[dropcap]M[/dropcap]y name is Pauline Hinton Tom. Jampacked hints fill this column.

The “fruit fly trap” that went onto my counter a year ago passed the test of time. It looks disgusting, so it hides a bit and wears a name tag. Periodically, I refresh the unfiltered organic apple cider vinegar and add some overripe fruit. A good year ago, I rubberbanded an inverted paper cone onto a quart jar with a hole cut in the end to allow fruit flies to enter and not escape.

The Tom’s frui...