Sunrise

 Yesterday morning.

Cooper's Hawk

 Spotted this hawk chasing a red squirrel on a tree this morning. Mount Pleasant cemetery, section 29.

Beaver

The Brick Works beaver was busy at work recently!

Street Art

In awe of this art by Bacon.  It can be found on Maud Street. 

https://www.instagram.com/vizsla_bacon/

The glove on the hand of the healthcare worker reflects reality beautifully!  You can see this in the picture below.

Cooper's Hawk

Spotted a Cooper's hawk taking a shower this morning.

Subsequent to the shower, Cooper jumped right in to a puddle to take a bath.

Afterward Cooper dried out by sitting on a branch of a tree.  Hawk's tail visible here.

Cooper's Hawk

Morning run.  Ran into a baby Cooper's hawk.  Well,  this guy is not really a baby any longer!

Great Blue Heron

Spotted this Great Blue Heron at the Brick Works tonight.  This bird was shy, shrinking to less than a quarter of its' actual height.  I love to see the wing span of these birds when they take flight.

Scarborough Bluffs

This is a picture of Lake Ontario from the top of the Scarborough bluffs behind the Guild Inn which is located in Guildwood Village.  When I see the signs in the picture below it brings a smile to my face because I can remember a time when there were no signs.  My high school friends and I definitely "entered" and "climbed" the bluffs.  One might think we did it because we liked being outdoors and wanted the physical challenge but one would be wrong.  Most of the entering and climbing occurred on a Friday or Saturday night.  There was always a big bonfire with lots of liquid and laughter!  Going down the bluffs was easy.  Getting back up was the hard part.  I do recall sliding backward on the sandy slope and grasping at, oh I don't know, weeds growing out of the sand.  The liquid part ensured lots of flexibility and courage!  Fun memories!

The picture below is of the bluffs behind the Guild Inn.  It was taken by Dr Robert Baggs and given to me, by him, as a gift.  So, the bluffs are with me wherever I go.

Coyote

Spotted a coyote by the Eaton grave in Mount Pleasant cemetery this morning.  The same area where the rabbit was yesterday.  The coyote seemed to be chasing something and then vanished over an edge leading into a ravine.

Coopers Hawk

A baby Cooper's hawk sighted this morning in Mount Pleasant cemetery.

Rabbit

Early morning rabbit seen in Mount Pleasant cemetery, by the Eaton grave.  No wonder there have been coyote sightings in this area.

Red-tailed Hawk

Spotted these two baby red-tailed hawks this morning.  This time of year they are learning to hunt.  Part of their training seems to include standing on gravestones.  From here they fly to the grass to see if there is anything to catch to eat.  I have seen them fly to a stick on the ground and play with the stick like it is a mammal.  I have seen them fly to the ground in front of a squirrel.  That time the hawk had no clue how to catch the squirrel and just stared at it.

J.P.

On Joy and Sorrow

Then a woman said, Speak to us of Joy and Sorrow.  And he answered:


   
Your joy is your sorrow unmasked. 

And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was oftentimes filled with your tears. 

And how else can it be? 

The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain. 

Is not the cup that holds your wine the very cup that was burned in the potter’s oven?
   
And is not the lute that soothes your spirit, the very wood that was hollowed with knives?
   
When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy.
   
When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.




Some of you say, “Joy is greater than sorrow,” and others say, “Nay, sorrow is the greater.”
   
But I say unto you, they are inseparable.
   
Together they come, and when one sits alone with you at your board, remember that the other is asleep upon your bed.

Verily you are suspended like scales between your sorrow and your joy.

Only when you are empty are you at standstill and balanced.
   
When the treasure-keeper lifts you to weigh his gold and his silver, needs must your joy or your sorrow rise or fall.

                                                                                                                        by Kahlil Gibran

Coyote

Coyote scat found this morning in Mount Pleasant cemetery.  Located by Plot M, close to the Massey family grave.  The large amount of scat indicates there is plenty to eat.  Clearly eating seeds.

More coyote scat found at the same time.  This scat was found at the intersection of Plots M, X, and V.  It looks like something ran over this scat, exposing mammal hair along with seeds.  Again, this scat is large suggesting that the energy intake of these coyotes is adequate.

If these coyotes are marking their territory with scat, it seems that Pot M is considered theirs.

Coyote

This appears to be coyote scat.  Found in Mount Pleasant cemetery.  It is dried out and only the hair of mammals remains.  The hair is light.  Wondering if the hair belongs to a deer.

