Q: Help, it’s spring and the skunks are out. My dog seems to be flirting on the edge of disaster every time he goes outside. Sometimes he smells a little, but last time he got a full on hit of skunk. I tried the tomato bath thing and it was just messy. The dog still smelled like skunk. What’s the best way to remove the skunk smell from him and me. ……………James, T

A: I’d be keeping that puppy out of the house or locked in a crate until you get the smell out. According to a Popular Science magazine article from 1995 the best combination for cleaning up Fido is a few simple household products. For an average size dog, 1 quart of 3% hydrogen peroxide, 1/4 cup of baking soda and 1 tsp. liquid soap.

Wear rubber gloves to protect yourself, hose the dog down to make him wet and then slowly pour the solution over the dog making sure it does not get into his eyes. Rub the mixture into the fur but don’t leave it on too long because the peroxide could bleach the fur and lighten it. Rinse the dog thoroughly and then wash him again with dog shampoo. This should eliminate the odor and make him sweet smelling again. It is safe to repeat again if the first time doesn’t do the trick.

If you don’t have these products on hand, a diluted vinegar and water solution will neutralize the odor until you can get to washing Fido. If you get some of the scent on your clothes you can launder them using your regular detergent with an added half cup of baking soda in the water.

There are some over-the-counter products such as Nature’s Miracle Skunk Odor Remover which will work as well. They would be available at most specialty pet retailers. The “old” methods of using a tomato bath or “Massengill” douche bath never really get rid of the smell completely. When the dog gets wet from rain or shower, the scent appears again.

To avoid future issues with dog-skunk interactions, here are a few things that might make your home a less appealing place for skunks. Do not leave any food outside, including bird seed and fallen fruit from trees. Secure your garbage cans in an inaccessible place if possible, or at the very least, secure the lids so they can’t get in. Putting moth balls and ammonia soaked rags around the edges of your property should help to keep them from coming near.

Skunks are crepuscular, active mainly at twilight, dawn and full moon nights. They do not see well, so be sure to use a flashlight or motion detector lights to alert them to your presence.

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Q: What is the difference between hybrid, heirloom and GMO seeds? I want to plant a garden but at a loss what kind of seeds to look for. ……………………………...Lily,T

A: The first step in planning your summer gardens is deciding what you are going to plant and which seeds to get. My first gardens were usually planted from seeds we saved the year before or if we wanted something new we just picked it out at the hardware store. Things have changed a lot (as most things do) and now when you walk through the aisle at Home Depot, Walgreens or your local nursery, the variety of seeds to choose from can be confusing. There are really only two kinds available for the hobbyist gardener, hybrid or heirloom.

Most seeds available today are hybrid seeds. These are simple F1 hybrids, first generation seeds cross pollinated and chosen to have specific natural properties, for instance resistant to bugs, producing in a shorter season, more prolific. If you plan to grow your garden from the seeds collected from the F1 plants the next year you will not get exactly the same properties. This is because they often revert back to the original uncrossed parents genes, so although the plant will be perfectly healthy, it may not have the prolific habit or be resistant to bugs, etc. An interesting sidelight for hybrid seeds, only the European growers cross plants to find the best tasting ones. US growers seem to have missed the point. I thought it was my imagination that home grown garden tomatoes used to taste a lot better, but now I know why.

Heirloom seeds are generally a little more expensive and theoretically have not been crossed for at least 5 generations. They are generally open pollinators, meaning the birds, bees and wind are assisting in the reproduction. Each growing season the best varieties are saved and used again for the next growing season. One of the good things about Heirloom seeds is their reliability, year after year. You can save the seeds and use them to produce exactly the same plant the following year. So if you chose a flavorful Russian heirloom tomato like Black Krim or Black Prince, you would get a richer, more flavorful tomato sauce than any hybrid available.

There is a drawback in heirloom plants, they bruise more easily, can’t be stored for long periods of time and are generally less prolific.

My recommendation would be to combine the reliability of hybrid seeds with the quality of heirloom seeds, choosing whichever meets your gardening needs.

As far as genetically modified seeds go, they are only available to large growers and they are used to make the food we eat everyday. When a package says, “non GMO” it does not certify that the seeds are not modified, it only says they don’t sell the seeds to the public. I stay away from the GMO seeds and food whenever possible. To me there is something really creepy about using dna from an animal to change the genetic structure of a plant. Like hybrid seeds, the GMO seeds cannot be saved to replant the following year. Thus growers are forced to rebuy the seeds every year. And the vicious cycle continues, it’s final impact still unknown.

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Q: Where do the hummingbirds and robins go in the wintertime. I still see robins in the winter. Hummingbirds seem awfully small to travel that far. Do they migrate, or just go a little further south?...................................... Shelly, S

A: And the correct answer is, both. Hummingbirds, specifically the ones we see a lot of here in the Northeast, the Ruby-throated Hummingbird, generally migrate south to warmer climates. Since they are primarily fly catchers and use the nectar from plants mainly to fuel their search for insects, they have to follow the food source. The majority go to Mexico and Central America but those that can’t make the trans-Gulf flight will winter along the Gulf coast. There is also a small population that winters along the Outer Banks of North Carolina. It’s a pretty amazing fete to fly over the Gulf, a 500 mile journey in 18-22 hrs. depending on weather conditions. Before leaving for the trip they will have nearly doubled their weight so they have enough reserves to make it all the way across the Gulf. The details of how and when an individual hummer migrates will not be very accurate until they can figure out how to put a small enough transmitter onto a 3 gram bird.

Robins on the other hand do migrate south in large groups but many stay behind as well. Generally if there is an adequate food supply, robins will stay nearby. They move only when forced to do so due to lack of readily available food sources. Robins are not affected by the cold and have adapted to eating fruits and berries during the winter when worms are no longer available. Those robins that have migrated south begin to return as soon as the ground is warm enough and the worms begin to come out of the ground. Spring rains make them very available and allow the birds to fatten up after their long flights north.

Both robins and hummers make the return journey north in stages, the males generally leaving a few weeks before the females. In this way, if weather along the way harms the birds the entire population will not be destroyed at one time. Robins maintain territories as a couple during spring and summer, then flock together in the fall to head south.

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Q: Why do Catholics eat fish on Friday? …………….Kathy, S

A: A more accurate description is that Catholics abstain from eating warm-blooded flesh meat on Friday. This was a day of penance imposed by the Church to commemorate the day of the Crucifixion. Sadly, many Catholics do not realize that the Friday abstinence rule is still in effect. The post-Vatican II modification in Church law only allowed the consumption of meat if some other sacrifice or good work was substituted in its place, such as saying Rosaries, or doing good works.

An interesting note, McDonalds created the Filet-O-Fish sandwich because they noticed that hamburger sales dropped considerably on Fridays. Sales picked up after they introduced the fish sandwich.

Some, more devoted Catholics, make abstinence a bigger part of their spiritual practice during lent by limiting meat to one meal a day and strictly observing the Friday and Ash Wednesday meatless venue.

Q: Where does the word “Easter” come from and how does that relate to the religious celebration of the crucifixion and resurrection? …………………………………George, S

A: An interesting question, wondering how bunnies and eggs relate to crosses and lilies. That would make a very confusing Easter card for children, bunnies hiding eggs behind crosses and in tombs with angels

The Venerable Bede, (672-735CE) a Christian scholar, asserted in his writings that Easter was named after Eostre, the Great Mother Goddess of the Saxon people, with similar forms in other cultures known as Ostare, Ostara, Eastur, Eastra, Austron, etc. Her name derives from the ancient word for spring:”eastre.”

The rabbit is a well known symbol of fertility and in various parts of the world it symbolizes the Mother Goddess, the Goddess of Spring and rebirth. The Babylonians believed an egg of wondrous size fell to earth from heaven and the Goddess Astarte was hatched and became known as the Goddess Easter. Many other cultures have similar stories.

The word Easter does not appear in the original biblical scriptures and appears to have been an attempt to “Christianize” pagan celebrations. Adopting the name Easter in remembrance of Christ seems to have obscured the focus for many. Perhaps the Christian celebration should be named Resurrection Sunday and not Easter.

Gratitude for the end of the winter and rebirth of the bounteous fruits of spring are worthy of their own celebration. Enjoy the beginning of Spring while honoring your own traditions.

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Q: What’s left that is safe to eat! Every day there is another food scare, another opinion about what’s good and bad to eat. Even buying a loaf of bread is a challenge. Who can you trust? ………… Audrie, S

A: Those of us over 50 like to wax nostalgic about ’when we were young’ we…… But I think there is one area in which that might actually have been true—the food we eat. Before the over farmed products became widely available, the genetically modified products hiding unmarked on the store shelves, there actually was some food value in what we ingested. We didn’t have to be sleuths to figure out if it was going to hurt us, or call ourselves wellness warriors in order to adequately feed our growing families. We also didn’t have to fight off the onslaught of advertising and creative marketing to encourage purchasing of the excess produced in this country’s agricultural system.

You know the drill, you buy what is advertised as “low fat,” “high fiber,” “natural,” multigrain” and think you’ve done the ‘right thing.’ Even the most sophisticated customer can be taken in. Most people see “multigrain” and think “whole grain,” but that isn’t necessarily so. When you see “enriched wheat flour” on the list of ingredients that means refined flour, often made from GMO grains. When you are shopping for “whole grain” products such as whole wheat, whole oats or brown rice, make sure it is listed first and preferably the only grain listed.

I’ve never understood the point behind things like reduced fat peanut butter. The oil is the healthiest part of the nut, having the most nutrients. When you take the oil out it is replaced with other things, including more sugar. According to a recent Harvard study, eating one or two ounces of nuts or regular peanut butter is associated with lower body weight, reduction in heart disease and lower cancer risk.

To me, what is most insidious is the supposedly ’healthy’ food that masquerades as beneficial, but does more harm than good. Energy bars, for instance. They are advertised as meal replacement bars to build muscle and lose weight. In fact, they are glorified candy bars with added vitamins or fiber, and yes—sugar. Check the label and see what position the sugar is. Of course it is often hidden as maltose, dextrose, corn syrup, glucose, carob syrup, date sugar, diatase, ethyl maltol, grape sugar, honey, agave, lactose, mannitol, brown sugar, buttered syrup, barley malt, beet sugar, corn syrup solids, sorbitol……... You get the picture.

And then we could go on to chips. We believe if the labels says “baked” or “low fat” that it is healthy . Most of these are made with refined (GMO) grain or starch, lots of calories but no nutrients, raising our risk of heart disease, cancers, diabetes and weight gain. If you must have something crunchy, try Wasa or Finn Crisp Original Rye crackers, whole grain products with low sodium content. If chips are your nemesis, try Terra Chips made with sliced vegetables or even a 100 percent whole grain chip fried in healthy oil like coconut or canola. Tortilla chips and Sun Chips are two examples. Remember though, a serving is one ounce of chips.

How is it that Subway gets away with marketing their products as healthy when the meat is processed meat, the sauces are filled with sugar and preservatives and they sell junk food cookies and soft drinks as add-ons. For example, their Honey Oat Bread ingredient list includes Honey Oat topping (soy grits, sugar, rolled oats, thickener, honey powder, molasses powder, salt, flavor, caramel coloring. At least four sources of sugar listed. For a complete list of food content check them out online. (Click thru on the online version of this article).http://www.subway.com.au/assets/documents/ausingredientguide.pdf

As to who can you trust, I'm not sure I can answer that. To quote Oprah, "What we know so far" seems to change all the time. Butter used to be bad but has been reclaimed of late (more details in upcoming articles). Salt used to be really, really bad, but now has been found to be absolutely essential. Eggs had a bad rap and we were told led to high cholesterol. Now it's been discovered that egg eaters actually have lower serum cholesterol levels then those who don't eat eggs.

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Q: How often is it actually necessary to wash your hair? If I wash it everyday it gets harder to control and a little wispy. ……………….. Sherry, D

A: Dermatologists and hairdressers seem to agree that there is very little reason to shampoo every day, especially with harsh shampoo products containing SLS (sulfates). We’ve been conditioned to think that all those frothy white bubbles means ’clean’, in shampoo as well as household cleaners and laundry detergent, when in fact cleaners without sulfates using natural products are a lot less harmful to the hair and scalp and clean much more safely. Keep in mind that shampoo is for the scalp and conditioner is for the hair.

According to my hairdresser, and other hair experts as well, shampooing everyday is not necessary, in fact it is harmful to the scalp and hair shafts. Constant shampooing dries out the scalp and removes the natural protective oils created by the body to nourish the hair shafts. We then add all sorts of products to the hair to control it, straighten it, curl it, spray hair spray on it, adding product to it, repeating the process every day. Often the body creates an overabundance of oils to compensate for the constant removal of the protective shield.

Experts agree that less frequent washing is the key to healthier hair. If you can’t go ’cold turkey’ at least switch to a shampoo that contains no sulfates. Reduce your dependence on shampoo gradually, ending up washing no more than once or twice a week with ’safe’ shampoo.

When my hairdresser first suggested that washing my less frequently would be better for it, I was highly skeptical. Being a child of the 60’s and 70’s, raised on the new thought TV commercials — remember the one about telling two friends, who tell two friends………

But I did as she suggested and now do something called co-washing. My hair seems easier to style when it is wet and the curls come back better, so I ‘shampoo’ with conditioner only and it comes out great. The water rinses out any residual product and the conditioner makes my hair much more manageable.

In case you need an incentive to shampoo less often, studies have shown that hair needs to be trimmed less often because it has fewer split ends, less static electricity in winter, is shinier and less tangled. Many of the leading beauty manufacturers are getting the message and making no-poo products that are safer to use. You can also use time tested home remedies like baking soda, lemon juice, beer and the like. Check out the “No ’Poo” community on Facebook.

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Q: I want to make a career change. I’m tired of working long hard hours and the stress of a hard driven career-type of job. Where would I go to find a job/career that would satisfy my need for flexibility, fulfillment and passion without the stress and the need for additional advanced degrees? ………..Steve, S

A: As America ages there is an ever expanding group of people who are done with the stress of highly driven careers and are ready for a more enjoyable, yet fulfilling, way to enjoy working and meeting their financial and social needs. The criteria for job seeking at this point would be focused on the amount of personal satisfaction the job brings, the benefit it has to society as a whole, the level of stress it creates internally, and its flexibility.

The following suggestions have been rated by Money magazine as the most likely to fit into your criteria.

Grant Coordinator/Grant Writer, median pay $47,800 to $90,000, estimated growth rate of 12% and estimated 10,000 total jobs. Grant Coordinators combine professional skills with a cause you believe in by writing and coordinating funding requests for a nonprofit school or government agency. Find a workshop at grantwritingusa.com and agwa.us.

Personal Trainer, median pay $52,600 to top of $136,000, 10 year growth opportunity of 29% with a total of 30,000 jobs.

Energy Field Auditor, median pay $41,000 to a top of $66,500, a 12% increase in next 10 years and total jobs of around 10,000. Homeowners looking to cut their energy bills are hiring auditors to check for leaks and recommended improvements. You will need a six-week training course for state certification. Find out more at aeecenter.org.

Online Content Marketing Writer, median pay $51,000 to top of $104,000, growth potential 13%, with total jobs estimated at 10,000. Helps to have a marketing and writing background. Check for more information at emarketingassociation.com.

Tutor, median pay $52,400 to $106,000 with a 15% growth potential and total 20,000 jobs. Private tutoring, one on one, but also groups, give students the edge they need for advancement. No special degree is required, but teaching experience in helpful.

SEO Specialist, median pay is $52,100 to a top of $71,400 with a potential 13% growth rate for jobs. Search Engine Optimization specialists know how to hone a website’s pages so they will land near the top. It’s an online home-based opportunity for the tech savvy person. For more info check online forums and local community classes. Be careful about the hundreds of “certified” specialists who want to train you for this position.

Pilates and Yoga Instructors, median pay $62,400 to top earners nearing $140,000. Growth potential is 29% in the next 10 years. As the mind body spirit integration movement becomes more and more accepted there is a growing need for trained instuctors. Check out Pilatesmethodalliance.org and yogaalliance.org.

Technical Writer, median pay $68,100 to $95,000 with a projected 18% growth in the next 10 years. Job potential of 50,000. A fast growing technical field with work-at-home potential. Strong writing skills are a must and any degrees add to your credibility. Check out the Society for Technical Communication’s website at stc.org.

