Mixed

 I have some odds and ends today from around the city. Late in March, it was advised that northern lights might be visible, and I happened to take a late night walk down to Lansdowne Park, where sure enough, I was rewarded. What first looked like thin clouds in the night sky were not moving like clouds, but shimmering and dancing. It had been a long time since I've seen the aurora borealis, and even muted by city lights, it was pretty.

Pre-dawn one morning, taken at Dundonald Park in Centretown, the beginning of a sunny day.

Back at Lansdowne, and this was on April 8th. That was the day of the eclipse, which I got to take in, using eclipse glasses. I came by, where staff were below on the field, while guests were around the fenceline where I was, or out beyond in the park area. These shots were taken at near peak, with the sky taking on an eerie but beautiful quality that the camera didn't quite capture.

Turning around, a scoreboard faces the stadium, and the largely obscured sun itself was above. A broadcast featured news footage of the event from the path of totality, which in these parts was near the St. Lawrence. I also noted that the temperature became colder in those four minutes.

These were taken a couple of days later. Downtown, a number of utility boxes are decorated in this fashion, work of an artist.

The waters of the Rideau Canal were waiting to be raised for the season.

Confederation Park is off to the right in the above shot, and home to some war memorials. Two of them are here, the oldest and the newest. The South African War cenotaph is in the background, while in the foreground is the Animals In War monument, a recent addition.

A totem pole is also found here.

And finally, the National Aboriginal Veterans Monument, which stands on the west side of the park.