Potato Day

14th February was not only Valentine's Day but, in Saltaire, Potato Day. That's something organised here annually by the West Yorkshire Organic Group. They take over the hall of Shipley College's Exhibition Building to sell seed potatoes to gardeners and allotment holders. In this way, people can get advice and growing tips, access unusual varieties and buy smaller quantities, without having to resort to online suppliers. It has become something of a celebration, with stalls selling craft items, fruit, veg and preserves, many grown or made locally. There's a seed swap organised by Veg on the Edge, our community gardening group, and a café too. It's surprisingly popular with local residents. 

The red-skinned, organic, Sunset variety had already sold out - but I wasn't buying potatoes anyway, as I don't have a garden. I bought some apple and pear jam from the Community Orchard. 

The logo made me smile: Mr Potato Head! I'm sure I'm not the only one who remembers having a kit of plastic parts that you stuck into potatoes and other veg to made characters. 

Rhapsody in blue

And still it rains... and still I'm amusing myself finding 'colour' pictures inside. It's honestly not hard for me to find blue things! It has always been my favourite colour for clothes and I love blue glass. When I moved here, I felt drawn also to decorate with a lot of blue. It's peaceful and, perhaps surprisingly, doesn't feel like a 'cold' colour to me.  

Years ago as a young woman, I visited some friends and was charmed by their mismatched blue and white china plates and dishes, vowing I'd have the same one day. Then life happened...  I was gifted china when I got married and I was never bold enough to start my own collection. One day, many years later, the thought came to me that if I really wanted a blue and white china collection, maybe I should start acquiring some! So I did, picking up random pieces that attracted me in vintage shops and other stores. When I moved house recently and downsized, I kept the blue and white and donated most of my other patterns and colours. You've no idea how happy it makes me to open my cupboard and use all the pretty dishes and plates. I also discovered The Japanese Shop that sometimes has a pop-up store at RHS Harlow Carr. They stock some delightful, delicate, blue and white porcelain, so I've added a few lovely little bowls. 

Saltaire Farmers' Market

Saltaire Farmers' Market takes place on the promenade in Roberts Park on the second Sunday of every month. It's actually quite good, especially if you have some idea of what you're looking to buy. Local producers and makers sell meat, fish, vegetables, cheese, both sweet and savoury baked goods, and a range of preserves, local honey, pickles, sauces, juices. There are a few more exotic foods like olives and Japanese rice creations, and high class (rather expensive, but delicious) chocolates. You can get coffee and snacks, and browse a range of craft and gift items. 

The man on the Wharfedale fine cheeses stall didn't object to having his photo taken, though he was acting about!

I quite liked the detail in Richard Burel's paintings, colourful collages of local places with many recognisable landmarks. 

Outside and in

Just for completeness, here are a few more shots I took at Bradford Industrial Museum. It was once a small worsted mill, Moorside Mills, built in 1875. In the photo above you can just see the house behind, where the mill manager and his family lived. The buildings were taken over by Bradford Council in 1974 and are used to house displays of textile machinery, steam power, printing equipment, trams and vintage motor vehicles. 

The mill produced worsted cloth used for military uniforms during WW1, so the mill was expanded and the clock tower was added as a war memorial in 1919. 

The shed that juts out, in the picture above, holds a blacksmith's forge. At weekends it is used for demonstrations of the blacksmith's craft. Visitors are separated from the fire and anvil by a perspex screen, which is why my photo looks a bit misty, but I quite like the effect. 

Inside the museum, one whole floor is given over to textile machinery, with the preparation and spinning machines in one large room and weaving looms, of various types and vintages (below) in another. 

Valentine

St. Valentine's Day, on the 14th February, seems to be widely celebrated, not only in the UK but elsewhere in the world. There were apparently a number of Valentines who were martyred, and one who supposedly restored sight to the blind daughter of his jailer. Valentine seems to have become associated with love and romance as far back as Chaucer's time and we owe it to the Victorians, I think, that we exchange cards, often anonymously on Valentine's Day.

I've had my share of Valentine's cards over the years (including a few from my mother to ensure I never felt left out as a teenager!) Few have been memorable. I'm not at all a hearts and flowers kind of girl. 

I spotted the graffiti heart on one of my walks; I quite liked the textures and shapes. 

Anyway, whether you celebrate romantically or not, I send you warm hugs today. You're special. 

Industrial shapes

Bradford's Industrial Museum is, I think, my favourite museum. All the historic textile machinery has, to me, a noble magnificence, both in its shapes and complexity and also in its significance to this area and to people's lives over the years. 

I've recounted in some detail on my blog in the past about the individual processes that transform raw wool into fine worsted cloth, so I won't elaborate again. (See posts in January 2025)  These latest photos are my attempt to capture some of the shapes and rhythm I found in the wood, metal and wool. 

