"Summer has set in with its usual severity."
Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834)
 

Tornado Watch: The Almanack sees no tornado activity in the Mid-Atlantic Region in the month of August.

Full Moon: Those ‘Dog Days of Summer’ end on Monday, August 11th and hence, August’s Full Moon is aptly named Dog Moon. It has also been called Full Ripe Moon or Fruit Moon as well as Sturgeon Moon because of the many summer vegetables and fruits that come ripe at this time and because sturgeon is plentiful in many parts of the world.

Holidays: Summer is a fun time but as the old saying goes: ‘all good things must come to an end’. Labor Day is a just few weeks away and signals the end of summer, the promise of cooler days ahead, and the start of school for many. Begin planning now and make a list of things that need to be done and when to ensure a successful ‘first day’ (schedule immunizations and/or physicals, purchase new clothes, assess school supplies that are needed, etc.).

The Garden: August is the peak of the hot and dry season and your plants will need water more than 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. To ensure a happy harvest, pick vegetables in the morning hours when the sugar content is highest. 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.

J. Gruber’s Thought For Today’s Living

"If all our todays held as much hope as our tomorrows, what wonderful memories we would have of all our yesterdays"