A few months ago, I received a wonderful surprise in the mail. My son, who is away at college in San Francisco, had sent me a letter:  a good, old-fashioned letter, handwritten in blue ink and tucked into a sealed, stamped, carefully addressed envelope. Inside was a simple note describing his life and asking how we were doing. It was one of the most touching gestures I’ve ever received. I love getting thank-you notes or invitations, but a just-because letter via snail mail hasn’t arrived for me in a long time.

It’s amazing how many young adults have never written or received a letter. In a world of snaps, posts, and texts, the art of letter writing deserves renewed attention. Growing up, I had a pen pal named Jennifer Walsh from Boone, North Carolina. We met one summer while I was visiting the Blue Ridge Mountains, and for many years we shared our lives through the letters we exchanged. Especially during my junior high years, I would ignore my homework just so I could write her a novel about a boy I was crushing on.

Finding excuses to avoid homework is something most teenagers can relate to. In Julie Willis’ Humor at Home article, “Flour, Sugar, and Zero Motivation: A High Schooler’s Masterclass in Avoiding Assignments,” on page 20, she writes about this cultural phenomenon. Her daughter recently used baking cinnamon rolls as an excuse not to make up her class assignments, and Julie can relate to this logic, as she loves baking and eating sweet treats as a distraction.

Baking and childhood often go hand in hand, as Kern County’s youngest residents recently discovered during the six-week national food education program, Charlie Cart. In the article, “Cooking Up Confidence: Charlie Cart Comes to Kern County,” readers can learn how this hands-on experience at the Beale Memorial Library empowered local youth while teaching them valuable kitchen skills and nutrition knowledge.

In partnership with Charlie Cart, this month’s “Happy Mama” helped bring the unique program to life. In “Hello Happy (Kitchen-Savvy) Mama: Jeanelle Jones,” Callie Collins highlights the dedicated mom's contributions to food, her family, and the community. Jones serves as the Supervisor of Catering Services and Special Projects for the Kern County Superintendent of Schools (KCSOS), where she works alongside the central kitchen team to prepare 3,000-6,000 meals each day for local students. To read all about her love of food, family, and connection, turn to page 14.

To celebrate Women’s History Month, KCFM is sharing a few book recommendations that celebrate the achievements and impact of women. In the article, “Yes, We Still Can,” on page 16, Andrea Rose suggests books that showcase iconic women who changed the world, from the first woman millionaire to daredevils to women who invented television.

As the weather warms and flowers begin to bloom this month, take a moment to show your appreciation for someone you care about. I challenge you to write a letter to a loved one:  a good, old-fashioned handwritten note sent through the mail. I promise it will be fun to write and even more meaningful for the person who receives it. I’ll be using Bakersfield-inspired notecards I recently purchased, featuring artwork created by members of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Bakersfield, to write to my two sons who are away at college. And if you’d like to make your letter even more special, consider including a pressed blossom inside.

Happy Spring!