Saturday, January 1, 2022

City Daily Photo Theme Day: Best Of The Year

 The first day of each month is a theme day for members of City Daily Photo, and for the beginning of the year, that theme is the best of the year. See what others have chosen for the theme by clicking right here.

I'll be seeing to Ottawa today, and over in Gatineau tomorrow for my best of the year in the national capital region. I start with this winter shot of the Rideau Canal downtown in its final stretch, taken in the last light of day. The National Gallery and Parliament Hill lie on the west side, while the Chateau Laurier dominates the east side.


Because of Covid, Winterlude didn't really happen this year, but I marked the festival one cold day with a walk along the full stretch of the Rideau Canal skateway, 7.8 kilometres from downtown to Carleton University. This is a view taken from that walk, under the Flora Bridge, a pedestrian bridge.


Outside the National Arts Centre is a statue of the great Canadian jazz pianist Oscar Peterson, a popular spot for photo ops. He was buried in snow one winter day.


The Chateau Laurier is probably at its best seen at night.


The National Gallery of Canada lies near the Chateau, and among its many treasures is the Rideau Chapel, once the sanctuary of a convent and transplanted here years ago. It is a very peaceful place and an architectural work of art in and of itself.


The Tulip Festival is one of the biggest events here, held each May. This shot is taken at one of the major sites, Major's Hill Park.


Another major site is Commissioners Park at Dow's Lake. During one visit I noticed a cat coming out from an adjoining yard looking for a belly rub.


More tulips from Dow's Lake, taken during my last Tulip Festival visit.


A summer shot taken upstream from Parliament Hill on the Ottawa River at Richmond Landing. What could be more Canadian?


And a summer view of the Canal, not too different in perspective from my first shot.


This was taken in the fall during a walk along the river.


Remembrance Day in November sees the national service at the War Memorial. Afterwards, people place poppies on the Tomb Of The Unknown Soldier.


This was posted in my writer's blog and on Facebook. A couple of days after Remembrance Day I had a bad fall and broke my nose. This was me at home less than twenty four hours later, looking dazed and confused (more so than usual), with scar tissue on my nose and blood still caked into some of my mustache. There's a photograph out there which will never see the light of day, with blood all over my face. The nose has improved, and I'm still having some occasional pain noted in my right knee, which also took a hit.


And I finish with another photo that I only posted on Facebook, but wanted to include here. I took this on December 7th outside the American embassy. The flag was at half mast for two reasons: the anniversary of Pearl Harbor and the death of Bob Dole. Tomorrow I look at favourite shots from the Gatineau side of the Ottawa River.

40 comments:

  1. Nice collection of shots from last year.
    Hope you recover quickly!
    All the best!

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  2. Beautiful photos. So sorry about your fall. Hope for speedy and complete recovery for you, especially your nose and knee.

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  3. I am sorry to hear about your fall, I hope you have recovered.
    Beautiful photos, the tulips are a lovely sight.
    Have a great day and a happy January! I wish you all the best in 2022, a happy and healthy New Year!

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  4. Heal well. Found my Hubby with a broken nose years ago, too, blood everywhere but glasses intact. Weird guy that.
    2022 can only be better, huh.

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  5. A nice first part of your annual overview.

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  6. ...Oscar sure looks COLD! Thanks for those bright tulips on this drab morning.

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  7. Happy New Year, William. I will look forward to following you around Ottawa In 2022.

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  8. @Italiafinlandia: I am coming along.

    @Nancy: I'm finding covid rapid tests are a challenge, inserting a swab up the nostrils.

    @Eileen: more tulips tomorrow.

    @Iris: I left enough blood behind for it to look like a crime scene.

    @Jan: thank you.

    @Francisco: thanks.

    @Tom: it's drab here too.

    @David: thank you.

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  9. I hope your recovery continues! I love the first photo especially!

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  10. A very good selection of bests!

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  11. Oh dear, I didn't know about your fall. I guess this blog was not where you shared about it. So sorry. I enjoyed this review from the year 21. Happy 22~!

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  12. So you had a great fall but not so good of an autumn. I know the fall was rather late to still call autumn, but I am trying to work with the material. 😁

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  13. Nice group! I like the 1st one best. Happy New Year!

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  14. The best pictures. Except one. Hope you are fully recovered.

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  15. Well I didn't know you took a very bad tumble. All the best for 2022 and no falls please.

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  16. Wonderful selection of the best photos from 2021. Hope the healing is continuing and you're feeling better.

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  17. Glad you are healing. That fall sounds like quite a misery.

    The Rideau Chapel ceiling is stunning.

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  18. Glad you are healing ~ Gorgeous year in review photos ~ Be well ~ be safe.

    Wishing you a Happy and Healthy New Year,

    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

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  19. Somehow I missed the post about your fall. Sorry to hear it but glad you are healing!!
    Happy New Year and a safe one!!

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  20. @Marie: me too.

    @Sharon: thanks.

    @Barbara: thank you.

    @Anvilcloud: hah!

    @RedPat: thanks.

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  21. @Catarina: I'm getting there.

    @Red: I'd prefer avoiding hospitals for a long time to come.

    @Bill: it's day by day.

    @Maywyn: it was considerable.

    @Carol: thank you.

    @Happyone: thanks.

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  22. Hey, sorry about the nose. Bummer! Tough start to the year.

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  23. So sorry to see that broken nose, but also feel happy that it's on the mend. And thank you for the lovely photographs, which I enjoyed very much. (not so much the nose one)

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  24. I especially love the night shots but the Remembrance Day and American Embassy shots also really moved me. I'm so sorry about your fall and that you're still feeling some effects from it. I hope the new year brings you a full healing.

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  25. Many a great photo here William.
    Hopefully your knee will improve with a bit more time.

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  26. A delightful selection of photographs!

    Heres wishing you a brilliant 2022 and a speedy recovery!

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  27. Excellent collection, including the one of you post-fall, Ouch! I hope you're pain free and continue to heal quickly. I have a bad knee and the cap used to pop out, twice it happened when I danced at NYE parties. Since there are no more parties, that hasn't been a problem.

    Have a great 2022, William

    e

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    Replies
    1. I do have arthritis in the other knee, courtesy of a hit and run years ago. I wonder if the same will happen with this one.

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  28. Great to see these wonderful photos again. Sorry to read of your fall and hope things are better now. Best wishes for 2022:)

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  29. A lovely selection of photographs.
    I do hope your recovery continues well.

    Happy New Year.

    All the best Jan

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  30. I like the header William.
    Nice collection of special photos of 2021. Sorry about the fall, hope you've recovered well.
    Happy New Year!

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