Reflecting

300 blips. I was planning a blip birthday blip for today. I got up very early hoping for a good dawn, but this was as good as it got, a bit of a break in the clouds. I went out on Arnside Marsh to take the special blip photo, but when I was at the furthest point and far from the nearest cover, it lashed with rain and I feared for the camera that was tucked inside my coat. So I decided to settle for this, reflections off the roof of the car at Sandside, something I haven't blipped before.

I shall save long speeches for the golden camera event in a couple of months time. I just want to say thank you to all those of you who variously view my journal, comment, subscribe, and award stars and hearts. It's been said so many times before, this is a wonderful community to belong to, and a stylish website that Joe and his colleagues at Blipcentral have conceived and nurtured - miraculously untainted by advertising.

The last 100 had a few purple patches and a few low points. This last fortnight has been overshadowed by the loss of Molly of Tuscany. Nothing could have prepared me for the wave of grief that knocked me head over heels. Friendships in cyber space are clearly every bit as real as those in the material world. Blipfoto is a different place without her, the landscape has changed. She was an important figure for so many people, and the outpouring of emotion has been difficult to bear. For me, she was my commentator-in-chief, my mentor, my wise and sometimes impatient counsel when I wobbled. My desire to improve was inspired by her example and rewarded by her praise. Although we've lost her, she will always be a source of inspiration - boundless curiosity, unfailing determination, acuity of mind and written word, humanity and vitality.

From the last 100, the one that got the popular vote - Coming home to roost
The two that Molly really liked - Infinite space and I am not alone....
My own favourite - Frost

Finally, a thank you to Bwhere, the man who unwittingly set me off on this journey and who was the first subscriber to my journal. He's on a blip sabbatical, so I guess will not see this.

That's it, onwards to the golden camera.

Edit - I'm not a great enthusiast for washing cars, there are more interesting things to do. The Cumbrian climate does it for us.