This is just a test post to see if I can make it work with my cellphone...

It took me time to warm up to Georgette Heyer. I don't like her mysteries, and some of her books are pretty thin stuff.

Then I read a few I liked. Arabella, Venetia, the Grande Sophy, Cotillian, Sylvester or the Wicked Uncle... These Old Shades, Masquerade..

Today is is Civil Contract.

About an arranged marriage between a impoverished Viscount and the daughter of a immensely wealthy Cit, which enables Adam, the Hero, to save his patrimony which...

I always say that, yet always find more to do. I bought 3 bags of top soil today & slathered it on top on the leaf mould in the newest section. The 'sandwich' method of soil creation works nicely - a layer of soil, a layer of manure, compost, leaf mould - just keep alternating layers in no particular order & in a season or two, the worms have done most of the 'mixing' for me. It took less than 2 years for the 1st garden sections to go from sand & lumps of clay to laom using this method....

Once the bulk of the work is done, I can relax, look, look some more & start tweaking things. I added a donated rose today that I'm told is pink. I should have seen it out front last year but honestly don't remember. It's former owner tried her best to 'kill it' over the winter, not mulching or giving it any protection. It lived - when I dug it up today there were lots of new shoots above the bud graft. The presence of that at least, tells me it's a hybrid - I really hope it's a floribunda....

Even if I wanted to & I don't much, I've run out of useable land. I went halfdown down the final section of fence towards the front & then the 'soil' turned to builders' fill & what I swear is titanium. That & tree roots. And did I mention rocks? I had mixed feelings. The gardener cursed - no more expansion room, (there's always width & vertically!) but the small bit of sensible me almost wept with relief - no more backbreaking digging.

I'm left with a border of...