Odds And Ends

 I have some odds and ends today from recent weeks. One evening in late September I was walking home through the Glebe, with the last light of day fading. The streets in the north end of the neighbourhood tend to be not well lit, but I've never minded.

Close to home, this cat I photograph from time to time was sitting outside her home.

I took this shot outside my building, looking at the Moon.

On another night in the Glebe, I took these two shots of the Moon, which had an interesting visual effect.

I was passing through the Rideau Centre on the night of the 200th anniversary party for the city. The stores of course were closed, but as I passed by the Lego store, I took this photo of one of the front displays.

There is a set of three condo buildings occupying the better part of a block downtown, with two of them completed and the third heading that way. I've photographed them before, but now they have a water feature out front.

The last day of September is the National Day For Truth and Reconciliation, a Canadian day of remembrance for the survivors and victims of the residential school program, which did so much damage for over a century to Indigenous peoples. This is the Survivors Flag, which was on display in the main lobby of the War Museum when I stopped by for lunch.

Later that day, I was passing by the National War Memorial when I noticed these rabbits on the grounds.

I finish today with the same cat who lives near my place on an early October evening. We'll see her again in tomorrow's post.

If Ye Break Faith

 "At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them." ~ Laurence Binyon

The National War Memorial occupies the heart of Confederation Square, and today will host the national services marking the ending of the First World War, and commemorating those who fought and died in military service. The Memorial was a response to the Great War, dedicated months before the Second World War, and since rededicated to all who have died in military service for the country. It is a beautiful, haunting monument, and particularly striking on a clear fall day.

I went around the perimeter, featuring fall colours with glimpses of the Memorial as I went.

There are military sentries from April into November. Members of each branch of service will be here, rotating for a few days, with a couple of hour long shifts a day before the next pair come up to relieve them.

At the base of the Memorial is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. It contains the final remains of a Canadian soldier who died at the Battle of Vimy Ridge in World War One. This memorial is sacred ground.

Music Beneath The Bridge

 September 26th was the date of a big party downtown, marking the bicentennial of Ottawa. What became the city dates back to 1826 and the beginning of the Rideau Canal project. The city put on multiple events in an area ranging from City Hall up through the Byward Market. I was able to get to some of it. My first stop was at Plaza Bridge, which spans the Rideau Canal as it begins its descent down to the Ottawa River. The space beneath the bridge, alongside the Canal, is wide and ideal for acoustics. A company called SoundScape put together music beneath the bridge for the occasion, with blues and purples projected within the space. When I arrived, Indigenous music was being played. When I later left the area, it was definitely East Coast Atlantic music.

The line was long, and I decided to go back up and photograph from above. I paused to take a shot of the nearby War Memorial, dramatic at night.

There is a wide central staircase leading down into the underside of Plaza Bridge. It turned out to be a good way to frame the coloured lighting down below. A careful eye might pick out busts and statues ringing this staircase at street level. They are The Valiants- Canadian military figures from across our history.

Paying A Visit To Parliament Hill

 It was time to take a stroll around Parliament Hill. The work around Centre Block continues, with large portions of the structure covered with scaffolding and drapes.

East Block is one of the original buildings on site. There is some work happening with this building, but here and there.

This door on East Block always catches my eye.

There are a number of monuments and statues on the Hill. This is the newest of them, commemorating the War of 1812. It stands out in front of East Block. In the background and across the street lies the offices of the Prime Minister. It is the only Parliamentary Block not on Parliament Hill itself.

Nearby, a statue of Prime Minister Wilfrid Laurier stands, looking out into Confederation Square, which is dominated by the National War Memorial.

Downslope, we have a statue of William Lyon Mackenzie King, another of our great Prime Ministers.

I headed around the perimeter, noting the contrast between East Block and Centre Block.

I took a shot downslope. The Rideau Canal is down there through the trees. The Hill slopes are heavily wooded.

This statue honours George Brown, a journalist and politician who was one of the driving forces of Confederation.

The view across takes in the National Gallery and Major's Hill Park.

Robert Baldwin and Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine were co-premiers of the United Canadas, otherwise known as Ontario and Quebec. Following a period of unrest, these two legislative leaders paved the way for Confederation through responsible government.

A sundial stands here near the monument, dating two centuries old, a legacy of Colonel By and his men.