be an expert bluebird landlord; plus the vivid new 'afro-vegan' cookbook (win it!)  

If you don't know Oakland-based, Memphis-born chef and food activist (and gardener!) Bryant Terry, prepare to have your tastebuds reinvigorated, and even realigned. Terry's fourth cookbook, "Afro-Vegan: Farm-Fresh African, Caribbean, and Southern Flavors Remixed," is just out. Despite my 35ish years of home-growing and vegetarian cooking, it woke me up to flavor ideas I simply hadn't considered. Exciting stuff. Plus: maybe win the book for yourself. Start here. 

Or try a recipe: Glazed Carrot Salad (top photo) is a good example of the surprising "collage" of ingredients Terry combines -- in this case, cinnamon, raw cane sugar, peanuts, cilantro, and mint.  

be an expert bluebird landlord: the 101

The same neighbor who generously hangs bags of giant homegrown shallots on my gate also has rules and regulations. "Bluebird Rules and Regulations," to be specific, as in: How to be a good bluebird landlord, minimizing hazards for the beloved birds with tactics like the "sparrow spooker" (above). Get all her nestbox tips and tricks.