Sunshine and Shadow In Autumn

In late October, I stopped by the Canadian War Museum for some autumn shots. I approached from the south, where maple trees grow across from the Museum.

After having a late lunch inside, I went out to the north side of the building, where trees can be found alongside the shores of the Ottawa River.

A short walk beyond is a bridge that links to the islands along this stretch of the Ottawa River. I took a similar shot to this one back in the spring, and wanted another one. The willow trees had not turned, but red could be seen in the bushes along the shore.

I headed for the nearby path to depart the area.

The red of these bushes at the northeast corner of the property caught my eye. I decided to use the Museum as a backdrop.

A short walk beyond are two monuments. One I stopped at. The Canadian Firefighters Memorial commemorates firefighters across the country who have lost their lives in the line of duty. A large statue of a firefighter stands across from a wall where names are inscribed. In fall, the trees planted here around the site really show off.

On the same day I was doing this, a friend sent me this. He was up at Mount Blanc, a resort in the Laurentian Mountains in Quebec.

The following day was much more shadowy, with rain due to come in. I needed to go down to Dow's Lake, which is a few minutes walk from home, and which I pass through often enough. I had been procrastinating about photographing fall colours, and with the rain, I knew I couldn't put it off. I arrived in Commissioners Park.

Note the empty flowerbeds. The plants that spent the summer here are out now, and tulip bulbs were due to be planted.