Sunday, February 2, 2014

Wandering Ottawa After the Storm

Waiting for Spring
It snowed yesterday in Ottawa, there was even a “Snowfall Advisory” which is something for Ottawa where I believe it snows almost every day in the winter. There was a parking ban, so I had to find some place to park the truck, and the kids who live in houses without parking had to relocate their vehicles as well. 

This morning the snow was over, and the sun was shining. It was a


Golden Ice Sculpture



 good time for a walk, for the fresh snow gives everything a clean fresh coat, and city is buzzing with activity with everyone cleaning up from the storm. The city of Ottawa does snow removal very professionally, and they mobilize an army of men and equipment to clear the snow and bring the city back to normal. Ryan and Alisha live on a busy major thoroughfare, and I’m sure during the storm and following it, some sort of city snow removal machine goes by every 30 minutes, and around the corner from Ryan’s house, a neighbour dressed in safety reflective jacket has had his snowblower going since early morning, clearing sidewalks and neighbours parking spots. Don’t know if he gets paid or if he just enjoys it, but he has been going at it all day.

Snowed In
I went out for a walk through the streets of Ottawa taking pictures. Sometimes the new snow creates interesting subjects, sometimes I just notice something new. I enjoy doing these walks every time I come to visit, and always find photographic subjects. For example I found a building with steam seeping from wood trim of the roof, and dripping onto the frozen ground creating golden ice sculptures. That much moisture leaking out of the roof can’t be good for the building and I have no idea what was causing it, but it was interesting.


And, it is strange how these Ottawa walks always seem to end up close enough to the Manx Pub that I find myself unable to resist the call of one of their cold amber ales . . . .