A Day Away in Ottawa

It's raining as I type this.  It rains everyday.

Usually the barn lofts are filled with square bales at this time of year.  But they aren't.  We haven't managed to even get the first cut finished.  When August arrives we are usually thinking about second cut hay.

It's high stress.  We need that feed for the winter.

We needed to have a day away.  Away from it all.

So Sunday morning, Terry and I took the two youngest girls into Ottawa.  We had plans to tour the Parliament Buildings and go up the Peace Tower but when we went to get the tickets, the line up was really, really, REALLY long. So we scrapped that idea.

We went to Mass at St. Patrick's Basilica.  I didn't take any photos because I'm not used to taking photos inside a church and I was just too much in awe.  That is one beautiful, spectacular church.  The patterns on the ceilings and the paintings and the altar....it's just amazing.  AND we had communion at the communion rail.  I've never experienced that.  Most communion rails have been removed from the churches...our church used to have one years ago but I never saw it used.  Why?....I have no idea....but I wish that they could bring them all back.  Communion at the rail was so very reverent and lovely.

After Mass, we grabbed a quick lunch and then walked.

And walked.  And walked.

My photos aren't the best because all I had was my phone.

We watched the boats go through the locks on the Rideau Canal.

And we found this Celtic Cross.  It's in memory of all the Irish workers who built the canal.

The busker festival was happening on Sparks Street so the crowds were phenomenal.

We enjoyed supper on a patio on Sparks Street.  Terry checked the radar on his phone....because he is always checking the radar on his phone....and sure enough, we were getting a shower of rain back home.

The girls really enjoyed themselves.  Lydia asked if this is always here....the patio or the busker festival?  The patio!  How had the patio always been there and we had never eaten here before!

We must have looked approachable or local because several people asked us for directions or what the name of a building was.  Of course we had no idea so we just made stuff up and made people even more lost or confused.

I'M KIDDING.

We told them that we had no idea....we were actually tourists too!

I was hoping to get a photo of this 'Canada 150' thing with the girls but it was really busy all day long and I couldn't actually get it all in the photo unless I stood way far back....so it didn't work out..

We stayed for the Northern Lights show. 

I thought it was random lights on the Parliament Buildings but it is actually a half hour show that tells the history of our country.  It's excellent.

It was a great get-a-way....for a day....and now we are back to trying to do the hay.

Brenda