This week, the annual Tulip Festival in Ottawa is in full swing at Major's Hill Park, near the National Art Gallery and the Byward Market (my neighbourhood!). I wandered into the park today on my home from work, just to check it out. There are lots of large wooden tulips all over the place, like these red ones. For some reason, these were in a semi-circle around a wooden ladybug, which had flowers spilling out under her shell. Just part of the kitschy fun, I guess!
Of course, the main attraction is the masses of tulips in bloom in various places throughout the park. There were also dozens of people with cameras clicking away like mad. I was lucky to find a spot where I could take a picture of just the flowers and not all the other photographers who were, like me, trying to get a good shot!
Not far from the tulip beds, I saw this large brightly coloured tube. People were looking into it and so I just had to find out what it was.
It turned out to be a very large kaleidescope. This guy showed me how it worked. There are wheels on the side that you can turn to get different effects. I tried it. I have always loved kaleidescopes. This one was amazing!
Further up the hill, there was a cluster of tents for different exhibits. Dozens and dozens of painted and decorated wooden tulips lined the sidewalks or were scattered over the lawns.
And what would a tulip festival be without some people sitting in or on a wooden shoe!?!
I like the face on this tulip. The words "peace" and "friendship" are painted on its leaves. Perfect for a festival celebrating spring.
One of my annual rites of spring involves taking out my old lawnmower and seeing if she will start up. When I say old, I mean OLD - this poor thing is about 20 years old. Every year, I wonder if this will be her finale - the year she doesn't start. But miraculously, she always does - as she did this year, on Saturday. I breathed a sigh of relief, told her she was a good lawnmower, and cut some grass.
After that, my garden demanded attention. Weeding, weeding, weeding. And I finally got around to planting some summer bulbs I foolishly bought a month ago. I had seen this wonderful display in a store back in April and, in a moment of temporary insanity, picked up a bag of gladiolus bulbs - 50 of them, to be exact. It took a long time to plant them all. But while I was doing that, I had time to appreciate the things that were blooming in my garden right now, like these daffodils and periwinkle and a mystery flower (?) - not sure what it is.
It was a great weekend for working in my studio. After the yardwork and gardening, I spent several hours working on a couple of paintings for a show coming up, Art Fayre. While I was in my studio, I found some old sketchbooks. There were several fast warm-up drawings in them - not keepers, just quick gesture drawings. I like the colour in this one.
And this was a very fast pencil sketch just to loosen up my hand and arm. The right leg and foot were fun.
A long time ago, I saw a movie or an episode on a television show (perhaps the Twilight Zone) where a bunch of department store mannequins come alive at night. I can understand why someone would come up with such an idea. I am often impressed with how life-like some of the mannequins are in store window displays. For example, I saw this mannequin in a small boutique window in the Byward Market and I thought she looked like she was really, really angry about something. I wouldn't want to get into a fight with her!
This one, on the other hand, just looks very haughty and aloof. Certainly not someone who could take a joke.
This mannequin looks like she's having a really bad hair day and is pointing it out to everyone else.
Here is the whole window display. I didn't bother with the guy in the white shirt because he just looks like an alien from another planet. No match for the women!
It is amazing how many mannequins look really menacing. I saw this one in the window of a store on Sussex Drive and was impressed with how muscular she looked. Also, she seems to be thrusting out her jaw in a determined way, as if daring someone to pick a fight with her. No thanks!
This window was in front of another store on Sussex. These three mannequins really do seem to be aware of each other, like they had been chatting then someone told them to stop and pose together.
The one in the middle had the most compelling expression, like she really was thinking about something. The other two were just pouting.
Finally, for a bit of relief from all that mannequin angst, I found this bright-coloured, fun pile of puppets in a toy store down the street. I like the way the guy on the top looks like he's warily trying to climb over the head of the puppet in front of him. No pouting or anger here!
A friend of mine at work, Kristen, was in England last week for a visit to some friends of hers in London. It was just a coincidence that she was there during the royal wedding. Kristen has a great sense of humour. She presented me with this gift yesterday when she came back to work. A commemorative royal wedding tea towel! Just what I always wanted. Love it!
Of course I had to show it to everyone else at work. They all appreciated the humour of Kristen's gift. Anyway, one colleague thought the picture of Kate made her look awful. I tend to agree. But hey! it's my tea towel and no criticism allowed! Now I have to decide if I should use it to clean dirty dishes or frame it!
There is a wonderful store in the Byward Market called, appropriately enough, the Byward Market News which mostly sells newspapers and magazines. But it also sells some really cool stuff, like toy soldiers for collectors. I was passing by recently and the window display caught my eye. First, I had a look at this "Arabian Nights" city tableau, with amazing little buildings, a palm tree and some camels.
Above that, there were dozens of Chinese figurines, wearing traditional clothing, playing musical instruments and doing all sorts of other things. Very elaborate!
In another part of the window, there was a military tableau, with soldiers on horseback (I guess they are cavalry) and other soldiers shooting cannons, or just standing around in their Napolean-era uniforms. To the left of this grouping, there were a bunch of soldiers behind a sign that said, "Remember the Alamo", but I couldn't get a good photo of it.
And for something completely different, around the corner in another part of the window display for the same store, I found this marvelous Felix the Cat clock. Wouldn't you just love to have him?
Or maybe you would prefer the Betty Boop clock. Her eyes move left and right, according to the package. Isn't she great?
When it is election night in Canada, I have a tradition. I walk up to the Parliament buildings and savour the excitement in the air. I passed through the Byward Market and then to Major Hill Park, where I took this picture of the east side of Parliament.
When I got to Rideau Street, close to the Chateau Laurier, these three young people approached and asked if they could interview me. They explained that their high school class was visiting from Toronto and that they were interviewing people for a project. They asked me what I thought the result of the election would be then filmed me as I responded. I said that I wasn't sure but that the NDP surge was great for our democracy. After the interview, I asked if I could take their picture. Voila!
After parting from them, I resumed my walk to Parliament. I like to enter the grounds from the east side through this gate and up the path that leads around the back of the buildings.
I walked around the back side of Parliament and took this picture of the west side of the buildings. I like the way the Peace Tower seems to be peeking over the top.
And here is Parliament from the front, with the eternal flame burning bright. It was actually rather quiet, perhaps the quiet before the storm.
It was a beautiful weekend to be out at my place in the country. Sunny and warm! Unfortunately, I had a bad cold and needed cheering up. The sight of these daffodils blooming in my garden certainly helped!
I went to the monthly Artist Trading Cards meeting in Dunvegan and that cheered me up too. After the trade, several of us were outside chatting when our friend Mac drove up on his vintage scooter. Vroom-vroom!
On Sunday, I made a stop for food at a shopping mall on my way back to the city. As I was getting out of my car in the parking lot, I saw this contraption in the distance. I had to investigate. Doesn't it look like some alien creature with lots of tentacles?
There was a whole crew of people assembling midway/carnival rides. I talked to one of the guys, asking what some of the stuff was. He was pleasant but they were all very busy. I have no idea what kind of ride this is, but it involves lots of nets.
And here is the ubiquitous midway food vending place, with a bright red white and blue tent/canopy. The big strawberry seemed to be part of a another ride. Sweet!
I guess you can't have a midway if you don't have anthropomorphic elephants with big ears that you can sit in while you go round and round. Lots of nice bright colours!
