Here’s a preview of the letter I wrote that I’ll be putting in the mail starting tomorrow as a fun new perk for my paid subscribers on Substack. Would you or someone you know like to receive snail mail from a children’s book author? Visit my Substack newsletter (link in my bio) to sign up!
![[quoting a tweet that reads “very cool how every piece of digital technology is now purposively designed to breed illiteracy,” with a screenshot of Adobe offering an AI summary of a document]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:hppum4l25hcczzffastsicpq/bafkreig6f25qpbnfeabf4leflqu3nrems2aqlhud67r6vn5oz47ohuctzi)
![MAY 18, 2025 * CHICAGO SUN-TIMES * YOUR GUIDE TO THE BEST OF SUMMER * ]]
2 | dl O|*|2/G|@)s) Liar]? [P12] f\elelele
5. Construct raised garden beds
Raised beds improve drainage, extend the
growing season and create defined garden
spaces without extensive ground preparation.
While commercial cedar kits run $100-300 per
bed, DIY versions using untreated pine can be
built for $40-75 each.
Chelsea Robinson, editor of The Garden
Glove website, recommends in her February
2024 article: “For vegetable gardens, build
beds no wider than 4 feet to ensure easy
access from both sides, with depths between
10 and 12 inches to accommodate root
development.”
Standard construction uses 2x10 or 2x12
lumber secured with corner brackets or
overlapping joints. Consider adding a simple
wire hoop system to support row covers for
season extension or pest protection.
6. Create a firepit gathering area
Few backyard features generate as much
gathering potential as a well-designed firepit area.
While store-bought metal firepits start around
$100, DIY stone versions offer permanence and
customization for similar investments.
“Always check local regulations before
beginning firepit construction,” cautions Daniel
Ray, chief editor at FirepitBase.com, in his
comprehensive safety guide (updated January
2025). “Many municipalities specify minimum
distances from structures, maximum diameter, and
sometimes require permits.”
The simplest construction uses concrete
retaining wall blocks arranged in a circle
approximately 3-4 feet in diameter, while more
elaborate designs incorporate mortared stone
and built-in seating areas. Always create a non-
combustible base using paver sand or gravel, and
consider a metal liner to protect stonework from
heat damage.
Photo by Andrei Radantsev on Unsplash
7. Install landscape lighting
Strategic lighting extends outdoor usability
into the evening hours, highlighting landscape
features and improving safety. Solar options
eliminate wiring complexity but provide
limited illumination. At the same time,
low-voltage systems deliver reliability and
brightness control.
“The most common DIY lighting mistake
is installing too many fixtures at uniform
brightness,” observes Janet Lennox Moyer,
founder of the International Landscape
Lighting Institute, in her 2023 interview
with Fine Gardening Magazine. “Effective
designs combine different intensities and
techniques—highlighting focal points,
washing textured surfaces, and providing
subtle path illumination.”
Begin with a 150-200 watt transformer
($75-150) connected to outdoor-rated cable.
Add path lights, spotlights and wash lights
as needed, maintaining balanced coverage
rather than airport-runway uniformity.
8. Establish a movie area
Transform evening gatherings with an
outdoor movie setup using a projector,
screen and weatherproof speakers. While
commercial outdoor theaters start at $1,500,
DIY versions can be created for $200-500,
depending on existing equipment.
“Portable setups offer the most flexibility
and storage advantages,” recommends Brian
Kahn, technology writer for Wired, in his
summer 2024 outdoor entertainment guide.
“A basic white sheet works surprisingly well
as a starter screen, while dedicated outdoor
projector screens improve image quality
when budget allows.”
Add comfortable seating with weather-
resistant cushions, ambient lighting for
pre-movie socializing, and easy access to
power sources. Consider storage solutions
for protecting electronics between uses.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:vqtakzi5bityrtbjj4cfan4l/bafkreihkobkkf7lcpjvi4pjrdk3h3zf2wzp5halas2e52dusrwl22f4r3m)
![62 * HEAT INDEX *
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES * MAY 18, 2025
2] O)-€/2|@/ 6) 1/0] * ||) f/e|e16|%
Summer reading list for 2025
hether you're lounging by the pool,
relaxing on sandy shores or
enjoying the longer daylight hours
in your favorite reading spot, these
15 titles-new and old—promise to deliver the
perfect summer escape.
