2022 -- During the winter months we have tried to keep busy. We stayed close to home and explored Gatineau and Ottawa. When restrictions allowed, we visited several museums in the area. In this area there is an abundance of museums and tours so we were kept busy.
Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau
Traditional clothing
This says it all
An intricate painting on a hand drum.
I was surprised to see this display concerning Jean-Pierre (JP) Taschereau and his involvement in the response to the earthquake in Haiti in 2010. Surprised only because I worked for the Canadian Red Cross for many years and I had met and worked indirectly with JP at the Emergency Response Unit Training Course. This photo shows the contents of a one-month hygiene kit for five people and also the Canadian Red Cross vest belonging to Jean-Pierre.
Young Marjorie Gehl was determined to mark the centennial even though her family had moved to the southern United States; her father being a diplomat. A keen sewer, Marjorie decided to create an evening dress suitable for the many official functions that her family attended. Inspired by maple leaves sent to her from a sister still in Canada, Marjorie wore this dress to numerous events in 1967.
Namaxsala (To travel in a boat together).
Click here to see about the art and this unique piece
Products from the Hudson Bay Company now called "The Bay"
This Singer sewing machine sewed the first Canadian Flag in the style used today. Joan O'Malley was asked to sew on this machine the prototype of the first maple leaf flag ever flown. It looks just like the first sewing machine that I had which was handed down to me from my Mom.
The Canadian stamp Collection was very interesting.
Under the heading "Making Do" hangs this 1930 attractive quilt with hand-dyed squares. During the depression, jobs and money were so scarce and the need so great that families had no option but to adapt. New outfits were made from older pieces of clothing. Furniture was built from scrap lumber. The quilt above was made by an Elginburg, Ontario woman by stitching together Quaker Oats flour sacks. You use what you have.
A hallway between exhibits was lined with a number of etched mirrors. We each found one that we related to. Al chose one depicting Elections Canada because during the 2021 federal election he was an assistant poll supervisor. I chose the one with the covered bridge. During our time in New Brunswick and Quebec, I searched for as many covered bridges as possible.
Ice Sculptures in Gatineau: We travelled around the Region of Gatineau to see all the ice sculptures
Whether on a sled or an inner tube, it's impossible not to find your child's heart when the time comes to hurtle down a snowy slope. Gatineau also offered 14 sliding sites throughout its region.
It's not because it's winter that the festival season is taking a break in Gatineau. Since 1980, the Salon du livre de l'Outaouais has been a must during the cold season. The Salon has since attracted several thousand visitors, authors and publishers to the Palais des Congres de Gatineau. It is now one of the most important cultural events in Quebec.
Gatineau offers its citizens 82 outdoor skating rinks throughout its territory. Gatineau also has five community rinks, opened in each sector of the city between 2015 and 2019 thanks to corporate donations. Skaters who prefer natural waterways can take advantage of Ruisseau de la Brasserie (Brewery Creek) or Lac Beauchamp, which turn into a veritable winter playground.
During the winter, some of Gatineau's waterways come alive and host veritable little villages on ice. Ice fishing occupies an important place in the history of the city. Many fishermen every winter come to tease the fish. Whether it's for a pike, a walleye or a yellow perch, all the reasons are good to put your line in the water!
Gatineau is lucky enough to host the largest international cross-country skiing event in Canada every winter. The Gatineau Loppet invites approximately 2,500 skiers from around the world each year.
There was one in the community of Buckingham that we could not find. That one depicted the winter activity of curling.
Ingenium, Canada Science and Technology Museum
Entrance of the Canada Science and Technology Museum
Al in the driver's seat on a steam locomotive.
"Sheldon" would have been proud of me playing the Theremin.
We watched an experiment with dry ice.
This is hitchBot, a robot built in 2014. It is a social robot that successfully hitchhiked across Canada in 2014. Created by Canadian researchers Dave Harris Smith and Frouke Zeller, hitchBot gained international attention for its unlikely journey as well as its quirky construction and personality. Equipped with artifical intelligence, GPS and a tablet computer, , hitchBot spent its trip chatting with fellow travel companions "reporting its GPS travels, coordinating online and uploading pictures for its team to share through social media accounts".
If you were leaving your home country as a refugee and could only bring items for your whole family that would fit in this size of box (steamer trunk size), what would you pack? Do refugees today have the same problem?
Travelling vacation in style in the 1950's. Pretty classy wheels.
Lovely trailer as well!
I always wanted a wall of plates so I enjoyed looking at this one.
I do have enough unique plates to decorate, maybe one day!
National Art Gallery
Maman (Mother). This 30 foot tall steel spider is the first thing that greets you to the Ottawa Art Gallery. This sculpture was designed by Louise Bourgeois at the age of 95. It is one of 6 spiders made. The gallery purchased it in 2005 for $3.2 million.
Al is looking through another sculpture by Louise Bourgeois, The Arch of Hysteria, 1993
A metal figure from the line of many figures displayed on a long wooden board.
