May and June. Soft syllables, gentle names

I just love this time of year. I had a meeting in Edinburgh yesterday and old Reekie is decked out in the gaudiest of pink. Grey and pink are one my favourite combinations.

I'm editing pictures from a lovely garden, Shepherd House in Inveresk. I spent a whole morning there last week, and the best bit was lying in a wild flower meadow photographing fritillaries.They were backlight and shining like stained glass. It was lovely looking at the pictures again today, the light was so sharp and precise, and in one shot a big bumble bee is cramming itself into a fritillary bell, like a big lady trying to fit into a pair of tight jeans.

This afternoon I walked along Aberlady Bay, the light was amazing, three huge ships were ploughing up the Forth and the seals were lying on a long spit of sand basking in the late evening sunshine. And overhead a skylark was singing for all it was worth. These days feel like an amazing reward for coming through another winter. Winter days are like childbirth, easily forgotten when there are glory days like today to enjoy.

Tomorrow I hope to be up and out by 5.30am to photograph a favourite old apple tree in early morning light. I have no trouble getting up in the summer, in fact a blackbird wakes me every morning around 5/5.30 and I just lie awake listening to him giving it laldie.