New moon: In Leo, Aug. 9
Full moon: In Aquarius, Aug. 24 (Sturgeon Moon)
Visible constellations: Lyra, Sagittarius
Astrological sign: Leo, July 23 to Aug. 22; Virgo, Aug. 23 to Sept. 22
Astrological element: Fire
Gem stone: Peridot
Flower: Gladiolus
Born this month: Comedian Steve Martin, cartoonist Gary Larson (“The Far Side”), Herbert Hoover, 31st president of the United States
Harvard history snippet:
“When the town was incorporated in the 18th century, there were only two public buildings—“the meetinghouse, which doubled as a place of worship and town hall, and the inn, which catered to gatherings of a more informal nature. There was no school or post office. There were no stores; merchandise from Boston and other trading centers was brought into town by any person who happened to be making a trip between city and country.”
—from Directions of a Town, by Robert C. Anderson (1976)
Household tips:
- Before using a grater, coat it with nonstick cooking spray to keep foods from sticking.
- To remove hard lumps from a bag of sugar, put it in the refrigerator for a day.
- Relieve the pain of an insect sting by applying lemon juice or a slice of raw onion
Going green:
- Borrow books and movies from libraries instead of buying your own.
- Share power tools and other appliances with friends and cut down on the number of those things cluttering your home.
- Wear clothes that don’t have to be dry-cleaned.
What to do in the garden:
- Keep plants watered.
- Harvest fruits and vegetables and enjoy! Also … preserve some to savor during the winter.
- Sow plantings of cool-weather crops such as spinach and lettuce to harvest in the fall.
- Plant a cover crop on beds that have been harvested, if you’re not planning a second planting..
Trivia tidbit: In 1955, the minimum wage was raised from 75 cents to $1.
According to folklore: A double husk on corn indicates a severe winter.
Thought for the month:
“August creates as she slumbers, replete and satisfied.”
—Joseph Wood Krutch, American writer (1893–1970)
Do you have an almanac tidbit you’d like to share? E-mail to editor@harvardpress.com.
