Fair, very warm (1) turning stormy, cooler (2, 3). Fair and mild (4, 5, 6, 7) and again, stormy (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13); fair; very warm (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21) with occasional storms, seasonal (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30).
Full Moon: The Full Moon in June will occur on Thursday, June 24th. It has often been called Strawberry Moon because the first strawberries of the season become ripe for the picking (and eating!) in June. It has also been known as Rose Moon. Roses start to show their gorgeous blooms at the beginning of the month!
Special Notes: Summer officially starts with the Summer Solstice that occurs on Saturday, 20th. This year summer season looks to be promising as mask-wearing and social distancing mandates continue to be relaxed across the nation. Be advised that not all states’ mandates are the same so, if traveling, first, get vaccinated, and then be sure to reference your destination’s "rules" about masks and social distancing (specifically, indoors).
With many graduations cancelled last year due the COVID-19 pandemic, this year, we can all honor our students properly by attending his or her graduation from high school or college (and all of the parties, too!) This is a major milestone and cannot pass without the recognition that it is due. Mark this achievement or any special event with a memorable gift (like a copy of this year’s Hagerstown Town and Country Almanack to mark the occasion!). Go to www.almanack.com/order and order one right now!
Holidays: Proudly display ‘Old Glory’ on Monday, June 14th! Be sure to check out the ways to do that properly at www.ushistory.org/betsy/more/displayonly.htm. Father’s Day is Sunday, June 20th. Do something really nice for your father this year and surprise him with a nice dinner out, tickets to his favorite sporting event, or that new power tool he’s been eyeing up!
The Garden: Watch for insects everywhere! When you see them (and you will!), immediately 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. Be sure that all tall annuals and perennials are securely staked so that they will remain upright during the afternoon thunderstorms that are so common for this time of year. Tick-proof your yard this summer. Deer are likely to bring ticks into your space so plant species that deer do not eat like the thorny barberry, bugleweed, forsythia, foxglove, and most needle-leaved conifers.
The Farm: Best for planting root crops (6, 7, 8); weeding and stirring the soil (9, 10); planting above-ground crops (11, 12, 13); harvesting all crops (23, 24); the best days for setting hens and incubators (1, 2, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30); the slaughtering and butchering of meat (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16); transplanting (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16); the weaning of all small animals and livestock (1, 2, 3, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30); harvesting and storing grains (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9).
J. Gruber’s Thought For Today’s Living
"Many people whistle while they work, often so to keep from swearing"
