Signs

  Joining Tom at Signs2.

Random-osity

Wordless Wednesday Wordless Be There 2day

Toronto ON

Kensington Market

Tuesday Treasures

 Tom the backroads traveller hosts this weekly meme.

Travel Tuesday

Our World Tuesday

Image-in-ing
My Corner of the World

Postcards

Toronto ON

Click here for a history of Toronto lane naming and a list of other lanes with neighbourhood descriptions. That post is a work in progress, and gets updated frequently.

Barker Fairley Lane - Barker Fairley (May 21,1887 – October 11, 1986) lived on Willcocks Street. Born in Yorkshire, he came to Canada in 1910, and in 1915 became a professor at U of T. He was a writer, poet & professor of German studies — one of the foremost scholars of German literature of the century. He also created the university newspaper. He painted portraits and landscapes, and was a friend of the Group of Seven. Barker Fairley received an order of Canada in 1978, and died in his 100th year. Margaret Fairley Park at the south-west corner of Brunswick and Ulster Streets, is named after Barker Fairley’s wife.

St. Francis Table St. Francis Table is a restaurant for the poor with over 1.2 million meals served to the hungry. 

 Half of the patrons are post-psychiatric patients who are unable to work due to their illness. Many of them spend most of their meager income on accommodation. About one quarter of the patrons are senior citizens who come for nourishment and companionship. They also provide meals to single parents, refugees, the unemployed, transients, ex-convicts and people living in the streets, parks and alleys. 

In keeping with the Franciscan heritage, no one is turned away without the offer of a meal. They request a small donation of one dollar which is to help them retain their sense of dignity. 

Little Portugal
Dr. Clovis John Brooks was the founder of the John Brooks Foundation, one of the first non-profit organizations of its kind in Toronto that looked to the improvement of disadvantaged inner city children. For this and for many other causes in which he had campaigned tirelessly, Dr. Brooks was awarded the Order of Canada, the Order of Ontario, the Order of Distinction from Jamaica, the Medal for Good Citizenship and an honorary doctorate degree from Queens University. John lived on Glenholme Avenue in Regal Heights and passed away in 2008. 

T for Tuesday

 T Stands For is hosted by Elizabeth and Bleubeard

Calgary Alberta

The Famous 5 are five women, truly pioneers, who in Alberta in the early part of the 20th century shaped the future of the lives of all Canadian women to come. Because of their efforts, on October 18, 1929, the Privy Council declared in the famous " Person's Case of 1929" that women were persons and thus eligible to hold any appointed or elected office.

At the time of their victory, the media dubbed the group the "Alberta Five." Over time, as the case took on a privileged position in Canadian women's history, the group became popularly known as the "Famous 5." They have come to represent an entire generation's political activism, including an earlier, nationwide campaign for women's suffrage.


Emily Murphy. Nellie McClung. Henrietta Muir Edwards. Louise McKinney. Irene Parlby. Five Alberta women drawn together by the tides of history and a shared idealism.

Each was a true leader in her own right: one a police magistrate, another a legal expert who founded the National Council for Women. Three served as Members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta — among the first female elected officials in the entire British Empire. And they did all this before they were even fully defined as persons under Canadian and British law.

Separately, these five women were champions of the rights and welfare of women and children. They worked hard and courageously in the face of the prejudices and resistance of the day. Together, they formed an unstoppable force that changed the world for women in Canada and in all Commonwealth countries.

The Famous Five have been commemorated with individual and group plaques in the foyer and antechamber of Canada's Senate and two identical sculptures by Canadian artist Barbara Paterson. One at Parliament Hill in Ottawa, and the other at the Olympic Plaza in Calgary.

Yes, I'm wearing a cowboy hat, because it is the Calgary Stampede and everyone in town is wearing a hat.

WOMEN ARE PERSONS!

Monday Mural

  I'm linking up at Monday Mural

July 2021 - Toronto ON

Newly repainted Queen St. West - not sure who the artist is. It may also be One Day Creates and Watson.

In 2018/2019 it a purple and black abstract painting by onedaycreates and mostlyletters (aka Jesse Watson). The Taco Bell is now an A&W  Wendy's (thank you Elizabeth!).

