In an older part of town many of the houses were built of brick. I liked the play of light and shadow on the red brick and the fringe of green the unopened tulips formed.
When I saw this beautiful tree I pointed my lens up to fill the frame. I believe it’s a Forsythia, if not please let me know. No doubt about the daffodil, an annual spring favourite.
It’s fun to walk along the quiet lanes in residential areas. The sheds there can be weather worn or sport a new coat of paint. Once the snow melts, I’ll be exploring them again.
I took both photos in downtown Ottawa. New construction abutting the old. This high-rise will be another added to the collection of unremarkable structures that take the place of buildings such as this lovely Art Deco style building.
I had never seen a mature lady alongside its junior before. The larvae, or instar will moult several times before it is ready to transform to its adult stage. I saw these insects on some bushes on a busy downtown street. A lot going on on this little patch of real estate.
I took several photos of this Great Dane and featured another one in January. I think the dog was becoming a bit inpatient as it shifted position and was staring directly into the store window, willing its owner to return.
The dog’s owner had run into a store and left his Great Dane in the car. The huge dog in the tiny car drew a lot of attention and I had to wonder how the owner managed to drive with him on board.
The cat in the window struck a regal pose, something they do so well. There are a lot of indoor cats in this downtown neighourhood. When the weather gets milder I’ll have to photograph more of them.
Standing on a pedestrian bridge, I watched some gulls fly overhead. I haven’t taken many birds in flight shots and thought I’d practice as this gull came in for a landing. I liked the expression on the other bird!
We have quite a few Community Gardens in the city. I saw these flowers growing next to a vegetable patch. Their bold colours caught the sun rather nicely.
I saw this Labrador Retriever one day on a walk. He wasn’t bothered by me or my camera, never so much as barked as I took a few shots. Too busy watching his owner at the foot of the driveway.
House sparrows are common in our cities and attractive little birds. Local nesting spots are in the eaves of an office building and in the crevice of a house in the neighbourhood. I check these spots out every spring.
Earlier in the summer we ran into this charming pair in a small yard downtown. We looked for them every time we passed by. We went back a few times and then one day they were gone. I hope they found a place in the country and didn’t meet with fowl play 😟.
I don’t know if monarch butterflies are appearing in significant numbers this year. As I haven’t been to our local nature reserve this summer my observations have been limited to what I see in the city. I saw this butterfly in a nearby garden and hope it was one of many.
Violets are delicate looking but are really quite hardy. These garden flowers form a natural bouquet. I thought I’d add the clematis to continue with the purple theme.
This building was a neighourhood grocery a long time ago. It’s divided into apartments now. Its brick facade is a favourite stage of mine to showcase its wildflower garden. I stop by regularly, all year round.
As we turned the corner I saw these two and thought they looked pretty lifelike for lawn ornaments. When one duck moved its head I almost jumped. I’ve never seen a Pekin Duck before and never downtown. We stopped by to visit a few times over several days, more photos to come…
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.
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.
The coneflowers caught the sun while most of the garden was still in shade. At a different time of the day the light would have been more balanced but then I don’t think the picture would have been as interesting.