... oh... and the mill cat, of course! 

Hallroyd Band

I have friends in the Hallroyd Band, so it was lovely to hear them play at the St Blaise Wool Festival at the Industrial Museum. It's a community brass band, based in Northcliffe Church in Shipley, where it was founded over 70 years ago. They look to be thriving, judging by the number of members that were assembled. They perform numerous concerts and engagements throughout the year and it's always a joy to hear them. I love a good brass band! 

All things woolly

Bradford's Industrial Museum holds a festival each year in early February to celebrate St Blaise, the patron saint of the wool trade. (St Blaise was an Armenian Bishop whose head was chopped off by the Romans around 316AD, after he was tortured with iron combs.) The Guild of Spinners, Weavers and Dyers give demonstrations and workshops at the festival and there are stalls where you can buy yarn and knitted goods. It's what I'd call 'hard-core', full of folks who card, spin and dye their own wool. The skeins of wool on sale are beautiful, but not for the likes of me (yet). My beginner knitting skills don't warrant such lovely yarn; I'm better off practising with cheaper stuff! It is, however, fascinating to watch the experienced craftspeople at work. 

Sunday morning

It was something of a relief to open the curtains on Sunday morning and discover small gaps in the cloud and a little patch of blue sky. A bit later on, the sun came out, rather weak but a much brighter morning than we've had for ages. It didn't last; it was throwing it down again by about 3pm but at least I managed a walk down to the park. It doesn't look busy from my pictures but in fact there were a lot of people about, also making the most of the dry interlude. 

There are signs of spring... a few snowdrops among the leaf litter, catkins on some of the trees. The yellow crocuses that I showed a couple of weeks ago, forcing their way up through a sea of mud, are now in full flower though still bogged down in mud rather than the grassy slope this used to be. 

I did a slight detour along the canal towpath between the mill buildings, to see if the big puddle was still there. I'd seen an amazing photo of the mill, reflected not in the canal as usually shown but in a massive puddle on the towpath. See HERE. There were traces of standing water but nothing big enough for a good reflection. You can just spot the top of the chimney! 

Original orange

So. Much. Rain! I have been making myself go out for very soggy walks, but it doesn't lead to any inspiration for photography. No photos to play with equals no fun for me, so I resorted to looking for subject matter inside. I found myself drawn to the colour orange. (I can't imagine why! 😂 😂 Heck, someone's taking up too much space in my head rent-free these days!) Despite its current connotations, it's quite a cheery colour, good for brightening up these dark winter days. I look forward very much to a time when it's no longer associated with all that is at the same time both evil and comedic. 

Angelic voices

I'm not sure I've ever previously noticed all the angels that grace the ceiling in Bradford's Cathedral. The subtle lighting at the 'After Dark' event really brought them out. I counted twenty of them, each one different. Many were holding musical instruments. They look to be part of the original 15th century oak ceiling so they will be over 500 years old. Isn't that amazing? They have expressive little faces and I was glad my longest lens was able to pick them out sufficiently well to be able to appreciate them. 

Mood lighting

Some of the lighting in Bradford cathedral for the 'After Dark' event was spectacular. St Aidan's Chapel, added in 1950, commemorates Bishop Aidan of Lindisfarne, who evangelised the north of England in the 7th century. It holds some beautiful textile hangings that reference the islands of Iona and Lindisfarne, and a Yorkshire dale. The chapel was illuminated with a lamp that bathed the walls with swirling aqua and green, almost like being underwater.  It was stunning and very peaceful. 

The Icon of the Holy Spirit, in another chapel, was lit by a similar swirly lamp, this time in red and orange, referring to the fire of the Holy Spirit. Created by John Coleman in 2008, the Pentecost icon depicts the apostles with various symbols: a dove, a sunburst and a landscape which is the Cow and Calf Rocks in Ilkley.

The play of light and shadow around the cathedral was intriguing. Some of the lighting picked out things you don't especially notice in daylight, like this skull on a memorial. Dating to the 1700s, it's a memento mori, a reminder of the inevitability of death.  

After dark

Bradford Cathedral offered an 'After Dark' session, with the interior illuminated by discreet floodlights and lots of candles. It looked beautiful and was a good chance to experience the building 'in a different light', literally. Photographically it was something of a challenge but noise elimination software these days is very good at minimising that grain you get in dim lighting conditions.

As cathedrals go it's an intimate space, having once been a parish church, but it's lovely because of that. The lighting really enhanced certain features like the wonderful fifteenth century oak ceiling in the nave. The Tudor (1536), wood font cover, elaborately carved, was shown off beautifully by red spotlighting.