J.P.

I bought Ontario strawberries today!  The first of the season.  And yes, in case you are wondering, they do melt in your mouth!

Street Art: Black Panther

This art can be found in Graffiti alley.

Red-tailed Hawk and Breakfast

The picture below shows a hawk eating breakfast.  Two baby hawks were in a tree close by screaming at the hawk eating breakfast.  I don't think the baby hawks know how to hunt yet and therefore still rely on the parents to bring them food.

Coyote

Mount Pleasant cemetery was closed at the beginning of the pandemic.  Eventually it reopened its gates 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm, daily.  Effective today it is open from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm, Sundays only.  Early this morning I visited the cemetery.  Immediately, two coyotes came to greet me. If  the coyote in the photo below had a caption bubble it would likely read: Huh?  What are you doing in here?

To prove a point, the coyote quickly marked its territory with scat.

J.P.

When our lives tilted, before the world turned entirely sideways, you asked me if I would miss you.  At the time, I could only imagine how I would feel.  Today I know how it feels to really miss you.

Red-tailed Hawk: Fledge Day

All three red-tailed hawks have fledged.  Today is the first time I observed one of the baby hawks fly from the tree that houses their nest to another tree.  This photo is of one hawk's first flights! Exciting evening in Mount Pleasant cemetery.  Now the fun begins watching them learn to catch a squirrel.

Street Art: Phoenix

This art work can be found at Evergreen Brick Works.

Turle

This little guy can be found at Evergreen Brick Works.

Red-Tailed Hawk

This photo shows two baby red-tailed hawks.  They have learned to branch but still are unable to fly away from this tree to another tree.  With branching, a hawk can fly from the nest to a branch and from one branch to another branch.

Street Art: Bugs Bunny

This art work is found in Graffiti Alley.

Street Art: Crow

Artwork in Graffiti Alley.

Brick Works Beaver

This big beaver gave me a fright.  When I arrived at Evergreen Brick Works I headed to the first pond to peer over the railing into the water.  I saw lots of bubbles on the surface and thought: there must be some lungs under there.  Curiosity got the better of me and I leaned further over the railing.  As I did, the beaver suddenly surfaced.  We were eye to eye.  I gasped and the beaver quickly disappeared under water.  It later returned for a photo opportunity!

Street Art: Hiro

Artwork found in Graffiti Alley.

Green Heron

Green Heron spotted at Evergreen Brick Works this morning.

J.P.

Thank you for always being you.

Red-tailed Hawk Branching

One of the three RT hawk chicks started branching tonight.  This first picture shows the RT standing on the edge of the nest.

If you look closely to the right of the nest in the picture below you can see that the RT hawk moved out onto a tree branch!  So exciting!

Red-tailed Hawk Again

Here is the RT hawk on Moore Avenue watching the family nest again tonight.  This may be the male.  It is possible that the female is darker in color, especially around the head.

This is a closer look at the same RT hawk.

Posting the following picture because, well......I like it and I can!

Red-Tailed Hawk

Adult RT hawk sitting on top of a tree on Moore Avenue watching her three chicks in their nest.  The nest is across the street inside a cemetery.  The chicks have not started branching yet.

J.P.

Jesus, tender Shepherd, hear me,

Bless Thy little lamb tonight;

Through the darkness be Thou near me,

Watch my sleep till morning light.

                                               

                                                                                   (by Mary Lundie Duncan)

Beaver

Spotted this beaver at Evergreen Brick Works this morning.

Sunlight on Tree in the Spring

One might think this picture was taken in the fall but it was not.  It was taken in May in the evening with the setting sun lighting up the leaves.

J.P.

This cross is located in Mount Pleasant Cemetery.

Calligraffiti: Buter

This art can be found on a path between Moore Avenue and Evergreen Brick Works.

Covid 19 Pandemic: Tribute to Front Line Workers

Every night between 7:30 pm and 7:35 pm my street goes wild giving tribute to front line workers.  The first picture shows many of the buildings that have people on their balcony participating in the tribute.  You can not visualize the people well unfortunately.  There are whistles, bells, and music (for example:  Stand by Me).  The second picture shows a person waving a Canadian flag.

Okay, as I am writing this, a fire truck came down the street honking and waving at people on the balconies.

While the intent is to give tribute I think a concomitant purpose is to connect people by saying, very loudly and importantly, we are alive.....we are still here.