Calendula and Salvia

Thank you all so much for all your lovely comments, stars and hearts for my damselfly – my 2000th blip – I am so grateful for all your encouraging messages.  The blip community is so supportive.  I am addicted to blipping, and have been reflecting recently that I start every day blip-less and step-less – with today being day 49 of my 50 day step challenge.  TT thinks I’m addicted to steps, but he hasn’t met one of my colleagues, who really is addicted to the step challenge. After tomorrow, we will see where our team finishes in the league table.

Last Sunday it was really hot and I struggled with my run, today it was warm, but too windy and I cut my run shorter than I planned as I was fed up battling against the wind.  I still managed five miles, but it was enough.

After an early lunch we headed off for our annual visit to Tyninghame House, as its gardens and grounds were open.  It was still breezy and you had to keep moving to stay warm, though we were all in shorts and t-shirts. We wandered in the huge walled garden, then through the woods to visit to obelisk, then back through the woods to the secret garden and down to the ruined chapel.  We then wandered back by the big house to the tea and cakes.  I made a good choice with my cakes, which included a scrumptious chocolate cake.  We then wandered back by the house and rose garden before we departed.  We picked up provisions for tea and came home.  I was chief cook and TT was planting up the last of our baskets.

After watching Kylie at Glastonbury I had a penultimate push for my step challenge and headed out for a walk.  It was a lovely evening, but by the time I got home (walking into the wind) my hands were frozen.

I opened the door to the smell of strawberry jam – a smell that takes me back to my childhood.  TT was struggling to get it to set though!
I've blipped the magnificent Tyinghame House before (but see extra), so decided to blip  some flowers that caught my eye.  There are magnificent peonies of many varieties, but I have gone for this lovely combination of calendula and salvia which was looking lovely in the sunshine.  The other extra if of I think turks cap lilies, which were in abundance and which I really liked.  I need some for my garden I think.