New moon: in Sagittarius Nov. 27
Full moon: in Taurus Nov. 13
The stars: The constellations Andromeda and Cassiopeia are visible in the northern hemisphere.
Gem stone: Citrine
Flower: Chrysanthemum
Astrological sign: Scorpio, Oct. 23 to Nov. 21; Sagittarius Nov. 22 to December 21
Harvard history snippet:
Railroad service came to Harvard in the 1800s, with the expectation that it would facilitate the growth of the town. However, it served only to accelerate a phenomenon noted in a sermon given by Rev. George Fisher in 1832, whereby the railroad actually “aggravated economic stagnation…by contributing to a decline in population and industrial growth,” as it provided a means for young people to move away from Harvard.
—Based on a report by Robert C. Anderson in his book, Directions of a Town
What to do in the garden:
Cut dead asparagus stalks; cover the garden with mulch for the winter. (If you grow comfrey, spread comfrey leaves on the garden before covering with mulch—it’s a nitrogen-fixer.)
Household tip:
Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill it with hot water. Dump out the hot water, but don’t dry the cup. Add your sticky ingredient, such as peanut butter, and it will come right out.
Going green:
Take a close look at the labels of household cleaners. If they contain a warning saying they are toxic to humans or animals, find a natural replacement. A solution of equal parts white vinegar and water makes a good generic cleaner. To make a scrubbing cleaner, make a paste with the vinegar-water solution and baking soda. You may have to apply more elbow grease than with the toxic cleaners, but you and your family will be safer.
Thought for the month:
“The wind that makes music in November corn is in a hurry. The stalks hum, the loose husks whisk skyward in half-playing swirls, and the wind hurries on…. A tree tries to argue, bare limbs waving, but there is no detaining the wind.”
—Aldo Leopold, American ecologist (1887–1948)
Do you have an almanac tidbit you’d like to share? E-mail to editor@harvardpress.com.
