Non-lost dogs and the ghosts of baby swans

The current obsession with getting 10K steps "done" every day has got to be a good thing. I'm out in the air, looking at things, encountering small unexpectednesses... and exercising willpower not just in the continuing walking but also in trying not to take so many photos! 

Having spent all day sitting in libraries/galleries and on the train after my delightful jaunt to Manchester, on getting back I set out to Waitrose in hopes they still had my usual "free" newspaper [they did].  The "long loop" along Parkland Walk is about 5K steps - perfect.

But what's this? a little dog, wandering on his own ... no people in sight, so we dawdled along together, in mutual hope that an owner would appear [she did] -

 Lots of runner out for an early-evening jog - and the trees so big, so green so cooling -

I've passed this structure in the adventure playground, near the skateboarding area, many times and never really noticed it before ... perhaps it was the encounter with Susan Hefuna's work at the Whitworth (till 3 Sept) that brought it to notice now -

I'm keeping my eye on this bit of wrapping on Stanhope Rd -

 and was intrigued by the wellie-rack along The Avenue -

 2
Sunday - today - promised to be rather hot (it is) so I set off early with breakfast in mind, through park and along canal, and then round the pond in the wetland nature park to the Coalhouse Cafe, the heritage building with the tent beside it -

 The path often sported a central fissure -

 This was due, said the workman with a truckful of sand and a large shovel, to the concrete contracting in the heat and opening up cracks.

The cafe was quite quiet when I arrived, no buggy brigade just yet

 but by the time I'd read a bit of the review section of yesterday's paper the tables were filling up and the noise level was rising as each dad tried to talk louder than the other [imho].

Reedbeds right round the water, and rose bay willow herb in the (blurry) background - many birds too, but I was trying not to take toooo many photos -

 At the east entrance, or exit, a wildflower meadow in various stages of bloom and seed -

Teasels and dock

Teasel seeds setting off on their perilous journey

Just before the canal disappeared under the big road, a grille gave it some wonderful reflections -

You could photograph these forever

Closer up

The canal is actually, or was, the New River, which brought water into the city from ... hmm, would that be Hertfordshire? [Yes; as far as 20 miles from here.] Walking here weeks ago, I'd seen a swan's nest and looked for it today, only to find this sad sight -

Two unhatched swan's eggs