Elisabet has been reminding me that the last entry on this blog clearly identifies that June has come at last, and 'here we are in the middle of August'. Yes, the summer has flown and we have all experienced the phenomenon of the afternoon monsoon rather more that we would like. However, today the sun is shining, people are out on the streets wearing their brightly coloured summer clothes, and all is well.
Radio, television (not that I have one)and the newspapers have been full of doom and gloom in recent weeks - when it is not the stock market it is Libya, when it is not Syria it is the recent riots in England, and then we had the shootings in Norway and the mindset that allowed such things to be possible. It is all true. these things have, and are, happening - but so has so much else besides. Time, I think, to enjoy the sunshine,breathe some fresh air and laugh a little.
This summer has been interesting at The Line. Linlithgow empties as soon as the schools close for the holidays. This has been the pattern for a number of years and this was no different. All of the people we are accustomed to seeing out and about along the High Street were suddenly no longer there, and the streets were populated with visitors to the town. New people asking about the artists whose work was on display, wondering about opening hours and the whereabouts of a good cup of coffee. There have been more flowers than ever visible this year too. More and more businesses have responded to the efforts of Burgh Beautiful and have added their own contribution to making the town more attractive. Judging for the Scotland in Bloom competition took place a couple of weeks ago - not quite in the expected downpour, but without benefit of much sun. Linlithgow looked great! Our offerings stood out bravely - lots of green and an abundance of buds. Not a flower in sight, I am sorry to have to write, but lots evidence of good intention. Come back today, Judges - the threatened flowers are showing their colours with abandon!
Speaking of shops and businesses, it is clear to anyone visiting Linlithgow that the number and range of independent shops and concerns along the High Street contribute greatly to the appeal of the town. We should be, and are, proud of the range of independent traders who each add their own qualities to the overall picture.
There is a useful breakdown of the reasons for shopping locally, prepared by IndieBound, a movement of community oriented independent booksellers across the UK and Ireland which we think could usefully be adopted by independent businesses of all kind. We hope you will find these convincing, and respond positively to their sentiment
By shopping in your local independent shop today you help to
* keep the high street healthy
* protect the environment
* support your local community
* create and retain local jobs
* engage with your neighbours
Thank you!
and here we are in June ...
... and it is raining. In fact is seems to have been raining for as long as I can remember, but that may well be because I spent most of May indoors and didn't see the light of day. What can I tell you about the school exams? Nothing that would be of the slightest interest, believe me, and I am pleased that they are over for another year.
The gallery is looking good at the moment, even if I say so myself. We have two very good exhibitions of work by artists who live locally - Leo du Feu is showing a collection of sketches made on his trip across Canada, whilst Anna Divers is showing the outcome of some two years visiting and listening to a lady who has lived in Blackness for almost all of her 80 years. Memory and contemporary Blackness are woven together in a fascinating collection of paintings of the public and private. There is such a lot to discover and think about.
The Marches came off in good weather this year, with the parade perhaps longer than in previous years. There were fewer huge floats, many more people dressed up and smalled decorated cars and tractors taking part. The Gala Day, however, was damp and rained upon for most of its journey along the High Street. The fairies and flower girls looked cute as ever in their special dresses, all concealed in clear rain capes to look like cellophaned bunches of flowers, but their little faced were drawn and cold. The bands, however, enlivened proceedings greatly and, whilst festivities in the Peel had to be relocated, I think all went off well.
From the above you will realise we did not go away this year - school ended on the Thursday before Marches, and there was neither enough time nor energy to sort something out. It was good to be here though and the weather meant we were able to spend the latter part of the day in the garden.
Newsflash - the pet count has increased, in the last week, by some 20,000! Elisabet and Jill drove to Corsock on Monday night and came back with a nucleus of bees - can you imagine driving about with a car full of bees? The hive is now out in the countryside (I can't write where as there is a very unhealthy spread of hive rustling at the moment, lots of hives have been killed off either through bad weather or disease, and those that are still on the go are at a premium) and our fingers are crossed for some honey by the end of summer. There is a huge amount to learn about bees and how to look after them, although it is hard to think of them in the way one might a dog. There are just so MANY of them!
Don't tell any one - but the rain has stopped and the sky is lightening. I am off to to the sun dance in the corner .....
April is here
The sun has shone on a number of occasions over the last week or so and, when the wind has died down a little, there has been some real warmth in the air. Shorts have been seen on Linlithgow High Street!
Seriously, it has been lovely. The garden is in complete confusion with daffodils coming into flower whilst the cherry blossom is in full flood, the stellata magnolia is knocking spots off anything else that hurls itself into flower, and the garden is glowing. The camelia has been damaged by the frosts and the damp but, somehow, all of the flowers below waist height have been saved whilst those higher up have been scorched and dried out. The dog house has had its annual spring clean and Saari, Cosimo and CJ spent some hours sleeping there earlier in the week. The whole place had been thoroughly tested by Casper, Wren and Poppy at the weekend, and found to be acceptable. Now we have three children prepared to fight three dogs over ownership!
