"Messing about on the river"!

What a glorious day we had yesterday, Sunday, and I got quite excited because the sun was shining after the awful weather we have been having.  It was another outing with the 50+ Adventure Club and another annual favourite - the canal boat.  We arrived at the Marina and after being allocated either Rumble, Fumble or Tumble we set off to our first lock.  It is usually the ladies who open and close the locks as the men are being macho and driving the boats or throwing us ropes to tie the boat up.

The sun shone, there was wild life all round us 

A grey heron standing on one leg on a branch

A cormorant and there was another heron on a branch lower down

 We saw these sculptures -

A giant tap and a strange fish on a pole!

turned a corner in the river and saw this horse fair 

'Travellers' horses

 

A cute foal

We meandered on our way and the sun shone

No touching up of this photo!

and noticed in the distance that some swans were having a go at a small dog that was walking on the towpath.  When we got nearer we saw why.

Protecting their young cygnets

We had a coffee break with biscuits and after about two hours turned round and tied up outside a handy pub where drinks were bought. Each member of each boat had been instructed to bring items so that we had a delicious ploughman's lunch, with the obligatory pork pie!!  Pudding followed!!  We were now on the return journey with three locks to go through with queues of boats waiting.  The return journey was slower but very enjoyable.  We arrived at the deep water lock and I wandered up to see how many boats were waiting to go through.  I saw this

Hydra cycling

and my first thought was a new activity for the club - cycling on water!! I very rarely stay on the boat in a lock but on this occasion I did and watched the water rushing in

and the boats rocked a bit.  But we pressed on

and I took photos of some of the architecture we saw.

Dutch gabled houses - very unusual

An 1860 bridge, though I am not sure that it is still in use.

We had a lovely day and the sun shone. I had been over to Cambridge to do some vegetable gardening and decided that the radishes needed harvesting so chopped this pile up and took them on the boat trip for everyone!

Last week we had our June 'reveal' for Mini Mania which was to make a four-patch block of stars using three colours - aqua, purple and yellow + one other colour.  Big problem straight away as I DON'T DO YELLOW!!!!

Virginia Star - 8" square

However I did manage this in the end - a golden background, purple border and the centres for the star. July's challenge is 'Seminole'!  Thinking cap on for this one.