Autumn

A reminder to members of City Daily Photo that the theme for November 1st is Happy.

Continuing where I left off yesterday, I kept walking out to the Portage Bridge. I took this shot looking back at the old mill ruins.

Heading back, I noticed the fall colours at Richmond Landing.

Canada geese were nearby.

My path led me to Major's Hill Park, where more colour was to be found.

This is close to home. These leaves are largely down now.

Also close to home in the Glebe.

I took this shot at night in the Glebe, with a street light illuminating the autumn colour.

While this was at Lansdowne Park, behind the stadium.

On another day, I noticed this tree at Bayview Station.

I was taking the LRT south, and photographed the view as the train crossed the bridge spanning the Rideau River between Carleton University and Vincent Massey Park.

Coming back, waiting on a bus on campus, I admired this tree.

Ends And Odds In The Capital

 We begin today with the Aberdeen Pavilion at Lansdowne Park at night. This is unique, the last surviving example of late 19th century exhibition hall architecture of its type in the country. Late last month, work began around the perimeter for some rehabilitation, coinciding with the work elsewhere on the property. The roof needs some work, which requires closing the building off with scaffolding.

Elsewhere on the property, also at night. At the east end of the property, I took this shot, with the constellation Orion rising above the southern horizon. This stays in the skies for months before disappearing in the spring. A sure sign of the end of summer.

I've shown this as a work in progress. This mural downtown was finished off. I spoke with the artist, and gave him my compliments on how well it looked.

Taken from home. I liked the moody skies and the last bits of light of the day showing themselves.

I was heading to an event one day in the first half of September when I noticed this panel on a wall in Little Italy, and photographed it.

Coming back, I was on the north-south LRT line as it crossed a bridge over the Rideau River between Vincent Massey Park and Carleton University. A number of years ago, a parallel pedestrian bridge was added here.

The waters are relatively shallow here, but swift.

On another late afternoon in the Glebe, the look of these clouds caught my eye.

Attending another event, I found that a rescue organization was present. The group saves exotic animals, and makes use of them for educational purposes. This is the marginated tortoise, which is normally found in dry environments around Italy, Greece, and the south Balkans.

And this is a ball python. Yes, of course I touched it. I wonder what it was thinking.

One morning in the second half of September, I came by Lansdowne to photograph some early fall colours. The rising sun illuminating the east side of the Aberdeen Pavilion required photographing.

As did the Horticulture Building, which is nearby. This regularly hosts a variety of events, and will be hosting those events that are normally held in the Pavilion during the rehabilitation project.

Night Skate

 The ice was in fine shape during this trip. I have never learned how to skate, and at this point in my life, that won't be happening, but I've always enjoyed walking on the ice of the Canal.

Another look at the ice below.

The Pavilion overlooks the lake at the northwest corner. It includes a restaurant and boat rental facilities, and during Winterlude, a lot of skaters will start their journey here.

For me, it was going along the ice to the northeast, where a secondary staircase off the ice leads to Commissioners Park. My place is beyond that, less than five minutes walk from this spot, and left of the lit apartment building at center.

But one final shot of the Canal looking south from here.

Mixed

A reminder to members of City Daily Photo that the theme for January 1st is your photo of the year. 

I have some odds and ends today. This first one was from July, and I'd meant to use it for the Blue theme day in the fall, but overlooked it. International rugby games were held at Lansdowne Park, and I attended one. The dramatic sky caught my eye.

 I was out early in the morning one late October day, just at the very first hints of dawn. Most everything was in darkness, and I photographed this view down one street in the Glebe, with the Moon above.

In this same neighbourhood close by, this bumper sticker caught my eye. I love that movie.

Around dusk on Hallowe'en, I took this photograph of the building that will house the new main branch of the Ottawa Library, a partnership with Library and Archives Canada, which will have some space there. The project is coming along well.

I took a shot of this stoic dog on Remembrance Day after the ceremonies at the War Memorial.

One morning when I had the day off, I noticed a crane through my apartment windows, hoisting something onto a government building a street over. I took a shot with the zoom lens on my phone.

Another day, I was awake in the dead of night when the colours of emergency lights drew my attention. I looked outside, seeing fire trucks on the next street over, heading to a residence building to the right. They were gone within ten minutes, so whatever it was, it was routine.

This colourful mural is painted onto steps at Carleton University.

In late November, I attended a showing of The Empire Strikes Back at Lansdowne Park. The film was shown in the arena, with an orchestra playing the music live. Members of the local Star Wars cosplayer group Capital City Garrison were there, and I caught some shots with relatively few people around. History's most foul mouthed character was cursing up a storm, every word bleeped out.

It might have been too much cursing for the Dark Lord of the Sith. Darth Vader looked perplexed.

Later in November, I took these two shots of the new library building from two angles. 

I finish with some comfort food, taken earlier this month. I went with a couple of buddies up to Great Canadian Poutinerie, my go-to for poutine. I had the holiday one, with turkey, cranberry sauce, and stuffing on top of the fries, gravy, and cheese curds that are a Canadian staple dish. One of the other guys had it topped with bacon and a grilled cheese sandwich. Good eating.