I thought it would be fun to write personality profiles that could match your favorite plant. Enter 🍋 Meyers-Twigs Personality Test. (Is this pun landing? Myers-Briggs is the true assessment, which, in all seriousness, can be a great team-building tool.)

Below are 5 plant personality profiles, freshly sprouted. It’s been a minute since I peeked at an actual MBTI, so you may notice a few [creative] deviations. To the introverts, extroverts, and everyone thriving somewhere in between: I hope you enjoy!

The Sunflower - The Extroverted Optimist

You are: Loud sunshine in botanical form.
Vibe: Always looking for the bright side.
Likely to say: “Turn towards the light.”
Strengths: Radiant enthusiasm, contagious cheerfulness.
You might be this plant if: You’re an extrovert, you have big energy.

The Fern — The Introverted Frond

You are: Quiet, curly, sensitive.
Vibe: Thriving, and occasionally overthinking life.
Likely to say: “Processing my thoughts…”
Strengths: Independent, calm.
You might be this plant if: You prefer quiet spaces but still manage to thrive just about anywhere.

The Oak Tree — The Stoic Old Soul

You are: Wise vibes in a modern world.
Vibe: Calm, grounded, seems like you write poetry for fun.
Likely to say: “Back in the day…” no matter who your audience is.
Strengths: Reliable, the friend who gives excellent advice.
You might be this plant if: You’re the responsible one, the planner, or the person who always has an umbrella “just in case.”

The Cactus — The Independent Spiky Icon

You are: Self-sufficient and bold.
Vibe: Minimal effort, sharp wits.
Likely to say: “I don’t need attention. Or water.”
Strengths: Resilient, great boundaries (visible and stabby).
You might be this plant if: You’re independent, a little sarcastic, or appreciate your space.

The Succulent — The Stylish Minimalist

You are: Stylish, trendy before succulents were trendy.
Vibe: Always on point.
Likely to say: “Energy is everything.”
Strengths: Adaptable, thrives in almost any environment.
You might be this plant if: You have strong opinions about watering schedules, and always manage to look perfect with minimal resources.

💬 GROUP CHAT among plants

“Checking in, who’s thriving and who’s just trying not to die today 💁🏻‍♀️?”

☀️ ✨

Whoever has heart’s doors wide open, could see the sun itself in every atom.

- Rumi

Illustration of a flower photo by @birgittetheresa

“True friends are those who remain when others leave, and who bring out the best in you. They accept you completely, truly listen, and can remind you of your inner spirit when you forget. An old friend can be like a mirror reflecting who you are.” — Credit: unknown

On the humorous side, here are some funny takes on sisterhood. I found these online, and only take credit for writing #2 and #3 on the list. I wrote these for my sisters, but sub in [brothers] or [trusted friend] and the spirit is similar — our besties bring comfort and chaos into our life, in the best way:

1. Sisterhood - the original cult.

2. Having sisters is like living under constant siege. They’ll host a 3-part series on your red flags, then text “can I borrow your charger?”

3. My sister’s my best friend, but also the hacker behind every “mysterious” Netflix recommendation.

4. As your sister, I’m warning you. Keep all those photos from when we were kids under wraps.

5. What are sisters for if not to point out the things the rest of the world is too polite to mention?

At the end of the day, friends are our reality checks, our comedians, and our confidants all rolled into one. Life is better with the people we love. Quirks, chaos, and all. Can’t do life without them ♡

Illustration is by Heather Stillufsen. I think it’s really sweet.

And now . . . sibling memes 😅:

Life is better with the people we love. Quirks, chaos, and all. Can’t do life without them ♡

Tip #1: Wake up looking sharp. For better sleep: try this: sing the ABCs, but pair each letter with a fruit. I refuse to Google a fruit that starts with “H.”

Because as I silently sing:
A is for Apple
B is for Blueberry
C is for Cantaloupe
D is for Durian
E is for Elderberry
F is for Fig
G is for Grape

…my brain short-circuits at “H,” wondering what the heck starts with H? Before I can figure it out, my mind’s in a full-on pretzel and— boom— I’m asleep. Works every time. 😴

Photo Credit: Thistle and Poppy

Tip #2: Walk it off in comfort. To walk outdoors and clear your mind in comfort, don’t underestimate the power of good insoles. Lucky for us Birkenstocks are back. According to my podiatrist, their insoles are 👌. I’ve never been happier to have a 90s trend back in my closet.

