TGIS - Thank god it's spring

Well it had to happen someday and I think that with the Cherry Blossoms in High Park finally bursting out in full glory (http://torontogp.blogspot.com/2011/05/high-park-cherry-blossoms-2011.html) I think that this past week we can really say that spring has arrived. I think tonight I will put the snow shovel away, especially now that people have started to wear shorts and everyone is cutting the grass and planting flowers. I always wonder at the sudden appearance of a forest, where only bare trees existed just days ago. It’s like winter, less winter, rain, more rain – then bam, the blossoms come out and the forest turns green.

Besides the rising temperatures I really like the colours, including the solid green foliage that starts to fill our views. No more blah winter days, full of various shades of grey and the ever present salt stains. It’s time for the peacock to come out and for people to fill the sidewalk patios.

High Park Cherry Blossoms 2011

The cherry blossoms in High Park finally came out to play today and the park was filled with appreciative visitors happy to see the sun and the flowers bloom and take a few pictures.

Not all the buds had opened, but there were enough to provide beauty and colour in the park.

See more blossoms from May 7th after the jump.

A number of animals in the High Park Zoo had little babies, dogs frolicked in the leash free zone and a swan was in Grenadier Pond - what a great time to visit High Park.

I also found some blossoms at Queens Park but the trees along University Avenue are still free of flowers.

High Park anticipates cherry blossoms

Getting in and around High Park this long weekend was easy, the cool weather, grey clouds and the lack of cherry blossoms kept the big crowds away, in fact birds, squirrels and chipmunks easily outnumbered the visitors to the large park. A few people had started spring cleaning in the allotment gardens, getting ready for the upcoming growing season. The train was already carrying passengers through the streets in the park.

I wanted to check out and see what nature was up to in person after finding out that the blossoms were a little late. Some green buds have sprouted on bushes, you can see the cherry buds are swollen (see my photo update here) and some blue flowers are covering the ground in some areas.

Hikers and nature lovers were joined by puppies and dogs in the leash free zone - there was a lot of butt sniffing going on there, let me tell you, but I stopped when people started to get mad. There was a really cute shepherd dog that was wearing special sunglass goggles waiting to play fetch with his orange ball (pictured at top), this dog had been featured in a few newspaper and magazine articles. Caution signs warned of coyotes but I did not see any around, nor did I see any bunnies either, they must have been out delivering chocolate eggs.

Relaxing at the big maple leaf down near the Grenadier Pond

See more dogs and nature after the jump.

A squirrel looks for peanuts in the bird seed

A little Downy Woodpecker

Red Winged Blackbird

A cute Bulldog

The leash free zone gathering place

A snow white ball of mud

High Park in winter

Fun in High Park happens year round and it is much easier to get parking in the winter than it is in the other seasons. Besides the restaurant, cool wooden castles and playground, the ice skating and hiking you can still see the animals in the zoo. Many of the animals even come up to say hi - I think they are looking for food but you shouldn't feed them, besides most of them slobber on your fingers if you try to give them peanuts or anything.

Another must see place to visit in the park is the leash free dog zone. The large area on a hill has it's own doggie fire hydrant, poster stand and picnic tables where you can relax and watch the dogs sniff, run, play and  engage in other fun doggie entertainment. On the doggie hill you can also find a tree, strangely not a coniferous tree, that has been decked with various Christmas decorations.

Fun in Berczy Park

There were gangs of youths having fun in one of Toronto's greatest areas - The St. Lawrence Market neighbourhood and Berczy Park. They were playing a weird game where two groups faced each other, took a couple of big steps, then pointed their fingers by their heads and then one side charged and the other side ran. I think it was a love story.

While this was going on someone, maybe HBO, was busy filming some kids skateboarding beside the backside of the Flatiron building along the large art installation of a side of a building.

No one was swimming in the famous fountain but that would have been a three for three day at the park.

Cherry Blossoms in High Park

I expected pandemonium in High Park on a Saturday with cherry blossoms providing an irresistible lure to Toronto residents on a spring weekend. The rain had poured down and when it finished the crowds had not yet gathered in force in the park. As a bonus raindrops remained on the cherry blossoms which was nice for photographers.



High Park has so many attractions that it is no wonder that it is a favourite for so many people - from families to bikers and joggers. Grenadier Pond, nature trails, leash free dog zone, the zoo, hungry wildlife and even a restaurant with a large patio.

Photo Vault - Toronto Zoo

Every couple of years I get a hankering to visit the Toronto Zoo. I missed the Polar Bears the last time as the zoo was rebuilding their pool and they moved them to some other town during construction. The Toronto Zoo is open every day except for Christmas so check out their hours and drop by. During March Break you can see the new baby Gorilla.

A visit to the zoo is a full day experience as the property is immense - it is one of the largest zoos in the world, and it is a good idea to get tickets to their shuttle the zoomobile, it makes the journey a little easier. During the hot summer days a lot of the animals hide away from the sun and get some serious sleep time so spring and fall are some of the best times to visit.

It costs $21 for the entrance fee, $10 for parking, $7 for the zoomobile and a small mortgage if you take the family.






And don't forget the zoo right in the heart of Toronto - the High Park Zoo. You can see some more of my pictures in a previous post.

High Park Holiday

It was a busy day in the jewel of Toronto's park system - High Park. The sunny start of our 4 day Easter Weekend brought many out to enjoy the attractions of this park which includes nature trails, leash free dog zones and a wide variety of animals in the small zoo.

The park is a perfect place to take the family for a full day of free fun - if you can get parking. The leash free area is full of dozens of dogs sniffing butts and chasing each other while their owners get to know each other. After looking at the dogs and the zoo you can head over to the children's play area full of wooden castles and swings.






It's definitely a park like no other.