I never did make an opportunity to finish deadheading last week. Too bad: in my experience, roses that are borderline, that may or may not rebloom, are prompted into doing so by well-timed, hard pruning. The climbing Cecile Brunner that I hard-pruned to make room for a lime tree is in a second bloom cycle now. This rose doesn't usually rebloom until the weather moderates in the fall. Since our weather doesn't usually moderate until winter, climbing Cecile Brunner can be regarded as a once-bloomer in this hot-summer climate.

The reliable repeat-bloomers are putting on a second flush, in my back yard. There's a dark pink, almost red, Austin with a great cluster of oversized blooms. I think it's Dark Lady; I'm not keeping the accurate written records I used to keep in Riverside.

I did a bunch of cooking yesterday, but still no practice run of my entry for the chocolate competition coming up next weekend. I've been working on it as an Einsteinian thought experiment for the last three months; I think I'll be okay.