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On Weekends The Tower Cranes Stand Silent.

During the week, there’s a flurry of construction activity underway in Toronto’s West Don Lands. Tower cranes are a common fixture here as they’ve been throughout Toronto since the condo construction boom began a few years ago. Signs of change in this neighbourhood are now becoming apparent. It’s an interesting area to explore on weekends. ^ Photos by John Zeus

2:30pm Saturday February 23, 2013 | Bloor-Yorkville, Toronto Ontario, Canada

Strolling down Cumberland Avenue…

…on a beautiful Toronto wintry February afternoon looking at the process of making ice sculptures at Bloor-Yorkville’s Icefest. It was fun! Packed with guests, and hard to get good shots.

This year’s theme was “Wonderful and Whimsical” and took guests on a journey through a magical enchanted garden. IceFest transformed Bloor-Yorkville into a wonderland with fantastical sculptures including whimsical winged fairies, charming and adorable gnomes, oversized butterflies, magical flowers, trees and plants carved from 35,000 lbs. of ice.

The downtown Toronto neighbourhood just sparkled with excitement as Bloor-Yorkville IceFest introduced whimsy and warmed some of our hearts during this chilly winter. ^

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Photos by John Zeus | Tamworth piglets at play. Photographed at Murray’s Farm in Cambridge On.

Have you seen the little piggies, Crawling in the dirt…THE BEATLES

The difference between involvement and commitment is like ham and eggs. The chicken is involved; the pig is committed. – Martina Navratilova

I learned long ago, never to wrestle with a pig. You get dirty, and besides, the pig likes it. -George Bernard Shaw

Primate and elephant and even pig societies show considerable evidence of care for others, parent-child bonding, solidarity in the face of danger, and so on. – Christopher Hitchens

Tamworth Pig
The Tamworth is a breed of domestic pig originating in Kettlebaston, United Kingdom, with input from Irish pigs. Wikipedia

Toronto Ontario, Riverdale Neighbourhood | 10:30am – Thursday January 31, 2012 | Shot using a Samsung Galaxy SIII

December 20th, 2000 | Oia, Santorini Island, Greece.

In December of 2000, I embarked on a journey to build a shrine on a cliff edge on Santorini Island (ancient Thira) over the caldera of an ancient underwater volcano.

My pilgrimage to Ancient Thira, a.k.a. Santorini started with a dream inspired by an angel…

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Music Tie-in, listen to: Stairway To Heaven.mp3 – Led Zepplin

December 2000, building my shrine overlooking the caldera of an ancient volcano. Location: outside Oia village, on a remote hiking trail northern tip of Santorini Island.

I constructed the shrine out of tin, glass and ceramic tiles and painted it. Inside there’s an alter made of volcanic rocks, an icon of the Old Testament Archangel Uriel, an oil lamp, matches, olive oil, personal keepsakes. It is cemented to a boulder at cliff edge. The caldera is in the distance. The sea below me is very deep almost bottomless, the crater created by the eruption.

Uriel’s shrine cemented to boulder on cliff edge.

Lighting the oil lamp one last time before I leave the island. — at Santorini Island, Greece.

The shrine was visited by my friend Jennifer in 2007: This is how it looked after years of exposure to the sun, rain, wind and saltine air. Haven’t been back to the island since i built the shrine. According to Jennifer it has become a popular stop along a remote hiking trail. Hikers have been maintaining it, writing their names on the rocks, making offerings and leaving possessions. I don’t know when I’ll get back there again. if you are interested in lighting the oil lamp for me let me know. I’ll send you a map and instructions. I buried something special to me under the rocks.

December 2000 | The last eruption in Santorini was the largest in the ancient world. In legend It buried Atlantis which is suppose to be underneath me in this photo. Volcanologists predicted another eruption around 2000 that will sink the island. It didn’t happen.

AEGEAN SEA

A reproduction on wood of this Icon is in the shrine. The inscription reads Archangel Uriel written in Byzantine script. More on: Uriel – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I found an Iconographer Greek Orthodox Monk in Athens. Told him my story and what I saw in my dream. He painted this image of Uriel in traditional Byzantine style on wood.

The Book of Enoch describes Uriel as one of seven archangels who preside over the world. “One of the holy angels, who is over the world… the leader of them all.”

Two of many dogs that call Oia home without belonging to anyone in particular.

After The Winter Solstice | Southwestern Ontario, Canada

Frozen yet beautiful the wonder of winter grips the land.
I left the sullen mood of the city behind to spend the last days of the year on the farm. After the winter solstice you feel the sun’s life energy slowly returning as the days begin to grow longer.

Neighbouring Barn – Southwestern Ontario

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This building on the property used to be a church built back in the 1800’s.

John Zeus on a farm walkabout.

Murray’s Farm

Nasty Pants – He’s an Old English Red Cap

Brown Swiss – Murray’s Farm

Nasty Pants – He’s an Old English Red Cap

Zhor – Jersey Calf

• Related Post: The Heritage Farm – Sustainable Living…
• Related Video on the pigs: Mama & Piglets on Walkabout.

Blow Me Down, Come-By-Chance, Pothead, Dildo….

In all of it’s Awesomeness, Newfoundland has some of the strangest place names on the planet.

Cupids,
Conception Bay,
Cow Head,
Heart’s Desire,
Heart’s Content,
Nick’s Nose Cove,
Whitless Bay,
Square Islands.

“Newfoundland, rugged and beautiful even through the rear view mirror of my car.”

Location: Island of Newfoundland
“The Rock”
Province of Newfoundland and Labrador

Photography/Author: John Zeus

12:30 Pm | Thursday December 13, 2012, Montréal, Québec.

A five hour train ride brought me to the centre of Montréal for a meeting with colleagues on wiki collaboration. It was a sunny and cold autumn day, perfect for a short walk to take notice of the joie de vivre atmosphere of this beautiful city.

4:30 Pm | Thursday December 13, 2012, Montréal, Québec.

A short walk back to the train station ending my day in Montréal.