Exotic Car XxX

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.

See more dogs and nature after the jump.

The Canoe Landing Park and it's bright and gloriously red canoe sits beside the Gardiner Expressway. It's bigger than you think and sits at the apex of the slope rising from the street towards the south. You can see my picture of the park taken from the Gardiner on my post here. It is definitely a visually rich park, perfect for lounging in the sun and walking the dog.
The open space park overlooks a soccer field and provides an outstanding view of the downtown condos and the CN Tower. It looks like you are in a painting when you are beside or in the canoe. There is a gigantic fishing bobber art installation near the street - bobbers, you know those things that go up and down in the water when fish are biting.

Well, really big plastic snow, which comes in handy as the wonderful spell of warm weather in the middle of winter has melted much of the real stuff. There is even a big shiny Christmas tree sticking out of the fountain.