The first day of the month is a theme day for members of City Daily Photo, and for February, the theme is Loving Life. You can take a look at other interpretations here. I decided early on that the ideal subject for this theme would be something many people love to do here in Ottawa during the winter- skating on the Rideau Canal as it winds through the city core. This view from earlier this month looks east from the Bank Street Bridge.
This view, later that same day, looks south from the Mackenzie King Bridge downtown.
There is a skating rink at Ottawa City Hall, near the Canal, that has skaters to be found most times of the day. It has the backdrop of the Hall and the provincial courthouse- as well as a handy Beavertails hut right off the rink if you're feeling peckish. I took these on a more typical grey day.
These shots are from the Canal again, taken yesterday, at the Pretoria Bridge. The couple walking hand in hand along the ice surface seemed to fit the theme.
I finish, admittedly, on a more somber note, but perhaps a reminder to love life, because you never know when your time is up. I also took this shot yesterday, on Parliament Hill; this flagpole stands to the east of Centre Block. Flags are now flying at half mast in the city after six men were killed and others were injured by a lone gunman while praying at a mosque in Quebec City on Sunday.
Beautiful winter shots, William! I remember fondly the few times I went to skate on the Rideau Canal...when I was in my teens, and then when I was in my 20's. :)
ReplyDeleteIce skating through your city must feel so freeing. A wonderful reprieve from so much else that is darkness.
ReplyDeleteLove the ease of movement when the skaters glide over the ice. Many many years ago I had to travel a long way in Sydney to skate on a special skating rink. But it was worth the effort. I loved it.
ReplyDeleteIce makes people happy, young and old!
ReplyDeleteO Inverno em toda a sua beleza.
ReplyDeleteUm abraço e bom Fevereiro.
Andarilhar || Dedais de Francisco e Idalisa || Livros-Autografados
Thank you for remembering the men killed in Quebec City on Sunday.
ReplyDeleteJanis
GDP
I love these views, William !
ReplyDeleteWonderful entry for this theme day!
so much going on in this world. sad times. makes me speechless. so shocking and confusing?
ReplyDeletei enjoy your ice skating shots. ( :
@Linda: it is a wonderful ice surface.
ReplyDelete@ODP: I imagine so; I can't skate!
@Gemma: many people enjoy it.
@Marianne: it does.
@Francisco: thanks!
@Janis: you're welcome. It was a shock to hear the news.
@Karl: thank you.
@Beth: it seems a darker place now.
Excellent images...but ice makes me want to hibernate!
ReplyDeleteQue imagens fabulosas!!!!
ReplyDeleteA neve é maravilhosa mas pra mim é só pra admirar mesmo
Um abraço
Wonderful winter views, William.
ReplyDeleteI love to watch people skate and wish that I could also skate like them so gracefully and with ease.
ReplyDeleteThese lovely photos remind me of my childhood, skating on ponds and rinks in Minnesota. Nowadays, however, I prefer walking golf courses surrounded by warm breezes.
ReplyDeleteThose people out in the cold on the ice are surely loving life. Thanks for the reminder of the needless loss of life. There is just way too much ridiculous hatred these days.
ReplyDeletePhotos of skaters on the Rideau is very Ottawa. I'm glad to see some skaters wearing helmets. It's very sad that 6 men were innocent men were killed by someone who was full of hate.
ReplyDelete@Norma: cold is a good thing!
ReplyDelete@Gracita: thank you!
@Marleen: thanks!
@Nancy: I can't skate at all, which is odd in a country with so many hockey fans.
@Lowell: give me the cold any day!
@Sharon: I pondered just featuring that at my Facebook page, as I did with a shot of Centre Block, but then felt it suited the theme.
@Red: it's had a lot of people upset.
Such a horrid event. There is much we can do. My friend, near Toronto, visited a mosque to pay her condolences.
ReplyDeleteTwo sides of every coin indeed
ReplyDeleteLoving Life. Fantastic!
ReplyDeleteWe must all remember to love life and each other.
ReplyDeleteI would so love to skate on an iced-over river! So sad for the people who were killed.
ReplyDeleteGreat theme day shots.
