Pignut as you have never seen it!

Lil and I had agreed to go to Gowk Bank today. We wanted to see the progress of the orchids and all the other wildflowers.

It was drizzling and we drove through cloud on our way. 

Since I was there a few weeks ago, everything has grown apace. Some things are more or less over, like the globe flowers and ragged robin, but there were orchids aplenty.

We were keen to find the frog orchids. Someone else had left markers where they had found them. It was a great help.

The plants were soaked and the raindrops were very beautiful. My blip is of a pignut plant, after flowering, looking delicate and celebratory.

The rain did stop, but the midges immediately attacked and we were wishing we had not left the insect repellent in the car! Further drizzle was very welcome.

We say loads of twayblade, the large eyebright that grows there, common spotted orchids (a few), loads of fragrant orchids and Northern marsh orchids. I have put a fragrant orchid in as an extra along with clover. On a dark, damp day, the colours looked super saturated.

We came home by lunchtime, rather damp!

This afternoon, I worked in Margret's study under phone instruction from Mark, to find the documents required by the solicitor for the house sale. I could not find the planning permission for the wall to be rebuilt, despite going through file upon file. It turns out that the solicitor can access that easily from the council. (Thank goodness!)

I have finished editing the photos from the 2010 reunion of our class of '75 ready for next week's grand get together. All these lovely people smiling out of the screen. It's a bittersweet task because some are no longer with us.