June 2012

"A father is a guy who has snapshots in
his wallet where his money used to be"
Unknown

Mid-Atlantic weather watch: Mid-Atlantic Weather Watch: Fair and very warm (1,2) with severe storms (3,4). Fair and hot (5,6) with showers and STORMS, some severe in the northern part of the region (7,8,9,10,11). Fair and hot again (12,13) with more showers and severe storms (14,15,16,17). Cooler with yet more severe storms from the north (18,19,20). Fair and warm (21,22) turning cloudy and very warm (23,24,25,26,27). Fair and not so warm (28,29,30).

Full Moon: June’s Full Moon will rise Monday, the 4th at 6:12 AM EST. It has been referred to by many Native American Tribes as the Full Rose Moon because roses bloom at the beginning of the month. It is also called the Strawberry Moon because the first strawberries of the season become ripe for the picking at this time.

Special Notes: Summer officially arrives with the Summer Solstice on Wednesday, June 20th. June is graduation month for many students so be sure to honor your “favorite student” with a special gift or a memorable event. On a historical note, Secretary of War, Edwin M. Stanton signed the special order designating a site in Arlington, Virginia as a military cemetery on June 15, 1864. Also, in June of 1924, the US Congress granted citizenship to all American Indians.

Holidays: Flag Day is celebrated on Thursday, June 14th so be sure to fly Old Glory with pride! And don’t forget to remember your father on his day, Father’s Day, which falls on Sunday, June 17th in 2012. Do something really nice for the “old man” like breakfast in bed, an outing to his favorite sporting event, or a special dinner out.

The Garden: Lawns should get 1.5 inches of water a week. If Mother Nature is stingy, water deeply once or twice a week but NOT daily. Here’s a good tip: spray the underside of your mower with a thin coating of vegetable oil to prevent grass from sticking. Watch for insects; wash them or pick them off plants before they can lay eggs and multiply. Use fungicide where diseases usually are a problem, especially on roses. Transplant when the rainy season starts. Prune flowering shrubs after their flowers begin to fade. Continue to pinch flower up until the beginning of July. Deadhead and remove fading leaves from spring bloomers. Remove fallen fruit from below tress to prevent insect egg laying. Remember that working in the garden when plant leaves are wet can help spread many diseases. Wait until the foliage is dry before walking through the garden. Watch for insects; wash them or pick them off plants before they can lay eggs and multiply. Check the underside of rose leaves for rose slugs. Watch for scale infestations on Euonymus and pachysandra. Remember, if you cut flowers for fresh in-door arrangements early in the morning, they will stay fresher and more vibrant much longer.


J. Grubers' Thought for Today's Living:

“Every person has two educations – one which he receives from others, and one more important which he gives himself”

Index of Past Month's Entries