Photo credit: Birkenstock via Faherty

Tip #3: For a youthful glow, laughter is the best medicine. Try Saturday Night Live for a hearty dose.

QOTD: Confidence is the natural beauty booster ✨

♡ ✨

That’s a wrap! 💄

It’s wild what I notice when I’m not rushing an errand or sprinting for morning coffee. The office building I usually ignore— turns out it has beautiful stonework. And the park I sometimes treat like a freeway between points A and B— is packed full of flowers, trees, and people who apparently have nowhere else to be except this joyous park. Suspicious? Intriguing.

When I slow down, the whole city transforms. It stops being background wallpaper and starts looking like a charming indie film where the main character finally learns to appreciate the little things. (Director’s notes: I’m the main character, wearing a sunhat, SPF50, and carrying snacks. Nicole Kidman almost got the part, but scheduling conflicts, you know how it is.)

So here’s my highly unscientific recommendation: take yourself on a tour. Notice the buildings you usually breeze past. Try that restaurant, cocktail, or dessert that’s been on your list forever. Duck into a museum or pop into a matinee. Turns out, one of the best ways to clear your head is to live agenda-free every once in a while.

If you played tourist in your own city for a day, where would you go first?

NYC via @camille.stark.eu

The Guggenheim, photo by me

Charming street scene via @westvillagelife

@ullajohnson’s flowers

My creation on Paperless Post. I love creating invitations. Maybe I’ll start doing them for casual get-togethers, too?

The New York Times
Sunday Edition

Runaway Flowers Stage Escape From Manhattan Rooftop, End Up in Coney Island

NEW YORK — In an incident baffling residents and botanists alike, a group of flowers staged a dramatic escape from a rooftop in Manhattan on Friday afternoon, eventually arriving at Coney Island, where they reportedly “planted themselves” in the sand.

Witnesses first spotted the unusual procession around 2 p.m. near East 34th Street. “I thought I was suffering a heat stroke,” said Jenny, a visitor from Seattle. “You don’t expect to see roses using a fire escape.”

Security footage from the MTA confirms that the flowers boarded a downtown F train, with what appears to be a peony swiping a MetroCard. One commuter, who asked not to be named, claimed the group behaved politely until they spilled water without apology on the subway tiles.

Authorities believe the escape began mid-morning, where tenants enjoy a garden of daisies, roses, peonies, and assorted trees. Residents described the plants as “generally well-behaved,” though one neighbor admitted the flowers “always looked like they were up to something.”

By late afternoon, stunned beachgoers at Coney Island reported seeing rows of daisies spelling out HELLO NEW YORK along the shoreline. “It was honestly better than the fireworks,” said a local vendor who happened to be taking a stroll at the time.

The Parks Department has declined to comment, citing an “ongoing horticultural situation.” NYPD officials, however, confirmed they are monitoring other rooftops and asking residents to call in any funny behavior.

As of press time, the flowers remain at large, basking in the Atlantic breeze.

Update: We have received a plethora of letters from readers and residents…

Letters to the Editor

Regarding “Runaway Flowers Stage Escape From Manhattan Rooftop, End Up in Coney Island” (Sunday Edition):

I, for one, welcome our floral overlords. Finally, something in this city smells nice.
— Jenny, Seattle

I was at Coney Island when the flowers arrived. They pushed right past me to plant themselves in the sand, no “excuse me,” no nothing. Rude. I don’t care if they’re flowers, manners are universal.
— Neighbor, Manhattan

The daisies were having the time of their lives. You think you’ve seen everything in New York… I’ll never be the same again.
— Local Vendor, Coney Island

A rooftop scene that seeded a fantastic tale

which evolved during the elevator ride down to the trashcan— a story for the ages? Runaway flowers

Meanwhile on Instagram... Illustration by Ernest H. Shepard

In ~2017, BuzzFeed published a quiz called “Which Hogwarts House Do You Truly Belong In?”—great internet content and great team-building material. Perfect timing because we had an offsite coming up and I was on the hook for creating an ice-breaker for my teammates. This quiz basically screamed our names in Parseltongue.

If you're looking to create a lighthearted way to connect with coworkers like I was, or just need a reason to discuss wand cores during work hours, please see the quiz link and my answer key below.

WHICH HOGWARTS HOUSE DO YOU TRULY BELONG IN?

