Sun Protection

I have a love-hate relationship with the sun.  There is nothing better than feeling the sun warm my body as I work and play outside; however, being fair-skinned, I worry about skin cancer.  Both my parents had to have surgery for skin cancer, and my father had radiation treatments twice.  Fortunately, I have always loved hats.

One of my mother's favorite stories about me was the tale of my one episode of shoplifting.  I was small enough that she was still carrying me in her arms as she was shopping.  She finished her shopping, put me in the car (this was in the days before infant car seats), and drove home.  As she got me out of the car, she noticed that I was wearing a new hat that she had not purchased.  Even at that age, I understood that a young lady needed to wear a bonnet.  I had stolen a hat.  My obsession with hats continues to this day.  I have dozens of hats, from fancy church hats, to my grubby garden hat with a chin strap so it does not fall off my head when I bend over.

I read with interest the recent the Environmental Working Group's review of sunscreens.  All of the non-mineral sunscreens contain at least one chemical that might be a hormone disruptor.  Homesteaders spend a lot of time in the sun, and we should be concerned about protecting our skin.  As our ancestors knew, the best sun protection is a hat, sunglasses and long sleeves, but a good sunscreen will give you extra protection.  Just be sure to use a good one.