#50 CYB: It is Almost Summer, and There’s So Much to Love
Welcome to the latest edition of CYB! As summer approaches, I'm eager to embrace the joys of being self-employed and working part-time. I plan to spend time at the beach, make jam, stay active with workouts, and tend to my garden. Alongside these personal pursuits, I'm committed to supporting my clients, planning new AI workshops for the fall, and making progress on my writing projects.
Summer stuff:
Completing a draft of my AI and nonprofits book: I just got off a call with some members of an Optionality Life cohort, and it has given me a renewed sense of purpose in writing my book about AI and nonprofits. This project is important to me, as it has the potential to make an impact in the nonprofit sector. With the support of the Optionality group, I aim to complete a finished draft by the fall.
Tending my raised beds: Tomatoes, cucumbers, herbs: This looks like a good year for the tomatoes–Early Girls and a couple of cherry tomato types–I planted in early April; having a banner crop to share and enjoy would be fun. The cucumbers also look promising–one plant has 11 blooms already, so fingers crossed. Rosemary, thyme, mint, and oregano are also taking off—my challenge is to use these fresh herbs more consistently.
Real summer time off: There have been too many summers when I haven’t gone to the beach, hung at the pool, or grilled outside. This season, I’d like to do all three. It has been a while since I've been to Crown Beach, and I want to check out Strawberry Canyon Pool and Roberts Regional Pool. And, of course, Shell Beach is such a dreamy spot.
What are your summer plans and goals?
BOOKS
Soil: The Story of a Black Mother’s Garden is one of the most beautiful books I’ve read in a while. Dungy, a poet and gardener, masterfully weaves her experiences in her Colorado garden with profound reflections on race, racism, and navigating a white-centered world. Her writing is both intensely personal and universally resonant, offering readers a deep sense of place and reclamation. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.
If you have summer reading recommendations, please share them with me – I'm always looking for books.
MAKING
Baking: We’re going away for a few days by the ocean with some family members, and it seemed like it might be fun to prepare some cookie dough to freeze, bring, and then bake off after dinner. My two cookies are a Chez Panisse recipe for a lemon and clove cookie, which my partner likes, and a classic Oatmeal Raisin cookie via Melissa Clark, which everyone loves. I baked half of the lemon clove cookie batch last night since I’d never made them, and they came out great!
Snacking: The farm box has beets, so last week, I made Beet Hummus with chickpeas, tahini, lemon, and boiled beets (I could have also roasted them). It was good! If you have beets in your life, this recipe will be a nice change from beet salads.
Dining: I also made a Watermelon-feta salad this past week, and we gobbled it up. I grabbed mint, oregano, and basil from the garden, a package of feta, some good olive oil, and black olives, and went to town with a seedless, ripe watermelon. Devoured.
WATCHING.
Lucia Fumero is a fantastic Spanish composer, singer, and pianist. Watch her here(playing with her dad).
We Are Lady Parts is a must-watch TV.
I hope CYB #50 has sparked your curiosity. If anything in this issue resonates with you or if you have suggestions for future topics, I’d love to hear your thoughts. And if you're new here and have found value in this content, subscribe to Cover Your Bases to receive future issues in your inbox.
As always, I’m grateful for your readership and engagement. Your input motivates me to share my knowledge and experiences. I look forward to our continued conversation!
Warmly,
Susan