"Summer. It's a state of mind," so said a longtime FOG (friend of Goddess) when his young'un hurtled herself into Green Lake for a swim in May. Early May.

But, now, surf's truly up, kids! Assuming we have all stopped frolicking in the snow on Stevens Pass. Let's get out there and play. (And while the Goddess does not think of herself as a finger-wagger sort, let us do always strive to put safety first in all our endeavors, shall we?) That said . . .

Suit up

We do, do, do love the sun and we do, do, do love to swim during our short outdoor-pool season, but we don't, don't, don't like what it does to our skin. At all.

Cover your, um, self against harmful rays in swimwear that won't leave you looking like Lloyd Bridges in "Sea Hunt." (Look it up, young people!) Solartex has got you covered. Sun-shun gear for all sizes, newborn to 8XL (no excuses!), and activities. Holding the alphabet soup to a minimum: UV apparel, shirts and swimwear block 98 percent of all UVA and UVB rays with a UPF 50+ rating. Huh? Top protection. Also chlorine resistant, quick-drying.

Seen here is the Ladies Zip Jacket Short-sleeve Rash ($46), Womens Swim Shorts Front-lace Style ($25). Robyn at HQ says the Sun/garden Gloves sell like hot cakes: elbow length, pliable silicone grips, three unisex sizes ($27). www.solartex.com.

Goddess deal alert: Enter SEATTLE15 in the Promo Code section of the website or by phone at 877-476-5789 to save 15 percent.

Beach Thingy

That's what they call it. Beach Thingy. The best name for anything ever invented and an apt descriptor. Also called "the essential summer seat," it's a brightly colored plastic chair back with two vampire teeth that you squidge into the earth. Voilà! Beach chair.

Created by Larry Laske, whose designs have been produced by the likes of Alessi and Knoll. He's got a whole schtick about Beach Thingy: "This chair is lightweight, whimsical, easy to carry, and, most important, it offers a comfortable back support, for your sitting pleasure. Why is there not a pivoting seat which folds down from the backrest? Because I wanted to retain the connection of our bodies with Mother Earth, in this case her glistening sand. The sand offers a natural cushion that conforms to each of our uniquely individual contoured behinds, our 'personal seat cushions.' "

Beach Thingy Beach Chair costs $19.50, plus shipping/handling. The master carton contains 10 chairs, same color: $285 plus S&H. Find it at beachthingy.com.

Over here, sunshine

Now that our faces are bronzed and glowing, we can't be gooing them up with our usual Kabuki-regimen now, can we?

Summer skin care calls for Clarins UV Plus Tint, now in three shades — light, medium and deep. (One does not even need tan from sun. It's in there.)

What's best about the stuff is its split personality as both makeup and sunblock: skin protection, nice complexion. UV Plus Tint is 100 percent mineral-based and chemical free. It's got an SPF 40 and offers triple protection: oil-free anti UV, antioxidant and antipollution.

They put cantaloupe melon extract in there (contains high levels of antioxidant protection). That's just the kind of cutting-edge botanical science you get from Clarins, reaching back to founding Parisian poobah Jacques Courtin-Clarins. Find it at clarins.com and Clarins counters everywhere; $40.

Reach out to The Goddess at bteagarden@seattletimes.com. The Goddess is also very Pinteresting. Find her there at http://pinterest.com/rtea/.