Good Things:

You volunteered to bring the fruit salad. Assemble one of these stunning — and unexpected — single-hued creations, and you’ll fulfill your duties with flying colors. Drizzle it with a savory, spicy or sweet dressing to boost the spectrum of flavors, and come dessert time, you’ll be guaranteed double-takers, too.

GREEN FRUIT SALAD WITH LIME AND HONEY

Active/Total Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 4 to 6

1 green apple, such as Granny Smith, thinly sliced

1⁄2 English cucumber, thinly sliced

1⁄4 honeydew melon, thinly sliced

3⁄4 cup green grapes, halved

2 star fruits, sliced

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Mint and basil leaves, for serving

1. Arrange apple, cucumber and melon on a platter. Fill in spaces with grapes and star fruits.

2. In a small bowl, stir together honey and lime juice until smooth. Drizzle over fruit (especially apple, to prevent browning). Serve immediately, or wrap in plastic and refrigerate up to 4 hours. Top with mint and basil before serving.

RED FRUIT SALAD WITH WHITE BALSAMIC AND BLACK PEPPER

Active/Total Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 4 to 6

2 red plums, sliced

1 pint fresh raspberries

1 cup sliced fresh strawberries

1⁄2 cup fresh sweet cherries, pitted and halved

3⁄4 cup red grapes, halved (or sliced, if large)

1⁄4 cup white balsamic vinegar

Freshly ground black pepper

1. Arrange plums on a platter. Scatter raspberries, strawberries, cherries and grapes around them.

2. In a small pot, boil vinegar until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Stir in 1 teaspoon water. Drizzle over fruit; sprinkle with pepper. Serve immediately, or wrap in plastic and refrigerate up to 4 hours.

ORANGE FRUIT SALAD WITH FIVE-SPICE POWDER

Active/Total Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 4 to 6

1 pineapple, peeled, cored and halved

1 yellow peach or nectarine, sliced

1⁄2 mango, peeled and sliced

1⁄2 papaya, peeled, seeded and sliced

1 navel orange, peeled and sliced, plus 1 more, peeled and halved

1⁄2 cup golden raspberries

1⁄4 cup passion fruit seeds (optional)

Five-spice powder and flaky sea salt, for serving

1. Slice one pineapple half. Arrange all sliced fruits on a platter. Chop remaining pineapple half and half of remaining orange; scatter around platter with raspberries. Top with passion fruit seeds.

2. Squeeze juice from remaining orange half over fruit; sprinkle with five-spice powder and salt. Serve immediately, or wrap in plastic and refrigerate up to 4 hours.

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IN THE GARDEN: BUDDING TALENT

Getting a trim won’t make your hair grow faster (myth busted, Mom). But snipping certain flowering plants, such as cosmos, the right way prompts them to grow wider and bushier and produce more blossoms. Such annuals are known as “cut and come again” flowers, because they proliferate all summer long. Plant after the last frost, and when stems are 4 to 6 inches long, cut or pinch off the tallest, heartiest branch (called the leader stem) right above a pair of leafing branches. After they start blooming, go ahead and clip bouquets — you’ll encourage more flowers.

[To accompany illustration of flowers: Illustration #1727883]

Find the leader stem, and cut right below it. Dahlias and zinnias are also prime candidates for this pruning technique.

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SECRET INGREDIENT: POWDER UP

[To accompany photo of powdered peanut butter: Photo #1727884]

Health nuts like this dehydrated version of peanut butter because it has less than an eighth of the fat of the regular kind and plenty of protein. On-the-go types appreciate the gloop-free format. It’s also deliciously versatile — in milkshakes, frosting and dips. Find recipes at marthastewart.com/pb2.

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SIP AND REPEAT: PROUD MARYS

[To accompany photo of bloody marys: Photo #1727885]

These deluxe versions of the brunch standard will give you three good reasons to invite people over. Their toppings — riffs on shrimp cocktail, Caesar salad and an iceberg wedge — are all appetizer-worthy. Stir up a batch of this go-to mix a day ahead (see recipe here: marthastewart.com/bloodymarymix); then, just before friends arrive, set out rimmed glasses, vodka (or not) and skewers of garnishes, so they can pick a stick and snack while they swizzle.

1. SHRIMP COCKTAIL

Rim glasses with a lemon wedge and equal parts kosher salt and Old Bay seasoning. Stack skewers with poached shrimp, a lemon wedge and pitted Castelvetrano olives. Serve with celery stalks.

2. CAESAR SALAD

Stack skewers with chunks of Parmesan, half a hard-cooked egg, a small anchovy fillet and a homemade crouton. Serve with romaine leaves, in glasses rimmed with a lemon wedge, flaky sea salt and lemon zest.

3. ICEBERG WEDGE

Rim glasses with a lemon wedge and equal parts kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stack skewers with cherry tomatoes, iceberg lettuce and a firm, creamy blue cheese; serve with slices of crisp bacon.

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KID CRAFT: OUTSIDER ART

[To accompany photo of clothespins: Photo #1727886]

Nature provides incredible inspiration — and one-of-a-kind supplies. Get your fledgling creatives to gather grasses, leaves, stems and flowers in your yard, at the park or at day camp. Then pinch them into clothespins to make uniquely textured paintbrushes. Put out some washable tempera, and let them play “en plein air.”

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MAKE AND GIVE: BOUND TO DELIGHT

[To accompany photo of child’s drawings: Photo #1727891]

To compile a cubby’s worth of child’s drawings neatly into a book for her No. 1 fan, stack them atop a thin sheet of cardboard so they’re flush at one side, and clamp the stack with binder clips. Wrap it lengthwise with washi tape, as close to the flush edge as possible, to protect the covers, and brush the spine with pad compound. Let it dry overnight, then remove the tape and clips. P.S.: Don’t forget to ask for the author’s signature.

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CLUTTER CONTROL: TRAVELING EXHIBITION

[To accompany photo of canvas tote bag: Photo #1727887]

When packing sunscreen and swimsuits, save room for a craft kit that will keep your kids busy — and let you crack your pool- or beachside read. This canvas tote folds flat but pops up into an instant art studio. Fill it with enticing tools and supplies to help your little ones think big.

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LET US HELP YOU!

Email your questions to askmartha@marthastewart.com, or send them to Ask Martha, c/o Letters Department, Martha Stewart Living, 805 Third Avenue, 25th floor, New York, NY 10022. Please include your full name, address, and daytime phone number. Letters and messages become the property of Meredith Corp. and may be published, broadcast, edited or otherwise used in any of its media. By submitting your questions to Ask Martha, you are agreeing to let us use your name and hometown in connection with our publication of your questions.