1000 Blips

As most of you already know I take a daily photograph and upload it to the Blipfoto site (you can find my journal here). I have been doing it since November 2010 when I read a small notice about the site in the sidebar of the Scotland on Sunday newspaper. At the time we were still on dial-up in this house and in hindsight I have no idea why I started giving myself even more work than posting on my blog here which I had been writing since 2006. Something in me must have responded to the Blip concept of uploading one picture on the day you've taken it. The site doesn't require you to do it every day, but that became my self-appointed challenge. It started being a whole lot easier when we finally persuaded a provider to give us broadband (Utility Warehouse, I salute you!), albeit at 1/2 MB speed. It was still about 11 times as fast as my dial-up. Blipping has been stress free. I always have taken pictures and my problem has never been what to photograph but rather which out of my many pictures to choose for the blip one.

Those stress free days came to an end today when it was time to upload my 1000th consecutive blipfoto. What to do, where to go?! No sunshine anywhere! Not another flower surely?! In desperation the only decision I could come to was to visit Dawyck Botanical Gardens. Should I blip the new sculpture of the plant hunter David Douglas which has taken shape in the garden. Done by chainsaw and the sculpture artist Rodney Holland it looks mightily impressive even though it isn't quite finished completely yet. I love the way he's standing staring with his field glass at  a very impressive tree named after him, the Douglas fir. It's sort of symbolic and to me spells a vision, which is what Blipfoto is all about.

Or should I settle on a picture of grouped trees? I have no idea how many of my blips feature that but quite a few.

On the other hand, flowers are another passion so would my 1000th blip be this spectacular flower garden to be found in nearby Broughton?

Or should I reveal my blip companion, the beloved John The patient one, who is quite prepared to stop the car at the most awkward moments and places in order for me to take that all important photo? Who visits graveyards with me, moves aside vegetation, holds an umbrella over the camera (and me), and makes me laugh, just when I want to press the shutter? Well you will have to visit my Blipfoto page here to find out!