Here is the AP Lifestyles Digest for the week of June 17:

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SUMMER

Music-Songs of the Summer: Since the beginning of time, or at least pop music, only a few tracks have earned the esteemed designation of "song of the summer." The Associated Press picks 2024's contenders, across several categories. By Music Writer Maria Sherman. UPCOMING Monday, 1,200 words, photos, video, graphic.

BE WELL

Be Well-Seasonal Eating: Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables is one thing that makes the Mediterranean diet famously healthy. But nutrition experts say no matter where you are, buying in-season produce is an easy step toward better eating habits. How to do it. UPCOMING Wednesday, photos.

Pet-Care: There are a number of options available to help aging pets and their caregivers, including hospice and palliative care, at-home euthanasia and a growing community of so-called pet death doulas. But navigating decisions around the end of their life can still feel overwhelming. Here are some ways you can take care of your pet and yourself. SENT Monday, photos, video.

Be Well-Falls: One in four older adults in the U.S. fall each year, putting them at risk of injury, broken bones and even death. But simple exercises, adjustments in medications, and staying on top of vision and hearing screenings can all help lower the risk of falling. SENT Saturday, photos.

WEDDINGS AND MARRIAGE

Weddings-Audio Guestbooks: Audio guestbooks using vintage landline phones to capture recorded messages have caught on for weddings in the U.S. and elsewhere. Couples who have embraced them said their guests had a ball, returning to the phones again and again as their weddings unfolded. By AP Lifestyles Writer Leanne Italie. UPCOMING Wednesday, photos.

Marriages in Transition: Marriages in which a partner undergoes a gender transition can not only survive, but thrive under the light of new honesty. Such marriages highlight the resilience of love and the flexibility of sexual identity, and underscore the nuances and diversity of LGBTQ+ relationships 20 years after the first legal same-sex marriages in the U.S. UPCOMING Friday, photos, video.

JUNETEENTH

US-Juneteenth-Explainer: Many Americans are celebrating Juneteenth, marking the day in 1865 when the last enslaved people in the U.S. learned they were free. It would take another century and a half and lots of rallying for the U.S. government to recognize Juneteenth as a federal holiday. (This story was originally published June 19, 2023. It has been updated to reflect this year's national proclamations marking the federal holiday.) UPCOMING Tuesday, photos, video.

PARENTING

Europe-Kids Without Phones: Try saying "no" when a child asks for a smartphone. What comes after, parents everywhere can attest, begins with some variation of: "Everyone has one. Why can't I?" But what if no pre-teen in sight has one? That's the endgame of an increasing number of parents across Europe who share the conviction that there's strength in numbers. UPCOMING Monday, photos. Abridged version also moving.

Social Media-Parent Tips: Here are some tips on staying safe, communicating and setting limits on social media -- for kids as well as their parents. SENT Monday. With Surgeon General-Social Media Warning.

FOOD

Food-Japan-Onigiri: It's not as world-famous as ramen or sushi. But the humble rice ball onigiri is soul food in Japan. By Yuri Kageyama. With recipe sidebar. UPCOMING Wednesday, photos, video.

MilkStreet-Curried Chicken Fried Rice: Leftover rice gets a new life in this Nigerian-inspired curried skillet meal. By Christopher Kimball's Milk Street. SENT Monday, photos.

See Be Well-Seasonal Eating above.

GARDENING

Peanuts: You don't have to live in the tropics to grow peanuts. UPCOMING Tuesday, By Jessica Damiano, photos.

HOMES

Folk Art Exhibit: What does "home" mean? Different things to all of us, of course. For some, it's a place of love, for others, fraught with trouble. For too many, it's an elusive concept. A show at the American Folk Art Museum looks at how artists have grappled with the concept of home. By Kim Cook. UPCOMING Thursday, photos.

WORK

Small Business-Summer Hours: One way small businesses can boost employee morale and help avoid burnout is to reduce hours during the summer, for instance closing up shop on a Friday at 2 p.m. But are there drawbacks to such a move? UPCOMING Saturday, photos.

FASHION

Milan Fashion Week: Armani, Gucci and Zegna close out four days of mostly menswear previews for the next warm weather season during Milan Fashion Week. SENT Monday, photos.

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In case you missed it last week:

PETS: Vet-Pets and the City.

FOOD: James Beard Awards; Outdoor Cooking-Out There, with Food-Recipe-Out There-Scallops-Peas-Prosciutto; Ukrainian Winemakers; Joey-Chestnut-Netflix-Kobayashi; New Orleans-Pastry World Cup; MilkStreet-Pan-Fried Dijon Chicken; Orange Juice Prices.

HEALTH/SCIENCE: Men Eating Meat.

GARDENING/NATURE: Lawn Compromises.

HOMES: Housing-Micro Communities.

TECH: One-Tech-Tip-Cellphone-eSIMs.

MONEY: Banks-New Branches.

TRAVEL: Britain-Mam Tor; Disney's Tiana Ride.

THANK YOU NOTES: Graduation-Thank-You Notes.

The AP