A great hostess gift idea, a native wildflower seed mix, and a popsicle pool float

Plus, the delight of peanut butter brownie honeycomb ice cream

We’ve had a string of clear hot days here - the most July-ish weather I can imagine. All the farmers have cut their hay; the neat rows drying in the extended sunshine are their own sort of weather forecast. The garden is humming along; the first of the local corn is in, we’re swimming a lot, and forgetting what day it is. My sister and her wife taught us the word game Hink Pink, and Ben and I have been playing it in the pool.

Hink pinks are one-syllable words that rhyme. For example, if the clue is "a large feline," the hink pink is "fat cat." Hinky Pinkies are two-syllable words that rhyme. For example, "the salve given to Jason by Medea to protect him from the bulls" is a "lotion potion." Hinkety Pinketies have three syllables (e.g., "when military boats have a race" = "armada regatta"), and Hitinkety Pitinketys have four syllables.

Following are some sample Hink Pinks:

• a married rodent = mouse spouse

• a rabbit with a sense of humor = funny bunny

• a young cat in love = smitten kitten

• a fruit that needs a shave = hairy berry

Life is rushed and chaotic as ever, but I’m trying each day to slow down for a few minutes. What’s a dog in a pool? Why, a wet pet of course! What’s an angry book? A rage page! Ha! I love this game and enjoy playing it with kids and friends alike.

A. My neighbors came over for dinner last week, and along with two bottles of wine, they slipped a vintage book on collecting into the gift bag. What a surprise and a hostess gift idea I’m going to borrow! The vintage book was All Kinds of Small Boxes, and right up my alley, which made me feel very seen and known (arguably the true gift).

B. Of course, once I started reading about small boxes, I went down the small box rabbit hole. Box One, Box Two, Box Three!

C. I’m writing this on the yellow chenille bedspread of the guest bed of the rental house my parents are staying in for six weeks. My mom was in here earlier and rubbed my feet while we caught up a bit. My grandmother had white chenille bedspreads on her guest beds - I felt at home then, and I feel at home now - that sensation of time collapsing on itself - of a younger me and 46-year-old me being the same.

D. Last year I didn’t cut my daffodils back fast enough and when I finally got around to it I was left with gaping holes in a couple of garden beds (the daffodil foliage killed the lily of the valley and ferns that had been there). This native wildflower seed came to the rescue. They seeded and bloomed quickly last year, and have come back beautifully again this year. A cost-effective delight.

E. Holy moly, is this a delicious ice cream flavor!

F. At a dinner with friends, we all had faux gin and tonics, and I was truly shocked at how much this tasted and felt like the real deal - my favorite summer cocktail. Highly recommend.

G. My doctor urged me to buy one of these grabbers when I had my gallbladder removed in March of 2024 to help with my recovery (no bending after surgery!). Still, I’ve been surprised at just how helpful this tool is now that I’m recovered - if you’re a petite person who gets tired of asking tall people to reach things, this is a must-have!

H. My mother-in-law sent this pool float to the kids - a huge hit - sadly, now sold out. Similar here, but your mileage may vary, as always!

July garden! Each morning, I share a single image of nature, delivered quietly to your inbox. Think of it as a moment of visual meditation before your day begins. No commentary, no analysis - just space to pause and observe.

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I include a few bonus finds here each week for paid subscribers as a small token of appreciation for making this newsletter possible.

These custom miniatures caught my eye - you can have any photo turned into one-inch minis (and framed). A good gift for someone special! There is so much love on display in the customer review photos.