Prior to 2018 it still had the mural from when it was The Hideout Bar.

In the lane behind it.

September 2021 - Toronto ON

A new mural we found at Little Canada last week, by Philip Cote.

Philip Cote, MFA
Moose Deer Point First Nation
First Nations Affiliation: Shawnee, Lakota, Potawatomi, Ojibway and Algonquin.

Cote is a Sundancer, Pipe Carrier and Sweat Ceremony leader recognized by Elder Vern Harper and Floyd Looks for Buffalo Hand. Cote received his Indigenous name Noodjmowin (The Healer) in 1979 from Joe Couture and was made a member of the Falseface Society at the Seneca longhouse in 1992.

A graduate of OCAD University’s Interdisciplinary Art Media and Design Masters program in 2015, Cote has been exploring new ways to imbue sculpture and painting through oral traditions of storytelling and with traditional spiritual perspectives. 

This work depicts the thirteen moon calendar.
The Thirteen Moons is a measure of natural time and marks times of Ceremony and harvest.
1 Spirit moon
2 Bear moon
3 Sugar moon
4 Sucker moon
5 Flower moon
6 Strawberry moon
7 Raspberry moon
8 Thimbleberry moon
9 Corn moon
10 Falling Leaves moon
11Freezing moon
12 Little Spirit moon
13 Big Spirit moon
There is also a Petro Form here that represents the Medicine Wheel and connections to the Star Knowledge.

Click here for his mural on Roncesvalles.

Click here for one by Humber Bay.

Click here for a houseboat that he painted.

OPEN

 One Word Sunday

2019 - Juan les Pins France

East End Cafe

 Linking up at Marg at The Intrepid Reader 

Weekend Coffee Share

Sunday Salon

Hearth and Soul Link Party

September 2021 - Toronto ON

2021 - Halton County Radical Railway Museum 

We dodged a bullet! But it is a minority win and I am concerned that the conservatives got as many seats as they did.

Next Thursday is the first National Day For Truth and Reconciliation.
September 30, 2021 marks the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. It is a federal statutory holiday. The day honours the lost children and Survivors of residential schools, their families and communities.
Unfortunately only three provinces are recognizing the day, Manitoba, Nova Scotia and PEI.

The latest single from actor, singer and activist Tom Jackson portrays the heartbreaking realities of Canada’s residential school system.

“Lost Souls” is the song of “silenced children.” It highlights the grim reality of what is alleged by the survivors of the Residential School system, and the victim families who have been silenced for generations. The anthem shuffles between the point of view of the children, to that of the government; quietly speaking the story on the verse, then intimately yearning in melody on the chorus. 215 lost souls now have a voice.

Saturday we stayed home, as usual. We had an afternoon at the movies.

Sunday we headed out to the Halton County Radical Railway Museum also called the Streetcar Museum in Milton, about 70 KM from Toronto. They are only open on weekends and only to mid October. It was a magnificent day.

Monday's Mural

We stopped at an apple stand and got honey crisp apples $14 and then at this stand we got 6 corn on the cob, a basket of cucumbers and the biggest lettuce ever for $11 in all.

Gigantic radishes.

Monday was voting day.

John did a Costco run and I caught up on laundry and other chores.

Tuesday John golfed at Turtle Creek. 

I went to Bay and Bloor to Eataly to pick up cold cuts and check out the book store.

Wednesday was a complete change of weather for the first day of fall. 

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It rained most of the day but we didn't get as much as they had forecasted. I had a haircut appointment and then had time to wander until the next shuttle home. 

It was interesting to see that the CIBC and TD bank towers were very busy as a lot of people have returned to the office.

I did some errands and then thought I would stop for lunch at the food court.

Today was the first day requiring people to show proof of vaccination for entry into thousands of non-essential venues across the province.

 


Restaurants, bars, sports venues, gyms, theatres, cinemas and casinos are among the locations where staff must ask patrons to show certification that they received two doses of an approved vaccine at least two weeks before, along with identification that matches their vaccination document.

Still, I was surprised to see the Commerce Court food court blocked off with only two entrances manned with staff to check vaccine certificate and ID before you could sit. 

