When I was young, I loved Harriet the Spy, the Cam Jansen series, and Nancy Drew. It thrilled me that just by paying attention, by taking careful note of the happenings in my world, I might “solve” something. None of these characters had supernatural powers (well, Cam Jansen has a photographic memory, but that felt reasonably close to the ground), but they were heroines in their own right, using the power of observation and intellect to get to the bottom of things. Now that I look back, I see the childhood mystery genre as a warm, empowering on-ramp into the world of literary analysis, and, by extension, the pursuit of a reflective life. As with the heuristics of mystery, reading itself — across any genre — often feels like hunting for clues, tracing patterns. Which, as it turns out, are sound techniques for deep self-knowledge, too. I was reflecting on this the other day when I was sitting outside on our back patio, idly jotting down some of the sights and sounds of summer as a kind of diving board bounce before writing. I found myself contemplating them as ciphers in their own right, and then reflecting on the way I was reading my own agendas into the season. Hunting for green lights amidst the green leaves. Here are a few:
Cicadas — there is a time for fervor and a time for torpor;
Fireflies — look up, and don’t blink or you’ll miss it;
Hot chair / wet suit — life finds a way to receive and assuage your discomforts;
Late dusk — forget the schedule;
Tomatoes heavy on the vine — everything in its time;
Ice cream dripping — carpe diem.
What is summer telling you?
Post-Scripts.
+On shaking hands with an empty page.
+What are your favorite substacks? (Any to add?)
+Pick one.
Shopping Break.
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+If you loved the Doen Marianne in red but didn’t want to spend as much, check out this $118 look for less. A Magpie reader wrote me about it after ordering and insisted it’s just as good as the Doen!
+Goop has a new mascara! Of course I’m dying to try. I love so many Goop products — they just work. All my favorite Goop products here.
+I wore this one-piece to the pool last weekend and loved her. Full coverage and comfortable but in such a fun print — if you look closely, you’ll notice the cutest details: a ladybug, a little conch shell, etc! I recieved a number of compliments on it. I also have received so many compliments on my pool sandals. One woman swam over to ask me about them over the weekend!
+Speaking of the pool, I’ve been noticing a lot of ladies at the pool wearing hats like this this summer. I’m intrigued! Look for less here.
+And this has been my favorite pareo of summer. It literally goes with every single suit in my closet!
+Jump into the crochet trend.
+Gorgeous $40 white eyelet caftan.
+Sunsquad at Target has some really fun summer items: this mini golf set for kids, this picnic blanket, this folding camp chair for littles (great for parades, beach days, picnics, etc!)
+Keep hearing good things about these white jeans. Apparently they sell out fast!
+Back to Goop for a second: their latest house label clothing collection is full of timeless pieces, like this spectacular and versatile LWD and this shrunken striped cardi. I find their knitwear exceptional. Beautifully-made, classic styles/shapes, with perfect, add-just-enough-interest details.
+Just bought Mr. Magpie these mesh lounge / athletic shorts for more casual wardrobe out in Colorado. Lots of handsome gear for men here, too. He absolutely loves this belt.