The old house that once stood on this lot was torn down many years ago. The land hasn’t been developed and is enclosed by a mesh fence which I shot through. I was struck by the sunflowers standing tall. They continue to flower and give pleasure to anyone that passes by.
House sparrows are not native to North America but have adapted very well and are common in urban areas. I’m featuring a male and female I saw on a recent walk.
I thought the little statue added some charm to this small yard. It looked as nicely weathered as the house beside it.
Coneflowers in summer, a welcoming sight.
I like scenes like these, just a bit quirky.
There are many old homes with pretty gardens in this downtown neighbourhood. Turning the corner I noticed these little green visitors that added a bit of whimsy to the mix.
I saw this bull dog in a small fenced in lawn. He turned away as I approached but I did get his handsome profile.
I noticed the blue graffiti on the door frame earlier in spring. When I passed by recently and saw the day lilies I knew I had my picture.
A cat enjoying the sun on a warm afternoon.
I imagine the basketball was left there as I took the photo around lunchtime. The same holds true for the bike.
From this angle it looks like this cottage is being overrun by rose bushes. A friendly takeover.
The rock dove or common pigeon is not a bird I usually pay attention to but this one was kind of special. I had been aiming for a goldfinch that flew off as I approached but I didn’t walk away disappointed.
This was taken in a garden of an old house in the neighbourhood. The garden is left to itself and it’s thriving. It begins the season with a few tulips, then on to lilacs, lilies of the valley and later in the summer, tiger lilies. There are plenty of wild flowers too including these Dame’s-Rockets. A neighbourhood favourite for bees as well.
I liked the sign on the old apartment house. The blue design on the red brick caught my eye as well.
I’ve driven by this barbershop often. This time I was on foot and noticed the nifty signage. It’s nice to slow down sometimes.
I had to admire how a gardener turned an old tree stump into a thing of beauty.
I almost passed by the little statue in the second photo as it was quite hidden by all the vegetation. Its surroundings made it rather appealing.
You have to wonder what happened here. A pair of canvas shoes placed neatly at the curb, almost as though their owner was going to slip them back on.
Walls and fences make for interesting subjects. I find the colours and textures appealing. Add some greenery to complete the picture.
Walking down a neighbourhood street I happened to look up and saw this construction worker suspended in midair. I can’t begin to imagine what that must feel like.
We walked past this Basset Hound on our way to the store and he hadn’t budged on our return. A study in patience.
This casse-croûte (snack bar in English) promises you your fries quick! We discovered this place on a walk through a small Quebec town.
I liked the look of this Halloween decoration, someone got very creative with their pumpkins this year.
The Elphin is an iconic 1960s apartment building in Ottawa. The building had all the amenities of the day, including a darkroom for camera enthusiasts. The Elphin with its namesake elf and look retains a charm lost by the modern glass towers nearby.
A lot of old homes in my neighbourhood have wrought iron fences with flowers peaking through the gaps. The grass is always greener…
On a road trip last summer, we stopped in a small town to take a break and look around. We saw this abandoned factory just before we drove into the town centre. These forlorn looking buildings just ask to be photographed. The building in the second photo might have had an occupant, as a lace curtain hung in the bottom window.
With most of us homebound, it struck me how much kids used to enjoy playing with toys like these. They just needed a bit of space and imagination. Nothing fancy, no screens in sight. I took the photo at a fair last year. I didn’t adjust the colour, the toys are a bit garish but that was part of their attraction.
I used to walk past this yard quite frequently. Although not exactly in my neighbourhood, certainly close enough in normal times. I like the wall art on the old brick wall that borders the garden. A bit of the old and new. I hope to return sometime this summer.
It’s fun to wander down some of the laneways in town. They often run several city blocks. I sometimes catch a glimpse of a garden, back stoop or garage and there’s always plenty of sun and greenery. The dogs in the backyards are friendly too, they rarely bark as I pass by.
Far from any green space, we stopped to photograph this downy woodpecker on a busy street. The management of the office tower had just planted trees outside and the bird decided to investigate. Office workers rushed by and no one else seemed to notice the downy at work.
Looking out the window, in an older section of Montreal, you can see a mix of low rise and taller buildings surrounded by a lot of greenery. Towards the back and centre of the frame, a nine story mural of Leonard Cohen, caught my attention. The mural is one of two in Montreal commemorating the life of Leonard Cohen; Montreal born, singer-songwriter, poet and author who died in 2016.
This building once housed a tavern built in 1909, it’s now a fine restaurant. Over a side door, it has retained a sign from a time when women required an escort to enter a bar. Another find on a walk through the city.
A toy shop in Montreal. Walking along a street with not a chain store in sight, I stopped to admire the window and smiled as I took the photograph.
The Chateau Laurier, an iconic hotel in Ottawa’s Parliament district was built in the Gothic Revival style between 1909 and 1912. It was commissioned by the Grand Trunk Railway and designated a national historic site in 1980. In the first photo you see it reflected in the window of the Senate of Canada (the former Union Station). The second photo provides a view of the hotel taken from a park just behind it.
Tall buildings and architectural features aren’t my usual photo subjects. But it’s nice to try new things with my photography which are as much a part of my environment as the woods I love to walk. The sky peering through the towers is still a nod to nature.
The powerful base of The Old Union Station, (now the Senate of Canada), a building I walk by often is impressive for its form and detail.
As I was leaving a store, this sight greeted me across the street. This lot was pretty relaxed but I still was impressed at the way the dog walker handled all the dogs at once.
I grew up with a West Highland Terrier and can never resist stopping to have a look at one or take a photo if my camera is handy.
This building, an example of the Gothic Revival Style, was the former Ottawa Teachers’ College. It is now part of the Ottawa City Hall Complex. It’s an eclectic mix of styles that reminds us of our past.
I think the black and white photo complements the building’s style but I’ve included the colour version as well.
If cats could bark, this one would have. He watched us intently as we stopped to photograph the house. He was as much a fixture of the house as its very solid looking foundation.
These photos were taken on a recent walk through town. Both scenes were colourful given the fall colours but I thought the weathered fence and old house in the second photo were at their best in black and white.
Like most urban centres, Ottawa is going through a transformation. The old wooden house is flush against a modern apartment unit. The new structure is not a high-rise like some buildings going up and is quite attractive but it changes the feel of the neighbourhood and with it raises the question of what we’re losing as a result.
I’ve photographed this park before. I went back again, this time with a wider lens. I think the slightly off-balanced aspect, makes the photo a little unsettling and more interesting.
