Egg yolks come out a darker color

Dear Heloise: I recently bought a dozen eggs, and the yolks were a much deeper yellow - in fact, an almost orange color. Are they OK to eat, or is something wrong with them? Cassie J.,Forest Grove, Oregon Cassie, a deeper color of yolk simply means that the hen had a diet high in "carotenoids." The hen may have had a varied diet but specifically one that was rich in yellow corn and alfalfa. However, the nutritional value of the egg remains basically the same as eggs that contain paler yolks. Heloise Dear Heloise: In response to the person who wrote about checking a car's lights, I recently discovered that when I press the clicker to unlock my car doors, all the lights (except the headlights) come on for a few seconds. So, I can actually check them all myself and do it every time I get in the car.I don't know how many cars have this feature, but it is very handy. Steve H.,in California Dear Heloise: The recent fires in Southern California left people without homes, but it also left many areas without power for several hours or days. One elderly citizen was rescued by sheriff deputies from her unburned residence within the burning area. She said that her hearing aids had run out of power, and she could not hear the evacuation advice.Since many of us hearing-aid wearers have devices that are rechargeable (as opposed to battery-operated), I suggest having a fully charged, small portable battery station to keep your hearing aids and cellphones charged up in case your power goes out. Paul H.,Torrance, California Paul, this is an excellent idea. Many people, both young and old, need hearing aids. We usually don't think about it, but the ability to hear is essential to our safety and overall enjoyment of life. Heloise Dear Heloise: I love spinach and used to eat it almost daily. However, I have learned that spinach is not good for people with osteopenia or osteoporosis. Apparently, it contains oxalates that makes it hard for the calcium to be absorbed. I wish my doctor had told me this. Joan B.,Kenosha, Wisconsin Joan, yes, this is correct. Some other foods containing oxalates are dried figs, kiwi, oranges, grapefruit and pineapple. There's also tofu, black olives, dark beer, beets, rhubarb, green beans, cashews, peanuts, cocoa and chocolate milk, to name a few. Heloise Dear Heloise: Every summer, we used to bet on an invasion of ants in our kitchen. I'd put food away, and if I didn't have time to clean the breakfast dishes before I left for work, I'd place them in the refrigerator until I got home in the evening.Finally, one day, I sprayed them with vinegar, and this was the end of the ants. A.B.,in Oregon Dear Readers: This is an excellent time of year to get your closets cleaned out, give away or sell all those books you're not reading, donate the clothing you never wear, and get rid of broken toys and tools. Since many of my readers are snowed in or hate going out in the cold, you can start getting ready for those warm, sunny days of spring so that they'll be here before you know it! Heloise