A funny TV show, summer sandals galore, and a great product for patching walls

Plus, a summer fashion trendlet!

Hail and blessings upon any and all of you with school-aged children this month; May is the December of the spring, which sounds insane when I type it, but I know a few of you are nodding right now. The intensity of the end of the school year rivals that of the run-up to the holidays in December, from the possibility of emotional turmoil to the sheer number of additional events to navigate.

The unexpected field trips, the extra requests that roil the Morning Olympics, the awards banquets that go late, the early pickups that start once sports are over, not to mention the clearing out of cubbies and dorm rooms; the crisscrossing web of logistics; the number of Google Calendar reminders I’ve set for 6:45 am - PACK DISPOSABLE LUNCH BEN; REMEMBER SUNBLOCK; EARLY DROP OFF EXAM; ALEX DORM CLEAN OUT. Eleven years into having school-aged kids, I am still flummoxed by May.

May the odds be ever in our collective favor! Remember to pack *yourself* a water bottle, sunblock, and extra snacks, and see you on the other side.

A. Two of my most in-the-know friends shared this call it by your name bag with me months ago; then I spotted this bandana bag on Etsy, another version from Gap; and this morning, I spotted these bandana Tevas. I’d say that’s a bona fide summer trendlet.

B. I ordered this (massively on sale but still expensive) Veronica Beard Dress a few weeks back, and while it wasn’t for me - I think on a slightly taller person this would - as the younger folks say - slay.

C. Grace Atwood linked to this bag charm, and rainbow necklace, and I love them both!

D. This Ghost switch plate just charmed me.

E. You know I love a practical find - and while the truly handy among you will scoff a bit at this product as there are cheaper (and messier) ways to fill holes in walls - I know many of you will delight in the ease and speed with with nail holes (and rips from poorly removed adhesive hooks 😬) disappear with this Erase a Hole stick. I’m not sure what it reveals about me (that I have a chaotic approach to hanging art?!), but I end up reaching for this constantly.

I’ve been clicking around trying to find a pair of easy but not too ugly knock-around sandals that I can get wet in the garden (and all the rain we’ve been having) but also wear with dresses in my fantasy vision of an easy-breezy summer. I mean, a girl can dream, right?!

F. Midform Infinity Teva (I bought these!)

G. Voya Infinity Teva

H. Platform Teva (I’m ridiculously tempted)

I. Neon version from Montbell (you know I ordered these)

PS: I love nothing more than texting clothing and shoe links back and forth with pals - I sent a friend this great round-up of summer sandals this morning.

Father’s Day Bonus: I meant to do a round-up of possible gifts for Father’s Day since I’ve been clicking around for that too, but I forgot, and so I will leave you with this as an excellent resource for Father’s Day gifts.

PS: We’ve been enjoying Tina Fey’s new Netflix show - The Four Seasons.

The English Gardens at Troutbeck, Friday evening - I love the combination of poppies, alliums, and peonies. 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. If you want to receive this daily email, select the "Daily Dose of Green" section in the Substack settings here!

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I include a few bonus finds here for paid subscribers as a small token of my appreciation.

1. MegaBat is an obsession of my 7-year-old.

2. These Camper neon sneakers are good.

3. Loving this Jelly Bag for summer-y feels - it’s a little too expensive for a summer bag for me, but if I lived in a more year-round warm weather place, I’d be sorely tempted.

4. A lovely print from Looking At Picture Books: Millions of Cats