Autumn At The Hall

This is one of the approaches onto the property at Rideau Hall. The house you see here is the visitor centre for the property. Rideau Hall is the official residence for Canada's Governor-General (today a largely ceremonial position), and there are nearly eighty acres of land here, much of it open to the public to walk about. Many of the trees here were planted by visiting dignitaries- foreign leaders or royalty- going back over a century now.

This view of grass includes a cricket pitch, the only such one that I know of over here. While the sport is popular in Britain, and thus this would be a legacy of the days when the governor-general was always British, it has never really caught on here. I have seen games being played here during previous visits.

A lovely rose garden is found nearby. Most of the roses were at the end of their season during this visit.

Here we have the manor. What started as a family home for Thomas McKay and his family became the residence of the Governor-General upon Confederation in 1867, expanding over time, and has remained so ever since, a working official residence that is open for tours. The hours vary during the year.

I started on my way back down the driveway, photographing as I went, looking at the small markers at the bases of numerous trees to see who'd planted them.

Along the way is an inukshuk, or inuksuk. These stone markers have been used from time immemorial by the Inuit in the far north. This one was placed here in 1997.