A walk in Kuraki Park

Simply couldn't get up at the crack of dawn today, so around 8am I drove over to Kuraki Park with the dogs. The asphalt gets too hot for the walk there and back, particularly after nine when we'd be coming home. Met a beagle friend who kindly took this photo, before Nobu and Claire went into full hunting and splosh mode in the wetland area of the park. I got some fantastic pink and white Adizero 60% off yesterday, and am overjoyed at the results: my knee has been hurting a little lately, but these new shoes cushion well and really help cope with the sportive dog walks, as we suddenly head up slopes or into thickets, clambering among tree roots and muddy leaves. I like the way they have nubby stubble and an angle off the ball, helping roll the foot forward as I walk and helping keep my balance in the right place not to strain the knee as I try and rein in the dogs when they get overexcited and tug on the leash.

Claire found a pigeon first, and I took this shot over Nobu's back as the two dogs froze in set. She's not really too serious about this bird, it's like an hors d`oeuvre to just wet the palate before we get down to the wetlands where cats hide, and of course the duckpond...

 And in they go, just dipping the paws in the shallows and having a few gulps first, before we head on down the terraced slope to...

SPLOSH!!! and Claire always makes it look like so much fun, Nobu follows suit...

I love the way Nobu gives me the perfect smile for the camera...dogs are so zen, they really make you savor the moment, and express it so well, like a radiant energy amplifier, the halo of angels :)

After a brief encounter with a fat black and white cat, we're sploshing on down to the pond, where Claire cast around for scents and then found the ducks lounging in the bullrushes...so near and yet so far....

Standing between the two, it's clear what they're focused on, those ducks, those ducks, THOSE IRRESISTIBLE DUCKS>>>

And in they went, only to swim around achasing the ducks as far as the leash would allow, poor Claire, she'd never come out otherwise, I'd have to wade in and get her back! Too busy to get the swimming Olympic shots though...

These two summer smiles just say it all, the essence of summer holidays :)