Linlithgow is now a Cittaslow, only the second in Scotland. We are not quite sure what this entails for us at yet, but it is certainly a compliment on the quality of living here. And yesterday The Line earned a related compliment; a lady, who came in to buy some jewellery, spoke about how often she had passed The Line but not come in, due to, you guessed it, parking or the lack thereof. But, she continued, she had recently been on a health course where emphasis had been placed on the importance of walking for general health and well being. Since Linlithgow has a defined axis with parking off, no matter where one leaves the car a walk to the gallery can take, at the most, a couple of minutes. She thought we should put out a sign, saying 'we don't do fast , but here everything is slow, healthy and well-made'.

The work we bring to Linlithgow you can't eat - but they are unique, produced with skill and with great care. And now we can claim - The Line, the healthy gallery, with added walking value!

Meanwhile Elisabet and the pointers are back out on the moor, enjoying wildlife, heather, other flora and those wide ever - changing skies where clouds make patterns on the hillside and outline crevasses, paths and the grasses chased by the winds. The pond is now complete with fish and plants and can absorb hours of time just looking at it.

Gail

One week on

It is now the middle of July, but the clouds seldom leave the sky and rain is never far off. Radio and television news is peppered with doom and gloom about the economy, oil prices and the need for belt tightening. Were this the whole truth of life in our times I think we could be forgiven for bolting the door, drawing the curtains and settling down for the duration. In the real world, however, things are brighter. Yesterday evening's attempt to see Mamma Mia at Falkirk was foiled by all tickets having been sold - can you imagine! The cinema was full of people of all ages, and at least two shows were a sell out - that does not suggest gloom has taken hold. The garden is enjoying this weather; growth is burgeoning wherever I look and yes, that does include the things I would rather were not growing but even weeds can be pretty in flower.

The birds are about in full strength, I seem to be feeding thousands - but they are huge fun. The garden pond, about which there will be more as time passes, remains a vast sand pit, but it will be filled this weekend. I am looking forward to it enormously. The Painting exhibition is attracting considerable interest. Just look at that colour!

Oh - and we shall be back at the cinema this evening.

At long last ...

Over time we have made several attempts at establishing a web site for The Line which we wanted to give a reflection of the way we go about things and the approach we take to artists, art and to those who visit and support us in the gallery. None of these were at all adequate or satisfying, and were abandonded. It is a great thrill for us to have this new site, we are delighted with it - and look forward to your comments. All thanks are due to Kirsten and Mickey - and, of course, to Tom, who will deny any part in the process.

And what will we do with the site now we have it? Firstly, we hope it will give an insight into the work we show, the artists we work with and how we present ourselves. Beyond that we now have an opportunity to introduce exhibitions as they arise, and to illustrate to a wider audience some of the work which will be on show in the gallery. This blog will enable us to provide more information on things we feel you might like to know about, and for us to have a bit of a ramble should the urge come upon us.

Today Elisabet is at the printer in Glasgow with a friend from Italy, discussing a book they have been working on - Robin's writing and Elisabet supplying some of the photographs. I am here in the gallery, preparing for the next show. The theme is 'Painting' and we have a wide range of work to hang and make into a coherent exhibition. I am looking forward to it. And in the showcases we will have jewellery, including the colourful dyed aluminium from Michael Peckitt with which I end this first blog.

Gail