Twilight Has Descended Upon The Old Year

It has been my habit to post sunsets on the final day of each year, and so is the case for this New Year's Eve. My first two shots were taken on the same evening, September 22nd, the first day of fall here in the northern hemisphere. I saw the setting sun over the Rideau River at Billings Bridge in this first shot- it was just descending at the horizon when I got this first shot. Two fishermen were out in a shallow part of the river, no doubt in hip waders.

A few minutes later, I'd walked up to cross the Bank Street Bridge over the Rideau Canal to the north, and caught this twilight view.

These two date from the same day in early October, first with the sun set at Central Park in the Glebe.

Later, this was the twilight view looking west from the Garden Of The Provinces And Territories downtown.

I took these two on the same evening in October, coming up along the Ottawa River near the War Museum for this sunset shot before heading off to an event nearby.

The event in question was Miwate, an illumination of the Chaudiere Falls in the midst of the river. This was the final view of twilight while waiting to go in.

This is a view from the Bank Street Bridge over the Canal in late October.

While this one was done in early November.

I took this at the National War Memorial on the evening of November 11th, Remembrance Day, after placing my poppy on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Early in the month when I was in Barrhaven, I was in a shopping area at dusk and took this view looking west. An airplane can be seen at the right on final descent; the airport is east of Barrhaven.

My final sunset shot was taken a few days ago. I headed behind Centre Block on Parliament Hill to take a western view at dusk over the Ottawa River. The dying light of day looked lovely in the frigid conditions as the river continued the process of freezing over. Happy New Year!

Winter Falls On The Canadian Landscape

Here we have the rest of the multimedia winter show on Parliament Hill. Check out the video I made of the show here. This year might be the last of these for awhile, with Centre Block due to go under renovation work for several years starting next year. I have no idea if this show will be projected onto a neighbouring block, or perhaps onto the scaffolding itself. It is likely that the summer show might still run in 2018, as the building is not due to be closed off until the fall.

I finish with a view off to the side of Centre Block taken a few minutes afterwards, when I'd gone up the steps and was closer to the building as the lights fell across it. This also ends the Christmas series for the year, as I have something else in mind for tomorrow, the final day of 2017.

A Winter Display On Parliament Hill

One of the holiday highlights each year has been a projection show done on Centre Block on Parliament Hill. In the evenings from early December into early January, a winter themed light show lasting for the better part of a quarter hour is projected onto the stone of the heart of our Parliamentary district, repeating afterwards over the course of several hours. This is a winter version of the Northern Lights show that happens in the summers here. I captured the event a few nights ago on a relatively mild evening (after trying it a couple of nights earlier when it was bitterly cold, too much so for photography). The show features a wolf, polar bear, and snowman set to music as they explore the landscape. I have more of this tomorrow.

Lighting Up The National Capital

From early December into early January, Christmas lights dominate downtown locations in the evenings. These are in Major's Hill Park, with the Chateau Laurier looming behind them.

I strolled over to the area around the War Memorial, where the trees were decked out in blues and greens.

This one, taken from the west side, blends the memorial with the Chateau in the background.

On another evening, I stopped to take in a view of the National Arts Centre from the south side, with Christmas lights in the foreground.

Parliament Hill features lights in the bushes along the front lawn. I will be back here tomorrow for a couple of posts to show you what else has been going on in the evenings on the Hill.

Christmas lights are also to be found around City Hall. The 2017 torch sculpture was lit up on the evening I came by.

Across the street in Confederation Park, the lights are different this year- snow globes are suspended in the branches, and shifting coloured floodlights illuminate the trees.

And this is a night view of the Rideau Canal, with the lights beyond the National Arts Centre attracting the eye. The Peace Tower looks like a ghost beyond them.

Tis The Season To Be Jolly

Here we have more of the Christmas trees around the Chateau Laurier's interior, which can always be counted on to bring visitors into the hotel to have a look. I enjoy seeing these each year, finding them very creative. Some of them have quite a Canadian sensibility to them.

That happens to include the tree on the left here, which features among its decorations pictures of each of Canada's prime ministers from Confederation.

I finish with one of the wreaths outside the main entrance.