Odds And Ends Within The Capital

 I have some odds and ends from the last few weeks for you today and tomorrow. I start with sunflowers, planted around the east end of the property at Lansdowne Park in the Glebe. These were taken around mid-August.

A couple of days later, when I went to visit the Canada Aviation and Space Museum, my route took me on foot from where I had left the bus. The path that parallels the Aviation Parkway goes through wild grasses, bordered by woods. An ideal late summer spot to be in.

After my visit, heading to meet another bus for the return trip home, I took two shots of Beechwood Cemetery from its east side. This cemetery is a national cemetery, including sections set aside as a military cemetery. Along with many regular people, those buried here include a prime minister, and many historical figures from the city and the nation.

I chose to head back by going through the St. Laurent LRT station a short bus drive away. The LRT line has an art program, with a work of art in or around each of the stations. This one features a large wall mural, titled I Gave It All I Had, by Andrew Morrow, done in 2020.

This is close to home. This summer at a park near my place, this statue set of a dalmatian and fire hydrant was put up.

A pair of sculptures downtown that I occasionally photograph- the hunter and the prey. They stand opposite each other, with an island of vegetation between them, outside an office tower. The deer is alert, as if hearing something.

At the far side, an Indigenous hunter has the deer in his sights, reaching for an arrow. But already too late- the deer's posture is as if it already knows he's there, and is about to sprint away.

This used to be close to home to me, as I lived just up the street beyond the next intersection, but I still see it often enough. The Chinatown Arch spans over Somerset Street, with the bulk of the Chinatown neighbourhood to its west, behind me. I photographed it one evening while in between buses, on my way home.

A regular feature, though one I haven't photographed from this angle. The future main branch of the Ottawa Public Library, which will share some space with Library and Archives Canada, is near finished at Lebreton Flats. I've normally photographed it from the north or the east, but this is from the west, on the bridge passing over the Pimisi LRT station tracks. 

As mentioned above, each station has some sort of art. This station has part of that art in the adjacent water channel. This channel is an artificial channel, from the Ottawa River that feeds into the Fleet Street Pumping Station nearby. A platform in the channel provides the base for this sculpture, which looks like an eel. Appropriate, because Pimisi means eel in Algonquin, a nod to the presence of eels in the Ottawa River.

A short walk away, I stopped at the Canadian War Museum, where the national, provincial, and territorial flags are lined up on the plaza, looking dramatic against that sky. I took advantage of my  museum membership to stop in for a bite to eat- they make a good burger in the museum cafe.

And I finish today with summer flowers. These are in the Garden of the Provinces and Territories.

A Graceful Bridge Over Cold Waters

 Today I'm back in Strathcona Park where I left off a couple of days ago. I mentioned this bridge, spanning the Rideau River and linking Sandy Hill on this side over to the Vanier and Overbrook neighbourhoods beyond. There was a seasonal footbridge here for years, but washed away in 1952 and never replaced. In 2015 a new pedestrian bridge was opened up here. It is called the Adawe Crossing Bridge. Adawe is an Algonquin word meaning trade, and giving the bridge that name is a nod to the First Nations heritage of the area.

The river here is apparently shallow enough to be forded, but the bridge now means that's no longer needed. It's 125 metres long, and has two spheres added as an art installation.

Here we have the west entrance.

A view downstream, with some of the ice break up.

Ducks could be seen around the river.

The art installation is called A View From Two Sides, by Kenneth Emig. Consisting of two spheres suspended from either side of the bridge, it adds a visual element to things with the reflective surfaces at eye level. Irresistible for the photographer.

Here we have the one on the side facing upstream.

From mid way on the bridge, views looking downstream.

And upstream.

Another view looking westward. I had seen this bridge before on visits to Strathcona Park, but this was my first time on it.

The park is over there.

Another view as I was heading back, this including one of the spheres, with Vanier in the background. 

City Daily Photo Theme Day: April Fool

The first day of each month is a theme day for members of City Daily Photo, and for today that theme is appropriately April Fool. You can see how others are interpreting that theme right here.

This one was a tough one for me. I could have gone and sat in the visitor's gallery at Parliament and photographed the members of the House of Commons. No, wait, that's not possible, since in the age of Covid there won't be public visitations until at least the summer. I could have just taken the easy way out and took several selfies with me making faces. Believe me, I was tempted.

Then I remembered a solution. 

A Company Of Fools is a theatrical company that does Shakespeare in the park productions each year here in Ottawa and the surrounding area. Have a look at their website here. I've seen some of their productions at various parks, and it's a lot of fun. While it's not possible to photograph them at work at the moment (thanks a lot, Coronavirus), I decided to photograph one of their regular settings. Strathcona Park is in the Sandy Hill neighbourhood, overlooking the Rideau River.

This is a view of the park from high ground to the north, along Laurier Avenue.

There is an ornate fountain up here.

"What fools these mortals be." - Puck, A Midsummer Night's Dream

"God give them wisdom that have it, and those that are fools, let them use their talents." - Feste, Twelfth Night

"Better a witty fool than a foolish wit." - Feste, Twelfth Night

"The more fool, madonna, to mourn for your brother's soul being in heaven. Take away the fool, gentlemen."- Feste, Twelfth Night

Another look down into the park. It would be quite foolish to try to go down that slope. When I visited, it was a cold day in mid-March. There had been some snowmelt, but the downturn in temperatures had created some icy conditions. Standing up here I heard the familiar honking of Canada geese; the first of the season, coming back from warmer climates and taking a break here.

I took the road on the west side of the park to come in. Range Road is home to several embassies and ambassador's residences. This view looks north to the high ground I came down from. There's a building up there through the trees with just a flash of blue; we'll get a look at it tomorrow.

This is one of the features of the park, a mix of architectural elements called a folly, designed as a play space by an artist, Stephen Braithwaite. The Company of Fools has used this in their productions.

I moved along, wanting to photograph the river. I noticed several geese in the park, including this pair close to me. One was sizing me up.

A look at the river. The Vanier neighbourhood is on the east shore of the Rideau River, which roughly parallels the course of the Rideau Canal to the west, meeting its end downstream from here where it joins the Ottawa River.

There was significant ice break up in this area. The river is shallow here.

This view upstream takes in a bridge we'll get a closer look at in a couple of days.

I headed in that direction, first looking west. Because of the freeze up of meltwater, a large enough area ended up creating a spot for skating, and some people were doing just that.

My last shot: a male and female pair of ducks near the retaining wall overlooking the river. Tomorrow we'll look at some of the landmarks in this area. I took shots of them before coming down into the park.

Diplomatic Mission In Sandy Hill

To my American readers, a Happy Fourth of July!

The Embassy of Algeria can be found in the Sandy Hill area. It is another of the regular features for Doors Open, and occupies the Fleck-Paterson House. Built in 1901 by the timber baron J.R. Booth for his daughter Gertrude and her new husband, the home would end up becoming a residence for Senator Norman Paterson until his death in 1983. The Algerians bought it in 2002 and have run their diplomatic operations here since. It is a marvelous place to visit. Longtime readers might remember it, as I have visited it before.

Coming outside, one gets a view of the coach house, built in the same style. The building beyond it is much less friendly- that is the rear of the Russian Embassy.

The backyard here is well tended, with a terrace that looks out over the Rideau River, with the Vanier neighbourhood on the other side.

Here we have a view of the house from this vantage spot.

The coach house had photo books from Algeria, as well as other items on display.