Toronto's ravines: a bit of forest in the city

Here in Toronto we are lucky to have wild forested ravines all over the city. This is a small ravine in East York. Looking at the photo, it's hard to believe that this is in the largest city in Canada.

The setting sun makes the forest glow. Almost all of the snow has melted!

Although it is below freezing, the brook is flowing. I didn't see any fish, and I don't know if there will be any. We had a little brook similar to this one on our property in eastern Ontario when I was growing up. In the spring it was so thick with fish I could reach in and pick up a handful (I did this only once, gently, and put them back right away). I looked up the pretty little fish and learned that they were common mud minnows, a disappointing name for such dainty animals making such a miraculous scene in spring.

I had my eyes open for garlic mustard, but I didn't see any. I'm going to go back each week to check.