“Tidewater Dreams’ by Isabel Allende - The
beloved Chilean-American author returns with
a multigenerational saga set in a coastal town
where magical realism meets environmental
activism. Allende's first climate fiction novel
explores how one family confronts rising sea
levels while uncovering long-buried secrets.
“The Last Algorithm” by Andy Weir -
Following his success with “The Martian” and
“Project Hail Mary,” Weir delivers another
science-driven thriller. This time, the story follows
a programmer who discovers that an Al system
has developed consciousness—and has been
secretly influencing global events for years.
“Hurricane Season” by Brit Bennett -
Bennett, who captivated readers with “The
Vanishing Half,” powerfully explores family
bonds tested by natural disasters. When a
Cat 5 hurricane forces estranged siblings to
shelter together in their childhood home,
long-suppressed tensions emerge alongside
unexpected reconciliations.
“The Collector's Piece” by Taylor Jenkins
Reid - Reid continues her exploration of fame
with this story of a reclusive art collector and
the journalist determined to uncover the truth
behind his most controversial acquisition. Expect
the same compelling character development that
made “Daisy Jones & The Six” a hit.
“Nightshade Market” by Min Jin Lee - The
author of “Pachinko” delivers a riveting tale set
Photo by Bethany Laird on Unsplash
in Seoul's underground economy. Following
three women whose paths intersect in an illegal
night market, the novel examines class, gender
and the shadow economies beneath prosperous
societies.
“The Longest Day” by Rumaan Alam - After
terrifying readers with “Leave the World Behind,”
Alam returns with another tense narrative about
a summer solstice celebration that goes wrong
when guests cannot leave a remote vacation
compound.
“Boiling Point” by Rebecca Makkai - Makkai's
follow-up to “The Great Believers” centers ona
climate scientist forced to reckon with her own
family’s environmental impact when her teenage
daughter becomes an eco-activist targeting her
mother’s wealthy clients.
“Migrations” by Maggie O'Farrell - The
award-winning author of “Hamnet” explores
climate change through the story of a wildlife
photographer documenting the last migration of
a bird species thought to be extinct, parallel to
her journey of loss and discovery.
“The Rainmakers” by Percival Everett -
Everett's satirical genius turns to a near-future
American West where artificially induced rain
has become a luxury commodity, following a
“precipitation broker” who begins questioning
the ethics of his profession.
“Salt and Honey” by Delia Owens - After the
success of “Where the Crawdads Sing,” Owens
returns with another atmospheric novel that
blends science with a coming-of-age narrative.
This time, the novel is set in the salt flats of Utah.
“Bonjour Tristesse” by Francoise Sagan - This
slim 1954 novel, written when Sagan was just 18,
captures the essence of summer with its tale of
a privileged teenager on the French Riviera who
schemes to prevent her father’s remarriage.
“Beautiful Ruins” by Jess Walter - Walter's
novel hopscotches between 1960s Italy and
contemporary Hollywood, weaving a story of
love, regret and second chances that begins on
the Italian coastline while filming “Cleopatra.”
“Dandelion Wine” by Ray Bradbury - This
1957 novel captures the magic of summer
through the eyes of a 12-year-old boy in Green
Town, Illinois, during the summer of 1928—a lyrical
reminder of childhood's endless summers.
“Call Me By Your Name” by André Aciman -
Before the acclaimed film adaptation, Aciman’s
novel delivered a sensuous account of a summer
romance in 1980s Italy that continues to resonate
with its exploration of desire and identity.
“Atonement” by lan McEwan - Opening on
the hottest day of summer 1935, McEwan's novel
shows how a series of misunderstandings and
a lie told by a young girl changes multiple lives
forever—perfect for readers who enjoy emotional
complexity with their beach reading.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:vqtakzi5bityrtbjj4cfan4l/bafkreialgzeessd45fxy26eg6iwnatch4s4kz2qbvunmh6q336vmpc4r5e)
