The Weekly Catch Up
An impromptu garden party.
I had the idea for the party quite randomly while gazing out my kitchen window one morning. The clematis was in full bloom, climbing up the white lattice on the side of my garage, and I thought…I want to share this beautiful yard I’ve been working on all spring. Within minutes, I shot off a text inviting four friends to come the following Thursday for a traveling garden party.
The plan was simple—we’d move from one of our houses to the next, admiring each other’s gardens while sharing our summer plans and saying goodbye for the season. We’re all in and out of town so much we won’t see much of each other until September.
It was sweltering the day we met so I opened the large green umbrella on my deck. I had to record a podcast right before with the lovely Michelle Glogovac, and I showed up to the Zoom interview a little overdressed. “I’m going to a garden party,” I blurted out. Then I had to clarify: Actually, it’s really my four friends and I playing dress up and visiting each other’s flowers for an afternoon. You’ll hear us laughing on the episode. How ridiculous, but it made me wonder: Why are the silliest ideas sometimes the best ones?
Around twelve-thirty, my friends Laura, Jennifer, Kelsa and Silvana arrived in pretty dresses, although none of us wore a big floppy hat. I walked everyone along my flowering plants and bushes, pointing out the hot pink dahlias that are my favorite. I told everyone that my great grandparents were dahlia farmers on Long Island. “I thought your great grandparents were potato farmers,” my friend Jennifer said. This made me laugh. “So did I,” I told her, “until my mom recently corrected me!” It’s quite embarrassing how many people think I have potato farmers in my family.
After the tour, we sat on my deck drinking seltzers and eating takeout Chopt salads that my friend Laura picked up. I mean, who has time for an elaborate spread, and if I would have put that pressure on myself, we would have never done this. Instead, we relaxed in sandals, each of us sharing details of upcoming plans. Kelsa is attending a one month silent retreat; Laura is visiting her parents in Delaware before they move; Jennifer is visiting the Michigan lake towns and Silvana is having family visit from Argentina.
We strolled over to my friend Jennifer’s house next. Her garden is a pretty tangle of pretty blooms of all colors and sizes. Her husband came out to greet us, and we snapped a photo, all of us feeling quite proud of this impromptu tour we made up. It was fun to fawn all over each other, and just simply enjoy the time in each other’s outdoor spaces.
Then we walked a few minutes farther to Silvana’s gardens, a wild and beautiful mix of herbs, roses and wisteria. Everywhere you look, you see a spot where you’d love to plop a squat and read a book. Silvana makes her own teas with the herbs in her garden, and she made us two cold iced teas from handpicked leaves and flowers. I had the lemony one, and it was so good. Then we nibbled on some sweets, and caught up some more.
All of us marveled at how special the afternoon felt. Maybe because it was relaxed. Maybe because in sharing our gardens, we were able to share pieces of ourselves. But what I loved most was that we felt like little girls finding a new way to play together. We’ve been friends for a decade now, and this day proved that there’s always something more to learn about each other.
A Heartfelt Letter to You
I’m writing with something very close to my heart: my fourth novel Our Last Vineyard Summer is coming out soon—and I truly believe this is the one I was meant to write.
It’s the most personal and ambitious story I’ve ever told, and bringing it into the world has been a labor of deep love and quiet persistence. Now, I need your help getting it into the hands of readers.
Preorders matter—so much more than most people realize. They tell my publisher how many copies to print and ship, how much to invest in promoting the book, and even whether bookstores should stock it at all. In many ways, the life of this novel begins with these early numbers.
That’s why I’d be incredibly grateful if you’d consider preordering a signed copy through Bronx River Books, a wonderful local indie bookstore that’s supporting me and this launch. I’ll be stopping by to sign each one personally—and if you'd like it personalized, just let them know in the comments section of the order form.
To preorder: Link to Preorder A Signed Copy
Bronx River Books – Bronxville, NY (they ship anywhere!)
If you’ve read one of my earlier books, or if we’ve crossed paths and you’re curious about my work—this is the one I’d love for you to read. And if you’ve supported my writing journey in any way, even just with a kind word along the way, thank you. It all matters. xoxo Brooke
Media Diary
What I’ve Been Watching: The 1953 classic film “Roman Holiday.” We're headed to Italy soon, and I’m so taken with Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck riding around Rome on a Vespa. The best part is that my 15-year-old son loves it as much as me, in part, because he finds the formal way they speak in old movies so fascinating.
What I’ve Been Reading: Laura Lippmann’s Murder Takes a Vacation. Just started it but I’ll report back.
An Article Worth Sharing: “The Talented Mrs. Highsmith.” An essay in the Yale Review about a woman who worked for the author in her final months. It’s creepy and insightful and since I’m a big Patricia Highsmith fan, I devoured this.
Love your garden party idea. So simple and sounds like such fun!
What’s embarrassing about being a potato farmer? Once upon a time the north fork was filled with potato farms. it was a quiet simple place to live / raise a family; not the extravagant expensive destination it has become.