The pond too is coming back into its own. The filter was cleaned and switched on again a few days ago - and the water remained cloudy. I put this down to the size of the pond and, for once, prepared to wait. That was until I did some tidying around the greenhouse and found that we had had some small furry visitors living beneath the slabs - I found this out when the one I was standing on gave way and sank into a tunnel beneath. Yes, they were back - only this time they have eaten through the live electrical cable. Which explained why the water was brown. With the help of Geraldine and the purchase of a 3amp fuse, we are now back in business and the water is clearing nicely. What to do about the unexpected guests is another question - that I don't propose to discuss here, you will be glad to know.
We are changing shows in the gallery ready for Saturday when On the Waterfront will open. Seaside images with blue skies and boats and figures in summer shirts. Colour really, that is what it is all about - let's get away from the winter greys! Saturday is also the day on which I shall be donning the thick gloves and joining in the big spring clean up around the town and the loch. There always seems to be a competition to fill the largest number of bin bags - I think I would rather live in the town which filled the smallest number, but I won't be making that case too loudly on Saturday. It could be taken the wrong way entirely!
Seriously, it has been lovely. The garden is in complete confusion with daffodils coming into flower whilst the cherry blossom is in full flood, the stellata magnolia is knocking spots off anything else that hurls itself into flower, and the garden is glowing. The camelia has been damaged by the frosts and the damp but, somehow, all of the flowers below waist height have been saved whilst those higher up have been scorched and dried out. The dog house has had its annual spring clean and Saari, Cosimo and CJ spent some hours sleeping there earlier in the week. The whole place had been thoroughly tested by Casper, Wren and Poppy at the weekend, and found to be acceptable. Now we have three children prepared to fight three dogs over ownership!
The pond too is coming back into its own. The filter was cleaned and switched on again a few days ago - and the water remained cloudy. I put this down to the size of the pond and, for once, prepared to wait. That was until I did some tidying around the greenhouse and found that we had had some small furry visitors living beneath the slabs - I found this out when the one I was standing on gave way and sank into a tunnel beneath. Yes, they were back - only this time they have eaten through the live electrical cable. Which explained why the water was brown. With the help of Geraldine and the purchase of a 3amp fuse, we are now back in business and the water is clearing nicely. What to do about the unexpected guests is another question - that I don't propose to discuss here, you will be glad to know.
We are changing shows in the gallery ready for Saturday when On the Waterfront will open. Seaside images with blue skies and boats and figures in summer shirts. Colour really, that is what it is all about - let's get away from the winter greys! Saturday is also the day on which I shall be donning the thick gloves and joining in the big spring clean up around the town and the loch. There always seems to be a competition to fill the largest number of bin bags - I think I would rather live in the town which filled the smallest number, but I won't be making that case too loudly on Saturday. It could be taken the wrong way entirely!
Spring is ......... where, exactly?
Well, today is the 13th, Elisabet is safely returned from the delayed visit to Sweden, where she had to dig out her skis. These last saw the light of day, and felt the cold, about 15 years ago. The near metre depth of snow in the countryside around her mothers house led to desperate measures, and a reminder that skis will move both forwards and backwards if one is not careful. One fall, however, and all seemed to come flooding back.
Yesterday it snowed here. Again. Or rather, there was sleet falling pretty steadily for much of the day, variation coming when it changed to steady rain. Delightful. I can report, however, that both damaged ceilings are on the way to full recovery and that work on the shower room will start next week. Much, much better. Also, the poetry part of the OU course has come to an end - heaven alone knows what will be made of the submissions I made, but it is done, it need never be done again and that is just fine in my book. I love poetry, especially listening to poets reading their own work. I have never wanted to write a poem and having read the guidance given I am more bewildered and frustrated than previously, and wish to write poetry even less. That must be quite an outcome for the OU, but I very much doubt if I am the only one in this position.
Not a lot else to report really. This show at The LIne has had some marvellous work by Laura Hudson and Lucy Newton and I shall miss it when it all comes to an end on Tuesday. But, by Saturday we will have installed All things bright and beautiful and the cycle will have started all over again.
Round about now Scotland and England are playing in the 6 Nations. Is it any wonder there is a feeling of gloom around? Oh, for a miracle ...... Just a little one would be good.
Yesterday it snowed here. Again. Or rather, there was sleet falling pretty steadily for much of the day, variation coming when it changed to steady rain. Delightful. I can report, however, that both damaged ceilings are on the way to full recovery and that work on the shower room will start next week. Much, much better. Also, the poetry part of the OU course has come to an end - heaven alone knows what will be made of the submissions I made, but it is done, it need never be done again and that is just fine in my book. I love poetry, especially listening to poets reading their own work. I have never wanted to write a poem and having read the guidance given I am more bewildered and frustrated than previously, and wish to write poetry even less. That must be quite an outcome for the OU, but I very much doubt if I am the only one in this position.
Not a lot else to report really. This show at The LIne has had some marvellous work by Laura Hudson and Lucy Newton and I shall miss it when it all comes to an end on Tuesday. But, by Saturday we will have installed All things bright and beautiful and the cycle will have started all over again.
Round about now Scotland and England are playing in the 6 Nations. Is it any wonder there is a feeling of gloom around? Oh, for a miracle ...... Just a little one would be good.
