Cindy, you may be surprised to know that I am not totally au fait with Her Majesty's handbag habits, but I should think the reason why she carries one around with her while 'at home' is probably because her house is so big. Not easy to pop upstairs if she has forgotten her hanky, and she would never wipe her nose on her sleeve like some of her more earthy subjects. Not so long ago while 'doing' the State Opening of Parliament, with all the usual Pomp and Circumstance, the Queen entered the House of Lords, moved up through the Chamber past the ermine clad (and smelling strongly of moth-balls) Peers of the Realm, and took her seat on the throne. She was handed her speech by the Lord Chancellor and felt inside the Handbag for the Royal Spectacles. They were not there. Horror. Her speech had to be read by Prince Philip . . . which he did quite well considering he hadn't practiced. That night the screams coming from the absent-minded Lady-in-Waiting as she hung by her finger nails from a hook in the lowest dungeon in the Tower of London, could be heard throughout the length and breadth of the Kingdom. BTW if any of our American friends would like to join the elite group who sit in the House of Lords just send a well-filled envelope to 10 Downing Street indicating if you want to be a Life Peer, a Knight of the Realm or maybe a Noble Baroness. Do not hand it to the policeman outside or you may go straight to jail without a chance to pass GO.

The only inanimate object that calls to me (other than fabric, as I am first of all a quilter, and therefore a fabriholic) is a book and the inclination to touch, to smell, to surround oneself with them is similar with both. My bookcases are stuffed full, as are my shelves of fabric - it's almost like hoarding - and when I've finished a really good book that I've really immersed myself in, yes, there are a few moments of indecision while I quickly pick out the next one to begin - I cannot be without an ongoing book, just as I cannot be without a quilt in progress - it's just too unsettling. Books draw me to them - I could have over 100 books not yet read in my shelves, and I'm still seeking out more. (I don't loan out any book ever - did it once, and not everyone respects books - let alone that it was someone else's property!)

I came across the following commentary on this list on the Bookslut website, and I had to laugh: (by Jessa Crispin from Blog of a Bookslut) The New York Times has released their 100 Notable Books of 2006 and it's zzzzzzzzzz.... Oh, sorry, drifted off there for a second. No, really, it's the most boring list of books since they released their Notable Books of 2005. Because I was bored last night and avoiding work, I worked out some statistics. (I also had had two glasses of wine at this point, so feel free to correct me if I miscounted.) 94% of the year's notable books were released by conglomerate publishing 30% were produced by one division of Random House or another 50% of the year's notable fiction/poetry were written by women 26% of the year's notable nonfiction were written by women 1% are comic books 1% of the books seem to have caused incredulity even in the synopsis writer 20% of the list I would agree with 15% of the list made me shake my head/roll my eyes/snort 6% were written by tired, old authors whose best books are years behind them 2% do not seem to have been reviewed by the NYT (yet), which means they do not believe they can make mistakes and overlook a book. They can. It'll come out eventually, but who wants to volunteer to check to see how many of the writers of these books have also written for the New York Times? Here is a link that might be useful: Bookslut

THE 3,000 MILE GARDEN Two professional gardeners, one British, the other American, having met at a New Hampshire "mushroom foray," continue to share their gardening adventures in this delightful collection of their letters. Journalist/author Land (The Modern Country Cook) has country gardens in Cushing, Maine, and upstate New York; Phillips, a prolific writer/lecturer and plant photographer (Quest for the Rose), gardens by committee in London's three-acre city park at Eccleston Square. The difference in their situations intrigues them both and is instructive. They exchange discoveries about climate, garden design, rare and common cultivars, soils, mulches, pests and numerous other details of concern to gardeners. They spice their letters with botanical myth and gossip, bits of local history and geography and custom, and compare favorite recipes for their edible plants. Among other titillations, Phillips tells her how he heated a ham in mulch, and Land describes her experiments with diluted urine as a greening agent. But every page in this chatty, exuberant book is a feast of tips and surprises whose abundance and utility well serve any gardener. Photos not seen by PW. Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From Library Journal Land is an American food writer who gardens; Phillips is a London-based plant photographer and writer who cooks. The two met in 1989 at a mushroom bash in New Hampshire and began a conversation that was too good to end. They continued it by mail. The resulting letters, through 1994, make up a book that is an exchange of ideas, drawings, practical tips, recipes, and personal tidbits. The correspondence is also the basis of a public television series that will air beginning in December of this year. Of particular interest are Phillips's references to the garden squares of London. We learn a bit about their history, the committee that oversees them, and the assaults on them by builders of high rises and car parks. Land's garden is in Maine, and the reader enjoys following her struggles with weather, soil, and terrain. The letters, witty and entertaining, are unfortunately published with no linking narrative, leaving gaps and unanswered questions. Though not an essential purchase, this book nevertheless will be enjoyed where anglophilic gardeners or public television fans are numerous. Carol Cubberley, Univ. of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.