Canada Day 2010
Canada Day (July 1st, 2010) started off with a visit with my father. They had a group BBQ planned at Stonehaven Manor where he resides and we all joined him for hamburgers. After lunch we sat in the sunshine and talked for a bit. Not sure if he was falling asleep on me or just squinting to keep the bright sun out of his eyes but I think a bit of both.
This year our children (now grown) were all heading off with their own agendas so my wife and I headed into downtown Ottawa to see what was going on in the Nation’s Capital.
As we walked along the banks of the Ottawa River and the Rideau Canal, I was checking all of the milkweed plants to see if I could find a brightly coloured Monarch caterpillar to photograph.
I didn’t find any colourful caterpillars but was pleasantly surprised when a black groundhog came out of hiding to accept the sunflower seeds, bits of fruit and popcorn that children and adults were throwing in its direction. I was very surprised to find a black groundhog! First one that I had ever seen.
July 1st is one of the more important holidays in Canada and generally a time of partying on the streets for those in the Nation’s capital. Many communities have their own celebrations going one – some very large as well and others somewhat more subdued but the downtown Ottawa festivities are definitely the most well attended of the event locations with buskers and stage performers working hard all day while the spectators take the day off from their normal jobs.
Every good celebration needs its carnival and in Kanata many families were lining up for one last ride while waiting for the fireworks to start.
Upon careful examination of the mid-way rides installed for Canada Day 2010 celebrations in Kanata, Ontario, it was discovered that at least one of the rides was just a cover for an alien communication device sending pulse waves out into space.
