World Enough and Time

I have a favourite place in Ottawa. I call it the Frog Pond; it's the ornamental gardens at the Central Experimental Farm, just across from the Arboretum. I used to go there on picnics as a kid, tiptoeing up to see the top of the sundial, and always admiring the bronze frogs in the pond, elegantly shooting fountains of water out of their mouths. I see that it is officially called "The Macoun Garden and Pond". Who knew?

I went there last week to take a few November pictures. Even managed to get some sunlight. I couldn't take photos of the bronze frogs, sadly. They've gone indoors for the winter.

1. ( The Sun Dial )

2. ( Ground Cover in Many Colours )

3. ( Red Tree )

4. ( Looking Across the Frog Pond )

5. ( A Touch of the Neo-Classical )

6. ( The Frog Pond )

7. ( Gazebo and Tree )

When I got to work, some of my colleagues were complaining about the damp fog, but I love it. It makes everything beautiful and mysterious and different. The fog had burned off by mid-morning, but I'd taken pictures on my way to the bus stop.

1. ( Walking the Dogs )

2. ( The Yellow Tree )

3. ( Third Avenue )

4. ( Trees in the Mist )

5. ( The Last Leaves )

6. ( Jack O'Lanterns )

Walking home from the bus stop today after work, I took out my camera and snapped things that caught my eye. It seemed to me that today's weather gave things a certain unusual look - snow overlying flowers and autumn leaves. I wanted to record it before things change, and they will of course, change daily, at least for a while.

My photos:

1. ( Walking down Third Avenue )
   
   
   
2. ( Garden in the Snow )
   
   
   
3. ( Snow Tree )
   
   
   
4. ( Maple Leaves )
   
   
   
5. ( Geraniums under snow )
   
   
   
6. ( The Red Bush )
   
   
   
7. ( Unlit Lights )
   
   
   

I used my new camera again today. Here's a picture of berries on a tree at the corner of Pretoria and O'Connor - two more Ottawa streets in the Glebe. ( A tree and a government building. )
( And here is the place I'm learning Tai Chi. )

On the occasion of my broken ankle, commodorified and walkingowl got me a gift certificate for a pedicure. So glamourous! When I showed my toes to commodorified she promptly snapped a photo. So here you are: ( My turquoise toes. )

It has been snowing here a lot lately. Today was the first day after a huge snowfall; but it might be said to be the first day after a series of huge snowfalls that have been going on for four months now.

It's pretty, but we're tired of it.

Might as well show you the prettiness, though.

Pictures all taken during the past week:

Monday: it snowed.

1. ( Man walks dog... )

2. ( The trees by Patterson Creek... )

Tuesday: It stopped snowing... for a while.

3. ( Bank and Third... )

4. ( A house on Third Avenue... )

5. ( Walking home along Third... )

Today: after the deluge...

6. ( Outside my apartment... )

7. ( The only ploughed road... )

Tomorrow things should be back to normal. Winter normal.

Today was the birthday of my dear friend, maaboroshi. I wish her a magnificent year of good health, good times, and creative satisfaction!

She's been looking for pink Converse shoes, but couldn't find any in her small size. I set out to find a pair - and succeeded. ( And to prove it, here they are... )

~ ~ ~

This morning we woke up to snow.

On my way to work, I took two pictures.

The first shows Third Avenue, on my way to the bus stop.

The second shows my apartment building.

The snow has mostly melted now, but I suspect there'll be more tomorrow.

I spent most of the afternoon doing research in the National Library of Canada. I've been there before, but not for many years. I used to go when I was an undergraduate at Carleton University, and I remember they made me jump through hoops to get the authorization to go in. I was left thinking it was an elitist place that probably wouldn't let me in.

But, encouraged yesterday by maaseru and John, I went today and got a card without much hassle, using my passport as identification. I then spent time reading a book that has always fascinated me, L'Histoire de Guillaume le Maréchal. I have read it before, but really don't remember as much as I might; the only printed version, a three-volume set from 1891, is difficult to find, and is fragile. It is more than 19,000 lines of Anglo-Norman verse, and so is difficult to read quickly.

I knew the National Library had a copy, because I'd got it once on Interlibrary Loan through the Public Library. (But they wouldn't let me take it home. The nerve.) When I asked for it this morning the library expressed doubt. "We don't usually handle that kind of material," she said. "We're mandated to carry Canadian history, you know." I couldn't tell whether she was dissing my unpatriotic study of European history, or apologizing for the library's insufficiencies. I refrained from saying, "How chauvinistic of you." They did, of course, have the book.

Because it is fragile, I had to read it in room 25, wearing white gloves (which they provided), and use of pens is not allowed. Luckily, I'd put a good pencil into my bag this morning, somewhat by accident rather than good planning.

I luxuriated in the place. I'm used to the Ottawa Public Library - a good place, don't get me wrong, but it's crowded with books and people and the air conditioning seldom seems quite right and the librarians are always busy. In the National Library, there is a hush. The air conditioning is perfect - and that's important, since it was (maaseru tells me) 40-something degrees Celsius outdoors today, or 106^o Fahrenheit. But in this cool, not-too-bright, not-to-dim room with its high ceilings and a view of the Ottawa River through its floor-to-ceilng windows with vertical blinds, I felt as if I was in an ivory tower. The table I was working at was maybe 10' by 15', and I had it all to myself. There was a space of about 10' between each table and the next, and no more than three or four people working in the whole huge room at any one time. Everything seemed fresh and clean and spacious and artistic.

I loved it. I worked until my eyes started to blur and my brain balked at understanding Anglo-Norman and the muscles of my pencil-wielding hand started to ache.

The good part? My card is valid for a whole year.

Makes me feel, if only temporarily, like the real scholar I want to be.

I took some pictures when I was leaving, ( just for the fun of it. )

As promised, I took my camera into my bathroom today, and took a picture of the corner over the sink, with the action figures of Captain Jack, the Doctor (Ten), and the pterodactyl hanging from the light fixture.



In the mirror behind the figures, you can see my framed picture of Ten and just the edge of a framed picture of Nine. And a hair dryer, but its purpose is to be useful, not artistic.