Now

Last updated July 2026.

It is the season of water ice and fireflies in Philly, of linen wardrobes and iced tea to chase away the damp mid-Atlantic heat. It is my birthday season, always an opportunity for introspection. I yearn for autumn and sweaters and warm mugs of tea.

Reading

• Bonjour Tristesse by Françoise Sagan for my book club
• Vicious by V.E. Schwab to get ready for the third installment of the series
• re-reading Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo to get ready for the last book of the trilogy
• finally prepared for A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara because an emotionally tough book feels right in this summer heat

Making

• Built a bird-and-bee fountain in true DIY fashion to help keep my neighborhood lovelies hydrated in the heat
• Drying flowers in preparation for making bookmarks for my beta user friends who helped me launch Bookplate
• Trying (messily) to make my own paper

Growing

• A bumper crop of jalapeños for the first time in my life
• Bountiful herbs, including Thai basil and sage (as autumn is just around the corner)
• Two new dahlias continuing to flourish, noting that the pompon varietal is doing better than the Stellar