Sunday, January 1, 2017

City Daily Photo Theme Day: Best Of The Year

Welcome to 2017 and Happy New Year! As always, members of City Daily Photo start the New Year with a look back at their best or favourite shots of the past year. You can see how other members are interpreting this theme here.

I'm starting with a view of Parliament Hill's Centre Block, taken a day after a major snowfall dumped half a metre of snow on the national capital region. It seems fitting to start with this iconic architecture, as 2017 marks the 150th anniversary of Canada's confederation.


Winterlude is a major festival held in February here, including ice and snow carvings, skating on the Rideau Canal, and many more activities. This was my favourite ice carving, placed in one of the focal points of the festival, Confederation Park.


The Tulip Festival is another festival held in May in both Ottawa and Gatineau, on the Quebec side of the Ottawa River. The festival is a legacy of the aftermath of World War Two, growing out of the thanks of the Dutch people to Canada for liberation. In this shot from Jacques Cartier Park in Gatineau, the tulips in the foreground appear bright, with the river and the Alexandra Bridge in the background.


Tulips have also been a staple in the flowerbeds on Parliament Hill during the festival, and of the photos I took here this time out, this one with two people relaxing before the tulips particularly caught my attention.


Commissioners Park at Dow's Lake, a part of the Rideau Canal, is one of the biggest sites for the festival. One of the beds there featured this new kind of tulip that made its debut this year- the Canada 150 tulip, a white and red beauty that has since been made available across the country for gardeners to have planted in the fall, so that they'll be blooming this year for the anniversary. 


Around the beginning of August each year, Sparks Street downtown hosts a busker festival that I love to attend. It draws in buskers from around the world, such as Bendy Em, a contortionist based out of Australia whose act culminates in fitting every bit of her into a small clear box. 


September brought a solemn occasion. There is a national service of remembrance each year commemorating the fallen at the national firefighters memorial near this location, which is called the Garden Of The Provinces. I attended the ceremony this year, and met a fellow blogger for the first time, Stewart, who blogs under the name Furry Gnome. He and his family were attending, as their son William's name was among those new names added to the 1300 Canadian firefighters who have since the earliest days of the country given their lives in the line of duty. This shot, taken before the service, with bagpipers in the open space and Christ Church Cathedral in the background, really stood out to me.


Not too long afterward, one day I happened to come across this immature peregrine falcon perched on a fence at the bus station downtown. He was quite an impressive looking fellow.


I finish with this autumn shot of a bench, taken on an October visit to Rideau Hall in New Edinburgh. The manor and its grounds are home to Canada's Governor General, and are open to visitors- a visit well worth making.

33 comments:

  1. That is a majestic building in the 1st photo! Lovely tulips flowers! Happy new year!

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  2. A Happy and healthy New Year, William!
    The first photo and the shot of the falcon are my favorites in your 2016 collection.

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  3. Gorgeous photos !
    Happy New Year, William !

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  4. Happy new Year. And thx for sharing your photos.

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  5. Happy New Year. I look forward to your 2017 photos,

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  6. Happy New Year William. Yes, I remember some of these. I see hawks regularly here in Marin. It is always a thrill! Thanks for a wonderful year of your photos and your kindness

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  7. Such a nice array of the many faces of Ottawa!

    Happy New Year 2017!

    Janis
    Greensboro Daily Photo

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  8. I see why you included so many. It would be difficult to pick just one though I think I'm partial to the tulip pictures.

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  9. Lovely picks, William! I do love those ice sculptures! Happy New Year to you. :)

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  10. The ice sculptures were beautiful.

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  11. @Devilish Angel: thank you.

    @Nancy: there was a lot of activity there last night to ring in the New Year.

    @Jan: thanks!

    @Karl: thank you.

    @Marianne: and to you.

    @Denton: you're welcome.

    @Red: I look forward to showing them.

    @Cloudia: it was such a surprise to see that bird.

    @Janis: thank you!

    @Sharon: thanks.

    @Catalyst: it is a treat seeing those tulips.

    @Linda: it won't be long before this year's ice sculptures are in play.

    @Marleen: I agree.

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  12. The pink Tulips are special---I think.
    MB

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  13. the 1st shot is gorgeous!! what a beauty!! love the tulip blooms. so so pretty!! happy spring times. ( ;

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  14. The ice sculpture or tulips get my vote!

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  15. What a lovely variety of photos you shared with us today! The ice sculpture is amazing and the tulips are exquisite. My favorite flower!
    Happy New Year to you, William! Thank you for visiting my blog so frequently throughout the year. I do appreciate your comments.

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  16. This is a good selection, all among your best, though I remember many more that should rank up there, too. You and your camera had a good year! Happy New Year, William!

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  17. Excellent selection of shots here, it really is difficult to choose just one ☺ Wishing you much health and happiness for the coming year William, looking forward to lots of wintery images to keep me cool through our hot summer ☺

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  18. I have to say the park bench speaks to me, but the Town Hall isn't bad either! Have a wonderful 2017, William, and thank you for your fidelity to my blogs.

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  19. Happy New Year to you too.
    If I were to choose one of your posted photos I like the first one and the bgapipers shot.

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  20. Fascinating series of photos from 2016. Still love your Winterlude photo and the first photo captures wonderful winter grandeur. Happiest New Year to you.

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  21. @MB: they are.

    @Beth: I look forward to seeing the tulips again.

    @Norma: I assumed so!

    @Susie: thank you.

    @Kay: it was hard to choose!

    @Grace: lots of wintery things to come- including stuff I've photographed for theme days this year that are still months away.

    @LDP: thank you!

    @MDP: those pipers really stood out.

    @Gemma: thanks!

    @Jennifer: I agree.

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  22. Belated Happy New Year to you, William, and thanks for the look back in photos.

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  23. Beautiful, beautiful. The first is my favorite! Happy New Year and thank you for you many generous comments throughout 2016!

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  24. You have had a very nice year, I can see.
    Happy this year.

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