We wanted to take part in a sponsored dog walk for The Blue Cross, especially since it was along the canal that passes a few minutes walk from home. Only one problem: we don’t have a dog.

Since we volunteer at the local Blue Cross centre, though, they said they’d bring us a dog we could borrow for the walk. When we turned up, we were greeted by that happy little puppy, Pixie.

Pixie had an exciting time, meeting quite a few other dogs. We think she pulled twice. She had the new experience of meeting a horse – the shire horse that pulls the barge along the canal – which she seemed quite happy with.

Typical for me – there was a brightly painted barge full of people, and a shire horse, and all I took a photo of was the knot keeping the boat still while the passengers stretched their legs and the horse had a drink.

The fields of rape beside the canal were in their full yellow glow.

Oh, and we found a stash of canal boats – it’s not often we see boats other than the horse-drawn barge along our part of the canal, but there are a few parked further along.

Of course, I kept stopping to take pictures, so Sam kept vanishing into the distance with Pixie, leaving me to hurry to catch them up.

We didn’t manage a great distance. It was a very hot day, and Pixie was only six months old. We did have a good time, though, and Pixie had fun too. We even both jogged a few times. It’s funny what a happy puppy can do to you.

On yesterday’s canal photo walk, I snapped like crazy as several terns flew around us attempting to wrestle some bread from the ducks. Most of the shots were blurred, but there were a few good ones in there.

A little play with Photoshop Elements made this one full of blackcurranty goodness.

And although this one could have been sharper, I loved the shape of the wings. I played with the colours a little to give the canal a rather appealing bronze colour.

All taken with my Nikon D40, using Michael’s special VR lens. Woo! VR!

Your own, your very own… and his haircut, Arthur. Taken by yours truly with the Nikon D40.