Quiz: BuzzFeed Hat Sorting Quiz

DEFINITIONS TO HELP YOU DURING QUIZ:

Wands:

• Phoenix Feather: Phoenix feathers are feathers shed by phoenixes, primarily gathered and used in wandmaking. Phoenix feather are one of the three supreme core types. It is one of the rarest cores, with the greatest power range and whose allegiance is hard won.

• Dragon Heartstring: Dragon heartstring is a material from a dragon that can be used in the core of a wand. It is unknown from which varieties of dragon the heartstrings are collected, and what effect this difference makes on the attributes of the wand, if any.

• Unicorn hair is a powerful magical substance with a variety of uses, originating on the body of a unicorn. It can be used as the core of wands.

Spells:

• Expelliarmus: The Disarming Charm – means 'to drive out a weapon' and that's what it does: forces the subject to drop whatever they're holding. Usually that's a wand, which is why it's often seen in duels, and Harry definitely took that to heart, given how much he used it in combat.

• Protego: A spell used to guard its caster from incoming spells. It doesn't work against the killing curse. It is coined from the Latin verb 'protego', 'to protect'.

• Stupefy: The Stunning Spell (Stupefy), also known as the Stupefying Charm, or Stunner for short, is a charm that stuns the target, rendering them unconscious. This charm is exceptionally useful in duelling, as it can quickly end a duel without causing lasting damage. The spell also has the ability to halt moving objects.

• Crucio: The Cruciatus Curse (also known as the Torture Curse) is one of the three Unforgivable Curses of the wizarding world. It is a curse of torture, inflicting excruciating pain on a victim. This makes it popular among the Death Eaters for use on both fellow wizards and Muggles.

OTHER DEFINITIONS:

• A Howler: is a magical letter in a red envelope which enchants the written message into the writer's voice, usually at a very high volume. The physical temperature of the Howler begins to rapidly increase upon delivery, and it will explode if left unopened for too long.

Quidditch Game Positions:

• Seeker: A position in the wizarding sport of Quidditch. There is one Seeker per team. The goal of the Seeker is to catch the Golden Snitch. They play a crucial role in Quidditch, as a game does not end until the Seeker catches the Snitch.

• Chaser: A position in the wizarding sport of Quidditch. There are three Chasers per team. The Chasers control the Quaffle (ball) and attempt to get it through the goal hoops past the Keeper (position whose job is to guard goalposts and stop Chasers.

• Beaters: Attempt to hit the opposing team's players with bludgers and attempt to block the bludgers from hitting their team's players. Beaters are subject to the same knockout procedure as chasers or keepers when hit with a bludger, but unlike chasers and keepers, they may attempt to catch a bludger thrown at them.

LOCATIONS:

• The Forbidden Forest: The Forbidden Forest, also known as the Dark Forest, borders the edges of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardy grounds. The forest is a very old place that holds many secrets and houses many creatures, some dark and dangerous, others friendly. The trees in the forest are considered ancient, they are dense and rough looking from years of exposure to the elements.

• The Library: The Hogwarts Library is located on the third floor of Hogwarts Castle and contains tens of thousands of books on thousands of shelves. Overseen by Madam Irma Pince, the library is where students can go to peruse or borrow books to supplement their studies (or for personal enjoyment).

• The Kitchens: The Hogwarts kitchens is a room located in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It is where all the food for Hogwarts students and staff are prepared. House-elves inhabit this room and are responsible for preparing meals.

• The Room of Requirement: The Room of Requirement is a magical room in Hogwarts castle which can only be discovered by someone who is in need. It is called the Come and Go Room by the house-elves of Hogwarts. The Room is located on the seventh floor, opposite a tapestry showing Barnabas the Barmy trying to teach trolls to dance the ballet.

• The Mirror of Erised: A magical mirror, which, according to Albus Dumbledore, shows the "deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts." The name "Erised" is "desire" spelled backwards, as if reflected in a mirror. The happiest and most satisfied person in the world would look in the mirror and see a reflection of them, exactly as they are, for they would then have no one and nothing more to desire for the mirror to show them. Alternatively, it is intrinsically inherent for human nature to desire something greater than one's own self — meaning that an event wherein the mirror failed to carry out its intended purpose rarely, if at all, happened.

