Surprise(d) Dinner Guest

My fire escape, Ottawa
This little critter comes every day, in the morning especially, and climbs up the fire escape. Somebody must be feeding him or leaving garbage out. I took this picture through my kitchen window, hence the feflection.

Watson's Mill

Watson's Mill - Ottawa River, Manotick

"Watson's Mill, situated in historic Dickinson Square, is older than Canada itself. The Mill was built by Moss Kent Dickinson and his partner, Joseph Currier, in 1860. Dickinson named the village Manotick, an Ojibwa Indian word meaning "Island in the river".

The Mill was constructed from limestone quarried from the riverbank of the western channel of the Rideau River. Many architectural journals describe the Mill as one of the best examples of 19th century grist mill architecture in Canada.The Mill was originally known as Long Island Flouring Mills, then Long Island Mills and still later as Manotick Mills, but since 1946 it has been known as Watson's Mill. It was built and operated by the Dickinsons from 1859 until sold to Aleck Spratt in 1929.

Mr. Spratt and his wife Evelyn, a school teacher in Manotick, had operated a store near the school. When the Spratts bought the Mill, the house went with it as it only seemed fitting that the two should be kept together. Aleck Spratt died six years later but the Mill continued under Spratt ownership until purchased by Harry Watson in 1946.

For most of the years that the Spratts owned the Mill, Harry Watson worked there and later managed the milling operations. Harry had come to Canada from England in 1924 and settled in Manotick Station where in 1930 he married Anna Tompkins. They had five children and lived in the old Dickinson house for a period. When Harry bought the Mill, one of the first things he did was to erect a sign over the front door calling the Mill-Watson's Mill.

In 1972 Harry Watson sold the Mill and Dickinson House to the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority, who subsequently restored one run of millstones and accessory machinery to the original 1860 operating condition. The original water turbines still provide power to drive the millstone up to 120 revolutions per minute.

The Mill is still owned by the RVCA, but managed by the volunteer, nonprofit group, Watson's Mill, Manotick Inc."

http://www.watsonsmill.com/mill_history.html

Creeping Vines

Morrisset Building, University of Ottawa

Our Beloved Canal

Rideau Canal, Ottawa

Ready for Spring

Rideau Canal, Ottawa

Colder Nights' Casualties?

Rideau Canal, Ottawa

Wait! These are mushrooms

Rideau Canal, Ottawa
At first I thought this was *something else*, but then I noticed it was lining most of the side of the cycling path. No dog is that productive! Interesting mushroom.

Grapipus Orangibus

Rideau Canal, Ottawa

Foliage

Rideau Canal, Ottawa

Somerset Bridge?

Rideau Canal, Ottawa

Bridge being constructed across the Rideau Canal as an extension of Somerset Street. I guess they will call it Somerset Bridge (?).

Wired About Glass

Suncatcher by Nicole Beaumont (Wired About Glass)

New Posts... Finally

Don't give up on me just yet! I just posted some backlogged pictures from July 30 to August 14. Posting date and time = photograph date and time. I'm still not up to date, but getting there!

Ah, the joys of kayaking

Parc Jacques Cartier, Hull
Kayakers trying to paddle upstream under a bridge at the north end of Jacques Cartier Park. They had a really hard time and still hadn't made it when I left. Kudos for salmon!

Vegetarian & Six-Legged!

Parc Jacques Cartier, Hull

Lilies

Parc Jacques Cartier, Hull
Amazing what pretty things can grow out of brown muck.

A Good Place to Read

Parc Jacques Cartier, Hull

Hull Flower

Parc Jacques Cartier, Hull

Canadian Museum of Civilization

Viewed from Alexandra Bridge, Ottawa / Hull

Alexandra Bridge

Alexandra Bridge, Ottawa / Hull
It was the first time I biked across this bridge. My mother would hate it! Yes, there's a wide path on the left with separate space for pedestrians and cyclists, and it's separated from car traffic by the birdge's huge steel beams. BUT this whole path is made of wooden beams that constantly vibrate and creak from traffic. As I biked across, my bicycle caused it to make all kinds of noises. Some beams are a little chipped. There's a gap between them where you can see the river. Not for people with fear of heights.

Waiving to Motorists

Statue of Samuel de Champlain - From the Ottawa side of Alexandra Bridge
It's as if he is waiving goodbye to drivers leaving Ottawa, and hello to those coming from Hull.

Tracks

Boat Tracks - From Alexandra Bridge, Ottawa / Hull

Sad Reminder

Detail of Celtic Cross Monument - Rideau Canal Locks, Ottawa

"In memory of 1000

workers & their families

who died building this canal

1826 - 1832

À la mémoire des 1000

travailleurs et leurs

familles qui sont morts

en construisant ce canal"

Rideau Canal Locks

Rideau Canal Locks, Ottawa