Last Friday I went in early with my brother and nephew, who is in media program  at Ryerson University a campus in in downtown Toronto. Arriving about 8 AM  spent a few hours in the Quad on Ryerson campus, read the three student newspapers and took a variety number of shots including Black squirrel climbing wall on campus Ryerson University street  ...Then headed down Yonge …Sam the record man...long term Toronto store... front being kept and to be used as student lounge or residence. Redone theatre …Queen and Yonge  Street corner office building...modern open structure when historic one in background Contrasts of hanging steel sculpture and antique brick building   ….taken from second level business lounge….Old Toronto Old City Hall now a court house... in past this  structure from the 1860s had 3x threatened demolition...homeless man sleeping in front. I needed to go through security scan and unable to take internal photos….Pond in front of Toronto city hall…Group of grade 4 students on field trip different ethnic and religious backgrounds... Old City hallin backgroundflurry of pigeons.
Next to  new city hall pool old city hall and CN Tower in background
  Peace garden fountain and flowers.
Peace garden framed
This older man had a brightly colored pink and blue beaded tam
Twin towers of Toronto city hall…
Self portrait reflection in glass
Some time in Eaton center

but now about 1 PM feeling overwhelmed by sidewalk crowds and wanting some green space….

First went to Union Station to get ticket for GO train and then took return  ferry trip to Toronto Island. Downtown Toronto skyline from Harbour Front….Packed a lunch and the Canada geese  would have gladly shared….Leaving from Center Island...only about 45 minutes as did not want to miss  4:10 PM GO train.

My swimming is something I miss and forego when spending summers in the north. Now mind you other northern bloggers have reported some polar dips, even in Arctic Bay, but I have not been a participant this year. However,  this week I have had the opportunity to get into an outdoor pool while visiting family in the Toronto area. ..the weather has been in the mid 20s and although the backyard pool is only about 65oF and taking away one's breath,
it has been very refreshing.

Taking a week off from some of the stresses in Edmonton and advantage of some seat sales, have been here since late Tuesday. Air Canada has great movies and music but food is purchased and even pillows cost....one of the reasons if  given a choice, will fly the northern routes as you get fed well and can bring your kennels. Dysis for the week is in her daycare in Edmonton and I have been walking my brother's elderly beagal Chelsea, who tends to eat everything in site including toilet paper and book bindings, so inside doors have to be closed.
There has not been a heavy frost as Alberta has already experienced so flowers remain colorful and lush as these backyard vines.  

Sometimes we do not appreciate own own town or city because it is too familiar. Such was  the situation today as I was downtown, taking the busand had the chance to take in a noon hour event at city hall. The pool in front has been drained and the leaves are turning but the bell tower still chimes. A week of poetry festival is being launched and our major and radio CBC host are discussing some of the arrangements. like those magnets on your fridge the stage was strewn with odd words and combinations. Check out www.edmontonpoetryfestival.net
     

and here in Edmonton I was concerned because Thursday morning we had our first frost and scraping vehicle windows!
 These are some shots of a wall of minute yellow flowers and the fluffy seed pods that I found on a back fence when I was walking the dog the other morning.

How do I know it is snowing in Arctic bay from Clare's blog the House and other Arctic Musings. An other entry I found very interesting was on the ancient sod houses at Uluksan Point where I often hiked this summer.

Check it out with this link  http://kiggavik.typead.com/the_house_other_arctic_mu/2007/09/uluksanThis is Dysis and Anastasia one of the RNs standing in the middle of one such site.

Just barely back in Edmonton and finally back in my house after the fiasco with the family member who was here when I was away, now moved out and the conditions of everything....and already I have had several calls about my availability to come work north again. Am feeling caught between two worlds and not yet settled in either. Hard to know what I want to blog about because this week there have been both joys as the potluck dinner here with my writing circle, in which our theme was " birth " and continued stresses as the dentist telling me I really need at least 7 crowns and the B and E Saturday through the basement window at 2 AM.

This afternoon however I said phooey on all the " to dos " and joined the Leaping Lizards hiking group in Elk Island Park, about an hours drive north east of the city. About 10 of us and 2 dogs did a four hour, 13 km hike around Moss Lake. Marshy terrain amid both birch and spruce saw one prairie bison in the distance and much evidence of both fur and cow pies on the trail, and again preventing Dysis from rolling in any....but a perfect Alberta fall day as the leaves turning and berry ripe as these high bush cranberries.

It has been a rather stressful two weeks as I deal with family and
household situations, pushing limits emotionally and physically, but
one of the ways i find for stress releif is to get into the out of
doors whether walks with the dog and projects. the yard was exceedingly
overgrown and did a fairbit of pulling weeds and untangling of plants.
These hollyhocks show the wildness and as well, I stained the back deck
and railing....the angles and sides took hours! These are Evans
cherries and able to pick a few ice cream buckets as well as one of
Nanking Cherries to take to the lady in the local farmer's market. The
weather has been either very hot or overcast and stormy with just the
beginning touches of fall in the leaves, rosehips and new guinea
impatients plants which I was surprised growing wild. On our walks she
enjoys running in the ravine, nose into all places.