Salts Mill

Regular followers will know what big fans we are of Salts Mill, just down in the valley from our caravan. This time we were lucky to see two fantastic new exhibitions.

Photo taken from the mill looking up at our caravan park, top left

There are still displays of old machinery on one floor

The Arrival of Spring is a semi-permanent display, all originally ‘painted’ on iPad

The winter video of his ‘Four Seasons’ video montage

New for 2022: ‘A Year in Normandie’, his biggest project yet at over 90m in length

We were lucky to visit on a quiet day!

The second new exhibition was by local photographer Ian Beesley 

This was on the top floor of the main mill, a place we hadn’t visited before. Just look at how long it was and imagine it full of very noisy machinery.

I liked the poster with workers’ nicknames

He’s obviously a great Bradford City fan with many football-related photographs…

…including one of two former players, Dean Windass & Benito Carbone.

The caption reads, ‘Drained. City 4 Derby 4. Valley Parade. 22 April 2000.

Boxing Day treat

In the UK the 26th December, known as Boxing Day, is a national holiday too. In France things seem to get back to normal very quickly: that’s until New Year of course!

So as a special treat your faithful blogger is taking you back in his time machine to our children’s first Christmases.

Christmas morning 1982 and two-year old Matt excitedly opens his stocking in bed next to a very pregnant Tine. Nadine arrived 10 days later!

Downstairs there are lots of presents under the tree (and don’t you love the 80s wallpaper in our Bradford home)?

A very shy Matt sitting on Santa’s lap for Christmas 1983…

…and Nadine’s made an appearance, along with cousins Michael, Vicky & Rachael (not forgetting Matt and Grandma of course).

Christmas 1984 and M&N proudly hold their lit Christingles

A couple of days later it looks like we’ve had an overnight visitor

1985 and it’s our first Bingley Christmas…

…Matt sitting on the highly uncomfortable settee!

1986 and it’s Matt’s turn to sit in front of the old-fashioned TV…

…whilst Nadine’s avoiding the settee!

Christmas dinner perfectly cooked by Tine

1987 and there seem to be more and more presents…

…Papa Blogger getting in on the act too.

M&N tucking into Christmas dinner

1988 and the family’s complete with 7-month old Philippe

Favourite present: Scalextric…

…or Walkmans?

Joyeux Noël 2022

Here’s wishing you a very happy Christmas from La Tranche. No snow (as usual) but Philippe is here for a few days!

No changes to the illuminations in town this year, but they’re just as sparkly!

An inflated snowman welcomes you to the Starfish…

…whilst Father Christmas looms from a balcony whilst on my daily walk.

This has to be the saddest and scariest Santa ever, in the tourist office!

Our Christmas tree has been great this year…

…and it looks like Santa visited in the night.

Mamie Martine prepared a beautiful table for lunchtime when Matt, Cynthia & Sacha arrive.

‘Baildon looking down on Shipley’

That’s what it says on a gift we were bought after we purchased our caravan! Probably correct in both senses.

Doing a bit of Starfish promotion work at the van in September

Other residents!

Our view of the Aire Valley: Shipley and Saltaire in all their glory...

...and a look back to the campsite, our van hidden in the trees to the right.

Can it be Yorkshire without drystone walls?

The end of a perfect day (I think I was on my way to meet a friend for a few drinks when I took this)!

On the campsite above ours there's a fabulous cafe...

...that serves amazing breakfasts, amongst other things. This is a 'medium' full English!

Oh Papa gig & Betty comes to stay at the caravan

A couple of days after our arrival Oh Papa had a gig at Tesla Recording Studios where the band rehearse and record (and Philippe 'helps out' with other artists).

It was great to see Phil and the lads in action...

...the home crowd lapping it up!

A few days later we drove up to the caravan on Baildon Moor.

This time just with Betty who was starting in Reception the week after Alfie's back-to-school

Obviously the playpark is a big draw down in Saltaire...

...plus we met Helen in the Half Moon Café...

...Betty enjoying the nearby alpaca statues.

Another day we discovered a fairy home sculpted into an old tree stump in Bingley Park: magic!