A cool, fresh, polar maritime flow covered the UK at noon GMT. Stats: Overnight low 6C, high 15C, rainfall 0, thicnkess: 539 dam.

So, it's the solstice - not that you'd guess from the weather, which was fairly cloudy. When the sun did come out though, it was strong, although with a brisk wind it felt quite pleasant.

I managed to leave my camera behind at the Trust today, (doh!), so these pictures are actually from the 6th.

I pulled up at the secondary carpark (car wet from a heavy downpour which took the temperature down to 12C) and nipped off to see Kenai. To my dismay, she's still wearing that cone thing, but she seems back to her normal bouncy self. She doesn't seem to have as much blue gunk on her either, looking very similar to this photo:

The only real change since then is that the grass has been cut! Kenai howled three times after I left her, then as I headed back to try and get a photo of her howling, she stopped and instead zipped up to the fence. She howled several times today, usually after visitors had left - I can't help but feel sorry for her, but hopefully next week she'll be back to normal.

Kodiak, meanwhile, was as interested in his vistitors as he was with Kenai, although I noticed he joined in the howling as well.

After that, it was time for cleaning (Duma and Dakota's area this time), then after painting the outside of the visitor's centre the wolves went off for their walk in the woods. I did have a bit of excitement, though, as some people showed up and wanted to see the wolves - I went off to try and find the European wolves, nipping around the back of the enclosure. I found them, then had a pleasant if unintended jogging race against Latea on the way back - she beat me effortlessly!

I didn't join the folks on the walk this time, instead staying behind to chop bolts from some new fence supports in Duma and Dakota's enclosure.

The visitors returned a little later than usual, and it was after they'd left that I had another wonderful experience. We all went into Duma and Dakota's enclosure, only this time they didn't lean against me - in fact, I got the distinct impression they'd have been quite happy to relax. Nonetheless, after having a fuss made of them they weer willing to come out for a walk around the outskirts of the Trust. As it was just us volunteers and handlers, it felt completely different from a normal walk, much more relaxed - and the other different thing was hints and tips being dispensed about how to handle a wolf. Things such as how to transfer the chain lead from one person to another (similar to a relay baton), or what to do if the wolf wants to go somewhere you don't (walk in the direction you want to go, pulling on the lead if needed - but you have to remain self assured, as you have to be the Alpha in effect at all times).

No, not me holding the lead, but this is just to show you what Dakota is like - notice her shortened tail.

Then, halfway around the field came the moment I'd dreamed of - I was asked if I'd like to try holding Dakota, and I'm sure you can guess what the answer was. She was very well behaved, with a pull equivalent to my old neighbour's terrier. I'm sure that if she wanted to she could exert a lot more force, but thankfully she didn't for me. After the walk finishied it was time to head for home - but as mentioned, in my euphoria I left my camera behind.

The euphoria was shortlived, as traffic came to a standstill on the M4 and crawled around the M25; horrible conditions. The weather was pretty nondescript really, temperatures around 16C with a northerly breeze and mostly cloudy conditions. There were a few spits of rain now and again, but certainly nothing to write home about....

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