ReplyDeleteSydney – City and Suburbs
Always love to see these images of people skating on the canal. Alas! Our winter has been too warm for the C&O to freeze over.
ReplyDelete@Jennifer: it's had me feeling uneasy the last couple of days since hearing the news. A place of prayer should never see this.
ReplyDelete@Gerald: very much so.
@Whisk: thanks!
@RedPat: we must.
@LDP: a lot of people come here for the skating experience.
@Jim: thank you!
@Revrunner: here the Canal does depend on the weather. It was closed for a few days because of a warm spell, and only opened up a good stretch yesterday.
Wonderful photos for the theme and a reminder to always love life because you don't know what is going to happen.
ReplyDeleteI do not understand people enjoying winter. Great photography and the flag at half mast is appropriate.
ReplyDeleteYour last photo is an apt reminder to love each day as it comes.
ReplyDeleteSuch a unique thing to do in Ottawa!
ReplyDeleteI know I have said it many times, but the Rideau Canal is such a wonderful amenity for living in Ottawa. Love these images, which are excellent illustrations of loving life in Ottawa. (So sad to see the nonviolent country of Canada having to deal with a mass murder, the way my own unfortunate country has had to do so often.)
ReplyDeleteThe only ice skating here in Saudi Arabia is at a mall with an indoor ice skating rink! I also appreciate you sharing the last photo of the flag at half mast in honor of those who were killed recently as they worshiped. Senseless violence haunts us all.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great choice for the theme! I think I'd love doing that too if I lived there. I used to love ice skating but haven't done that in ages - wonder if I'd still know how? I suppose it's like riding a bike, you never really forget?
ReplyDeleteI wonder why people would use the skating rink rather than go on the canal. Also do you have to pay to use the skating rink?
@Bill: thank you.
ReplyDelete@Mari: locals here seem to think since you can't beat winter, you might as well enjoy it.
@Kay: very true after this week.
@Furry Gnome: and so many people love to come out on the ice.
@Jack: it's wonderful in every season, but particularly so in winter. As to mass murder, it's such a rarity here, and this one is particularly shocking.
@Susie: this one certainly does. I think it speaks volumes of our way of life that our leaders- most of them, anyway- have risen to the occasion with this. There are ugly elements in our country, which unfortunately we see online, but most of us are better than that.
@Nathalie: I imagine it's something you never forget. The rink's free, and open from early in the morning until late in the evening. I think people take to it, regardless of how close it is to the Canal, because it's more reliable. It opens in early December and goes into March. The Canal can be subject to what the weather does and can end up closed down for a few days because of a warm up, but the rink stays open, and is used a lot. We have other outdoor rinks across the city, often in parks. And then there are arena rinks.
I can see why you love Winter so much William, I feel so deprived when I see wonderful images like this 😊
ReplyDeleteI always enjoy seeing your pictures of the skaters on the canal. Perfect choice for the theme!
ReplyDeleteNice winter shots. The flag at half-mast is a sad reminder of man's inhumanity against man.
ReplyDeleteI'm always amazed when I see people ice skating on this river.
ReplyDeleteVery nice photos William.
It's wonderful, you can skate on the river middle the city !!
ReplyDeleteAlways love to see the skaters, as you know.
ReplyDeleteOverhere we have spring like temperatures at the moment, but we seem to get some winter again too in the next week.
I love skating, although I haven't gone skating for quite a few years now. Skating along the Rideau is something I've always wanted to do. You got some nice shots of everyone enjoying their time on the canal.
ReplyDeleteThe flags in our town have been at half mast this past week too. Such a selfish act by one person who has recklessly ruined the lives of these innocent men.
Wendy
@Grace: it is the best season!
ReplyDelete@Lois: now, if only I could skate!
@Linda: there are times it seems we're being dragged backwards.
@Pat: I find myself wondering what Colonel By and the builders who worked for him would have thought of skating on their Canal.
@Orvokki: and so many people do.
@Jan: it's staying consistently cold here, and we have snow today. Lots of people are out today for Winterlude events.
@Wendy: I think every Canadian should come here to see Winterlude once in their lives. I'm lucky to live here, so I get to take in a lot of different things.