Quick Trip to Ottawa

Today we headed in to Ottawa to pick up Gordon's passport. When he took the paperwork in a couple of weeks ago it cost him $11.00 to park. Since I went with him today we were able to park at the meters and it cost $1.00 and I was able to walk around the Byward Market a bit.

Byward Market outdoor stalls

Another part of the market

In the market looking toward the Chateau Laurier Hotel

Chateau Laurier Hotel

Parliament Buildings taken from our moving car

Canadian Edifice Building

National Archives

Plowing the sidewalk in front of the War Museum

Ottawa River Parkway

Another view of the Parkway

Bate Island

Shirley's Bay Birding Area - many noisy squirrels there

Birds on a feeder

Chickadee

 

 

We didn't stay in the city long. We had one errand to run at the Carlingwood Mall, then stopped at Mud Lake but only the same two Mallard Ducks were there so on to Shirley's Bay and then headed for home arriving shortly after 1 p.m.

To Almonte!

Almonte is home of the inventor of the game of basketball, James Naismith. Our mission today was to look for a bird feeder. We had looked around Smiths Falls but were taking comparison shopping to a new level.

While there I took some architectural photos. That's something that has been grabbing my interest lately. Here are some of the photos.

This is a part of the Home Hardware store

Neat clock tower

This is the whole building in downtown Almonte

A brick wall

Black Watch

Double doors

Single door

Door at Registry Office

Registry office building

Yellow doors on Anglican Church

 

 

 

 

There is a lot of interesting architecture in the small towns around here. This summer I hope to get out on my bike and take some around our own town.

Oh, and no we didn't get a bird feeder yet!

Birding Spot near Shirley's Bay

We had to go to Ottawa today so stopped off at a local birding spot.

Common Redpoll

Pileated Woodpecker

Today's Drive Through God's Country

Today we decided to go to Sharbot Lake about 3/4 of an hour away. While there I suggested we take a drive to Ompah as I'd never been there. There's a loop road that is breathtakingly beautiful in spots. I have to say though that Ompah wasn't much but the scenery made up for it. We can't wait to go back when the lakes have thawed and there's no snow!

Hwy 7 takes us right through the Canadian shield

This couple were out skating on Silver Lake-Brrrrr!

Bright blue sky through the trees

This orange hut sells blueberries in the summer months

Cute little church on Hwy 509-love the doors!

This is what we saw as we came around the corner

And then stopped to look at us

Through God's country

We saw more deer

The semi-frozen Mississippi River (Ontario version)

Wonder why the hamlet we just passed through is called Snow Road?

Twisty, turny road

Gull Lake is very pretty

 This is our map today - we started at Sharbot Lake at the bottom just to right of centre - you can see Sharbot, from there we went directly north on Hwy 509 and took the loop road. We bypassed Clarendon Station, through Mississippi Station, Snow Road Station, Ompah, Plevna, Coxvale, and Ardoch. It was a fun day!

Trip to Ottawa and Then Some!

We had to go to Ottawa today to get Gordon's passport photos done. He has an appointment  at the Embassy in Ottawa early next week to get his passport renewed. That was looked after first, then we did some errands, picked up some supplies we can't get here in town and then off to Mud Lake.

We saw this large flock of turkeys on our way to Ottawa

Disappearing fence

Doesn't he look like a decoy?

Ducks in the snow

Path along Mud Lake

 We took the scenic route home.

Old church in Oxford Mills

Our Tuesday Morning Drive to Kemptville, ON

Bench in the snow

Church in Burritt's Rapids

Green door, Merrickville, ON

Milk wagon

One room stone school for sale $105,000 - interior needs complete renovation

Beautiful little stone church outside Kemptville, ON

Church doors

Red barn outside Merrickville, ON

Uncle Wally is alive and well in Kemptville. In fact this is a brand new store that opened last month.

A Morning Walk on an In-Town Trail

I like the looks of the snow on the weeds like icing on a cupcake.

It was snowing lightly when we went out for a walk along this trail that we've seen in town but never used. It looks like snowmobilers use it but also lots of people as there was a lot of footprints on one area of it. It's not a very long trail but there's more of it to discover when spring arrives.