summer

Awhile ago, a friend went through a difficult time acting as a caregiver to a dying relative. She told me she felt like a fish out of water since she’d had no training at being a caregiver. I told her that her presence and her patience were the best gifts she could give and to leave the other “tasks” to the many professional people who were there to help her. When I got home, I made a batch of bumblebee cookies and sent them to her with a note of encouragement.

I’ve always had a connection to the ocean and everything associated with it. I love walking on the beach looking for shells. I love the sound of the waves and the smell of the sea. I especially love looking at the endless ebb and flow of the ocean and can sit on the beach watching it for hours. This love stretches out to include all things associated with the sea. This year, lighthouses were the theme for my summer cookie baking.

“Be a lighthouse for someone to find a safe way home.” Anonymous

Some of the people I love the most live too far away for frequent visits. My favorite way to connect with them — besides phone calls and Zoom sessions — is to bake for them. These sweet Deep Blue Sea cookies carried my hugs and kisses far and wide.

Summer always means a day (or longer) at the beach for me. This year all things Under the Sea tickled my fancy and the adorable clownfish inspired my cookie-baking tribute to ocean-dwelling creatures. These cute and colorful cookies were fun to make and delicious to eat. Don’t worry, I strictly limit my clownfish eating to the cookie variety so no clownfish were harmed during the making of these tasty bites. By chance I happened to find a clownfish cookie cutter, so I set out to populate my own underwater world with a nod to the most famous clownfish in history, Nemo.

Lemon is one of my favorite summertime flavors. The bright, tangy taste makes me forget all about rainy days and cold weather. I’m a huge fan of lemon in most any form: lemon curd, lemon meringue pie (without the meringue), lemon bars (o-o-o-oh, that buttery crust), but unfortunately these lemon desserts are difficult to take along on a hike or to a picnic. Enter the Lemon Pie Cookie. It satisfies my desire for something lemony without the need for a spoon or fork.

I’m dreaming of the sea...the sand...the waves...the gulls... the shells. I don't think I can stay away much longer. Even a drive-by encounter might be enough to restore my sense of belonging to a world where nothing is more important than a cool breeze and the endless blue sea. Oh for the joys of finding a sand dollar that the tide has tumbled and tossed at my feet. A beach cookie might be a nice substitute for the real thing until the beach is open for visitors.

Summer means time at the beach...playing in the ocean, combing the shore for sea shells, burying your feet in the warm sand...ah-h-h. For me, baking and decorating “beach cookies” brings all that to mind. I wish you all a wonderful summer...even if it’s still December and there’s snow on the ground! A plate of beach cookies always brings summer into someone’s day.

When I saw these colorful watermelon cookies on Glorious Treats, I was inspired to give them a try. Growing up, our family was divided into two camps when it came to watermelon: the pro-watermelon camp and the anti-watermelon camp. At the beginning of summer, my Dad would bring home a huge watermelon and proceed to cut it up for all to share. He and two of my siblings would dig in with enthusiasm.

Ice cream is probably my favorite dessert. There are so many varieties — my current favorite is jamoca almond fudge — and so many ways to dish it up, from sundaes to ice cream sandwiches to ice cream cakes. These ice cream cookies are an homage to the unbeatable deliciousness of ice cream cones.