Entertainment
The Joy of Being a Beginner
Last fall, I moved into a Brooklyn apartment with a balcony and made a promise to myself that I’d learn how to garden. I poured over heirloom seeds online and set one reasonable-seeming goal: to hold a single vegetable in my hand that I’d grown from a seed.
Spring rolled around. When I opened the seed packets I’d confidently ordered months earlier, most of them were alarmingly tiny. Would a single extra drop of water kill this? I wondered. But after googling things like “overwatering vs under-watering” and reading a bunch of gardening tips that I immediately forgot, I planted my seeds in starter trays by my living room window. If everything went according to plan, they’d get big enough to go outside just as the evening temperatures stopped dipping low enough to kill them.
“I’m not sure this is going to work,” I told a friend who had a plot at a nearby community garden. “Seeds want to grow,” she replied. It was very reassuring, and sure enough, within days, little sprouts were shooting up.
From then on, the state of my seeds was the first thing I checked every morning. If I went away for the weekend, I’d drop my bag as soon as I returned and head straight for them with a pitcher of water. I was sitting on my apartment floor repotting when the April 5th earthquake hit New York City; I had to wipe the dirt off my hands before checking my phone to figure out what was going on.
By mid-April, however, things seemed a bit bleak. My plants had flatlined. They didn’t seem big enough to move outdoors, but I followed a planting schedule based on the last frost anyway. It was nice to have a reason to go outside so early, and gardening made me more attuned to the weather. Wind had been a minor inconvenience until plants with thin stalks that I very much wanted to survive were in its path. Temperature wasn’t something I accessed first through my phone’s weather app; instead, I felt it each morning when I opened the balcony door.
One day, carrying pitcher after pitcher of water from the kitchen sink, I also realized that I didn’t usually spend much time as a beginner. It felt good to experience the frustrations and delights of someone who’s just starting out. When I planted beans, I was reminded of how little I knew. I’d ordered Hidatsa Shield Beans mostly because they’re so beautiful. When it was time to sow them, I was confused: I plant a bean and it…multiplies into many beans? Grows into some sort of bean bush? But instead of turning to the internet for an instant answer, I decided to let myself be surprised.
Spring turned to summer. I picked a few dozen snap peas before the plants died of what I believe was heatstroke. I was on track to grow juicy heirloom tomatoes when they got some sort of brown rot that can be caused by over-watering, under-watering, too much fertilizer, not enough fertilizer, or maybe the pressure of being my most desired plant. The cucumbers that started out strong grew bulbous and tasted…off. I would not be 2024’s answer to a young Martha Stewart pulling up handfuls of vegetables in dirt-stained jeans and a cream cable-knit sweater, but I was still having a good time.
Despite some setbacks and a teeny yield, I met my goal and even surpassed it. I loved clipping fresh rosemary and chives from their pots. I made a few balcony-to-table kale salads. My favorite plant was the ground cherries grown from a seed that first arrived in North America with a Russian immigrant and had been passed down through generations of women. Once you peel off the papery husk, it tastes like sugary cereal from the nineties (in a good way). Plus, there were the non-plant gains, like watching bees buzzing around my balcony and chatting with neighbors about what we were trying to grow.
I recently texted a friend who has been gardening for years in California. “The beginner is shocked when a plant grows from a seed; the seasoned gardener expects it,” I wrote. He answered: “I think every gardener is delighted by what they grow.” It’s nice to know that excitement doesn’t diminish as you get more experience.
This first summer season, I made plenty of mistakes, but I didn’t let that get in the way of enjoying the process. Even though it was low stakes, every single thing that grew made me giddy. When something didn’t work out, I learned what I could or blamed the heat, which is easy when it’s August in Brooklyn. I’m still a bit heartbroken about those tomatoes, but overall, the whole gardening experience was a nice reminder that you don’t have to be particularly good at something to have fun doing it. I’m already making plans for next year. I also have a new goal: grow at least one big, juicy heirloom tomato.
Do you garden? What do you love growing? What tips do you have?
P.S. 14 readers share their gorgeous gardens, and a San Francisco home with a beautiful garden.
(Photos by the author.)
Entertainment
Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
Mother figures are the backbone of the world. Yours may be your biological mother, or maybe she’s your mother-in-law, your best friend’s mom, or simply someone whose motherly instinct has helped you through hard times.
Moms teach you the adulting necessities, give advice even if the problem is your fault, and above all, they put up with your shit and (almost) never complain.
The game plan here isn’t just to snag the last bouquet at CVS just so you’re not the kid who forgot Mother’s Day (but definitely also get flowers). And you don’t even need to spend a lot of money. (Peep our list of Mother’s Day gifts that cost less than $50. Want even more cheap gift ideas?
Skip the generic mugs and show your appreciation with a gift picked just for her: Whether it’s something to make a part of her life easier, something she’s mentioned wanting in passing, or simply something to make her feel like a damn queen, you can’t put a price on everything she’s done for you, but heartfelt gifts certainly help.
After all, they say “No matter how hard you try, you always end up like your mother.” But is that even a bad thing?
Entertainment
Ban subscriptions and get Microsoft Office 2024 for life for just £121
TL;DR: Grab Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business for PC or Mac for just £120.54 through June 1.
You wouldn’t keep paying for Netflix if you could own your favorite shows, right? So why are you still subscribing to Office apps you use every day? Microsoft 365’s price keeps going up, but there’s finally a way to break free — and it’ll cost you way less in the long run.
Microsoft Office 2024 is the answer you’ve been looking for. Instead of monthly payments, simply pay £120.54 once and be set for life (reg. £188.37). It’s that simple. And, yes, this lifetime download works for PC or Mac.
What’s included?
This license comes with:
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Word
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Excel
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PowerPoint
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Outlook
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OneNote
The newest version of Microsoft Office is a little different from Microsoft 365. But just because you’re switching to a lifetime license doesn’t mean you’ll miss out on some of the most recent updates. Word and Excel both still have AI integrations for text suggestions and smart data analysis, and PowerPoint still has improved tools for recorded presentations.
Once you’ve redeemed your purchase, you can install your apps on one computer. After that, they’re yours to use however you want. No more subscription fees or sudden price hikes to worry about.
Why rent when you can own?
Mashable Deals
Get a Microsoft Office lifetime license on sale for £120.54 with no coupon needed.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Entertainment
Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 9, 2025
Oh hey there! If you’re here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we’re serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today’s answer.
If you just want to be told today’s word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today’s Wordle solution revealed. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
Where did Wordle come from?
Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
What’s the best Wordle starting word?
The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?
The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website’s creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
Is Wordle getting harder?
It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn’t any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle‘s Hard Mode if you’re after more of a challenge, though.
Here’s a subtle hint for today’s Wordle answer:
Gibberish.
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Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?
There are no recurring letters.
Today’s Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with…
Today’s Wordle starts with the letter T.
The Wordle answer today is…
Get your last guesses in now, because it’s your final chance to solve today’s Wordle before we reveal the solution.
Drumroll please!
The solution to today’s Wordle is…
TRIPE.
Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.
Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Wordle.
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Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
