The pictures from the Summer Ball are here - click the picture on the left to see them. If you want high resolution copies for printing then go here.

The smiles in these Summer Ball Portraits were not just for the photos; everyone seemed to be having a great time.

The organisers did a brilliant job and they deserve all the congratulations they will receive.

Thanks to all those patient people who permitted me to take their pictures; and with such good grace!

Robin.

The portraits taken by the professional photographer are also available on their site and can still be purchased. You can find the Gallery here

An invitation from Mercedes-Benz to go on one of their 4x4 driving experience days led to Dave Denford and I travelling to Castle Combe in Wiltshire. M-B must know that I endlessly trundle around the south west towing a horse trailer with a couple of Dobbins in the back and so I must be in need of a new 4x4.

One of the experiences was to hurtle around the race track in an AMG 4x4, which must weigh well over two tonnes, and which was powered by a massive engine of about 6.3 litres (I think) in the charge of one of M-B’s instructors. The vehicle sounded like a second world war fighter plane as it howled down the straight.

I sat in the back holding on grimly; and I was horrified when, as we careered towards some outrageously sharp bend at about 130mph, the instructor casually turned round and asked me if I was "all right". What was I meant to say? '"I’ll have a gin and tonic with a whisper of lime please." ?'

All I could do was whimper and gesture frantically at the appalling dangers rushing up.

Dave, in the front seat, was as cool as a cucumber of course. I think he was chatting amiably away with the driver about knitting or some such while we diced with death. Am I the only one who knows what is going on?

I survived; hence you have the benefit of this introduction to the July website.

I took some pictures of John and Jenny (Shaddick)’s Silver Wedding celebrations on 16 June and I have taken the liberty of putting some (not all) of these up now. It was a very local party and a great time was had by all - as I can testify from personal experience. Congratulations John and Jenny!

As a family we attended the pet service in Belstone on 17 June, and it turned out to be really quite civilised with various creatures attending with their human pets who were clearly on best behaviour. Three horses appeared as the service was finishing and were just too late to enter the Church, rather I think to the relief of Simon who organised and led the service, with great aplomb.

The younger human pets did some excellent readings and enactments, but I felt unable to disrupt proceedings by taking pictures so there are none to show of this alas!

If you didn’t attend the Moor Harmony concert on Garden Open Day or at Sticklepath on30 June then you missed the best ever performances by the choir. We didn’t get a huge audience exactly in Sticklepath (we never do in Sticklepath for some reason) but those who did come were good fun; and we all (audience and choir) tucked in to some mulled ginger cider punch and I rather think a good time was had by all.

"Whilst many of us may have been sheltering this weekend in the comfort of our homes, the First South Zeal Scouts spent the time competing in the Hurdlestone Challenge. This involves, as far as I can tell, camping over two nights and spending the days hiking across the moor and undertaking all sorts of physical and mental challenges en route.

What with the mist, rain and gales it really was quite a challenge.

There were 88 teams - and the First South Zeal Scouts came third.

Pretty impressive! Congratulations to them – and to the hard working leaders and parents!"