It was a beautiful day today (in spite of two earthquakes) so I decided to go to Franklin Canyon to take pictures of the dragonflies. As soon as I got there, I saw a squirrel going up a tree. As soon as he saw me, he stopped dead in his tracks and started looking at me. He stared for a while and even leaned in a little, as if he recognized me. Was I the one who sent him on the metal basket ride down the canyon for stealing my tomatoes? Ostracized to the Squirrel Sanctuary? I wasn’t going to let him intimidate me so I stared him down. “What are you lookin’ at?” I said, standing my ground. “You don’t scare me. You miss my tomatoes don’t you, you mangy, rat-faced, no-good, low-life, beady-eyed, scum-sucking, tomato-stealing squirrel.” He took one last look and moved up the tree but he waited there until I left, and watched me walk away as if to say, “I know where you live. See you soon, cupcake.”

As promised, here is the recipe for my Sweet 3-Hour Pickles.

I know I said the dill pickles were my favorite but now I think I like these better. They really are ready to eat in three hours but you can keep them a lot longer than that.

I’ve always loved pickles and sauerkraut and now I know they are good for you… As long as you don’t put them on a bacon burger!

Click here for the recipe.

Jenny,

I will piggyback on the last sunscreen question. I am allergic to whatever the main ingredient is all sunscreens seem to share. If I wear sunscreen for just one or two days, I’m ok. Any longer than that on a day-to-day basis and my skin becomes rough, almost like I have hives and it itches. I have the same problem with self-tanners. I’ve tried buying expensive sunscreens for sensitive skin from multiple brands, but always the same problem. Is there a natural way to make sunscreen or something I can do to keep from getting a reaction? I know it’s bad, but I’ve just taken to not wearing sunscreen now.

Hana

Dear Hana,

I’ve had a similar problem that sent me to the dermatologist last summer who told me I had a severe photoallergy. He recommended sunscreens with only zinc oxide or titanium oxide. I’ve used Neutrogena Sensitive Skin which uses only titanium oxide and Blue Lizard Sensitive which has both titanium and zinc oxides and did not have a problem. If you can find one that’s oil-free and maybe has just one of these two natural ingredients that might work. Beyond that, I don’t know of any other product you could use. I hope you’ll try every option before going without sunscreen. Good luck.

Jenny

Can you believe you can make pickles in three hours? Delicious, crisp dill pickles? Hello! Three hours. That’s why they’re so crisp! A few of you asked for my pickle recipe so here it is. I tried a few more versions over the weekend and I like this one the best.

Just so you know, all fermented foods like pickles, sauerkraut, olives, even sourdough bread, provide healthy probiotics (aka friendly bacteria). Yes, even fermented yak milk from Tibet! Probiotics strengthen your immune system, aid in digestion & the absorption of nutrients, and they are great to take after antibiotics to bring back those friendly bacteria.

I also have a recipe for sweet pickles which I will post this week but the dill pickles are my favorite.  Click here for the recipe.

why am i unloveable, I am rencently devoriced my wife of 5 years was cheating on me I found out several time and I forgave her and tried to more on eventily she told me she need to sleep with other men because she did not love me that way. after i was devoriced a ex contacted and told me how much she missed  me and we went out a few times, then she told me that she loved me she did not love me what ever that means. then 2 day ago a woman i have know for 20 year invited me out to a movie, we flirted over dinner and in the movie held hands like we were teenagers. we end up back at her place and we end up making out, we arranged to meet the next night and we ended up in bed. today she told me she wishes she could love me and she tried to want to be with me but she can’t.

So i ask the question whats wrong with me. i see very little reason to get up tomorrow. it is hard to go thru this world even harder when you alone

Who can resist a free contest? Not my squirrels. The contest started this morning and we already have a winner!

Oh wait! Make that TWO winners.

Our Critter Trapper had to make two trips today. Before you get all mushy and feel sorry for these mangy, rat-faced, no-good, low-life, beady-eyed, scum-sucking, tomato-stealing squirrels, by law they just get picked up and relocated a few miles away. They get turned in to a nature preserve somewhere. I’d rather see them turned into a wallet… call it a squallet.

“I’ll just take this nice tomato and go back to m…… Wait…! What?…. What the….. Oh no she didn’t!”

(more captions needed)

I know I’m a regular but I am dealing with a situation that makes me sick!  One of my best friends cheated on her husband and had a baby boy with this man.  Ofcourse she got divorced because her husband could not deal with it.  But this little boy is now 4 years old and she is no longer with the man she cheated with.  He texts her and says horrible things to her and is abusive!  Recently, her little boy has been displaying signs of being child molested. 🙁  My friend hired an attorney and the little boy won’t tell the court what is happening to him because his daddy told him, “You will never see me again”  She cries all the time. Little K comes home and M doesn’t know what to do.  She hired an attorney and she is trying to help little K tell the truth.  He has told her about being in the shower with him and what happens.  OMG this is a sick man and this is an innocent little boy who had nothing to do with his daddy’s abuse. I love this little boy, he deserves to live a peaceful, normal and healthy life.  What do you do when the little victim is too afraid to tell the truth?  My heart feels soooo heavy and I just want to puke!  God Bless You little K, my heart cries for him and his mom who can’t protect him until K tells the truth.  BTW, this jackass’s uncle was just recently arrested for child pornography.  Now we know how he got sick but how can they repeat the same crime against somebody so innocent who had nothing to do with it?????? Oh, my heart cries for this boy and his mom who is doing everything she can to get him away from this sickkkooooo!!!!  Please any attorneys or my JJ friends help!  🙁

Sue

I played hooky yesterday (from what? I don’t have a job!) and went to the Butterfly Pavilion at the museum. I go there every year and it’s an awesome experience. They put up a small tent and hundreds of butterflies fly around freely, often landing on the visitors. Everyone brings a camera. I was there over an hour taking pictures and eight different times, someone said, “There’s a butterfly on your hat!” I was wearing a white hat and they kept landing on my head. Why me? I don’t know. Maybe they were trying to send me a message: “You got your pictures, now get out! We’re tired of posing for you people and we’d like some peace and quiet. Get out now or we’ll poop on your head!”

I have never in my life asked anyone for advise but I am going to now. Four years ago I met and fell in love with a wonderful man 18 years older than me. Before that I was a single mom raising my son on my own. Jim has come into our lives and has taken an active role in teaching my son how to be a man and take care of things. We are getting married in less than a month and my parents have “concerns”. I am a 39 year old successful woman and I don’t understand their concerns or their lack of excitement for us. I know I can not change the way they feel but how do I bring this up to them. It is very hurtful that they are not excited for the day or Jim and I. What do I do let it go or say something?

(does anyone have advice for Angela?)