“What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.”
~ John Steinbeck (from “Travels with Charley: In Search of America”)

MONTHLY SIGNS & SYMBOLS

FULL MOON:

“Old Moon” & “Storm Moon”

FLOWER:

Carnation & Snowdrop

TREE:

Elm, Fir, Cypress, Birch

COLOR:

White, Sky Blue

BIRTHSTONE:

Garnet

ANIMAL TOTEMS:

Snow Goose, Otter & Stag, Cat

ASTROLOGICAL ZODIAC SIGNS:

CAPRICORN: (December 22 – January 19)
AQUARIUS: (January 20 – February 18)

PLANETS:

Saturn (Capricorn)
Uranus (Aquarius)

NATURE HOLIDAYS & OBSERVANCES

JANUARY 1: New Year’s Day
JANUARY 6: Apple Tree Day
JANUARY 10: Houseplant Appreciation Day
JANUARY 21: Squirrel Appreciation Day
JANUARY (last Saturday): National Seed Swap Day

THIS DAY in HISTORY

JANUARY 1, 1863: “THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION” IS ISSUED BY PRES. ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
JANUARY 1, 1892: ELLIS ISLAND IMMIGRATION STATION IN NEW YORK OPENS IT’S DOORS.
JANUARY 7, 1927: “THE HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS” PLAY THEIR 1st GAME IN HINCKLEY, ILLINOIS.
JANUARY 10, 1776: THOMAS PAINE’S “COMMON SENSE” IS FIRST PUBLISHED.
JANUARY 10, 1789: THE 1st U.S. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IS HELD. GEORGE WASHINGTON RUNS UNOPPOSED.
JANUARY 10, 1946: THE FIRST “GENERAL ASSEMBLY” OF THE “UNITED NATIONS” CONVENES IN LONDON.
JANUARY of 1932: 25,000 UNEMPLOYED PENNSYLVANIANS, CALLED THE “COX’S ARMY”, MARCH ON WASHINGTON, D.C.
JANUARY 15, 1967: THE 1ST “SUPER BOWL” GAME IS PLAYED.
JANUARY 19, 1920: “THE AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION” IS FORMED ON THIS DAY.
JANUARY 22, 1973: “VIETNAM PEACE AGREEMENT” IS SIGNED BY UNITED STATES, NORTH & SOUTH VIETNAM, & VIETCONG.
JANUARY 22, 1973: U.S. SUPREME COURT’S “ROE vs. WADE” RULING PROTECTS WOMENS’ RIGHT TO CHOOSE.
JANUARY 25, 1972: SHIRLEY CHISHOLM BECOMES THE 1st AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMAN “DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE” TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT OF UNITED STATES.
JANUARY 27, 1888: “THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY”, NON-PROFIT SCIENCE & NATURE INSTITUTION IS FORMED.
JANUARY 27, 1945: SOVIET ARMY TROOPS LIBERATE THE “AUSCHWITZ CONCENTRATION CAMP” IN POLAND.
JANUARY 28, 1986: “SPACE SHUTTLE CHALLENGER” EXPLODES, KILLING ALL 7 CREW MEMBERS.
JANUARY 30, 1933: HITLER’S “NAZI PARTY” FORMALLY BEGIN STATE-SANCTIONED PERSECUTION & HOLOCAUST OF AN EST. TOTAL OF 11-17 MILLION PERSONS.
JANUARY 30, 1948: MAHATMA GANDHI IS SHOT & KILLED AS HE IS TO ADDRESS A PRAYER MEETING.

FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS

*ISAAC ASIMOV (JANUARY 2, 1920 – APRIL 6, 1992)
—-SCIENCE FICTION WRITER
*J.R.R. TOLKIEN ( JANUARY 3, 1892 – SEPTEMBER 2, 1973 )
—-ACADEMIC, AUTHOR of “LORD of the RINGS”, “THE HOBBIT”
*VICTOR BORGE ( JANUARY 3, 1909 – DECEMBER 23, 2000 )
—-COMEDIAN, PIANIST, ENTERTAINER
*ELIZABETH COTTEN ( JANUARY 5, 1895 – JUNE 29, 1987 )
—-BLUES MUSICIAN/SONGWRITER
*EARL SCRUGGS ( JANUARY 6, 1924 – MARCH 28, 2012 )
—-BLUEGRASS MUSICIAN, BANJO PLAYER
*JACQUES ELLUL (JANUARY 6, 1912 – MAY 19, 1994)
—-FRENCH PHILOSOPHER, SOCIOLOGIST
*JOAN of ARC (JANUARY 6, 1412 – 30 May 1431)
—-SAINT, MARTYR, FRENCH MILITARY LEADER
*SOUPY SALES (JANUARY 8, 1926 – OCTOBER 22, 2009)
—-RADIO & TV ACTOR / COMEDIAN
*CARRIE CHAPMAN CATT ( JANUARY 9, 1859 – MARCH 9, 1947 )
—-WOMENS’ SUFFRAGE LEADER
*JIMMY PAGE ( BORN JANUARY 9, 1944 )
—-GUITARIST, SONGWRITER, PRODUCER
*ALICE STOKES PAUL ( JANUARY 11, 1885 – JULY 9, 1977 )
—-SUFFRAGIST, ACTIVIST
*JULIAN BOND (JANUARY 14, 1940 – AUGUST 15, 2015)
—-CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST, U.S. CONGRESSMAN
*MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. ( JANUARY 15, 1929 – APRIL 4, 1968 )
—-REVEREND DOCTOR, CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT LEADER, AUTHOR
*CAPTAIN BEEFHEART ( JANUARY 15, 1941 – DECEMBER 17, 2010 )
—-SINGER, SONGWRITER, ARTIST
*MUHAMMAD ALI ( BORN JANUARY 17, 1942 )
—-PRO BOXING CHAMPION, ACTIVIST, PHILANTHROPIST
*STEVE EARLE (born JANUARY 17, 1955)
—-COUNTRY / FOLK SINGER /SONGWRITER
*A.A. MILNE (JANUARY 18, 1882 – JANUARY 31, 1956)
—-CHILDREN’S BOOK AUTHOR (“WINNIE THE POOH”)
*PETER ROGET (JANUARY 18, 1779 – SEPTEMBER 12, 1869)
—-LEXICOGRAPHER, PHYSICIAN, NATURAL THEOLOGIAN, PUBLISHER of “ROGET’S THESAURUS”
*EDGAR ALLAN POE (JANUARY 19, 1809 – OCTOBER 7, 1849)
—-HORROR FICTION WRITER / POET
*JANIS JOPLIN ( JANUARY 19, 1943 – OCTOBER 4, 1970 )
—-ROCK SINGER, SONGWRITER
*HUDDIE “LEADBELLY” LEDBETTER ( JAN. 20, 1888 – DEC. 6, 1949 )
—-FOLK & BLUES SINGER/SONGWRITER
*ROGER BALDWIN ( JAUNAURY 21, 1884 – AUGUST 26, 1981 )
—-FOUNDER OF THE “A.C.L.U.”
*WOLFMAN JACK ( JANUARY 21, 1938 – JULY 1, 1995 )
—-DISC JOCKEY, ENTERTAINER
*JOHN DONNE ( JANUARY 22, 1572 – MARCH 31, 1631 )
—-ENGLISH POET, CLERIC, ATTORNEY
*WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART (JANUARY 27, 1756 – DECEMBER 5, 1791)
—-CLASSICAL COMPOSER
*LEWIS CARROLL (JANUARY 27, 1832 – JANUARY 14, 1898)
—-AUTHOR (”ALICE’S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND”)
*W.C. FIELDS (JANUARY 29, 1880 – DECEMBER 25, 1946)
—-VAUDEVILLE & FILM ACTOR / COMEDIAN
*FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT ( JANUARY 30, 1882 – APRIL 12, 1945 )
—-32nd PRES. of the U.S. (1933–1945 )
*ALAN LOMAX ( JANUARY 31, 1915 – JULY 19, 2002 )
—-FOLK MUSIC ARCHIVIST/HISTORIAN, PRODUCER
*JACKIE ROBINSON ( JANUARY 31, 1919 – OCTOBER 24, 1972 )
—-MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL LEGEND

FACTS & TRIVIA

JANUARY IS NAMED AFTER “JANUS”, THE ROMAN GOD OF THE TRANSITIONAL GATEWAY OF ENDINGS & NEW BEGINNINGS.
THIS MONTH IS “NATIONAL THANK YOU MONTH”!!!
JANUARY IS “NATIONAL MENTORING MONTH”.

HOME & GARDEN CHECKLIST

Add 3-4 inch layer of mulch, straw (or other permeable organic matter) to protect roots of delicate and vulnerable plants from winter damage..
Fertilize, rotate and mist INDOOR PLANTS. Begin to taper off fertilizing.
Good time to PRUNE flowering dogwood, golden chain trees.
Also time to PRUNE wisteria and grape vines.
Inspect and clear gutters, downspouts and drains.
Check basement walls and floors for leaks.
When possible, minimize heavy traffic on Winter weather stressed lawns.
Inspect yard for puddles, drainage issues, signs of water erosion.
FRUIT TREES can be planted this month.
Sow seeds (indoors) for early SPRING VEGETABLES & ANNUALS.
Wrap up planting and/or transplanting of ROSES, this month.