Ends And Odds

A note to members of City Daily Photo that the theme for the first of December is Transportation. 

I was at Lansdowne Park on the first Sunday in October. This shot is taken from the stadium's Gate 3, taking in the Aberdeen Pavilion at right. The building is now shuttered for rehabilitation work on the roof. The tents in the distance are that of the main farmer's market, which has now moved indoors for the winter in the nearby Horticulture Building. The skies looked ominous, but nothing came of it.

The reason I was here? The Panda Game is an annual October tradition, a football game between crosstown rivals Carleton University and the University of Ottawa. The game is always a sell out, and the lines long, but the stadium management has got things organized pretty well, and the security team at this gate kept things moving.

I tend to walk around a bit during sporting events and take photographs. This looks towards the South Stands.

While this looks at the North Stands. When the new event center is finished (it's being built on the east perimeter of the stadium) in the fall of 2028, the North Stands will be torn down and rebuilt in a tiered structure taking up less room. At present, the arena is still beneath it, and the building itself is nearing the end of its life. The South Stands, on the other hand, is a bit more than a decade old.

The game ended, with a narrow victory for Ottawa U, and the spectators got out onto the field. It was a fun game.

While walking downtown one morning, I came across several crows. I stopped to photograph this one, and said hello.

On another morning close to home, that sweet cat I often see. These are the last photos of her for the year, as she stays indoors through the winter.

I don't usually photograph garbage bins, but this squirrel coming out of one with a bite to eat made me smile.

The stadium at Lansdowne Park has for the last few years hosted a game or two of international rugby each year. This year one game was held in October, between the Canadian and English women's teams. I attended, and thoroughly enjoyed it. Rugby is an intensely physical game- at one point, one of the Canadian players got up off the turf, with swelling already visible around one eye. Who knows how bad that black eye would have turned out to be.

On Hallowe'en day, the Horticulture Building at Lansdowne hosted a Day Of The Dead event. The Mexican holiday, normally held at the beginning of November, is big. Here this costume drew my eye, particularly that hat.

On stage, there were dancers.

Odds And Ends

 I have some odds and ends today from recent weeks. One evening in late September I was walking home through the Glebe, with the last light of day fading. The streets in the north end of the neighbourhood tend to be not well lit, but I've never minded.

Close to home, this cat I photograph from time to time was sitting outside her home.

I took this shot outside my building, looking at the Moon.

On another night in the Glebe, I took these two shots of the Moon, which had an interesting visual effect.

I was passing through the Rideau Centre on the night of the 200th anniversary party for the city. The stores of course were closed, but as I passed by the Lego store, I took this photo of one of the front displays.

There is a set of three condo buildings occupying the better part of a block downtown, with two of them completed and the third heading that way. I've photographed them before, but now they have a water feature out front.

The last day of September is the National Day For Truth and Reconciliation, a Canadian day of remembrance for the survivors and victims of the residential school program, which did so much damage for over a century to Indigenous peoples. This is the Survivors Flag, which was on display in the main lobby of the War Museum when I stopped by for lunch.

Later that day, I was passing by the National War Memorial when I noticed these rabbits on the grounds.

I finish today with the same cat who lives near my place on an early October evening. We'll see her again in tomorrow's post.

If Ye Break Faith

 "At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them." ~ Laurence Binyon

The National War Memorial occupies the heart of Confederation Square, and today will host the national services marking the ending of the First World War, and commemorating those who fought and died in military service. The Memorial was a response to the Great War, dedicated months before the Second World War, and since rededicated to all who have died in military service for the country. It is a beautiful, haunting monument, and particularly striking on a clear fall day.

I went around the perimeter, featuring fall colours with glimpses of the Memorial as I went.

There are military sentries from April into November. Members of each branch of service will be here, rotating for a few days, with a couple of hour long shifts a day before the next pair come up to relieve them.

At the base of the Memorial is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. It contains the final remains of a Canadian soldier who died at the Battle of Vimy Ridge in World War One. This memorial is sacred ground.

Autumn Splendour

 My path on this day took me back to the area around Confederation Square, the very heart of the city. Trees were in fall colour mode on the grounds of the National Arts Centre, while Canada geese had lunch in the grass.

I continued on my way. At one side of the NAC, below a wall with changing leaf colours, is a larger than life statue of the great Canadian jazz composer and pianist, Oscar Peterson. His music plays from speakers up on the wall.

I headed down to Confederation Park, where this fountain was on.

The park has a number of monuments, and the oldest and newest stand together.

The newest is for animals in war, characterized by a life sized German shepherd, with three accompanying plaques. Beside it is the oldest- a cenotaph commemorating local veterans of the South African War.

It was a nice day to be out and about.

The largest monument here is at the west end, facing the Lord Elgin Hotel across the street. The National Aboriginal Veterans Monument is dedicated to indigenous warriors from across the country's history. On top of a large stone are four warriors, with a wolf, elk, bison, and bear around them, and an eagle at the top.

Tomorrow we'll wrap up the fall series, going back up the street to the heart of Confederation Square- the National War Memorial, just in time for Remembrance Day.