All good things must come to an end, and so today we bring my series on the Tulip Festival to a close, more than a month after I started. Walking east of the Museum of History, here at the entrance to Jacques Cartier Park in Gatineau, an oversized sculpture of the late Montreal Canadiens player Maurice "Rocket" Richard always greets the visitor. Seeing it reminds me of the late Birdman, a die hard Boston Bruins fan who'd commented on the Rocket when I featured him in a couple of previous posts. During the festival the Rocket has tulips behind him.
Coming down into the park itself, one finds large tulip beds overlooking the Ottawa River, with the Alexandria Bridge, the spires of Parliament Hill, and the curves of the museum in the background of these shots. Canada geese were strolling around on the lawn while I was there. In winter, of course, this park is one of the epicentres for Winterlude, turned into a snowy playground. What a difference a few months make.
I hope you've enjoyed the series, and haven't overdosed on tulip colours.
I love the Maurice Richard sculpture. More gorgeous flowers!
ReplyDeleteHow could anyone overdose on tulips this beautiful? I so enjoy "visiting" Ottawa at this time of year!
ReplyDelete(For the record: I still miss Birdman. He had some superb posts and made some fine and interesting observations.)
Your penultimate pic really touched me!
ReplyDeleteMaurice Richard makes me think of the old Montreal and Boston hockey rivalry. Awesome tulip photos!
ReplyDeleteI like the beautiful sculpture, and obviously the tulips too !
ReplyDelete@Linda: it is a big sculpture too... all of its weight has to rest on one skate and the hockey stick.
ReplyDelete@Kay: Birdman was one of a kind.
@Cloudia: thank you!
@Bill: that rivalry is still strong!
@Karl: thanks!
Perfect timing with the closing of the tulip festival photos and the Maurice Richard statue as hockey came to a close last night, too. Good job, Pittsburg Penguins.
ReplyDeleteJanis
GDP
Wonderful statue of that hockey player.
ReplyDeleteTalking about tulips, the pink ones are my favorites today.
neat statue. love the fields of blooms. so pretty!! ( ;
ReplyDeleteYour whole city must be aglow in color during the tulip festival. Gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteI've enjoyed your tulip series as you've always put the tulips in something or by something. Today, you have my favorite bridge in the background again. When I saw the statue I thought yeh Gordie Howe. I hope there is a statue of Gordie Howe in the Ottawa area.
ReplyDelete@Janis: and with Gordie Howe's death on the weekend, all the more fitting.
ReplyDelete@Jan: they are a pretty sight.
@Beth: the tulips have been a joy to present.
@Sharon: it really is, yes.
@Red: as far as I know, there's no such statue, but he'd definitely deserve one.
Sorry to see those tulips go. The close-up of the pink and white ones is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI must come over one year for the tulip festival
ReplyDeleteSuch great pictures of colorful tulips! I can never get overdosed on them :-)
ReplyDeleteTulips are never boring :)
ReplyDeleteohhhhh all those colors! i can't get enough!
ReplyDeleteI've loved the series!
ReplyDeleteI miss Birdman too.
I've enjoyed your tulips very much...and I like the sculpture. Birdman was a friend. We talked several times of getting together when he came to Florida in the winter but never managed to do so, much to my sorrow.
ReplyDelete@Pat: I have a whole other series starting up in a couple of days. Almost feels this time of year like all I'm doing are series!
ReplyDelete@Mo: it is well worth the visit.
@Tamago: I have enjoyed showing them.
@Marleen: they certainly are not.
@Tanya: thank you!
@RedPat: he is missed by many.
@Lowell: between his passing and EG and her husband earlier this year, both were shocks.
I too have enjoyed the tulips, there are so many different colors. I remember seeing Birdman's comments out in blog land....I had no idea he had passed.
ReplyDeleteNo problem. It's just now I'll be going through tulip withdrawal. :-)
ReplyDeleteSad to see the tulips go, but I certainly enjoyed it. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteLoved that touch of yellow in all the pink.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness. Clearly I need to be where you are at this time of year. I have to go back and see all these posts. Thanks for letting me know.
ReplyDelete@Janey: it seemed an appropriate time to mention it.
ReplyDelete@Revrunner: I do have spring blossoms tomorrow as compensation!
@Lois: you're welcome.
@Mari: thanks!
@Sherry: enjoy looking about. It is a big festival each May, and a good legacy of World War Two.
Simply gorgeous floral photos. I remember Richard, though. My teens were in the 60s, when the NHL had six teams. I was in NYC and one of my friends had an uncle who ran the manual scoreboard in the old Madison Square Garden. He gave us employee passes which we could use to get in for standing room. Les Habitantes were the class of the league.
ReplyDeleteRocket was one heckuva hockey player. I was also a Bruins fan growing up, when the Bruins were awful and Montreal was league champion year after year, led by Richard.
ReplyDeleteHow long does it take to get ready for the Tulip Festival?
ReplyDeleteAll things do end at some point, but then some will return again, like the tulips.
ReplyDeleteFab perspective in the first shot William, must admit there are certain things that make me think about Birdman also. Never tire of the gorgeous tulips, it'll only be a few months before I start with the tulips at Araluen.
ReplyDeleteThose pink with the white, just lovely.
ReplyDelete@Bob: and he was one of their best, if not their best, players in history.
ReplyDelete@Jack: Bruins fans hated him.
@Norma: the preparations already take place in October when they start planting the bulbs, but realistically, there are offices for the festival that are operating year round.
@Beatrice: that's true.
@Grace: thank you!
@Whisk: thanks!