An oil painting of Niagara Falls
A nice oil painting of the forest and the sun shining on the water.
Sunset Sky 1915
I would love to paint such beautiful scenery too.
"Queen" by Aganetha Dyck 2007
Honeycomb (Bees wax with honey) on porcelain figurine.
Kind of scary!
Canadian Museum of Nature
Looking to a large globe hanging several stories above us.
Al reading about this dinosaur.
Ferocious!
Aren't they just gorgeous! These were live snowy owls.
The museum had a large display of various rocks and the explanation of how they were formed.
Another unique rock formation
My favourite bird. We saw many Puffins in Newfoundland. They are so interesting.
International Film Festival of Ottawa
The By-Towne Cinema was one of two locations for the Festival.
Below are some of the films that we viewed.
Canadian Agriculture and Food Museum -- Ottawa
A display of painted eggs. This was near a display that explained how eggs are put into size groups.
There were a few cows with heart-shaped patches on their faces. Here is one.
So loving!
Mae is just relaxing!
One thing I learned was about this long elastic cord. This cord keeps the cow's tail from trailing in the gutter and getting covered with manure. The cow can swat freely at flies while staying clean The device does not hurt the animal.
I don't think I would like to meet this guy "in an alley".
"Don't be so nosy!"
Free Walking Tour -- Ottawa
We went on several walking tours as well as exploring the streets by ourselves. Ottawa is filled with history, art and culture. Here are some of the things that we saw:
Al is a real "T".
Tour guide explaining points of interest on Sparks Street.
Representing hockey -- a puck and trophy
Terry Fox in front of the Parliament buildings
Reflection of the Parliament building.
The Rideau Canal in Spring
The tulip represents Ottawa and its history
Art on the walls along the many streets in Ottawa.
Ottawa Tulip Festival
We had heard so much about the Ottawa Tulip Festival and we know many people who have attended in the past. The stroll through the outdoor gardens was lovely. Unfortunately, we went near the end of the festival and many of the tulips had passed their prime but still the variety of tulips there were fabulous.
Princess Margriet of Holland has a connection with Canada as she was born in a room in Ottawa's Civic Hospital which was declared to be Dutch soil during the birth so that she could be declared as being Dutch.
Al and I at the Ottawa Tulip Festival.
This beautiful red and white tulip variety was specifically designed for Canada and was named Canada150. There are quite a variety of tulips at the festival. Below is a sample of the varieties.
Large flower beds were everywhere.
The colours are just wonderful!
There was a display of 16 War Brides; women who married Canadian soldiers and moved to Canada. Each hand painted panel tells the story of a bride.
Aviation and Space Museum -- Ottawa
This museum takes you from the early days of balloons to space travel
The Montgolfier Brothers Balloon, 1783
Chris Hatfield's suit
The famous "Canadarm".
Pre Air Canada. Luggage was put in the nose of the plane.
Your "stewardess"
"Oo-la-la, Look at those legs!"
A photo op!
Al testing himself to see if he will get dizzy.
Very important to know if he wants to be an astronaut.
Bank of Canada Museum -- Ottawa
Viola Desmond was a successful black businesswoman who was jailed, convicted and fined for defiantly refusing to leave a whites-only area of a movie theatre in 1946. Her court case was an inspiration for the pursuit of racial equality across Canada. Viola's story is part of the permanent collection at the Canadian Museum of Human Rights. Click here to learn more about the vertical $10 bill featuring Viola Desmond.
Weapons made with coins
As a child, I remember having money cakes. My mother would serve a birthday cakes with coins hidden in the layers of cakes. It was always exciting to search for the coin once you got your piece.
There was a collection of banks for saving your coins. Very interesting!
A piggy bank
This display showed how they made bills using the image of the Queen.
Mackenzie King Estate in Gatineau Park
"I felt better the minute I was at Kingsmere (Lake).
The air here is fine. The trees fresh". WLMK
Above and below show the ruins of The Abbey. The Abbey was actually constructed, in part, with materials from the Centre Block of Parliament that was destroyed by fire in 1916. The Abbey was built in 1936 and was used by King for quiet contemplation and reflection.
Al looking through a window in one of the walls in The Abbey
Another wall of the ruins of The Abbey
Apparently looks like the picture of the beaver on a Canadian nickel. I
guess if you squint your eyes you could possibly see it.
Throughout the property were many pieces of old buildings that had been moved to the gardens.
Here is an example of one, the Arc de Triomphe. The arch way was from an old bank in Ottawa.
An English garden and rock garden are also featured on the property.
Little curiosities are seen throughout the property.
Inside the Moorside Cottage:
Inside Kingswood Cottage:
Gravel roadways
Beautiful stone work down to the lake.
"Such happiness as I felt in being beneath my own roof,
amid the trees". WLMK
We saw a wide variety of subjects through the exhibits at all these museums -- history, nature, science, space, etc. A nice way to experience the world around us now and in the past. Whether in a small local museum or a larger regional museum, there is so much to learn. Take the time to find one near you and explore.
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