Aug 05 2025
Few pasta dishes capture summer quite as simply as spaghetti with cherry tomatoes and basil. Sweet tomatoes soften and burst in olive oil, garlic adds savory depth, fresh basil brings fragrance, and a little Parmesan ties everything together. The sauce comes together quickly in the same amount of time it takes to cook the pasta. …
Aug 02 2025
Lavandula, commonly known as lavender, is having a moment. Lavender lattes are showing up on the hippest coffee shop menus all over the world, and with reason. The plant renowned for perfuming the southern French countryside and relaxing millions of people worldwide is easy to find and easy to grow, provided you have the right …
Aug 02 2025
There is a lacto-fermentation craze afoot. The superstar of the FIY (ferment-it-yourself) movement is kombucha, a fizzy tea-based drink that refreshes as much as it maintains your gut bacteria healthy and happy. Because it’s so good for digestion, proponents of kombucha recommend drinking it every day to make it a part of your body’s routine. …
Aug 02 2025
When the air feels heavy, the pavement shimmers in the afternoon heat, and even the most ambitious garden begins to look as though it would rather take a nap, someone will inevitably announce that the “dog days of summer” have arrived. It sounds like a phrase inspired by dogs stretched across cool kitchen floors, panting …
Aug 01 2025
Summer vegetables make it easy to build colorful meals without spending hours in the kitchen. Tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, peppers, corn, eggplant, spinach, and fresh herbs can move from breakfast to lunch to dinner with only a few additional ingredients. These nine recipes make the most of that flexibility. Start the morning with a vegetable omelet, …
Aug 01 2025
August has a different energy from the beginning of summer. June often arrives with anticipation, July settles into long days and familiar rhythms, and then August appears with the first subtle signs that another season is approaching. The evenings begin arriving a little earlier. Gardens look full and slightly wild. School supplies appear in stores. …
Jul 28 2025
A popsicle that never melts might be the perfect summer craft. Made from soft felt, a little stuffing, colorful embroidery floss, and a handful of cheerful embellishments, this adorable felt popsicle plush is simple enough for a beginner but cute enough to display long after summer is over. The design is inspired by a pastel …
Jul 27 2025
Sautéed zucchini is one of the easiest ways to turn a few fresh summer squash into a quick side dish. A hot skillet gives the zucchini golden edges while the centers stay tender, and garlic, lemon, chives, and fresh mint provide plenty of flavor without hiding the mild sweetness of the squash. The secret is …
Jul 17 2025
Smooth stones, a few bright paints, and a little imagination are all you need to create an entire underwater world. Ocean-themed painted rocks are an easy summer craft for kids, but they are just as much fun for adults who enjoy simple, relaxing projects. Fish, starfish, turtles, crabs, octopuses, whales, and other sea creatures work …
Jul 16 2025
With a little colorful paper, a handful of yarn, and a craft stick, kids can make a wiggly octopus puppet with tentacles that dance every time it moves. This easy ocean craft is wonderfully simple, but the combination of textures makes the finished octopus especially fun to hold and play with. The paper head gives …
