May the Irish hills caress you.
May her lakes and rivers bless you.
May the luck of the Irish enfold you.
May the blessings of Saint Patrick behold you.
Old Irish Blessing

Mid-Atlantic Regional Weather Watch: Fair and cool (1,2,3) with April Showers (4,5,6,7,8). Fair but colder (9,10,11). Mild temperatures with more showers (12,13,14,15). Showers and Storms 16,17), turning fair and mild again 18,19,20). Cloudy and cool 21,22,23,24,25) with yet more showers and mild (26,27,28). Fair and mild weather (29,30).

Tornado Watch: The Almanack sees possible tornado activity in the Mid-Atlantic Re between the 23rd and the 25th of April.

Full Moon: April's Full Moon rises at 9:56AM on the 9th. Native Americans often referred to it as PINK MOON because of the many flowers and trees that turn pink and bloom during the month of April. It is also has been known as Fish Moon because fishing started to pick up as the weather warms.

Special Notes: April 22nd is Earth Day. Call The Earth Day Network at 202.518.0044 or got to www.earthday.net for activities that will help to preserve our great planet. Take a moment to review last year's income tax return before filing. Compare it to your current return and look for any deductions you might have missed. Remember that amended tax returns can be fled up to 3 years later using IRS Form 1040X.

Holidays: Easter in 2009 is on Sunday, April 12th. Spend some quality time with your family, friends, and neighbors but sure to find spiritual time to attend church. Enjoy this time of rebirth and celebrate the coming of Spring. It's right around the corner!

The Garden: Test your underground sprinkling system by monitoring a full cycle to make sure it is still operating correctly. Inspect all sprinkler heads for cleaning, adjustment, or replacement. Set out annuals, perennials, and other bedding plants in late April and remember to apply a balanced fertilizer. Plant shrubs, such as Rhododendrons, Viburnums, Azaleas and Spiraea for late Spring color. Keep an eye out for nasty pests such as slugs and snails, especially because this year, Spring will be cool and wet. Get the lawn ready by treating it with pre-emergent crabgrass killer right after forsythia bloom. Be sure to check out the over 80 varieties of trees available at low cost on the National Arbor Day Foundation's website at www.arborday.org and plant a tree on Arbor Day, the 26th.

J. Grubers' Thought for Today's Living:

"Only a fool expects to receive compensation for never accomplishing anything"