There is something so magical about that time when spring turns to summer. Schools are out, kids are running around, and all I can think about is whether I should snack on sweet strawberries or juicy watermelon.
Summer is already here. It is getting exceedingly difficult to have the discipline to sit in front of a computer and work all day long. Thankfully days are long. As soon as it is 6 pm, I am out on the grill with a glass of wine in my hand.
Wherever you are, I hope you are enjoying the changing weather and dwelling in the bounty of the season. Here is a bit of a life update from my neck of the woods.
You Are Invited! June’s Live Zoom Cooking Class
Before I talk about my usual, what is working and what is not working, I wanted to let you know about this month’s live Zoom Cooking Class.
This month, we are switching things up a bit. Instead of making a savory meal, we are making my go-to summer dessert, Peach Galette, with my foolproof Galette Dough.
Based on your feedback, I am also switching the time and doing it on a Saturday in the middle of the day (instead of a Wednesday before dinner.) I hope that the timing would work better and make it easier for you to attend.
So, if you need a fun dessert that you can make all summer long, join me on June 12th at 3 pm EST for a live zoom class from my kitchen here in Atlanta, GA.
Need a little convincing? Feel free to read the reviews from some of the attendees of past classes.
What Is Working:
Asking for help:
As someone who prefers to take care of things independently, I find asking for help to be hard. It is easier for me to figure it out myself than ask someone for a hand. But with the number of things that I need to do, I finally gave in and asked for help.
And boy, what a relief! So, I am currently getting help from:
- A professional agency auditing my site to help me grow it again. If you don’t know what I am talking about feel free to read last month’s life update post.
- A few writers helping me update some of my old recipes and make them more useful for my readers.
- Blogger friends to brainstorm ideas and learn from.
How do you feel about asking for help? Is that easy for you?
Masterminds:
If you are not familiar with the concept of having a mastermind group, allow me to explain. Essentially, a group of food bloggers get together and share ideas about what works, what doesn’t work, and areas that we need help with.
I am in two mastermind groups, and we get together once a month. I cherish these times as I learn so much from other peoples’ experiences and feel energized after each session. If you are new to the concept and would like to hear more about it, you might enjoy the podcast I did with Megan of Eat Blog Talk Podcast.
Planning for a getaway:
I cannot tell you how happy it makes me think that things are getting back to normal. We are finally able to make plans to take a break and go somewhere. This summer, I have two small vacations planned.
The first one is to Maine to be with my husband and the second one is to the destination that is at the very top of my bucket list. We are still planning the details, so it is a bit early to talk about it, but I will share it with you as soon as I have everything set.
Have you got any plans to get away this summer?
Cooking & Grilling with my dad:
My dad and I took cooking and grilling to a whole new level. We cook together every single day. And we are tackling recipes that are not so easy to make.
In the picture you see above, he rolls the dough for cig borek, a Turkish/Middle Eastern dish that I have never made before. It was our first try, and I can’t say that it was a success, but we indeed had a great time together.
What is Not Working:
Raised Beds/Gardening:
Yup, you read it right. My summer project that was supposed to be fun hasn’t been that enjoyable so far. My dad and I spent hours setting up the beds and planting herbs, tomatoes, and my favorite, ranunculus flowers.
Sadly, other than three of the tomato plants, they are not doing too well. For some reason, the herbs are just not growing.
I knew it would be a year of learning, but I guess I was not ready for it being hard.
Thankfully, my friend Alexandra of Occasionally Eggs, who is a pro at this, offered me some help and gave me some suggestions.
There could be a million reasons, but to start, we will:
- Only water in the evening
- Get new seeds (for herbs) and try growing them from seeds
- Cut any yellow leaves
- Watch Charles Dowding’s videos to learn more about gardening.
Covid Weight:
As most people did, I found comfort in food during the pandemic, and it now shows because all of my summer clothes are too tight. I do not want to get new clothes as I want to lose the extra weight, but I’m not too fond of the idea of dieting.
I recently started eating an early breakfast (around 8) and then an early dinner (around 5 pm) with no lunch and no snacks in between.
I am okay with not having lunch, but the lack of snacking is tough because I found joy in taking breaks to eat something throughout the day. Still, it has to be done, but it is a struggle in itself.
I am also planning to up my workout game with Barre Blend. I will be sure to report about my experience in next month’s newsletter. So stay tuned.
Are there any good work outs you enjoy and see results?
Books and Shows That I Have Been Enjoying:
Abraham’s Teachings – Esther Hicks:
These books came to me at a very desperate time a few months ago. One day, while feeling like I am at a breaking point, I found myself praying for help. Honestly, it didn’t feel like anyone was listening, but I didn’t know what else to do.
At some point, I Googled, What to do when you are feeling really sad? Then, one thing led to another, and I found a video on YouTube.
Have you ever had one of those moments when things started falling into their place? That is what happened to me. Next thing you know, I find myself watching and reading everything that Esther Hicks shared over the years.
I think it is safe to say that after reading The Law of Attraction, The Vortex, and Ask and It is Given (affiliate links), I will never be the same.
I know some people might think about the teachings of Abraham to be controversial, but I find immense comfort in them. I genuinely believe that we are vibrational beings living in an eternal universe governed by the laws of energy. And everything that happens to me is a result of what I think and how I feel.
I am now at a better place, but I am intentionally working on how I feel and carry on with my life.
I think these kinds of things come to you for a reason, and if you are ready for the message they share, you too will find comfort in it. So feel free to check them out and decide for yourself.
I know I am in a much better place and am thankful for the day I asked Google for help.
Mare of Easttown:
I just finished the HBO show Mare of Easttown and loved it.
This New York Times article said it best:
“The show is a murder mystery with many motifs: grief, the opioid crisis, small-town life.”
Mare, played by Kate Winslet, is a detective trying to solve a murder and two missing girls in a small town in Pennsylvania. The desire to find the bad guy intertwined with Mare’s own story and shortcomings sucks you in and makes it a show you want to binge-watch.
Lucky for you, all six episodes are now on HBOmax so that you can watch them all in one sitting.
Want To Go Back In Time?
Here are a few life updates from previous months: