I’m back for year 2 of Cardinal Guzman’s monthly photo challenge of the Changing Seasons. The Cardinal has introduced 2 versions of this monthly feature and I encourage you to check out the Cardinal’s post and the rules here.
January has been very kind to us so far this winter. After the brutal cold of the past 2 years, we were due for a break, and this relatively *mild* weather is exactly what I hoped we might get.
In spite of this gentler winter, I seem to have wrapped myself up in a cocoon and have spent most of the month hibernating. The one day I did venture out for some exploration, it snowed, and all my pictures reflect that greyness and white *fluff* in the air.
Todmorden Mills is an unmistakable landmark along one of the major highway arteries of Toronto – the Don Valley Parkway. I’ve passed it a million times in my travels around the city, but I’ve never actually visited this historical site before now.
It was a chilly, windy day and I had the area completely to myself.
Todmorden Mills is a heritage site containing four original buildings – the lumber mill, brewery, and 2 homes – from this small industrial complex dating back to the early 1800s.
It is now a small museum open to the public with nature trails surrounding the area. Nestled between city highrises on one side and a busy highway on the other, it is a peaceful step back in time.
I often wondered why a mill would be located so far from a river. I had not realized that the Don River had been re-routed in the early 1960s during the construction of the Don Valley Parkway.
What remains of the river near the mill is an elbow of spring-fed water which is now home to a wildflower conservation area which attracts considerable wildlife in the heart of the city.
Special thanks to Ontario Camper for introducing me to Todmorden Mills and its nature trails. It is a pretty area that I’ll be interested in revisiting again in the spring.
Beautiful images, Joanne. I’ve never been there but it sure looks like a place I would enjoy. A step back in time is always enjoyable.
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Thanks Emilio 🙂
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Beautiful architecture nicely captured. I love old buildings full of character…here enhanced by a wintry day. I can feel the cold!
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Thank you Peta. I agree about the character of old buildings 🙂
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I lived in Toronto for a couple of years in the late 80s, but never got to this mill. Thanks for the insight and the history.
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Thank you. Glad you enjoyed it 🙂
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I’d love to hike that. Beautiful.
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I’m starting to come to the conclusion that any hike is a good one with the right weather and company 😉
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A fascinating post Joanne and lovely photos.
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Thanks Ruth. I’m one of those people who actually doesn’t mind grey, overcast days 🙂
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I have hiked three states in the winter with a friend or two. I like the frozen tundra, the icy limbs and the snowflakes floating around. I don’t like to go when the temperatures go below freezing, though. The mill buildings are really interesting and I enjoy brickwoek, along with rustic look of peeling paint. The double door up high is foe loading or some kind of function. Not a conveyor belt or a crane. . . I liked hearing you can have receptions here. Wonderful post but really, next time, no snowy or icy roads, Joanne. We want you to meet your 2016 goals. . . 🙂
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I enjoy winter hiking too – no mosquitos, the forest opens up from its summer green haze .. but like you, it starts to get too cold for me below 10F.
I avoid snowy, icy conditions when I can help it … but sometimes I take a gamble on the forecast and get it wrong
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I was just thinking I need a challenge to get my through the rest of the winter. I am going to look into this one. Great photos by the way
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I think that’s a great idea! Strike now while the idea is hot 🙂
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Glad you found the area and the Oxbow. There is apparently another sections of cut off Don river north of there but hard to get to due to the highway. Amazing what damage has been done to the river in the name of progress.
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It was really quite cold the day I walked out there, but I saw enough to know I want to go back and explore the area much, much more.
Thanks so much for pointing me in this direction! 🙂
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Glad you enjoyed it. There’s much more to explore in the valley
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I love those times when you can walk around and explore, undisturbed by any other human beings; sadly that is usually that is in the middle of winter. It looks like such a fund place to see.
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hahaha! so true … not many crowds in the winter, especially on a cold day!
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This is an intriguing place when you look over from a traffic jam on the Don Valley Parkway – thanks for getting me closer! In the recesses of my distant memory I think I attended a wedding reception here once – any sign of a restaurant? If you’re hankering for another foot of snow just travel 45 minutes north 😱
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My understanding is that these facilities can be rented for events. I don’t know if there is a restaurant inside, or whether there are just facilities to accommodating catering.
It would be a lovely location for an outdoor wedding.
I was up in the ski area north of Barrie on the weekend. It was definitely a winter wonderland with that bright full moon Saturday night. So very beautiful.
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We came very close to having a moonlight horse ride with the moon so bright on the snow but the windchill got the better of us. Are you a skier too?
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I was up that way visiting my sister who lives in the area. I’ve never been on downhill skiis – ever. I know it sounds strange for a northerner to say 🙂
A moonlight ride would have been very nice … but damn, it was cold!
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Joanne what a change from your blog posts last winter. Thank goodness for some relief. Before you know it spring will be at hand!
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… and you know I’m smiling in anticipation 🙂
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You and me both sister!
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Yay to another round of Changing Seasons! And yay to snow! 😀
This place looks gorgeous. Can’t wait to see it change.
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With this version of Changing Seasons, we don’t have to keep revisiting the same place all year.
… but I’m quite sure I’ll be back there in the spring through the fall. I’m interested in seeing what this wildflower conservation area is going to look like!!
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Yes, please at least give us wildflowers and autumn colours. 🙂
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That’s the plan! 🙂
Although I’ll be missing most of the autumn colours here this year because I’ll be in Thailand.
So sad …. 😉
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Love the browns, cream and white of the photos Joanne. It’s funny how we can pass something so often and never explore. Glad you took the opportunity to do that.
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I really liked the weathered look of the brick. I hope they never decide to ‘fix’ that 🙂
I’m slowing getting much better at stopping to really look at my environment without putting on the daily blinders. Every so often I find something that interests me 🙂
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Thanks Joanne for reminding me of an area that I’ve been meaning to check out. You’re right about Toronto having lots of great heritage sites to visit. I should make a list and start planning weekend visits.
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I’m just as guilty about not getting out to the west end of the city to explore your part of the world. Just about anything west of Spadina is a great unknown to me!
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A good outing, Joanne. I loved following you on this challenge last year, and I’m sure I’ll love it again this year!
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The challenge for me will be keeping it fresh every month 🙂
I’m not going to take such a narrow focus this year so hopefully there will be greater opportunity for variety 🙂
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I had to read this twice – I was taken aback when I read Todmorden Mill and the Don Valley. What? I asked myself, is Joanne doing in Yorkshire? And where did she find all that snow from?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Todmorden
love old buildings, as you know, and these are great. Nice to see you doing the challenge again 🙂
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Jude – be assured that I wouldn’t dream of visiting Yorkshire without including you!! 🙂
This area was heavily settled by the English and Scots. It’s not surprising that the evidence of it is everywhere as they tried to recreate home in the ‘new land’.
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Great pictures Joanne. Have you been inside in the museum?
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No, I didn’t manage to visit inside the museum … it was closed the day I visited.
I have to admit though, I’m not much of a museum person and I usually get dragged into them reluctantly.
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I haven’t been in a museum in …Gosh I don’t even know how long. But…I do art galleries.
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How lovely to have a peaceful place with nature and walking trails in the city. I like the old buildings, especially the weathered brick. It does look like you had the day to yourself there 🙂
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It really wasn’t a nice day to be out and about. The photos don’t really show that it was snowing and blowing quite a bit … then the roads got rather ugly.
I think a saner person would have stayed at home 😉
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Ah, but not you, Ms. Adventurer!
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Wonderful pictures! I was born in a former mill town – brings back melancholy memories.
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Oh – sorry they are melancholy memories. Was it during a time when the mill was being closed and people were losing their jobs?
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Todmorden in England was famous for being the borderline between the cotton mills of industrial Lancashire and the woollen mills of Yorkshire. Didn’t realise it had a Canadian twin.
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I’m getting a little bit of a history/geography lesson today!
I didn’t realize Todmorden was a mill area in England either – until today. I shouldn’t have been surprised given that the early settlers in what was then called Upper Canada were originally from England and Scotland.
So many names familiar to people from Britain can be found here.
I did a quick Wikipedia search and found that our Todmorden Mills was named by John Eastwood, one of the original brewery owners. His family had emigrated from Todmorden in England.
How interesting to now match the two together!
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It’s cool that you’ve kept those old mills and I can relate to the hibernating. If it were possible, I would have been gone for the whole winter: either sleeping my way through it, or living some place where the climate is warmer.
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Unfortunately there aren’t a lot of old interesting buildings left around Toronto so it’s a treat to rediscover one.
I’ve recently read that one of the original homes still on the mill site will be going through an interior reconstruction of how it would have been decorated in the mid-1800s. I love visiting those types of historical buildings!
Unfortunately I didn’t read a timeline on when it would happen.
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Wow, and really preserved ‘as is’. What a great piece of history!
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From what I’ve read, the original mill was built in the late 1700s but burned down. The one standing today is a replacement built around 1825.
