Mid-Atlantic Weather Watch: Cooler, dry (1, 2, 3); occasional rain; wet snow, wintery mix west and turning windy (4, 5, 6). Dry and cold (7, 8), with showers (9) turning dry, warmer (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15); breezy, turning cooler with occasional rain showers (16, 17, 18); morning freeze, dry (19), again, dry and turning warmer (20, 21, 22). Dry and mild, then showers (23, 24, 25, 26) with yet more showers and thunderstorms, turning windy and colder (27, 28, 29, 30).

Severe Weather Watch: The Hagerstown Town and Country Almanack forecast a wintery mix (4, 5, 6) and warns of a possible hard freeze (19) and severer thunderstorms (28, 29, 30).

Full Moon: April’s Full Moon will occur on Monday, April 16th. It has been called Pink Moon because of the many pretty flowers blooming during the month. And because fishing typically improves, due to the warming weather, it has also been called to as Fish Moon.

Special Notes: April Fool’s Day falls on Friday this year. Beware of practical jokes and pranks that may be coming your way from family, co-workers, and friends! Earth Day is observed on Friday, April 22nd. The Earth Day Network at www.earthday.net can provide some interesting, fun, and easy activities that you and your family can do that will help promote a healthier relationship with our dear and fragile Mother Earth! Arbor Day falls on Saturday, April 30th. Go to www.arborday.org for more on The Arbor Day Foundation’s mission, which focuses on helping others understand and use trees as a solution to the many global issues we face today that include air quality, water quality, a rapidly changing climate, deforestation, poverty, and hunger.

Holidays: Easter Sunday falls on Sunday April 17th. Celebrate the resurrection of Our Lord, Jesus Christ, by attending the church of your choice.

The Garden: Set out annuals and other perennials now. Cool season vegetables, such as spinach, lettuce, peas, broccoli, cauliflower, and beets can be planted as soon as the soil can be worked. A good test of "soil readiness" is to take a handful of soil and squeeze it. If it remains in a ball, it’s too moist and should be allowed to dry further. If it crumbles, start planting! Begin planting indoor seedlings outdoors. Harden them off first with several short days outside under cover. Fertilize winter planted vegetables early in the month and after any danger of frost, begin planting warm season vegetables.

The Farm: Best days for planting root crops (30); weeding and stirring the soil (5, 6, 7); planting above-ground crops (8, 9); planting root crops (7, 8, 9); harvesting all crops (19, 20, 23, 24); to set hens and incubators (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 4, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23); slaughter and butcher meat (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 30); transplanting (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 30); harvesting and storing of grain (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29); weaning of animals and livestock (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19).

John Gruber’s Thought For Today’s Living:

"The wise man often says little while observing much, while the fool observes little while talking a lot"