The 366 x 2020 Project: May
It feels like a new beginning.
April was, for the most part, an extension of winter. Temperatures were near or below freezing until almost month-end. And of course there was the small matter of the pandemic, which has changed life as we know it. The last few days of April, though, brought some measure of good news, with the flattening of the curve, lifting of some restrictions, and warmer weather.
Last month, I chose to focus my photography around the pandemic. Given the many restrictions, it was something of a challenge, but that also made it more interesting. It pushes you to find relevant material and makes you more observant for the hour or so that you allow yourself to leave home.
In keeping with that idea, I think I'll continue with monthly themes. This month: Spring. Here's to new beginnings!
Comments and questions are welcome (drop me a line here).
Most images shot on a Canon EOS RP; the rest on a Google Pixel 3.
JAN | FEB | MAR | APR | MAY | JUN | JUL | AUG | SEP | OCT | NOV | DEC
Spring
The first flowers of the season have only just begun appearing. These magnolias, finally blooming, are enough to lift the spirits after a long, cold, April. I captured these in a neighbour's front yard while walking my dog.
Just last week, a news site posted a gorgeous online gallery of bluebells blooming in cities around Europe. I couldn't recall seeing these flowers anywhere on my walks until then, so was delighted when I chanced upon these new blooms at the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Garden near Mississuga's City Hall.
I first heard about this waterfall, possibly the only one in Mississauga, sometime in winter. At the time, it was inaccessible (and likely frozen), with the trail leading down to it an icy, dangerous path. Now that spring is here, the water is flowing again, and I was finally able to make the trek. Not quite Niagara Falls, and easily the smallest I've seen, the name given to it was clearly done by someone with a sense of humour: Wahoosh Falls.
Discovered two new and seemingly less-trafficked trails behind the University of Toronto's Mississauga campus. The trails are separated by a large clearing, pictured, with three mature magnolia trees in full bloom. Perfect timing for this discovery, for the blooms will likely be gone in a week or two.
Tulips — typically the first to flower in spring, around late March/early April — were late to bloom this year. It was only this week that they have started to show up, but they have now put on quite the show. I captured this at a traffic median while on a walk along Burnhampthorpe Road, the many different colours lighting up the ground at night.
Pretty in pink: Around now, the cherry blossoms start to bloom, and the Japanese-themed Kariya Park, above, and High Park in Toronto typically attract large numbers of people. This year, both parks are closed thanks to the pandemic, but the magnolia trees in front make for a none-too-shabby consolation prize.
Daffodils make their appearance at the entrance to the Leslie Log House, a heritage house that is a rare example in Mississauga of early 19th century log construction.
Sometimes, spring serves up a reminder that winter hasn't quite vanished from the rear-view mirror. After glorious 20ºC weekend weather, it was back to warm jackets as temperatures dropped and snow flurries floated through the air. Even so, easing of some Covid 19-related restrictions meant there were a fair number of people outdoors, including this mother and child at the Lakeshore.
The colour has just about started to return to the city's green spaces, including Brueckner Rhododenderon Garden, a favourite with wedding photographers. This shot was taken along one of the many paths at the garden.
Another wintry spring afternoon, another walk through Brueckner when I spotted these tiny birdhouses sprinkled across a tree along one of the paths. Pity it seemed too cold for the birds to come out and play. Must remember to bring birdseed the next time I am here.
The wintry feel to spring continued with more snow flurries this morning. A solitary magnolia tree, its flowers starting to shed, was the sole reminder of what season this is at the Benares Historic House in Mississauga. The tourist attraction remains shut due to the pandemic.
Wintry weather — complete with snow flurries — has temporarily derailed spring over the past week. But never mind the mostly bare trees, the fallen magnolias and the quick end to the cherry blossoms…these tulips have weathered the cold snap and continue to stand pretty through it all. Not everything that seems fragile breaks quite so easily after all. .
The weather has finally started to warm up, and the trees laid bare through winter are starting to show their spring colours. .
Spring, for trees, is like a little striptease in reverse. Laid naked and bereft by the ravages of winter, they perk up with the first signs of warmth. Before you know it, they’re sporting the tiniest of buds, then leaves, then perhaps even fruit…filling out, little by little until they’re looking resplendent clothed in their finest greens and reds and purples. .
There is a sense of freshness to the trails after it rains in spring. With the sun extinguished and clouds hanging low, the atmosphere just feels more mellow, more serene. Even the leaves, showered with water from the heavens, seem to feel more alive, more green. This picture was taken this evening after two days of near incessant rain, at a new trail I discovered at Dunn Park. There is, apparently, a large three-acre grove contained within, featuring dozens of tree species from around Ontario. Reason enough to return soon.
New leaves on trees at Dunn Park dot the sky as spring finally begins to make its presence felt.
I'm not a bird photographer. I learnt a long time ago that long zooms just didn't do it for me, and besides, I hated the extra weight. Even so, there were so many birds out on this day that I decided I'd make do with the 85mm that I had while on the trails at Riverwood and hoped my patience would pay off with something halfway decent. For the gear I had, I think I'll take it.
Dunn Park footbridge after even more rain.
I wasn’t even planning on hitting the trails today, but as it turned out, I was passing by one that I’d never been on and decided to take the detour. Turned out to be absolutely worth it (it’s the Burnhamthorpe Trail, for anyone in the city that might be interested. It appears to stretch for ever and has numerous forks, so important to keep your bearings). Was shooting handheld (I rarely use a tripod although I should), so was reasonably pleased with the result.
A sentiment that's hard to argue with. Spotted on a park bench in the woods at Credit Woodlands Park in Mississauga.
A bird and a squirrel share a meal at a feeder at Riverwood.
It’s been months since I last visited Jack Darling Park on the shores of Lake Ontario, even though it’s one of the places I love to go to. Wonderful at any time of year, but a breath of fresh air in spring after a long, cold winter. I wound up getting to the park just after sunset…enough time to snatch a few pictures, including this one of my favourite tree, trunk arched across the horizon to frame two benches that you would think were deliberately socially distanced to fit in with our current reality.
The trees at Jack Darling Park are quickly filling out with fresh growth as rain and warmer weather combine to clothe the area in green.
One from closer to home...from my backyard, in fact. The pear trees are blooming with flowers, hopefully an indicator that it's going to be a fruitful summer.
After a mostly-chilly start to spring, we appear to have lurched straight into summer-like warmth. This double-barrelled tree at Brueckner was exploding with colour today as temperatures soared into the mid-30s Celsius.
What a difference a couple of weeks makes! I shot these same trees back then, and they were mostly bare, still recovering from a long winter. Now they are bursting with green, making for a pleasant sight on a warm day.
A short, late evening visit to the Burnhamthorpe Trail, where I'd hoped to use my tripod to get a decent long exposure of the stream that runs alongside. Alas, there was no flat surface to sit my tripod onto, but I was able to rest the camera itself on a stone to pull off a 13-second exposure.
Raindrops on the tiny heart-shaped leaves of a redwood tree at Riverwood.
A short month ago, the trail leading down to the bridge over one of the many streams at Riverwood was lined with trees left barren through a long, cold winter. Now those trees are clothed in green and spring finally feels like what spring is supposed to feel like, making trail walking a far more pleasant experience.
Two women enjoying the view and a chat on the shores of Lake Ontario on a cool spring afternoon.
"The Elephant" closes out the month of May. I appear to have discovered a fascination with bent tree trunks…this is the third one I've shot this month, all at different parks. This one is at Riverwood, just off the trails and overhangs a tiny stream. Not enough water to cover the larger stones on this day, so I was able to escape with dry shoes.