Into Gatineau Park

 As mentioned yesterday, I took a shuttle into Gatineau Park earlier this month, to take in the fall colours. The park is a federal park, run by the National Capital Commission, and it's the NCC that organizes shuttle service out of Ottawa and Gatineau to go up into the park. It encompasses much of the Gatineau Hills, a rise of land that is a southern extension of the vast Canadian Shield. I took shots out the window of the bus as I went. Gatineau Park generally lies within the larger regional county of Les Collines-des-L'Outaouais. It was cool but sunny. I couldn't have asked for a better day to go.

Autumn Glories

 It is time to begin a series on fall colours in the area. I begin back in September, where at Lansdowne Park I found fall colours on the far side of the south stands of the stadium.

This was in Major's Hill Park, where some of these trees get an early start.

This tree in Little Italy always turns red in the fall.

Here we have a couple of spots in the Glebe one morning.

This house in Centretown is one that I try to get a shot of in autumn.

Back to the same tree as in my first shot, but a few days later.

I took this shot in Major's Hill Park, with the Chateau Laurier in the background.

Here we get Parliament Hill in the background.

I set out one weekend morning to catch a shuttle bus into the Gatineau Hills. Near my destination, the trees on the property at the Canadian War Museum caught my eye.

On my side of the street, these autumn leaves were backlit by morning sun.

Aurora Borealis

One night earlier this month, I was up late, checking out social media, and on Facebook, there was a mention by Jack, who has his photoblog from Connecticut, of northern lights. I decided to go out to Lansdowne Park, where in the darkened park at the east end of the property, I was rewarded. I've seen the aurora borealis on a number of occasions, but this was incredible. Mostly vivid greens, but hints of red and orange, danced and shimmered in the night sky. I walked around the area, taking photographs as I went. The Aberdeen Pavilion is particularly photogenic in these conditions.

Capital Views

 One day in September I went up with a friend further up the Ottawa Valley into Renfrew County on a moody day. Round Lake is in the heart of the county, with two provincial parks on its shores. The Bonnechere River travels through here en route to the Ottawa River. I took two shots.

Late one day, near the last light of the day, on my way home, I photographed the Glebe Community Centre, home of the raccoon sculptures I showed you yesterday.

A few minutes makes a considerable difference. This is a few streets further north in the Glebe, and I took it to show how dark this particular street really is at night.

In early October I gave blood. In the past, my only side effect has been the occasional bruising around the point of puncture afterwards, but it's been several years since that happened. This time, this bruise was the result. 

An old friend in the night sky. The constellation Orion, with its characteristic belt of three stars, rises in the northern skies by the end of summer and remains for months. I took this shot at Lansdowne Park.

Early October brings another tradition to Ottawa. The Panda Game is a football game held at Lansdowne, pitting Carleton University against the University of Ottawa. Crosstown rivals at a neutral site. It's a sell out event, mostly students, but also alumni and faculty, and I attended. This particular entrance point was very busy.

The game is a raucous one. I walked about, taking two shots from the South Stands.

And then this one from the west end of the North Stands. Ottawa U won. More's the pity, as I am a Carleton Raven. Just what the hell is a Gee Gee anyway?

After the game I had a bite to eat in one of the restaurants. When I came out, there was an absolute wonder in the sky. I've never seen skies like this. They are called asperitas clouds, a recent term for a cloud deck that looks like roiling seas as seen from below. An apt term for something that was strangely beautiful. For me, they looked like something out of a dream- or something Van Gogh would have painted. I took one shot looking up.

And another making use of the South Stands of the stadium for perspective. These skies were the talk of the town in the days after online.