"Far from the madding crowd's ignoble strife
Their sober wishes never learn'd to stray;
Along the cool sequester'd vale of life
They kept the noiseless tenor of their way."
- Thomas Gray - Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard
it was a beautiful day today in toronto with 13 degrees, slight breeze and a bit of haze, remnants of the fog from earlier in the morning. i took the ferry to the islands at lunchtime. i haven't seen the islands since 1989 except last year but it was in the evening and stark dark so that doesn't count. :-)
i was supposed to catch the ferry back to the mainland/downtown but i missed it. i don't think i ever ran so hard in my life and i just missed the ferry by a hair. the next ferry going back was at 3:45 so i had to call my boss to let him know that i was stranded on the islands. i was so hungry because my original plan was to pick up something on the way back to eat at my desk. but there was one restaurant, called 'the rectory cafe', that was open and i had a large bowl of hot squash soup and a grilled mozarella cheese marinated in lemon and served over a bed of baby greens, cost me $30 with the tip. but i enjoyed them both. after a while the waiter shooed me telling me i better start walking or i will miss another ferry.
i could've stayed and watched the sunset which promised yet again to be phenomenal. but i'm really loaded with work at the office i went back with much regret.
i saw this boat on the way in and got so taken by it. as soon as i took this shot, thomas hardy's classic novel 'far from the madding crowd' came to mind and the verse from thomas gray's elegy/poem just wouldn't leave the grey matter.
What an adventure! I wonder if you really did run your hardest to catch that ferry? Not a bad place to be stranded... You know you could have taken a taxi back... Would have been cheaper than your lunch.. Ha ha. Love the picture it really fits the poem
@salza - yes, it's quite nice, also maybe because there were not a lot of people. in the summer, that ferry boat is bursting to the brim. thank you, sally.
@claireuk - double thank you, claire. you're so kind.
@jannkc - it is, isn't it? where's that boy anyway? thank you, jann.
@roth - taxi? how come no one told me i could take a taxi back? because i would've if i knew but i didn't so i didn't. :-D i did run and i wanted to go back. i figured i was just going to be late for about 10 minutes because i had left late for lunch. but at the same time i also was thankful i got to stay for a bit and discovered that nice restaurant! thank you, sue.
Love this shot - tones and view! I bet you did run like the wind.! LOL I haven't even been on the island in at least 2 decades. Really need to spend some time 'in' Toronto with my camera. Just can't find a moment. Ick!
@northy - yes. haven't been there since 89 or 90. it's quite pretty there, especially with the beautiful weather last thursday. the ontario 365 coalition should definitely have an excursion there in the near future. thank you, northy.
@russianblue - thank you, kass. worth going there. i definitely would go back during the Christmas holidays when i have my days off. lots of wonderful photo opps!
@cscecil - quite an adventure. thank you, CS.
@bkbinthecity - true and i so wanted to just stay, but it's united way week at the office and i have a lot of tasks to do. but...thank you, brian.
@eryck - thank you, eryck.
@tinmaddog - thank you.
@jannkc - it is, isn't it? where's that boy anyway? thank you, jann.
@roth - taxi? how come no one told me i could take a taxi back? because i would've if i knew but i didn't so i didn't. :-D i did run and i wanted to go back. i figured i was just going to be late for about 10 minutes because i had left late for lunch. but at the same time i also was thankful i got to stay for a bit and discovered that nice restaurant! thank you, sue.
@henrir - yes, and it yielded some nice photos, too. thank you, henri. i'll make my way to your album perhaps during the weekend.
@anazad511 - thank you, ana. it is beautiful!