• a twig knocked my hat off as I maneuvered into position

• a single reddish-brown bud on an unidentified shrub is bursting open releasing a mass of yellow flowers from inside

• caught this bud just as it bursts open
#photography #nature #spring #bloom #flower #tree #urbanforest #toronto #SonyAlpha6600

• big mottled Trout Lily leaves push up from the leaf littered spring forest floor. The plants have unopened yellow flowers hanging like ornaments from thin vertical stems

The native Trout Lily flowers are primed to open; just waiting for some warm, direct sunlight.
#photography #flowers #nature #urbanforest #toronto #zenFone9

A large tree stump in a very early spring forest where the ground is still covered with old brown fallen leaves. The stump is coloured green by moss.

• the mossy green of this old stump added some colour interest to the still generally brown early Spring forest
#photography #trees #moss #urbanforest #toronto

Levi the dog, in a blue harness, is sniffing around night-party fire pits in a forest. The trees & ground are bare between late winter & early spring. In the closest of 2 stone-ringed firepits are fake red flowers.

The flash of red off in the bush caught my attention and when I reached the spot, discovered it was fake flowers in a 'hidden' night-party firepit site. Levi found the quality of sniffing to be highly interesting!
#photography #dog #urbanforest #toronto #zenFone9

Close up of a branch of bright fuzzy yellow pussy-willows

One of the earliest signs of Spring!
#photography #trees #flowers #nature #spring #urbanforest

Whitetail deer in a natural forest setting. A side view with head turned to look at the camera.

On March 21, 5 years ago, Levi & I spent about 1/2 hour catching glimpses of this beauty in the park! Finally she gained enough trust to leave the protection of the forest and give us a closer look over.

• whitetail deer at West Don Parklands
#wildlife #whitetail #deer #urbanforest #toronto

Dozens of golden coloured fall leaves still hanging on a bush against a background out-of-focus wintery forest in mid March.

Mid March colour in the forest is still mostly a remnant of fall.
#photography #forest #leaves #urbanforest #toronto #zenFone9

A forest landscape with snow on the ground contrasting with the dark, bare tree trunks.

Monochromatic Forest

March 7, warm early spring temperatures bring the first major snow melt & mist to my local urban forest.

#photography #landscape #forest #winter #trees #urbanforest #Toronto #zenFone9

A tree trunk growing as a group of four in a forest. The trunk is a golden brown colour fully speckled with thin white dashes wrapped around each circumference

Rainy, drizzly weather, and the air still moist with the last of the 'snow fog', brings out textures and colours in the early spring forest
#photography #trees #forest #spring #urbanpark #toronto #ZenFone9

Bare trees in a winter park field. The snow covered ground is draped by a foggy, blowing mist.

Snow Fog

Suddenly we're in the mid-celcius-teens and the warm air is creating a drifting fog in the valley; thickest above the deep melting snow

#photography #landscape #winter #snow #trees #fog #urbanpark #toronto #zenfone9

A forested hill with snow on the ground. The trees up on the higher ridge are coloured golden by the setting sun.

Golden Sunset
#photography #landscape #winter #snow #forest #sunset #urbanforest #toronto #zenfone9

A dog runs towards the camera in a cold silvery-blue light. The ground is snow covered, and behind the dog is a looming dark forest of bare and fallen trees.

Levi runs out the looming cold dark forest of bare and fallen trees.
#photography #monochrome #forest #winter #dog #snow #abstract #urbanforest

A bright yellow painted metal swing-gate glows at sundown, set against a snow covered field.

Hinder Property Park Gate abandoned during the 'no winter maintenance' snow storms.
#photography #winter #snow #urbanpark #sunset #toronto #ZenFone9

A close-up of an orange brick driveway/parking-lot with blue painted lines all covered with patchy snow that has been walked & driven over leaving distinct tracks.

Paved Snow
#photography #snow #urban #abstract #winter

A 1978 black & white photo of Mickey Skin, a female punk singer from The Curse, on stage to the left. She is down on her knees before an enthusiastic crowd on the right, pushing up to the stage. Photographers are taking photos of her performance.

Mickey Skin - Toronto punk band The Curse (1978)
#photography #b&w #punk #concert #Toronto #NikonF #KodakRecordingFilm #availablelight

Looking west from the CN Tower in 1978. The old white TipTop building is prominent as are the red bricks of the Molson's brewery building. Beyond the buildings are green playing fields leading to Ontario Place which reaches out into Lake Ontario.

• a lot has changed since I took this photo from the CN Tower back in 1978
#photography #toronto #cityscape

A Shell gas station on a snowy night. The pumps are brightly floodlit and the shelter trim is yellow with a red stripe. In the background is the attached convenience store topped with horizontal red roof lighting.

Snowy Night Fill-Up
February 25, 2007

#urban #night #transportation #snow #cars #gasoline #petrol #SonyCybershot

Looking up a tree trunk that has been layered with fresh fallen snow. White and grey stripes of snow and wood reach up into a dark blue sky behind skeletal tree branches.

Snow Tree
#photography #nature #snow #trees #forest #winter #zenfone9

In a forest, an abstract rain of golden shards drifting into blue gems.

Golden Forest Rain
November 2007, Madawaska Highlands, Ontario
(No tricks - this is exactly what I saw during a forest walk)
#photography #abstract #nature #NikonD50

I'd take a cushion for eternity! 💺😀

Winter tennis courts behind chainlink fencing. The artificial green turf is partially covered by icy snow and a low sun sends beams across the view.

Tennis Timeout
#photography #winter #park #tennis #snow #NikonD50

close-up of orangey/brown leaves totally encased in a bubbly shell of organically shaped ice

• in my backyard on December 23, 2013 - after a freezing rain storm
#photography #nature #ice #leaves #nikonD50

Portrait of a happy husky dog with a pink nose & tongue, sitting in the front passenger car seat

From this day in 2013:
"Our husky, Sasha, loves car rides"
#photography #husky #dog

Looking down a forest trail in late fall, but before any snow. A black & white dog is running towards the camera. Leaves have fallen and the trees are bare.

Nice forest-walking day; about zero but sunny & dry with gusty winds. Levi runs towards me showing off his excellent recall training.
#photography #forest #dog #fall #sony6600

A final few golden leaves cling to a tree against a forest background of bare branches against a cold, grey sky.

Cold Autumn
#photography #nature #forest #trees #leaves #fall #autumn #zenfone9

Forest in late November with a leaf covered floor glowing gold in the setting sun. A few green leaves hold on to a nearby tree contrasting against the dark green of an evergreen behind them. In the background naked deciduous trees are silhouetted against a blue sky.

Late November forest waiting for winter
#photography #nature #forest #fall #autumn #trees #zenfone9

Looking up into the branches of a bright yellow tamarack tree. The small cones are easily visible on the branches.

Tamarack Tree is almost blazing yellow today!
#photography #nature #tree #forest #fall #autumn #abstract #urbanpark #NikonD50

Close-up of browning, fallen leaves with a single large bright yellow leaf catching the light of the setting sun.

• Leaf Portrait
#photography #nature #forest #fall #autumn #leaves #NikonD50

Looking up at a branch of a Tamarack tree. Its needles have started to turn yellow as winter approaches.

• Tamarack tree branch showing the yellowing needles of fall
#photography #nature #trees #forest #fall #autumn #urbanpark #theWestDon #Toronto #Zenfone9