Whilst August yet wears her golden crown,
Ripening fields lush- bright with promise;
Summer waxes long, then wanes, quietly passing
Her fading green glory on to riotous Autumn."
Michelle L. Thieme (1937- )

Weather Watch: Cloudy and very warm (1) with storms (2,3). Fair and not so warm (4,5). Again, fair but rather warm (6,7,8,9). Warm and stormy, mainly in the southern part of the Mid-Atlantic Region (10,11). Fair and very warm (12,13,14,15,16,17) turning stormy and hot (18,19). Fair and very warm, yet again (20,21,22,23,24,25). Showers with some storms in the south. Fair and rather warm (28,29,30,31).

Tornado Watch: There is no tornado activity seen for the Mid-Atlantic Region in August.

Full Moon: The Full Moon for August has been often referred to as the Full Ripe Moon or Fruit Moon because of the many summer vegetables and fruits that come ripe at this time. It is also known as the Dog Moon for Dog Days, that end on the 11th as well as Sturgeon Moon. August's Full Moon occurs on the 16th at 4:16PM EST.

Special Notes: Labor Day is just around the corner so enjoy these last few weeks of Summer! School starts for many, so start getting ready now by preparing a list of things that will be needed (new clothes, school supplies, etc). Help older teens budget for these. Encourage high school seniors to complete at least one college application before school starts.

The Garden: August is the peak of the hot and dry season and your plants will need water more then anything during this time. If watering is limited or restricted in your area, concentrate on getting the most to newly planted trees and shrubs. If you use thick mulch, water will be retained much better. Never feed trees, shrubs or evergreen after the 15th or you will be encouraging new growth that might not have a chance to mature before winter sets in. To ensure a happy harvest, pick vegetables in the morning hours when the sugar content is highest. Never harvest or do any other garden work when plants are wet or you're likely to spread disease. Be careful in the garden. Bruised or scratched vegetables spoil quickly and damaged plants are targets for pests and diseases. Use clippers or a sharp knife to harvest tough- or brittle-stemmed crops such as broccoli, cabbage, eggplant, peppers, and squash. They can be damaged if pulled or torn from their stems.

John Grubers' Thought for Today's Living:

"Arise on a rainy day with as much eagerness as on a sunny one"