The young lady next door, whom I've watched grow up from age two, is going off to college this week. I'm getting a lump in my throat just thinking about it. That is the bittersweet nature of August. In the words of John Steinbeck, 'What good is the warmth of summer without the cold of winter to give it sweetness?" This week's listicle is loosely framed by August. Don't miss the last one on the list. It's my fave. 

• I planted mint in my garden last year. This year it came back with a vengeance and is so ballsy, I think it's going to college with that girl next door whose boxes are dangerously close to the plant bed. Anyway, here's a yummy minty ice cream cake using Pepperidge Farm Mint Milano cookies.

• It's the end of the summer wedding season and did you see this wedding with an 89-year-old bridesmaid?

• A short sweet ode to iceberg lettuce.

• For my local readers, here's a bohemian steal on Milwaukee's Craigslist. Who doesn't need a peacock chair on their patio? These are all the rage and they're going for four times this price on eBay.

• I equate August reading with Harry Potter, back to the days when Scholastic would wait for the summer to release a new title. Last week on Twitter, J.K.Rowling commented on her favorite Harry Potter fan theory.

• Does listening to the Beach Boys make you nostalgic for the summer? The new Brian Wilson biopic is coming out soon. In the meantime, I absolutely loved this rare studio footage of the Beach Boys recording Good Vibrations.

Thanks for reading all the way to the bottom! I'll be back on Friday with a link to my First Annual French Flea Market. 

Photo of Miraflores Floral Plate Collage by Renn Kuhnen. You can purchase it here.