Whitney Canyon + Coconut Oil + Love

Happy Late Night, my Darling,

I did wind up going on a hike today, back to Whitney Canyon in Newhall. I went about 3/4 of the way in, about a mile and a quarter or so, and I love it in there because it may be the ghostliest of all the canyon trails. Probably Whitney or Rice, as far as The Feeling is concerned. It was nice and hot, too, verging on a 100 Degree Hike, so that helped bring back the feeling from last Summer, when I was making all my trail discoveries. I took a few pictures, but didn't get any that I was really happy with, so I'll try again on my next hike. One thing I will also do is to be more careful with the coconut oil, which I've been using for sunscreen this year.

I'm sure you've heard recently about all the wonders of coconut oil, which has been very much publicised and advocated in recent times. One of it's uses is said to be as a sunscreen; Pacific Islanders have used it for centuries, so they say. Anyhow, I decided to try it because I am not thrilled with all the chemicals in commercial sunscreens, and for me, it seems to work pretty well. Keep in mind that I also use other lines of defense, meaning that when I hike I am in long pants and long sleeved shirt (always), not only to keep the Sun off me but also ticks, poison ivy, etc. I always have a hat on, too, and sunglasses. But last year, my sister got me to use sunscreen for the first time, on my face and neck. I was never fanatical about it, because I have brown hair & eyes, and what they call "olive" skin. I have never had a tendency for sunburn. Also, we do need some Sun, for vitamin D absorbtion, and I always covered up pretty well anyway.

But I switched to coconut oil this year, because it is natural. The only problem is that, for me anyway, it stings the heck out of my eyes, and today I put way too much on my face, and not only did it affect my eyes, but it did something I hadn't experienced in ages : it gave me an allergy.

I was sneezing like crazy and my sinuses were all stuffed up until about an hour ago. That was a normal condition for me from childhood until my mid-30s, as I think I've told you. I had really bad allergies for a long time. For the last twenty years, I have had practically zero allergies, really can't think of any, in fact.

But now I know to be careful with the coconut oil.

A caveat on the sunscreen issue : there is, as usual in the age of the Interent, all kinds of conflicting info on how much Sun is okay, and whether sunscreen itself might be a cause of skin cancer. I say use common sense, and especially for you because you have blonde hair/blue eyes (blue/green). In your case, you are Way Up High where the UV Index doesn't generally get up into the 8,9,10 range like it does here. So you have that advantage. Also, maximum UV hours anywhere are between 10am and 2pm, so avoid sun overexposure during those hours. Cover up when you do go out in the Summertime, but........

Try to look for natural sunscreens if you use them. Avoid parabens and those types of chemicals. I can get away with more, because of brown hair and eyes.

I know you know all this, and you are in the North anyhow. Just don't overdo the commercial sunscreen, I guess is the point I am trying to make.  :)

And don't overdo the coconut oil, either! Or you may be sneezing your head off.......  :)

That was really all the news for today, a Nice Hot Hike.

This eve, I read my three books again, and listened to Radiohead.

Now I am listening to KUSC.

Sweet Dreams, my Baby. I will see you in the morning!

I Love You.  xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo  :):)