking as we are having more snow today 🌨️. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that this too shall pass 🤞
Great series, Mark. Love your eye on the Music Garden. Details and perspectives that are new and revealing. Do you remember Yo Yo Ma inaugurating it? Bach cellos as I recall. And the Muskoka 🇨🇦 chairs in HTO (I know it as Sugar Beach)!
Would be pretty uncomfortable down there in today’s ice storm, but some hardy soul will get some good captures.
Thanks, Marcello. I do remember Yo Yo Ma having something to do with the Music Garden and him inaugurating it does ring some bells in a long forgotten part of my brain. HTO and Sugar Beach are two different places. Sugar Beach is next to the Redpath Sugar refinery. Similar concept though.
I don’t want to be anywhere today with all the snow and ice that’s coming down right now 🥶🌨️
I was sure I was looking at Sugar Beach.
Not the lovely spring day that some are enjoying in warmer climes, but it's not as bad as the media is making it sound.
Stay warm.
It’s good to hear that the temperatures have risen to 0 degrees Mark…that must feel positively balmy after the cold you’ve endured.🥵🥶 And you’ve collected a wonderful set of images – they really do give a feel for the different aspects of Toronto in winter. I love the shapes in images 4-7 and the juxtaposition of those tall grasses in the foreground looking through to the tower, such a great angle in that image and the grasses themselves stand out in that beautiful diffused light.
The Music Garden looks amazing – you must photograph that through the seasons, I’d love to see how nature reshapes it throughout the year. My favourite has to be the chairs and umbrellas on the beach – fabulous and another viewpoint that would be interesting to see throughout the year from the same angle, as the snow melts and people return to the beach…just another challenge for you!😊
Unfortunately the temperature dropped today and we’ve had more snow. Spring isn’t ready to appear just yet.
A Music Garden and beach chairs project suggestions sounds good idea. I’ll definitely give them some thought.
Thanks so much, Lin, for your comments and challenges.
Haha...I bet you dread to think what challenge may come next! If I managed all the challenges I set myself I wouldn't have time for anything else in life, so no pressure!😊
Ha! My mind’s always churning over project ideas but I don’t usually put time frames on them. If I get to them, I get to them. If I don’t, I don’t. There’s enough pressure in life without adding to it. However, it’s always good to have something in your back pocket.
Superb selection, Mark. So many of these appeal from the perspective of the contrast between the man-made and the natural. Your view across the Music Garden makes the stark lines of the city look more like just a set-piece ornamentation within the grander scheme of the gardens, rather than the other way round, if you see what I mean. It just looks so wonderfully balanced. Those grasses do, indeed, look very striking against the cloudy sky - superb. Those coloured chairs under the parasols really stand out, seemingly incongruous in the snow. I have visions of a couple sat, in their beach-wear and sunglasses, sipping cocktails, looking on as if to say "mm? what's all the fuss...?". This last could also simply be a bizarre notion of my warped mind lol.
Anyway, thanks for sharing 🙂
Thanks, Ralph. I agree with your observations about Music Garden with the city in the background. It looks even more so without the snow. I like your vision of a couple sipping cocktails. Now that would have made a great photo.
These are great, Mark, the Adirondack chairs are a scream in the snow. It will be a long wait.... or a frozen backside. The little sculptures work really well on the white background. Nice! And you can never get tired of the CN Tower in the tall grasses. Great set Mark... here is to a 'short winter' and hopefully, you can photograph some grass, leaves and such, soon!
Thanks, Søren. I never get tired of seeing the CN Tower. The city wouldn’t be the same without it. Sadly, winter doesn’t seem to want to leave just yet as it’s started snowing again today. Not nice 😡
Some fantastic shots in there Mark. I love the tall grass. Would make a gorgeous large print! And the sun chairs in the snow at the water front is great. Roll on spring though!
Thank so much, Paul. I definitely can’t wait for spring to come along.
Pretty series. Especially love the lookup at the metal-worked tower and abstract looks. And you def captured that cold, still ambiance of mid-winter.
Thanks, KewtieBird.
I really like that swan photograph among others. Lovely Mark!
Thank you so much, Shital.
Terrific set, Mark. I can see the harbour front has changed a lot since I’ve explored the area. More high rises on the skyline, too. I love the shot with the swan. You’re right about the snow getting messy after a while. Good to hear it’s close to melting, though.
Thanks, Mark. The skyline is constantly changing and there’s a huge redevelopment of the eastern portlands going on right now. I doubt you’d recognize it when you see it next.
Unfortunately, the melt didn’t last long. The temperature dropped today and we’ve had ice pellets and more snow.
One of my brothers lives in Port Credit (he missed the last family Teams chat during the most recent snow storm as he was shovelling snow). I went on a bike ride with him along the waterfront bike trail from The Beaches to his place when I visited in July 2023 (considerably less snow then). I was amazed to see how built up it is now all along that corridor. He said there was a large development planned for Port Credit. Toronto just keeps spreading, it seems.
Yes, the city does keep spreading but the powers that be do seem to be putting some thought into the planning. The development in Port Credit is huge but it will be high density and mixed use with a large area of green space. It’ll be interesting to see what it’s like when it’s completed.
Ah, so wonderfully captured, Mark! Thank you so much for sharing them all.
My eye went straight to those deckchairs in the snow. The scene looks so bizarre, yet somehow it feels hopeful to me ... as if whispering sunnier times will come, just hang on.
Those music gardens look beautiful too. I'd love to see them in their season. And I can't ignore the "Love is the solution" sign, especially finding it all during Valentine week. 🙏💖
Thanks, Deborah 😊. The music garden is really nice when in season. It feels very calm there away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Personally, I prefer the deckchairs (we call them Muskoka chairs) in the summer but they do look good with the snow.