High Park, Toronto, ON

It was a gorgeous day ... 14C and sunny. Gord and I headed over to High Park with our cameras to practice what we have been learning in our Photo 101 course.

We entered the park near the Keele Subway and followed the paths in the woods.

We came across the Allotment Gardens.  For $63 a season, you can rent 600 square feet in the park and plant a garden.  There were people out getting theirs ready.

We walked through the off-leash doggy area and watched the dogs play for a while.

After we left the off-leash area, we came across a guy who was juggling, which gave me a chance to practice shutter speed priority.  Here is a faster shutter speed (you can see the balls in the area).

And here I slowed the shutter speed down (the balls got blurry).

The City of Toronto is threatening to close down the High Park Zoo due to lack of finances.  There is a fight to save it.

 

We went into the zoo but it was crowded so we left.

We checked out John and Jemina Howard's tomb.

In 1873, Howard and his wife agreed to convey their country property to the City of Toronto. There were several conditions to the conveyance, including that the Howards continue to live at their residence, no alcohol ever be served in the park, and that the City hold the park "for the free use, benefit and enjoyment of the Citizens of Toronto for ever and to be called and designated at all times thereafter High Park".

Howard learned from his brother-in-law in London, England, that the courtyard railing from Saint Paul's Cathedral was being torn down. The next day Howard wired his brother-in-law to purchase the railing, which had been designed by the cathedral's architect Sir Christopher Wren in 1714. After having stood in London for 160 years, the heavy railing was transported across the Atlantic. All went well until the ship sank in the St. Lawrence River. Howard, not to be deterred, and after two years of preparation, had a portion of it raised from the river bottom at an expense greater than shipping it from London. Some of it was lost, with only enough for one side of the tomb being preserved and installed on November 18, 1875. 

There is  a poem engraved on a thick brass plate wrapped around the gate post:

Saint Paul's Cathedral 
For 160 years I did enclose 
Oh! Stranger look with reverence 
MAN, MAN! UNSTABLE MAN 
It was thou who caused the severance.

We headed down the stairs towards Grenadier Pond.

The train was running if you don't want to walk around.

We practiced shutter speeds taking pictures of the seagulls.

There were quite a few people enjoying the park.

We never noticed this bridge before.

These were gorgeous bushes ... everyone was getting their picture taken in front of it, including me and Gord. Do we look like tourist or what?!

I was successful playing around with aperture priority.

The ducks look like they are nesting. ... can't wait for their babies!

Back on the trail ...

Just up this hill and over the log is Bloor Street W ... back to civilization.