Tornado Watch: The Town and Country Almanack says watch out for possible tornado activity in the Mid-Atlantic Region from the 22nd to the 27th of July.

Full Moon: Native Americans had names for every full moon that helped them to characterize weather, planting, and hunting conditions for their particular geographical region. July’s Full Moon, which occurs on July 8th, has had many names attributed to it. The most common is Thunder Moon because of the increased number of thunderstorms, some quite severe, that occur during this month across many regions of the U.S. Many tribes called it Buck Moon due the rapid growth of antlers on young bucks in July, Ripe Corn Moon because of the appearance of young corn on the stalks, and Hay Moon since hay tended to ripen at this time of year.

Special Notes: Get ready for the ‘Dog Days of Summer’ that begin on Monday, July 3rd and continue into August.

Holidays: Independence Day is celebrated on Tuesday, July 4th! On this most famous day in U.S. history, in 1776, the Continental Congress passed a resolution saying, "these United Colonies are, and of right, ought to be, free and independent states". Some good advice if you are planning a picnic with the family or friends -- keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold with the proper containers. If planning to be outdoors for an extended period of time (boating, swimming, sports, etc.), remember to take along plenty of sunscreen with a rating of at least SPF 15 or higher. Apply frequently to yourself and children especially if swimming or perspiring. Enjoy the day!

The Garden: Ticks are expected to plentiful this summer due to the mild winter last year and wet spring this year. Deer are most likely to bring ticks into your space so consider planting species that they do not like to eat such as thorny barberry, bugleweed, forsythia, foxglove, or any needle-leaved conifer. 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. Continue to keep the garden adequately watered (that is, if July’s forecasted wet weather is not enough!). Expect plants to do well with all of the extra rain in July but as the summer continues, be sure to make up for what Mother Nature neglects to provide.