It would appear the windows and doors have been replaced/refurbished, but it is an interesting little piece of the city’s history. I’m glad it’s been preserved.
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Oh really? From the pictures it looks like everything is old but of course, I guess some upgrading was needed.
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It is a time for hibernating. Reading, needlepoint, Netflix. I’ve spent most of the month of January indoors but did venture out yesterday when the snow was sparkling. Forgot my camera but have memories of frozen steps to Lake Huron that we’ll climb down come summer; mini ice bergs floating into shore and the sun shining on our own Chantry Island lighthouse. Thanks for sharing your post and encouraging us to share through Cardinal’s post.
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Chantry Island? Wow, you really are up near some of the most breathtakingly beautiful parts of the Bruce!
Doing a ‘changing seasons’ monthly post from your corner of the world would be really interesting!
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I love the shot of the spring – the etched contrast between the dusting of snow and the black branches and frozen water is lovely. And of course my eye is drawn to the doors, especially the upper floor door ~ I love that!
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I feel the same way about those upper doors! It makes me wonder what those doors were used for! … and of course, I want to stand in that doorway looking out 😉
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Cool – I love stuff like this! Another spot for me to check out the next time I’m in Toronto.
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My eye has always been attracted to the tall chimney in the background as I’ve driven on the DVP. Now I’m looking forward to seeing this area again when the spring flowers start to come out.
… and I probably should make a point of going inside 🙂
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Hi Joanne – history is fascinating …love the fact the River was moved for the development .. thus leaving the mill marooned. But I’m sure the Mill and its nature trails will be fabulous to see in slightly warmer weather ..
The green will return .. cheers Hilary
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When it’s the grey and drab of winter, it’s hard to remember the lush green months. I stare at photos longingly 😉
I’m looking forward to visiting again in warmer weather.
Man really does some appalling things to the environment. I wonder if we’ll ever learn?!
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Love,love the pictures, Joanne. You always share such fabulous finds. Did you go inside the museum?
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No Tess. The museum was closed when I was visiting this area.
Hopefully on my next visit to see the spring flowers, I can plan my timing better to sneak in a visit inside the museum.
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I believe I sort of got it was closed because you didn’t mention anymore, but thought I’d ask to be sure. 🙂
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I love plz e like that. Besutiful photos!
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Me too. Toronto has such a bad reputation for having destroyed so many of its heritage buildings for bigger, better, shinier.
To find a treasure like this and learn a little about the history of the area was a treat.
Isn’t it just like the arrogance of mankind though to reroute a river because it was inconveniently located for a desired highway?
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The history of The Army Corp of Engineers moving the Mississippi around is fascinating in that regard. They eventually caused more problems than they solved.
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Man really has a troublesome record with interfering with the environment.
A few years ago I learned that a couple of our neighbours were having trouble with flooding in their basements.
An original home owner on our street told me that there used to be a creek running through this neighbourhood.
The creek was buried – to accommodate more homes – but still runs underground.
Our neighbour’s house was built on what used to be that creek. When there are very heavy rains, that underground creek swells and can overflow causing my neighbour’s basement to get wet.
I have a couple of issues here.
1) think of how prettier this neighbourhood could have been with a little creek and green space maintained as nature intended
2) if you bought a house, wouldn’t you like to know if it was built on an underground creek … or landfill … or whatever other crap developers can come up with?!
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My parents house was built over a creek, along with 10 other houses. All 11 basements subsided costing thousands of dollars in repairs (in the 80s). The houses were already 30 years old so “no one was responsible”
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hmmm – that’s interesting. This neighbourhood was built in the 70s and this problem has only started in the last couple of years.
It appears there is a life span to a house building over creek before the creek starts to fight back.
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Lovely pictures. Although I’m happy not to live in snow country I realize that I’m missing some wonderful photo opportunities. The peacefulness of snow on the trees and the ground is so inviting. Good to get out of ones cocoon once in awhile.
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The problem with snow (actually there are many, but let’s pretend otherwise) is that it’s pretty for only a very short period of time … emphasis on *very short*.
Can you tell I’m not a huge fan of snow? 😉
I guess what strikes me the most is how bleakly grey and barren everything looks. It suggests I need to go back into my cocoon 😉
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Beautiful photos from your expedition! Now you can relax and enjoy your cocoon 🙂
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You know what it’s like though … once comfortable in the cocoon, it’s really hard to leave it!!
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I know it too well. It costs me enormous effort to get out of the cocoon that is my bed, and I tend to starve rather than to go out shopping. (Well, I exaggerate just a little…)
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