• The Triwizard Tournament: A magical contest held between the three largest wizarding schools of Europe: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Durmstrang Institute, and Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, each school being represented by one champion. Selected champions compete in three tasks — traditionally judged by the Headmasters or Headmistresses of the competing schools — designed to test magical ability, intelligence, and courage. Champions compete for the honor and glory of winning the Tournament, for the Triwizard Cup, and a monetary prize. The first Tournament was held sometime around the late 13th century.

• The Yule Ball: A tradition of the Triwizard Tournament. It is a formal dance held on the evening of Yule (the pagan Winter solestice/Christmas celebration) of a tournament year, and is opened by the tournament champions and their partners.

• Deathly Hallow Choices: The Deathly Hallows are three highly powerful magical objects supposedly created by Death and given to each of three brothers in the Peverell family. They consisted of the Elder Wand, an immensely powerful wand that was considered unbeatable; the Resurrection Stone, a stone which could summon the spirits of the dead, and the Cloak of Invisibility, which, as its name suggests, rendered the user completely invisible. According to the story, both Antioch Peverell (owner of the Wand) and Cadmus Peverell (owner of the Stone) came to bad ends. However, Ignotus Peverell's wisdom in requesting the Cloak was rewarded.

• Elder Wand: It is said to be the most powerful wand ever to exist, able to perform feats of magic that would normally be impossible even for the most skilled wizards, such as mending another wand damaged beyond normal magical repair. The Elder Wand's core is the tail hair of a Thestral, a potent yet tricky substance to master; only a witch or wizard who was capable of accepting death could do so.

• The Resurrection Stone is said to be the only object that would bring back the spirits of the holder's deceased loved ones, activating when the Stone is turned three times in the user's hand. These summoned shades are more physically solid than a ghost but less so than a living body, though their exact nature is unclear. Harry Potter describes them as almost transparent, and they produce a Patronus-like effect that shielded against Dementors. They remain visible only as long as the stone is held and only the person who is holding the Stone can see them. These shades are said to dislike being drawn from their rightful place in the afterlife as they do not belong in the living world anymore, though Harry Potter's loved ones made no complaints when he summoned them.

• The Cloak of Invisibility is a magical artefact used to render the wearer invisible, and one of the fabled Deathly Hallows. In The Tale of the Three Brothers, it was the third and final Hallow created, supposedly by Death himself (whom had the cloak in his possession at that time)

HOUSES:

“You might belong in Gryffindor,

Where dwell the brave at heart,

Their daring, nerve, and chivalry

Set Gryffindors apart"

— Sorting Hat

Gryffindor is one of the four Houses of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and was founded by Godric Gryffindor. Gryffindor instructed the Sorting Hat to choose students possessing characteristics he most valued, such as courage, chivalry, nerve and determination, to be sorted into his house.

"Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,

If you've a ready mind,

Where those of wit and learning,

Will always find their kind."

— Sorting Hat

Ravenclaw is one of the four Houses of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Its founder was the medieval witch Rowena Ravenclaw. Members of this house are characterized by their wit, learning, and wisdom.

"Or perhaps in Slytherin,

You'll make your real friends,

Those cunning folk use any means,

To achieve their ends."

— Sorting Hat

Slytherin is one of the four Houses at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, founded by Salazar Slytherin. In establishing the house, Salazar instructed the Sorting Hat to pick students who had a few particular characteristics he most valued. These characteristics include cunning, resourcefulness, leadership, and ambition.

"You might belong in Hufflepuff,

Where they are just and loyal,

Those patient Hufflepuffs are true,

And unafraid of toil."

— Sorting Hat

Hufflepuff is one of the four Houses of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Its founder was the medieval witch Helga Hufflepuff. Hufflepuff is the most inclusive among the four houses, valuing hard work, dedication, patience, loyalty, and fair play rather than a particular aptitude in its members.

20 Libraries Around The World That Look Like Harry Potter Sets

Carturesti Carusel, Bucharest, Romania:

Bibliothèque Nationale de France - Richelieu Library, Paris, France

George Peabody Library, Baltimore, MD:

Seattle Public Library, Seattle, WA:

Biblioteca Real Gainete Portuguese de Leitura, Rio De Janiero, Brazil

See all 20 featured libraries here.

Invitation
If you are a dreamer, come in,
If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar,
A hope-er, a pray-er, a magic bean buyer...
If you're a pretender, come sit by my fire
For we have some flax-golden tales to spin.
Come in!
Come in!

