Hot Dog Walking

This week on my four hours respite from caring I went over to Appledown rescue centre http://www.appledown.co.uk/ to walk the dogs. It was a bit warm at 20 Deg C but with a slight breeze it was a pleasant day to be outside.
I don't know why but the three dogs I took out this week were all a bit mad, probably a bit hyped up being in the kennels and it being warm. The first one was called...MUNGO

A lovely little dog with Jack Russell traits but after half an hour settled down. A nice dog for someone who likes company on walks.

Next dog was ...LAYLA

A hyperactive dog who would not keep still, jumping and barking at everything but again after half an hour she settled down and started to enjoy her walk.

Last dog out today was ... FERGUS

He was quite funny as he constantly pulled on the lead trying to power ahead with his legs going twenty to the dozen trying to get away. As you can see it was his tongue that ended up trying to cool such a hot dog.

Outside the office is a picture board showing potential owners some of the dogs in the kennels.

After that I went off to do the weekly shop and look forward to next week to either walk along the canal or walk the dogs again.

Cheese and Cookies on the Cut.

Today I thought I would go to The Globe in Linslade  http://www.globeinn-leighton-buzzard.co.uk/  Just beyond bridge 111 is where I did all my fishing as a lad 47 years ago and would you believe it two gentlemen have nicked my spot.

What a difference a week makes in the weather here in the UK, last week it was thunderstorms and pouring with rain, this week it's blue sky and a heatwave with the temperature at 31deg.C. which did not allow me to walk the dogs or show much enthusiasm for walking too far.

I had read that The Cheese Boat http://www.thecheeseboat.co.uk/would be moored up outside The Globe pub for a couple of days so I thought I would go and purchase some of their excellent Welsh cheeses.

This is Mike and Geraldine who have operated the business since 2006.

Geraldine is not too sure what a blog is so if you read this Geraldine you now know.

I purchased a selection of their fine cheeses which are produced in Wales.

Yes I will remember to remove the wax coating, unlike another customer who didn't and complained that the cheese did not taste right.

There were a lot of narrowboats moored  up and you can see The Cookie Boat moored up in front of The Cheese Boat. I would have purchased some cookies but there was no one at home but being moored outside The Globe I can guess where they were on this blistering hot day.

On the way back home I called in at the Wyvern Shipping Co.Ltd  http://www.canalholidays.co.uk/  thinking they had a tea room but no so I went without.

Their office was resplendent in hanging baskets.

And a few boats moored outside.

Being so hot I decided to call it a day as I still had the weekly shopping to do.

Next week who knows it all depends on the weather.

A Walk Along the Aylesbury Arm of the Grand Union Canal

Today was my four hour release from caring so it was either walking the dogs or a visit to the local canal.The weather dictated my choice as walking the dogs at Appledown Boarding Kennels http://www.appledown.co.uk/ would not be allowed in the rain so off I went to Marsworth to park and walk along the Aylesbury Arm before having to turn back because of the time constraint as I needed to get the weeks shopping in.
Here are a few photos taken in the rain with my small camera.I must take my larger Canon camera out one day as I can only stop down to F8.

Lock Keepers Cottage

I noticed that the bushes were encroaching onto the canal which could be a problem in a few weeks.

There must be hundreds of pictures of herons and wondered how close I could get with my small camera before it took off.

Answer, not very, about 30ft.

 So I caught up with it further down the cut and had another go.

I think this is one occasion when I needed my longer lens.

Next week I'll have to see what the weather is like.

Find direction of sunrise/sunset anywhere worldwide

The Photographers Ephemeris

The Photographer's Ephemeris is a program to assist the planning of outdoor photography.
Landscape photographers typically plan their shoots around the times of sunrise/sunset or twilight, or alternatively when the moon is in a particular place in a particular phase.

http://photoephemeris.com/

As an example, sunset on Wednesday 25th July 2012 will shine directly along the canal at the Soulbury Three locks which should make a good sunset picture if standing on the nearby bridge looking along the locks on the canal.
If you are keen enough you can list your favourite landscape views then find the time of year when the sun rises or sets in the correct direction for a good picture.

As you can see the Jet Stream in yellow is below the UK allowing moist air from the north to form cloud cover which is problematic in the execution of your well planned photo shoot.

Visit to Marsworth Canal and Reservoir

Today was the first time in 5 months I could get away for a couple of hours from my caring duties to visit the canal at Marsworth. The weather was perfect for the picture postcard photos with thunderstorms brewing interspersed with spells of sunshine. I had my small Canon Power Shot A700 camera in my pocket which I find invaluable for taking snaps.

 http://www.cameras.co.uk/camera-reviews/canon-powershot-a700.cfm 

 Walking back from the car park along the canal towpath towards the Bluebell Tea Rooms I saw a narrowboat in lock 39 with a gentleman sitting on the other side of the canal drawing which I thought would make a nice photo. Here it is...

The narrowboat is owned by the Hillingdon Narrowboats Association ( HNA )

Which is an excellent organisation providing boating experiences for the community details of which can be found here..

.http://www.hna.org.uk/

After all the rain we have been having I thought I would have a look at the reservoir to see if it had filled up after the drought..

Safe to say it is now replenished and plenty more to come looking at that sky.

By now time was getting on and those storm clouds were getting nearer by the second but I had to get at least one more picture of a narrowboat so here is NB Widgeon about to get dumped on by a downpour.

 By the time the storm arrived I was back in the car and on the way home through rivers of water running down the roads.

Hopefully that is the first of my hours out from caring a week, next week I think it will be the dog walking depending on the weather of course.

A Dog,Kitten and a Fox sleeping together.

I thought I would share this picture with you I found on the internet.

My Stained Glass Window

Many years ago I had an interest in stained glass and went to night school to learn how to make windows and general stained glass pieces. Pictures can never do justice to the vibrant colour which glass gives as you can never get the right position for the light to shine in the right direction for it to show it's vibrant colour to the best advantage. Anyway this is the very first attempt I had at making a window.

I mounted it in one of our front window frames and was in place for many years before the double glazing was fitted, this brought to an end my idea of supplying windows as the public found it was too expensive to have a triple glass construction with a stained glass inner.

I found it in the back of the shed and thought I would share it with you.

The white cross is the only thing you see at night when a car headlamp shines on it and looks spectacular.

Looking back at the design I would have done a few things differently but for a first attempt I was pleased with it.

It may come in handy to have this skill when I eventually get a narrowboat.