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Summer In The Sun

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There were 15 of us with our backs stooped and sweat running down our foreheads into our eyes. It had rained the night before and we were slipping and sliding down the long rows, trying to fill our buckets before the sun got too hot. Even early in the morning it was already 80 degrees and climbing.

As the day gets warmer, June Bugs, Wasps and Bumble Bees make the bean vines hum as they wake from their sleep. We've had a lot of rain lately and the mosquitoes buzz around our eyes and ears as we pick. I had the foresight to put a can of mosquito repellant in the bottom of my bucket.

After I sprayed myself all over, I tossed the can to a lady who was swatting the insects, but not doing a good job of keeping them away. I was just repaying the kindness someone showed me last year when I was fighting the insects without any bug spray of my own.

For almost 10 years Alabama A & M University in Huntsville has planted a huge garden for seniors and those who are needy. The 20 plus acre field is a blanket of lush green from corn, okra, purple hull peas, Crowder peas and several varieties of green beans. In the fall they have large fields of turnip greens and collards.

Like fishing, working in the garden is a great lesson in stress management. It's hard to pick beans and be depressed at the same time; you have to concentrate on what you're doing and that doesn't leave much room for depression.

With all the difficulties we faced in harvesting a couple of buckets of beans, I and I'm sure others, have been asked why we do this, when it's a lot easier just to buy a can of beans at the grocery store. That's an easy question to answer; we do it for the fun of it and the desire not to waste an opportunity so freely given.

Most folks my age who frequent the garden remember when we had to pick the vegetable our parents grew or we wouldn't eat in the winter. I remember sitting on the back porch and shelling peas until I thought I would scream. We ate well when winter came because my mother would spend her summertime days canning what we grew.

Today we freeze everything and it tastes good in the winter, but the real reason a lot of us sweat and groan with a sore back in the middle of a huge bean patch, is because our labor brings back memories of a time when our efforts were necessary for survival.

Looking over the field and watching other pickers, I'm struck by the politeness shown by practically everyone. When I first walked into the bean patch and began stuffing them into my bucket, one of the others told me that they were more plentiful farther down the row and to my right. He pointed to a spot that it hadn't been picked over yet, which would make the harvesting faster.

After an hour my back felt like it was broken. I saw others standing up and stretching so I knew I wasn't the only one in pain. By this time my bucket was about 75 percent full and it seemed that this would be a good time to quit. As I was about to leave, two elderly ladies helping each other walk down the row to their car, crept past me with their buckets filled to the brim.

I nodded and started picking beans again. I wasn't leaving until my bucket was full. It was a matter of pride! If two old ladies who could barely walk were able to pick beans until their containers were full, who was I to leave because of a little back ache!

I finished and with a feeling of satisfaction and waved goodbye to the folks who were left in the field. Though my back was aching, my pride was in tact and I was looking forward to coming back when the tassels on the corn were black and the ears bursting with golden goodness.

I don't do a lot of physical labor anymore and feels good when I do. I still recall the days when I could spend a day in the fields and rarely feel aches and pains from those efforts; not so today. It was fun strolling down memory lane even if that path was a row of beans, but I'm glad I don't have to do that every day!

Summer In The Sun

As summer approaches, we often need reminders or new ideas to help protect our skin from harmful UV rays.

Choosing the Best UV Protection

While planning a beach vacation, we tend to have more important things on our minds than sun protection.

Whether people want to admit it or not, looking great at the beach takes some special planning. Not getting sunburned also takes some special planning. A lot of people tend to shy away from sunscreens because several of them are coloured. No one wants to go to the beach looking like a cartoon character! No worries, beach bums - there are plenty of sunscreens that rub in clear.

All sunscreens have a sun protection factor, or SPF, printed on the bottle or label. A minimum SPF of 15 blocks most of the sun's harmful rays and helps prevent sunburn.

The minimum SPF does not offer maximum protection; some rays will still penetrate and may burn you. It is highly recommended that you use a sunscreen with an SPF of more than 15. Broad-spectrum sunscreens with SPF of higher than 15 that also contain avobenzone, ecamsule, zinc oxide or titanium dioxide are proven to be more effective against all of the sun's UVA and UVB rays.

Applying Sunscreen

If you read the label, you will likely see 'generously apply' -but what does that really mean?

Apply sunscreen in a similar fashion that you would apply lotion to very dry skin. Apply about one ounce of sunscreen to the legs. Follow up with about one ounce to the face, neck shoulders and arms. In all, an adult should probably use 2-3 ounces of sunscreen per application.

The initial application should take place about 30 minutes before entering the sun. This short wait allows your skin to absorb some of the protective chemicals. Reapply sunscreen about every 1.5-2 hours.

Even "water resistant" sunscreens often get washed away within an hour. Any time you dry your skin with a towel, reapply your sunscreen.

Other Sunscreen Options

Female beach-goers tend to feel their best when they can wear makeup. Even a hint of colour can help a woman feel her best.

Avoid lip glosses that do not offer SPF! Lip cancer is one of the most common forms of skin cancer. Using lip gloss without SPF helps pull more of the sun's power to your lips. Many cosmetic companies now advertise SPF in not only lip glosses and lipsticks, but in other products as well. Facial creams can be a great way to ensure you have enough SPF to protect delicate facial skin as well as ears, neck and chest.

Clothing, Sunglasses and Hats

While you're just relaxing in the sun, save the sunscreen and wear a light layer of clothing. Clothing will help protect your skin, but not as well as sunscreen.

A typical cotton t-shirt provides about the same protection as most SPF 15 sunscreens. Proper summertime clothing can also help keep you cooler. Darker colored clothing can provide more protection from the sun than light colors.

Many companies are creating sun-protective garments that help protect against the sun's rays. Detergent companies are joining the battle and creating laundry detergents that add polymers to clothing that will help block UV rays.

Wide brimmed hats are an excellent addition to the summer wardrobe. Hats help protect the forehead, nose and ears from sunburn. The hat doesn't have to be huge. Just 2-3 inches will help protect delicate skin from a painful burn. Baseball caps can help protect the face, but not the neck or ears. Tightly woven straw hats can help protect and shade you from the sun's glare.

Sunglasses are a very important factor to any summertime wardrobe. Dark sunglasses aren't enough. To effectively deter UV rays, glasses must have a special chemical coating. Look for sunglasses with an ANSI label. The sun's rays can still penetrate darker plastics. Don't forget children's sensitive eyes as well. Children need the same eye protection as adults.

Avoid Alcohol

Drinking alcohol can lead to more severe sunburn.

Alcoholic beverages tend to dehydrate the skin, making it more susceptible to sunburn. Excessive alcohol consumption tends to make sun-lovers less aware of the amount of time they have spent in the sun and increases the chance of sunburn.

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About Author

Both Bob Alexander & Roger Munns are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Bob Alexander has sinced written about articles on various topics from Alternative Medicine, Marketing and Food And Drink. Bob Alexander is well experienced in outdoor cooking, fishing and leisure living. Bob is also the author and owner of this article. Visit his sites at:. Bob Alexander's top article generates over 33100 views. Bookmark Bob Alexander to your Favourites.

Roger Munns has sinced written about articles on various topics from Marketing, Family Travel and Cars. For holiday information about the Mediterranean country of Monaco visit YourMonaco.comFor tourists they also offer details of hotels in Paris and the. Roger Munns's top article generates over 201000 views. Bookmark Roger Munns to your Favourites.

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