This poem has always felt like a big, warm hug for anyone with a curious mind or a slightly wild imagination. It’s one reason I love Shel Silverstein (see Where the Wildflowers Grow from March). He had this unconventional, welcoming way of saying, “You don’t have to be normal to belong here— in fact, please don’t be.” He invited the oddballs, storytellers (“liars”), and dreamers.

It’s refreshing. Because as adults, we tend to swap out wonder and whimsy for a lifestyle best described as beige with a hint of existential dread.

Shel reminds us: we don’t have to live entirely in spreadsheets and checklists. We can still make space for stories, bold ideas, and quirky little sparks, like the one that inspired us to rearrange our bookshelf by feeling, not author, because “nostalgic taxonomy” feels like a valid system.

I’m keeping this one tucked in my brain. The older we get, we tend to swap imagination for practicality— which isn’t all bad, until you realize you just spent an hour meal-prepping a small mountain of vegetables because vitamin C is important. Not the worst, but do we have room for improvement?

So come in. Come in. The fire’s on. Tales are ready to spin! Beige socks optional. Unique interests encouraged!

Come one, come all ⚡️

It’s not deep. It’s just... correct

You’re obsessed with Lego architecture sets? Amazing. You collect botanical indexes and can name every flower in Latin? Even better. Maybe you’re into beekeeping, obscure jazz, or memorizing bird calls to impress exactly no one at parties. Whatever your thing is— own it. Do it with joy. Do it with flair. And definitely don’t apologize for it.

Being a first-rate version of yourself means being the best possible you: quirks, passions, imperfections and all.

Trying to be a second-rate version of someone else. That’s like using a knockoff brand of allergy medicine— it kinda works, but also, not really. You’ll always be a little off, probably very tired, and definitely a less-effective version of yourself.

When you try to become someone you're not, you risk missing the chance to develop interests that actually light you up. Plus, embracing your true self allows you to operate from a place of clarity and ease instead of insecurity or awkward imitation.

So here’s to embracing a wonderfully unique, highly specific self. The world doesn’t need another copy-paste personality. It needs your original, first-rate glory.

Photos of New York Botanical Garden’s Vincent Van Gogh + Lego Build exhibit from a couple weeks ago.

An illustration inspired by Van Gogh’s Roses:

Van Gogh’s Roses, 1890:

On a recent visit to my parents' house, I stumbled upon a plastic storage bin in their garage. A time capsule from fourth grade: crumpled writing assignments, school portraits, and crayon-heavy masterpieces.

Somehow, through several house moves, my mom hung onto this relic of my elementary-school self. And thank God she did because it’s equal parts hilarious and mortifying.

The crown jewel of the bin was a sheet of our class photos: tiny yearbook-style thumbnails of every kid, plus the teachers and principal, all smiling. In a burst of childlike tyranny (that I DO NOT remember), I had graded each classmate using our school’s official marks:

• “O” for Outstanding

• “GP” for Good Progress

• “N” for Needs Improvement

This was not a class project. Apparently, I was armed with a fluorescent green marker and way too much self-assurance. Naturally, I gave myself an “O.” My friends also received high marks. A few neutrals here and there and“GP-” if you were on thin ice. And then… poor Tim Anderson. Tim didn’t even get a grade. Instead, I drew a line through his name and carefully wrote: “frankenstein jr.”

Another gem from the bin was a Mother’s Day card I’d made, complete with pastel drawn flowers and this earnest poem:

On Mother’s Day I’d like to say
Thanks to my Mom in a special way
Because when my feelings get hurt
Or I scrape my knee,
My Mom’s always there to take care of me... I think she’s great, and I love her a lot Because she’s the best friend I’ve got

At the time, I was so proud of this poem. Reading it now, I realize the rhyme was terrible. Still, holding that brittle paper and rereading the clunky rhymes, I remembered how much I felt this poem was some of my best work. A kid who unapologetically graded her classmates and marched every assignment home like my family might not be ready for the brilliance about to hit their fridge.

That kid was kind of awesome. A little ruthless, sure— but earnest, creative, and not yet self-conscious about social decorum or poetic restraint. Now, as an adult who adds a 30-second delay to outgoing emails (just in case I need to unsend and edit), I kind of celebrate her.

So here's to the tiny movers and shakers, and the kids who graded their classmates like it was their moral duty. May we all occasionally tap into their unapologetic confidence.

Me and my twin, not in Southern California:

Fast forward to the current digital age ;)