Sue Woodcock: My dog fails to make the grade at the show but we all have fun

I was asked to judge the handicraft entries which was very difficult because they were all most innovative and well thought out.

I had also been asked to take a dog to enter the dog show. Which should I take? In the end I took Boo in the hope that she would behave.

There was an excellent silver band and, my judging done, I was free to enjoy all the events and sideshows. I went over to stand in a gap as some sheep were being put in a pen for the sheep show.

Having got them safely in, I turned to find I was holding an empty collar and lead while Boo was sitting about 25 metres away having decided that discretion was the better part of valour. Not too many people noticed and for the rest of the day she was as good as gold.

I enjoyed a delicious scone with cream and jam, bought some raffle tickets, ate a hot dog and watched the fell race. Then the highlight of the day, the dog show.

Nearly 30 dogs were entered and Boo and I managed to come last in the race, failed at the obedience trick (but raised a laugh at the attempt) and I was not judged to look like her. Nor was she the best turned out, but it was such fun.

Even though we had not won anything, Boo got a rosette for just being Boo which I shall treasure. It was all a very new experience for her and she slept soundly.

Grassington Festival is now in full swing. The theme is about nature in bloom and everywhere is decorated with wheelbarrows, cleverly depicted as gardens.

As I was turning off to Conistone at Kilnsley, I just avoided being wiped off the road by two cars racing at breakneck speed towards me.

One was a bright orange sports car, the other a small hatchback. I mentioned it to a friend the next day only to discover that he had also seen the orange car being driven like this on previous occasions.

I hope that when an accident occurs it will not hurt anyone else. Our country roads are race tracks.

I seem to have been at church quite a lot this week. I went to sing in the choir at the memorial service for a lovely elderly lady who had been a friend of many. We will miss Betty Cooper and remember her fondly. It was a beautiful service and a fitting send off.

Again the flowers by the roads and in the fields are changing. In one field not too far up the dale is a stand of yellow flags or irises in a ribbon of bright yellow, then there is the delicate blue of wild scabious standing shyly among the buttercups that are colouring the fields everywhere with rich yellow.

Down in the churchyard is a pale pink dog rose in flower by the river. The grasses are colourful too. The seed heads of cocks foot and Yorkshire fog are turning a lovely magenta. The smaller grasses complement this with their subtle browns and greens.

By my gate there is a splash of blue speedwell, tiny and delicate. The gardens are bursting with blues and the whole area looks stupendous.

I was walking in a country lane and was surprised to come across a gooseberry bush heavily laden with fruit ripening in the summer sun.

My older collie Froyle has made a great recovery and is now fighting fit after her operation.

My stiff neck that has plagued me for over a week has gone and I have been able to do some things around the place.

I suspect that a warm house that I have been luxuriating in now my Rayburn is fully functional has helped a lot. It is still cold some nights even if it was the longest day this week.

We’ve had some spectacular sunsets, great ribbons of crimson and deep yellow spanning the sky, contrasting with pale blue azure as the sun sinks below the horizon. The clouds are interesting with a great variety in shape, colour and form, from the white fluffy ones to the grey or black threatening ones.

Such beauty is priceless and it is never the same twice. Life is great!