Patient/Health Educator, median pay $63,900 to $87,000 with a growth potential of 18%. Entry levels do require a bachelor’s degree in health education. Learn more at aahperd.org/aahe.

Fitness Consultant, median pay $34,00 to $60,800 with a 10 yr. growth potential of 29%. It’s about designing programs that integrate fitness, wellness and health into a single system. A strong fitness background is helpful, a degree in physical education or health care helps.

Substitute Teacher, K-12, median pay is $28,100 to $42,000 with growth potential of 9%. This important job of keeping students on track with their studies is fulfilling and flexible. Qualifications vary by state, longer stints requiring more education. Check with local schools for their requirements and availability.

Assistant Actuarial Analyst, median pay $62,000 to a top area of $82,300 with a growth potential of 5%. Using sophisticated modeling techniques, you calculate the likelihood that something will happen. Strong background in math and business is key. Go to soa.org or casact.org for more info.

And a few more, R&D Technician, median pay $52,400 with 13% industry growth potential. Risk Management Analyst, median pay $71,000 with growth potential of 11%. Data Analyst, median pay $56,000 with growth potential of 5%.

So if you are unhappy with your current work situation, give some thought to what would make you happier, more fulfilled and less stressed. Find out what your strong points are and what you love, then take the plunge and try it out. Being happy with that you do all day, will be much healthier for your mind and body.

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Q: Is there a difference between sorbet and sherbet?.....Jane, S

A: Yes Jane, there is a difference between sorbet and sherbet. As a kid I loved the orange and raspberry sherbet that came in the plastic gallon tubs (when gallons were still gallons). Although the taste is similar there is a slight difference in consistency between the two, the sherbet being a little creamier than sorbet. The reason for this is the 1 to 2% milk fat, and sometimes eggs, generally used in the production of sherbet, not found in sorbet. So if your reason for eating a ‘healthier’ dessert includes cutting out dairy, than your choice would be sorbet.

I often use my ice cream maker to make a delicious, smooth, fruity sorbet. Yum. It is simple to make and the taste is worth the work.

Q: I have a new rotisserie oven and want to make a beef roast. What kind of cut would work the best on the spit? …… Ray,D

A: According to the local butcher there are 48 different cuts of meat from a single cow, and nine different areas to choose from. The answer as to what works best on the spit however appears to be more of a personal preference. Look for a cut that has some natural fat on it, so when it turns on the spit the natural juices keep it moist. Tenderloins are nice, but pricey. Sirloin works as well if you like the gamier taste of a sirloin. Rib eye and top loin are good choices, since the long slow cooking will bring out the best and most tender results. Stay away from the cuts that are tougher and less flavorful such as chuck and round, more successfully used in pot roasts and crock pots.

A tip when putting your roast on the rotisserie, don’t overcook. The meat keeps cooking after you take it out of the oven. Use a meat thermometer to check it and take it out before the desired temperature is reached.

Q: What is the most children a woman ever had? ……..Suzy. S

A: According to the Guinness Book of Records, a Russian woman had four sets of quads, seven sets of triplets and 16 sets of twins. The notes indicate that the woman was known only as “the wife of Feodor Vassilyev” from the village of Shuya, who gave birth to 69 children in the 18th century during 27 pregnancies. Yikes, talk about raising a village.

An Italian woman, Madalene Granata, bore 15 sets of triplets between 1839 and 1886. Enough for several ball teams…...

And then there is the woman in California in 2009 who had six boys and two girls, the most living births ever recorded.

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Q: Is bottled water really better and safer than tap water? .............................. Jane, S

Q: The water smells funny when I take a shower, is it safe to use?

A: Advertising campaigns from companies like Coke and Pepsi would certainly make you think it’s better to drink bottled water, you will be healthier, sexier, trendy and smarter, without mentioning that it can cost 500 to 4,000 times more than tap water.

Have you ever wondered why these big companies have just as many vending machines for water as they do for soda? This estimated $75 billion industry is growing at a startling 7% rate each year. This is a gold mine of opportunity for water manufacturers, especially considering that products like Auqafina and Dasani are just filtered local tap water costing the company about 1 cent per gallon, and they sell it for an average 5 cents an ounce. Even at the current highly inflated pump cost of gasoline, it still only costs about 2 cents an ounce! Half the price of water.

