avatarDarren Weir

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Photo Essay

Reflections From My Backyard

Sharing The Beauty of Lake Ontario

Peace at Humber Bay — author’s photo

If you have been following any of my writing you will know that I have a love-hate relationship with bodies of water. I love to look at lakes, rivers, creeks, waterfalls, oceans, and seas but I’m still trying to get over my fear of spending much time in them.

Waiting to kayak at Lake Ontario shore ; life jacket reflections — author’s photos

So it may seem strange that I live right next to a lake, and not just any lake but one of the GREAT Lakes, Lake Ontario.

Ontario Place Marina — author’s photo

There is no better place on a hot summer day than a walk along the lake shore, when there is a cool breeze blowing off the water, helping to keep the steamy summer temperatures more comfortable.

Toronto Police officer on horseback; cooling off in Lake Ontario — author’s photos

There is always something to see there so I make sure I’m armed with my camera, or at least my phone. A couple of weeks ago I came across the local qualifying Dragon Boat races, about a 5-minute walk from my apartment.

2022 GWN Sport Regatta Dragon Boat race — author’s photo

But I don’t really need to leave my home because I have a great view of the lake from my 12th-floor balcony.

sailboats from my balcony — author’s photo

My favorite photos to take are reflections from the water. A calm, clear day turns the lake into glass or, for my purposes, a mirror. Boats and birds on the lake or even reflections of buildings become works of art, almost like they were painted.

bird reflections — author’s photos
Reflections of Ontario Place and Etobicoke — author’s photos

Toronto’s lakefront is always a busy place with everything from yachts to kayaks to sculls to people on SUP boards to tall ships, even tanker ships, all sharing the water with wildlife and swimmers.

Ontario Place marina — author’s photos
Canada Goose; “who are you calling ugly?” — author’s photos

There are also numerous parks and beaches along the lake shore and the City of Toronto has installed Adirondack chairs to relax or enjoy a Zen moment. (Note to Canadians, they don’t qualify as Muskoka chairs because the backs are straight.)

chairs waiting for that Zen moment — author’s photos

Despite my waning fear of water (yes I’m still working on it), as I went through my photos for this article, I was surprised at just how many photos I have of water. I had to narrow it down, so what you see are only my most recent photos, taken just walking distance from my home.

reflections — author’s photos
Full moon over Lake Ontario — author’s photo

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