DEAR SUN SPOTS: Calling all local knitters! Click for babies and the “Period of Purple Crying.”

Click your knitting needles together to help us prevent infant abuse. We need your help to knit purple-colored (or at least 50 purple purple) caps for a new campaign to increase awareness of the Period of Purple Crying and infant abuse.

The Period of Purple Crying, a time when babies cry more than any other time, can be very frustrating for parents. By knitting caps you will help educate caregivers about normal infant crying, how to cope with crying and the dangers of reacting in frustration by shaking or harming an infant.

Knit or crochet as many as you like — from one to 50! Caps will be collected from now until the end of October and distributed during the months of November and December to local hospitals for all new babies.

For more information or patterns, please call Advocates for Children at 783-3990. Thank you! — Dori Galgovitch, dgalgovitch@advocatesforchildren.net

DEAR SUN SPOTS: In response to the Aug. 22 question, if the leaves turn brown and just hang there on tomato plants, the most likely cause is early blight, which is a very common and persistent disease.

It does not affect the tomato fruit as late blight, a much more serious disease, does. It is soil borne. The best thing to do is clean up and dispose of the dead plants in the fall and remove them from the garden. Dispose of them in the trash. Plant your tomatoes next year in a new place, if you have room.

Watering only the soil, preferably by soaker hose and covering the soil with plastic so that it doesn’t splash on the leaves helps, as does allowing plenty of space between plants.

You can also spray every few days with several preparations, some of them organic, but it is time consuming if you are busy. These preparations coat and protect the leaves as well as killing the disease causing agents. One is called Soap Shield from Gardens Alive.

My solution is to keep plants healthy and remove dying leaves as soon as possible. They usually turn yellow with spots first. Minimize any contact that may transfer disease from one plant to another. Move them to a new location every year and keep them far away from potatoes that harbor the same disease.

The taller, indeterminate varieties of tomato seem to bear better and outpace the blight better than the early determinate varieties if they are staked and well grown. — Marilyn Burgess, stocker7@fairpoint.net

DEAR SUN SPOTS: This recipe is for Edgar in Peru (Aug. 25) and anyone else who likes and wants to make pickled eggs.

You’ll need 12 extra-large eggs, 1½ cups distilled white vinegar, 1½ cups water, 1 tablespoon pickling spice, 1 clove garlic crushed (I just sliced mine) and 1 bay leaf.

Place eggs in medium pan, cover with cold water and bring to boil. Remove from heat, cover and let eggs stand in hot water 10 to 12 minutes. Remove eggs from hot water, cool and peel.

In small saucepan on medium heat, mix together vinegar, water and pickling spice. Bring to boil, mix in garlic and bay leaf. Remove from heat.

Put eggs into sealable container, add vinegar mixture, seal container and refrigerate for eight to 10 days. I also opend a can of beets and add the beet juice to the mix. You may or may not want do this; beet juice only acts as a coloring agent.

You may want to use less vinegar. I found this recipe a little strong on vinegar, but I like it that way. These were really good. — Charles Bagley, nofishfs1@myfairpoint.net

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