This obsession with clean water isn’t just an American thing. Worldwide there are an estimated fifty to a hundred thousand water bottlers, each using plastic bottles, an estimated 85% or more of them ending up in landfills and oceans around the world.

Is the water safer? There is no easy answer to that, it depends on where you live, if your local water is filtered and tested properly, how it’s handled before you get it…….

I admit to being a waterphobe myself. Years ago I began studying water quality, treatment options, filtering systems, etc., and concluded that the only ’safe’ option was to use distilled water, supplementing with a full complement of liquid minerals. It isn’t the answer for everyone, since the process of distilling can be cumbersome, but it does guarantee that there are no foreign particles or chemical cocktails in the water I drink.

Of concern when I began the search for ’clean’ water was the incomplete tests being run on local water supplies, testing only 80 of the hundreds of possible contaminants. At the time the gasoline additives were leaching into water supplies and no testing was being done on it. We have well water now and it has high levels of arsenic in it, within the guidelines, but it doesn’t seem like a good idea to drink it.

A really good water filtering system in your home is worth the money and addresses most concerns. If you have city water and it includes chlorine as part of the treatment, be aware that the human body readily absorbs the chlorine, especially in the shower. You literally become a human filter for the untreated chemicals.

Here are a few more things to keep in mind before you stock up on your next case of plastic bottled water. As long as we keep buying the bottled water and do not address the quality of public water the problems will get worse.

“Access to clean, sufficient and affordable drinking water is a human right necessary for health and survival. This right must be protected…….” Sierra Club. Having created a growing market for bottled water, transnational corporations are exercising their power to secure access to springs, aquifers, and municipal water supplies to keep their profits flowing. Nestle has taken over many small, independent companies setting up much larger operations at local springs, and is aggressively pursuing new sites across the US. Coke’s bottled water operation in India is embroiled in controversy, where a “Boycott Coke” campaign is underway.

On a final note, when filtering your water it is important to change the filter frequently. Bacteria can accumulate on the filter and make you sick. Carbon and coconut based filtering systems work the best.

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Q: Are water bottles safe? My daughter told me that if you leave a water bottle in the car, the toxins from the plastic leech into the water. What is a safe plastic to use? ………………... Sonja, NY

A: The controversy about ’safe’ water bottles has been around for 4 or 5 years now. In ’08 it was all about the chemical BPA, which is used to line most food (including baby food, bottles and nipples) and drink cans as well as the production of the popular polycarbonate “clear” bottles like Nalgene. Currently the PET, polyethylene terephthalate is taking all the heat. If drinking something other than tap water is your choice, a safer alternative would be a glass bottle like Voss or Eden Springs.

Most manufacturers phased out the use of BPA (Bisphenol-A) but in the ensuing years other products have taken it’s place, and most of these do not divulge what the ingredients are. The plastic bottles in questions generally have the #7 in the recycle triangle on the bottom of the container. When choosing a reusable container choose one that has #2, #4, or #5 on the bottom, most of which have been deemed safe for long term use. Disposable bottles have a #1, which is good for a one time use only. Perhaps a better choice would be to put your water in a glass or metal container and save the landfill from tons of plastic bottles. Try Kleen Kanteen and New Wave Enviro, and the colorful aluminum bottles from Siqq (the newer versions).

As far as leaving your water in the car and exposing it to the heat of the sun, most experts agree that the PET bottles, #1 in the triangle on the bottom, are safe to drink from, even if they warm up in the car. Bottles with #7 on the bottom, have an indetermined content and you need to check the ingredients before using them this way.

If wondering about the hormonal imbalancing chemicals in the bottles isn’t enough to keep you from using so many bottles of water, perhaps the environmental impact of the water bottles might make a difference to you. It takes two liters of water to make the bottle that holds a liter of water. The energy used each year making the bottles needed to meet the demand for bottled water in the US is equivalent to more than 17 millions of barrels of oil. Enough to fuel over 1 million cars for a year. Only 10% of the one time use bottles ever make it to be recycled, most are put into landfills where it takes a thousand years to biodegrade.

We’ve talked about water bottles today. Next week we’ll look at the actual water itself and see if it’s really necessary to pay more for water than the gasoline we use.

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