Ends And Odds In The Capital City

 Early in August while I was attending the Busker Festival, I noticed these two birds pecking away in the spacious planter I was sitting beside. They blended in well.

A short walk away, I noticed something I've walked past countless times at the corner of Bank and Sparks Streets without noticing. I believe the building at this corner might have once been a bank, hence the crest.

A bit further along on Sparks Street is the current location of a sculpture honouring Terry Fox, the Canadian marathon runner who lost a leg to cancer, set out to run across the country from east to west, and lost his fight to cancer before he could finish it. Millions run marathons for cancer research in his name each year.

Some photo bloggers do hip shots. I inadvertently did one during a busker performance, but liked the shot.

This summer has been one of rain. One day at home I noticed the building dark clouds outside my apartment building. Excuse the ropes- there's balcony work being done on my side of the building. To the west, the buildings across the way are government buildings.

The storm clouds built. When it unleashed, it was a furious storm.

With rain comes rainbows. This was on another day in the north end of the Glebe.

August and September is the time of sunflowers. These are outside Abbotsford House, a former 19th century farmhouse that sees new use as a senior's community centre.

On another day in the north end of the Glebe, I saw this rabbit early in the morning. They are not animals of the heat of the day; one is more likely to see them first thing, or in the evening and overnight.

En route to visit a museum, my route took me through the Riverview neighbourhood. I stopped along the way to head down a street and photograph a church. This is the Church of Christ, nestled in a quiet area.

My last shot that day was taken close to home, outside an LRT station. This compass is thematically First Nations, and I recall seeing a similar one outside City Hall.

Odds And Ends In The Capital City

I have some odds and ends from the last few weeks today and tomorrow. We start back on Canada Day. I stopped briefly by the Museum of Nature that day, and as I was leaving the property, these ominous clouds were presenting themselves. Within minutes, the first rain began, falling hard. 

A little while later, and a bus ride away, I took this photograph downtown up at the sky. Another round of rain would soon fall, and when I got home, the worst storm of the day came down late in the afternoon.

On another day, close to home. This sweet cat spends a good part of the day napping in front of her house.

Another furry critter. I've probably photographed this rabbit before; this is in the front yard of St. Matthew Anglican Church in the Glebe.

In Major's Park stands this work of art. Twist 1.5 is by Alex Wyse and Ken Guild, done in wood.

Back in the Glebe, this church is one I don't photograph often. Blessed Sacrament Parish is a Catholic church in the south side of the neighbourhood.

The Supreme Court of Canada late in the day- a masterpiece of Art Deco architecture.

One day when I went into Gatineau, I stopped to photograph these flowerboxes alongside the street. You may remember the tulips being in them. After the tulips are done blooming, they get replaced by flowers lasting the season into October.

Once more in the Glebe. The stump of an old tree is hidden beneath all this greenery.

One morning at Lansdowne Park I noticed this squirrel, who noticed me.

For today, I finish here downtown. This is a work in progress, a large mural on a building. It's since been completed, and looks beautiful.

Peaceful

Here we have the main stained glass window inside Knox Presbyterian. It was the design of a Scottish artist, William Wilson, and takes as its theme the birth of Christ

I looked back down the aisle.

Another look to the altar.

I headed up to the balcony. This sitting area is found here.

The balcony stained glass is also by Wilson- two decades after he designed the first. He was losing his sight at this point in his life but dictated his design to a colleague, who carried out the work. The theme of this window is Revelations.

A look into the sanctuary below.

I came out into the garden courtyard.

Sanctuary

 Knox Presbyterian Church is downtown, and it is a regular feature for Doors Open. It was founded in 1844. The current church dates to 1932, but looks older. It blends Gothic and Norman influences in its architecture.

In a side room off the entrance hall, historical items of the church were found.

A peek out into the garden. The sanctuary is to the left, and one of the staircases ascending to the balcony is at right.

The sanctuary has these graceful arched columns. Most of the windows are translucent.

A look to the front of the church, and the main altar, with its beautiful stained glass.

Plaques are found at one corner before the altar.

They commemorate the congregation members who fought and died in both World Wars.

Colours of the 207th Battalion are here, placed here after the First World War.

The baptismal font and the pulpit are close by.

Across the way, another pulpit and a grand piano.