Down

There is no doubt about it that the Tube Strike leading to me having to change the Private View for my show has been a disaster. Loads of people have contacted me to say they can't come on the new date; makes me wonder if I should have just left it. Quite difficult to see any silver linings at the moment.

The photo is one that should cheer me up - peace, beauty and all. I am showing it for the first time next week. Big ask though.

Tube Strike > Date Change

Due to the Tube Strike, the private view for my show is now on THURSDAY February 9th. Same time and place. 6-9pm at Lumen, 88 Tavistock Place. London WC1H 9RS.

New details below. Many apologies, I do hope you can make it. The show will still be available to see from Tuesday 7th Feb, to 22nd March from 08.00 to 16.30 Monday to Friday.

Bird News

I saw some Waxwings on the Moor last week. Not a great photo but you can see their little crests. A neighbour saw the Kingfisher again as well, the Grey Wagtails are still around and the Merganser has reappeared on the pond; so plenty of bird activity about.

Rowing

Rowan was rowing for Warwick on the Thames yesterday at Hammersmith. They came 4th out of 21 teams. Had a good time.

Dalwhinnie

Dalwhinnie has a place in Palmour mythology. It was here that my father decided to take the family for 2 weeks in a B&B for our annual holiday. The bleakest highest distillery in Scotland, not a lot to do for two young children - I remember moaning a lot and after a few days we cut our losses and moved on. Funnily enough I still love the place, and more recently have discovered that Dalwhinnie is my favourite single malt. Ro & Pete gave us a bottle of the best stuff for Christmas, which we are enjoying a lot.

Brum 3

There was the most subtle of lights on my walk to Woodbrooke from New Street. You'll need to click on the image to see it properly. Not sure if it comes across on film - just about I think.

Canals in Birmingham

I am getting used to walking the canal route from New Street to Woodbrooke in Birmingham. The light at the weekend was beautifully still and deep: good for reflections.

Woodbrooke

I was in Birmingham at Woodbrooke for the occasional meeting up of consultants who work for Alder Advice [my friend Rob's company]. It went well. Woodbrooke is the Quaker study centre that Danielle was a Trustee of until recently. This sculpture of a Quaker Meeting moves me.

1990

My office desk in Islington Social Services. I only had that computer on the desk as a result of demanding persistently; my peers had just a phone and paper to work with. Hard to believe.

1988

Walking through Macedonia [then a part of Yugoslavia] we met this road worker looking after the gravel track as it twisted through the hills. He was kind and exuded great wisdom.

1995

July 1995 Perpignan: Danielle and I had met in April of that year, and were already in the process of selling our houses and buying one together. In this photo we are about to embark on our first holiday together [walking and camping wild in the Pyrenees of course.]

Lounge

Dog asleep, fire simmering, African Cup of Nations on TV. Lounge 2017

Mr&Mrs

Not often photos of the both of us appear. Rowan took this one before the Great Gatsby performance; the dog as usual is trying to get in the photo too.
We were both laid up with person-flu at the weekend and beyond - first time we have been ill together since before Rowan was born I think. On the mend now.

Badminton

Taken whilst awaiting Edward outside the Railway Institute where we play badminton: my big foot and street bike with air horn bottle in the cage. We have been playing for 18 years or so now and are pretty evenly matched (you can probably guess that if I am posting this, I must have won this week). This time next year when we play I'll be in my 60s and Edward will still be in his 40s (that is my excuse if I loose, worked out in advance).

Rowan - 19 Today

Rowan started back at Warwick last week, so we had her unofficial birthday at home before she left. A very pleasant way to start the day with present giving etc.

Ten years ago Rowan looked like this

That's A Relief

I got Rowan a relief map of Britain for her birthday this year. 

Article

I was interviewed by a journalist for an article on my photography and on the house/studio. This will be the third time, all good publicity.
This week I started back running the photography group at the Mount school, and did a talk to the York Photographic Society "Never Mind The Aperture" which particularly fun as I had Danielle as my glamorous assistant.

The photo is of the new footbridge over the Calder at Castleford connecting two parts of the town for the first time. It is an impressive structure hanging over the ferocious weir.

Girl & Dog

Rowan en route to Gatsby, with a long suffering Milo

Family

I drove Rowan back to Warwick (Christmas swag meaning we needed the car) and we called in at Cousin Gill and Roberts for lunch. Gill put on a great meal,  Sarah and Markus and family were there as well as Emma and Adam and Auntie Alison and Uncle Geoff. A great family gathering.

Great Gatsby

Saturday lunch we went to Edward and Fay's for a great lunch, then in the evening to a immersive performance of The Great Gatsby at a theatre space in an old church in York. It was great, totally new way of experiencing theatre and a brilliant cast. We had to dress up for the event which we just about managed [I had a bow tie on].

Danielle's Meal part 2

Delicious Berry and Chocolate cake Rowan made for pudding at the same meal

A photo posted by Simon Palmour (@lenoirlenoir) on Jan 6, 2017 at 2:17pm PST

Danielle's Birthday

Tomato tarte tartin I made for Danielle's birthday meal

A photo posted by Simon Palmour (@lenoirlenoir) on Jan 6, 2017 at 2:14pm PST

Tradition

Lovely to have a walk in the Wolds with Rowan again. We went to Swin Dale then to our usual garden centre for lunch. A joy.

Canal Walk 4 again

Once past Wakefield the landscape flattens out as the coal field of the five towns takes hold. The Calder Navigation is a broad industrial scale waterway, with mainly leisure traffic on it nowadays alas.

Canal Walk 4

Danielle and I walked the fourth part of our canal walk, from Wakefield to Castleford. It was a beautiful day and another great walk. We have now completed the first part of our route from Marsden, where the canal emerges from a tunnel through the Pennines, to Castleford where the River Calder joins the River Aire  before heading East to join the  Ouse at Goole. It has been great fun, really interesting, and easy to fit in with train travel so we can walk A to B.

More industrial archaeological treasures along the way, including this beautiful rail bridge over the Calder Navigation.

Guitar News

After carving the head-stock, the next task on the guitar was to carve out a belly cut. Again Andy lent me the tool for the job [a sanding drum; me neither] and it went really well. Main thing was I stopped before I got too carried away and ended up with a floppy guitar.
There has been lots of Teak Oil and sanding and steel wool, next step soldering. When I was robustly polishing this evening Milo started to scratch his neck in support.

NRM 2

At the NRM there is a old training track that was used by the Lancashire and Yorkshire railway to teach their signalmen and drivers all about the intricacies of signalling back in the heyday. Every so often the track is demonstrated to the public, this involves about 10 earnest volunteers dressed for the part and one explainer to make it all clear. It was way over our heads, so after five minutes or so, I looked at Rowan with that unspoken "Shall we go?" look and we moved on. Great effort though.

Frosty Moor 2

New Years Eve we were at the Dobsons for the traditional party - really good to chat to plenty of interesting people; this year including a vicar and someone about to move up to Glasgow to work at the University. Good drink and food too.

The Rosehips bring a vibrant colour to the frosty landscape of the Moor.

2017

Happy New Year

The Moor has been looking really beautiful in this weeks cold frosty morning light.