The Fathers Of Confederation

The views from Parliament Hill are delightful to take in. On the far shore of the Ottawa River is Gatineau, with the rise of the Gatineau Hills in the distance. 

Another of our sterling prime ministers. With the current work going on, most of the statues are behind the fence, but at least somewhat accessible to the photographer. This is John Diefenbaker.

One part of Centre Block is not having work done on it- because restoration work was done at the turn of the century. Nonetheless, it's cut off from access. This is the Library of Parliament.

Before it in this shot is George-Etienne Cartier, a Father of Confederation and co-premier of the United Canadas.

The barge down on the river had to do with a fireworks display going on at the time.

The Library of Parliament is a visual delight.

This next statue is of another Father of Confederation, Thomas D'Arcy McGee.

Here we have a remnant of the former Centre Block. This bell fell from the tower overnight February 3rd, 1916, during the fire that destroyed the original Centre Block. It is now displayed here, with signage in English and French.

Nearby, another statue, recently moved here. John A. Macdonald was co-premier of the United Canadas with Cartier, the strongest voice of the Fathers of Confederation, and the first Prime Minister of Canada.

City Daily Photo Theme Day: Water

The first day of each month is a theme day for members of City Daily Photo, and for July, that theme is water. Check out how others are interpreting the theme right here.

Twice a month I come out to the Portage Bridge, which crosses the Ottawa River between Gatineau on the left and Ottawa on the right. This is to document the view downstream through the changing seasons for a series of posts that turn up here twice a year. The river is a big one, more than 1200 kilometres in length from its headwaters in central Quebec to its confluence with the St. Lawrence River at Montreal. A good part of its length forms the border between Ontario and Quebec. At this bridge, landmarks include the Alexandra Bridge, Kiweki Point, the National Gallery, Parliament Hill, the Supreme Court, and Victoria Island.

This first shot was taken in the second half of January, on a cold day. The waters here do not freeze up in the winter, due to the currents caused by the Chaudiere Falls upstream.

This was taken on the last day of the month, a cold day with falling snow.

When I returned in early February, it was on a sunny day.

Coming back in the second half of the month, this was the view on a cold, mostly cloudy day.

I returned around mid-month in March. The ice downstream was breaking up.

By late month, most of the ice was going.

When I returned in the second half of April, the water was raging.

By month's end, more of the same. The Chaudiere Falls upstream from here was at full torrent.

The water was still turbulent at mid-month in May when I crossed the bridge over into Gatineau to photograph tulips.

When I returned in the last days of May, it was en route to the War Museum late in the afternoon.

I returned on an afternoon in the second half of June. There had been a downpour an hour or so prior. We've had a lot of this kind of days as of late- rain followed by clearing.

This last shot was taken two days ago to round out the month. I'll next have this series of seasonal shots in early January. Happy Canada Day to my fellow Canadians.

Odds And Ends Around A National Capital

 I have some odds and ends from the last few months for you over the next three days. I start with these shots from before Christmas, when I was returning across the Ottawa River on the Alexandra Bridge from a visit to the Museum of History. I photographed the Ottawa skyline over the frozen river.

I used the bridge itself to frame Kiweki Point.

My path took me past the Peacekeeping Monument, with Notre Dame in the background.

I hadn't posted this shot from the Christmas market at Lansdowne. At the east side of the Aberdeen Pavilion, there had been a spot with regularly carved ice sculptures.

Late in the month, passing through the Glebe neighbourhood, I photographed this building I've passed by on occasion. It is in fact a church, a Quaker congregation.

In mid-January, back at Lansdowne Park, I photographed the Aberdeen Pavilion at night.

I've been occasionally photographing the development of the future main branch of the Ottawa Public Library at Lebreton Flats. The building will also house some space for Library and Archives Canada. Most of the work now is being done inside. I took this shot from the north in January.

One day I stopped by the National Gallery of Canada briefly. This looks up through the reflecting pool from below.

Outside, Maman by Louise Bourgeois is always worth taking a photo of.

I attended a PWHL game at Lansdowne. The game is fast paced, and the crowd enjoys it.

In early February, out in Nepean, I took time to photograph a church I haven't photographed since before Covid, I believe. Julian of Norwich Anglican Church stands out well in winter.

Morning Star

A reminder to members of City Daily Photo- the theme for the 1st of February is Double.

Continuing where I left off, here is more of that marvelous sculpture by Bill Reid.

A look out the windows. The Ottawa shoreline was ghostly in the snow.

And up at the ceiling, with my favourite work of art in the national capital region. Morning Star is a large abstract mural by the Dene artist Alex Janvier, painted in 1993, evoking his own aboriginal heritage. I don't usually go for abstract art, but I love his style, and particularly this painting.

One can even use the staircases and escalators to frame the painting in unusual ways.

Heading up, another look out the windows. Parliament Hill was vanishing in the snow.

We'll pick up here tomorrow.