What can you see from a photograph?

Before I tell you about today, I've been musing about what a portrait like this can tell you. Did you immediately like the face you see? Can you tell that this is an honest, friendly, trustworthy man?

Does it make a difference if I say he is a jockey (currently retired)? How about I mention he is a lawyer? Then I tell you he is our local MP. Does it then matter if I mention his politics?

Today, Maureen and I went to represent the Haltwhistle Walking Festival at the relaunch of the Isaac's Tea Trail. This is a 37 mile circular route across the moors and by the rivers of the North Pennines. It follows the route used by Isaac Holden, an itinerant tea seller from the 19th century. Isaac was a good man who saw the needs of local communities and set about raising money to help them. One of his projects was to buy a hearse so that poor people could be taken to their funerals with dignity. He funded this by selling photographs of himself!

On the walk today was Guy Opperman our MP. He's been our MP for 3 years and has set about getting to know as many people in the constituency as he can. Very refreshingly, he does not sound like a politician. (I hope that continues.) My politics are not his, so I am torn by the fact that he is doing an excellent job.

Now that was all a bit philosophical.

After a wonderful walk over the moors from Coalcleugh to Allenheads, we attended the launch party for the rewritten book about the tea trail. Lots of good networking.

Then home for a quick meal and out to see the National Theatre's production of Macbeth, recorded live in Manchester. Amazing. There was no interval and the intensity of the action had me completely engaged and exhausted.