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The 2017 Fall Colours in Ottawa in Pictures

“Is it fall yet?”

Check the temperature, decide to wear shorts and sandals because it’s 25ºC. “Not even close, hurrah for lingering late-summer weather!”

A week later…

“Is it fall yet?”

Check the temperature, go get the winter coat out of the closet, grab a hat and gloves as well. “Huh… It’s gone, I guess?”

This is exactly what happened between September and early November—the weather was summery and gorgeous until it wasn’t, and apparently, the decision was made overnight. I’m not sure who is responsible for it but I’d like to write a formal complaint.

There are years when I spend two months filling my memory card with pictures of hundreds of gorgeous colourful trees taken in parks all over the city.

And there is this year, where over the course of a week, I tried to capture the essence of fall at its sudden peak. It was so late in the season that I struggle with the lack of light and the 6 p.m. sunset. Yet, it was now or never. Fall wasn’t going to wait for me—I knew that a few days of cold temperatures, wind and rain would close the temporary exhibition for good.

It did.

After yet another storm last week, Ottawa officially recorded the rainiest year ever—over 1,000 millimetres since January 1. Goodbye, leaves!

And then, daylight saving time ended and we turned clocks backward an hour, officially starting this time of the year when it’s dark, damp and pretty damn depressing. Goodbye, late-evening fall light!

I’m still holding on to the huge leaf Mark found the other day, as a reminder it’s not winter yet.

Fall colours in Ottawa, October 2017
Fall colours in Ottawa, October 2017
Fall colours in Ottawa, October 2017
Fall colours in Ottawa, October 2017
Fall colours in Ottawa, October 2017
Fall colours in Ottawa, October 2017
Fall colours in Ottawa, October 2017
Fall colours in Ottawa, October 2017
Fall colours in Ottawa, October 2017
Fall colours in Ottawa, October 2017
Fall colours in Ottawa, October 2017
Fall colours in Ottawa, October 2017
Fall colours in Ottawa, October 2017
Fall colours in Ottawa, October 2017
Fall colours in Ottawa, October 2017
Fall colours in Ottawa, October 2017
Fall colours in Ottawa, October 2017
Fall colours in Ottawa, October 2017
Fall colours in Ottawa, October 2017
Fall colours in Ottawa, October 2017
Fall colours in Ottawa, October 2017
Fall colours in Ottawa, October 2017
Fall colours in Ottawa, October 2017
Fall colours in Ottawa, October 2017
Fall colours in Ottawa, October 2017
Fall colours in Ottawa, October 2017
Fall colours in Ottawa, October 2017
Fall colours in Ottawa, October 2017
Fall colours in Ottawa, October 2017
Fall colours in Ottawa, October 2017
Fall colours in Ottawa, October 2017
Fall colours in Ottawa, October 2017
Fall colours in Ottawa, October 2017
Fall colours in Ottawa, October 2017
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Zhu

French woman in English Canada.

Exploring the world with my camera since 1999, translating sentences for a living, writing stories that may or may not get attention.

Firm believer that nobody is normal... and it’s better this way.

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