Fall Finale

Next to the National Artillery Memorial on Green Island is a new monument, installed several years ago. This bronze statue is one of a twin pair by the artist Ruth Abernethy for the centennial of the writing of the poem In Flanders Fields. John McCrae was the Canadian soldier, doctor, and poet who wrote that famous poem during the darkest hours of the First World War, and the poem resonates across national boundaries. One of the two statues is here, and the other is in McCrae's hometown of Guelph, Ontario, at the city's Civic Museum. This one has a backdrop of autumn red in October.

Abernethy, a Canadian artist well known for her lifelike statues, has a great attention to detail. It includes such things as McCrae holding a handwritten copy of his famous poem in his hand, or poppies painted red around the base of the statue. This statue is larger than life, which helps, as actual life size statues feel smaller than they are. But it's approachable.

I took a shot from here towards the island's other memorials.

And then I crossed the bridge over the east branch of the Rideau Falls.

A final shot. Tomorrow I move into a new series, but it mixes in some fall colours.