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I took a front row seat to watch people's reactions. No one complained, some asked how it was going and everyone had the required documentation. I only saw one person produce a paper vaccine ID.

I had a BEEF BULGOGI bao bun - Ribeye Steak, Pickled Carrot & Daikon, Cucumber, Cilantro with hoisin ginger sauce from Koha Pacific Kitchen, a new to me chain. Delicious, I had tried a bao bun before and had not been keen on it but I will return here.

Since this food court was quite busy, not quite up to 18 months ago, but the busiest I've seen since the pandemic started, I thought I would check another food court in the TD Tower. 

This sign was at the entrance.

BUT they had removed any seating. I guess they didn't want to be bothered hiring staff to enforce the rules but it was clearly impacting business. I see there is another Koha here, but closed.

I also checked the Starbucks in TD and it had removed any seating. Chipotle on Front St. had a sign saying vaccine proof would be required to eat in-house.

When I got home I had an email from the AGO Art Gallery of Ontario announcing that you would require proof to dine in their bistro AND also to visit the museum you must be fully vaccinated and provide documentation.

I also read that St. Lawrence Market would no longer have any inside eating.

Thursday was supposed to be a rainy day but by 10 AM the sky was getting blue and the temperature was 16 C or 61 F. I stayed home and got some baking done, it's been a while, but fall is here so I hope to get more done.

Friday John golfed and it was cool!

I was going to Yorkville but it was colder than I expected so I just went to Longo's for vegetables.

WATCHING

The Good Liar 2019 was fun, love a good scam and Helen Mirren! Plus Mr. Carson (Jim Carter) from Downton Abbey was in it! Have I mentioned how devastated I am that I have finished the series this week?

City of Lies 2018 It is based on the non-fiction book LAbyrinth by Randall Sullivan, about the investigations by the Los Angeles Police Department of the murders of rappers Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G.. The film stars Johnny Depp as retired LAPD detective Russell Poole and Forest Whitaker as journalist Jack Jackson. 

We enjoyed The Ice Road.

We also started BBC Inside Men It follows the story of an armed robbery at a secure money counting house in Bristol.

We started the series American Rust and am enjoying it.

We watched the Emmys, possibly one of the few times we did. They were entertaining and now we have to add Ted Lasso to our binge list. Hacks may also be added.

I started watching The Grand a series set in Manchester in the 1920s that featured the Bannerman family that owned and ran the hotel, the staff that lived in the basement and occasional guests.

COOKING

Lunches - leftover kebab with fried egg, steak, tomato sandwiches, leftover chicken divan. Lunch out for Jackie.

Saturday Doner kebabs made with beef, on pita with red onions, tomatoes, hot sauce and tzatziki. 

Sunday chicken wings and fries.

Monday Corn on the cob.

Tuesday chicken divan with soda bread - all gluten free.

Wednesday ham Brussels sprouts (Costco) new boiled potatoes

Thursday mushroom pasta got lazy after baking so ordered Swiss Chalet.

I baked and updated my black bean avocado brownie recipe.

I also baked chocolate peanut butter cookies.

It was a good baking week as I also made the soda bread.

I posted by BBQ chicken quarters recipe as well.

Friday steak and loaded baked potatoes (cheese, broccoli, sour cream).

READING

I came across this fascinating article in an email from the ROM Royal Ontario Museum. "How Women in India Reclaimed the Protest Power of Ripped Jeans". 

I gave up on The Dutch House, I know, I know, people loved it. It started out well but by two thirds I was dying of boredom and couldn't go on. I was "get over it" to these boring characters.

I finished Black Widows, not a great story and I didn't care for any of the sister-wives but did enjoy learning about some Mormon traditions.

I started reading Sleep Well, My Lady which gave me some insights into Ghanian culture and customs. 

THIS TIME LAST YEAR Week ended September 26, 2020

Weekend Roundup

 Welcome to The Weekend Roundup...hosted by Tom The Back Roads Traveler

1. Starts with "M"
2. A Favorite
3. METAL- chosen by Tom

Starts with "M"

California 

FAVOURITE

MENU Queen St. West Toronto

METAL

Speyer Germany 2012

Déjà Brew

A catchall for leftover beer, coffee, food, motels and whatever catches my fancy!

Belfast Northern Ireland