A welcome home gift of beautiful flowers from my husband. He bought them at About Vase in Little Rock, having heard me rave about the lovely and richly colored arrangements there, where the floral designer is some kind of magician. I don’t know which was nicer: knowing that I was missed or realizing that he was actually paying attention while I swooned over flowers.

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A late afternoon spent listening to the music of Dannica Lowery at Fonville Press in Alys Beach, Florida. My friend R and I sipped sauvignon blanc and watched a flock of beautiful young people slip effortlessly into a dance, boys with girls and girls with girls, whirling each other around the shaded patio and laughing, breathless with vitality and life. Dannica Lowery sang and played her guitar. Both the music and the moment were gorgeous.

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The easiest seashell craft ever: three pairs of Lion’s Paw shells standing upright in a platter of sand, cupping the flames of three votive candles. Martha Stewart Living magazine published a photo of this idea in a 2007 issue. I’ve always wanted to replicate it and was delighted to find the shells at a shop of curiosities in Seaside, Florida, this week. (That’s sand from a hardware store, btw.)

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The Hendricks Tini at Cafe 30-A in Seagrove Beach, Florida. Cucumber-infused gin and elderflower liqueur combined deliciously into a memorable cocktail. The roasted red snapper that followed as my entrée was so unforgettable as well that I had to order it again less than a week later.

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Relief that back-to-school displays in stores don’t apply to me or mine anymore.

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Kai, a lanky Siberian husky mix who insists that he fits a tiny dog bed. Last born adopted Kai from a local shelter a few weeks ago. He was severely malnourished and underweight, but he’s blossoming under the influence of regular meals and lots of love.