Mer Bleue Conservation Area

Today we drove across town to the Mer Bleue Conservation Area. 

Mer Bleue is the largest bog and natural area in Canada’s Capital Region and the second largest bog in southern Ontario. The conservation area has a northern eco-system more typical of the Arctic than Ottawa Valley. It is 7,700-years-old!

On this visit to this northern boreal landscape we took a stroll along the boardwalk to take a closer look. The bog provides habitat to many species of regionally rare and significant plants, birds and other wildlife. There are still a number of other trails we look forward to exploring.

Experimental Farm Ottawa

After a doctors appointment we decided to take a walk at the Experimental Farm to enjoy the warmth of the sunshine. It was shortly after lunch time and the park was pretty scarcely populated with people. After bustling around on busy roads it felt like a mini-vacation to stroll around, watch the wildlife and enjoy the beautiful autumn colors of the trees all around.

The dragonflies were quite curious of us and one chose hubbies shoulder as a sunbathing spot. 

The ducks were grouped together depending on activities it seems. There was a corner where only males were hanging out and in another one only females. I imagine, they were exchanging the latest duck gossip. In another area a group of ducks was sleeping and in again another one they were busy cleaning themselves. 

We ended our lunch stroll by walking through the Arboretum where quite a number of squirrels were busy hiding their treasures. 

Photowalk - Morning at the meadow

 Grasshopper

Chicory - Cichorium intybus 

 Just learned that the leaves can be used in a salad and that the dried roots are often used as a coffee substitute. 

 Yellow jacket

The black&white Bald-faced hornet   vs.  the yellow&black  Yellow jacket

 Red Milkweed Beetles

Ruby Meadowhawk

Photowalk: Downtown Ottawa

Today I decided to take a stroll around downtown while waiting for my hubby's appointment to finish. The hot weather and the lovely sunshine really were a mood booster for me and I enjoyed this hour of revisiting places I have not been to in quite a while. Downtown is not far away from home but still I rarely drive there for picturing. After today, I am thinking that I should get there more often.

Knox Presbyterian Church

No more space for flyers...

The Canadian Tribute to Human Rights, also known as the Human Rights Monument, is a monumental sculpture located at the corner of Lisgar and Elgin streets in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It was designed by Montreal artist and architect Melvin Charney and unveiled by Tenzin Gyatso, the fourteenth Dalai Lama, on September 30, 1990. (Source: Wikipedia)

 

Former Ottawa Teachers' College. It is now part of City Hall.

Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame

City Hall

Ottawa Fire Fighters Memorial, grounds of City Hall

Boaters enjoying the great weather on the Rideau Canal

University of Ottawa

Ever changing sky-line

Overlooking Rideau Canal towards Parliament Buildings

Ottawa Convention Center in front of Chateau Laurier

Ottawa Convention Center

Fountain in Confederation Park

Canadian Animals in War Memorial

Statue to dead soldiers of the Boer War