Head scratching

---or is he waving to all his pals?

I was planning to have a lie-in this morning, at least until 7 am, but I woke at 6 to the sound of woofing, Gus was heralding a sunny morning, and wanting to be outside. So another sleep-deprived night, with the prospect of needing to be coherent for at least two hours at the exhibition in the afternoon. Anyway, I got up and we walked over to Heathwaite to look for butterflies that might still be a little torpid. They were already warmed up, and in no mood for posing. But the little grasshopper was more obliging, in deep thought, scratching his head - a condition I know only too well.

The exhibition. PaulaJ photographed it much better than I did, so please look at her journal. I met 9 blippers over the two days, only two of whom I had met before, and I may have recruited one other. Yesterday, as well as Paula, and her husband Highpike , I finally got to meet Wendles56, and Jeanneb53 who I have been exchanging comments with for years. And with them were Corinthian and the relative blip newcomer (and very kind commenter) Kiteseeker. It was a pleasure to meet them all, and so kind of them to take the trouble to come over.

Then today, at last I met the other Arnside blipper, Skylark54 whose botanical photographs and montages are so very beautiful. And she lives within 100 metres of our house! Finally, there were my good pals Sheilwill, and Willllwynbedw who are always so supportive.

Goodness, I've never put so many links in before! That took ages.

I was pleased with the exhibition. People said very kind things (and not just my friends), as well as blippers I met a lot of other people who I have not come across before. And I learned that I had misidentified a cow on Arnside Knott - not a British White, but a White Galloway; and had a very interesting conversation with the National Trust's tenant who grazes the cows which left us both mystified by how the cows eat yew without poisoning themselves.

I'm so glad I agreed to do it, and stepped out of the anonymity of the viewfinder and Blipfoto for a few hours at least. A wonderful experience. And thank you to my friends, family and colleagues who came to see it.

So my apologies once again that comments and thank you's have been so thin for all the kind comments on glow Gus and other recent blips. This next week or so, I should begin to catch up again.