Sneaking up on you

We continue to gain daylight and. thank goodness a little more warmth as we move through May. Sunshine is a strong today as it is in late July. You can get quite a burn exposing yourself to the sun's rays, particularly from 11 am to 2 pm when the sun is most overhead.

I've heard it reported that you can get a sun burn even on days without bright sunshine. From my own experience, as a youth, I experienced a blistering sun burn on a day at the lake when there seemed to be a hazy overcast. If you can make out even a faint shadow you are likely getting exposure to the damaging rays of the sun.

Over the years, my fair skin has been the victim of over-doing it in the sunshine. I've had a couple of spots of basal cell skin cancer removed from my face and shoulders.

This morning I applied an SPF-30 on my arms, legs and face about twenty minutes before heading out to work in the yard. And I always wear a hat. You can follow the forecast of the UV index by book-marking the Web site included here.

Being sun wise

Play it safe; damage from the sun can have long term implications.
CE