I was thinking about what you said last week regarding the garden layout. I ended up moving the rose bush to the corner spot and it seems much happier there. The soil amendments really helped with drainage. I also added some compost tea last weekend and the leaves perked up noticeably. The whole bed is filling in nicely now and the color combinations are working well together. Let me know when you want to come take a look. I think the next step is adding some low-growing ground cover along the edge. I found a variety that handles shade pretty well. The weather has been cooperating nicely for once. I'm hoping the blooms last through late summer. I'll send you some photos when everything is fully open. It's been a fun project to work on gradually. Let me know what you think of the changes when you see them in person.

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I finally tried making that sourdough recipe you shared with me a while back. It took three attempts before I got a loaf I was happy with. The first one was too dense and the second one didn't rise enough. The third time I adjusted the hydration and let it proof a little longer in a warmer spot. That made all the difference. The crust came out golden and crispy and the inside had those nice irregular holes you look for. I used a mix of bread flour and a little whole wheat which gave it a nice earthy flavor. My kitchen smelled incredible all morning. I'm going to experiment with adding some rosemary and sea salt next time. Let me know if you have any other recipes you think I should try. I'm really enjoying the process now that I have a rhythm down. The starter is thriving and I'm feeding it regularly. It's become a nice little ritual. Thanks again for the tip about the banneton basket. That helped with the shape a lot. I think I'm hooked on this now. Let me know when you want to swap baking stories.