“THE SUN WAS WARM BUT THE WIND WAS CHILL. YOU KNOW HOW IT IS WITH AN APRIL DAY.”
-ROBERT FROST

MONTHLY SIGNS & SYMBOLS

FULL MOON:

“GRASS MOON” & “HARE MOON”

FLOWER:

DAISY & SWEET PEA

TREE:

MAPLE, WALNUT, ROWAN

COLOR:

RED, PINK

BIRTHSTONE:

DIAMOND & QUARTZ

ANIMAL TOTEMS:

FALCON, BEAVER & FOX, BULL

ASTROLOGICAL ZODIAC SIGNS:

ARIES: (MARCH 21 – APRIL 19) -PLANET: MARS
TAURUS: (APRIL 20 – MAY 20) -PLANET: VENUS

PLANETS:

Mars (Aries)
Venus (Taurus)

NATURE HOLIDAYS & OBSERVANCES

APRIL: National Lawn & Garden Month
APRIL 5: National Dandelion Day
APRIL 5-12: International Dark Sky Week
APRIL 6: California Poppy Day
APRIL 13: International Plant Appreciation Day
APRIL 16: National Orchid Day
APRIL 17-25: National Park Week
APRIL 17: World Aquatic Animal Day
APRIL 17: Bat Appreciation Day
APRIL 19: National Garlic Day
APRIL 22: Earth Day
APRIL 23: National Picnic Day
APRIL 23: National Zucchini Bread Day
APRIL 29: National Peace Rose Day
APRIL 29: Arbor Day (last Friday in April)

THIS DAY in HISTORY

APRIL1, 1960: U.S. LAUNCHES IT’S FIRST WEATHER SATELLITE.
APRIL 1, 2016 – FEBRUARY 2017): STANDING ROCK SOUIX TRIBE 1st ESTABLISH “SACRED STONE” PROTEST CAMP, BLOCKING CONSTRUCTION OF DAKOTA ACCESS PIPELINE, BEGINNING MONTHS LONG STAND-OFF.
APRIL 3, 1860: THE 1st “PONY EXPRESS” BEGINS ITS ROUTE FROM MISSOURI TO CALIFORNIA.
APRIL 4, 1967: MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DELIVERS HIS “BEYOND VIETNAM” SPEECH AT THE NYC “RIVERSIDE CHURCH”.
APRIL 4, 1968: MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. IS SHOT & KILLED ON
THE BALCONY OF THE “LORRAINE MOTEL” IN MEMPHIS.
APRIL 5, 1933: “CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS.” IS FORMED.
APRIL 1971: “NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO” 1st AIRS, COVERING THE U.S. SENATE HEARINGS ON THE “VIETNAM WAR”.
APRIL 6, 1917: UNITED STATES DECLARES WAR ON GERMANY.
APRIL 11, 1947: JACKIE ROBINSON BECOMES 1ST AFRICAN-AMERICAN TO PLAY IN “MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL”.
APRIL 12, 1861 – MAY 9, 1865: “AMERICAN CIVIL WAR” BEGINS WITH THE BOMBING OF FORT SUMTER.
APRIL 13, 1919: WHITE TERROR ATTACKS ON BLACK COMMUNITIES, CLASHES RAPIDLY SPREAD ACROSS THE U.S., BEGINNING ON JANUARY 22, 1919 & REACHING IT’S PEAK, KNOWN AS “RED SUMMER”, BEGINNING THIS DAY THROUGH NOVEMBER 13, 1919.
APRIL 14, 1865: PRES. ABRAHAM LINCOLN IS SHOT BY JOHN WILKES BOOTH, AT “FORD’S THEATER”.
APRIL 15, 1912: “THE TITANIC” SINKS AFTER COLLIDING WITH AN ICEBERG, RESULTING IN 1,502 DEAD.
APRIL 19, 1775 – SEPT. 3, 1783: “AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR” BEGINS WITH “ BATTLES OF LEXINGTON & CONCORD”.
APRIL 20, 1914: 25 PEOPLE ARE KILLED IN “LUDLOW MASSACRE”
APRIL 20, 2010 – JULY 15, 2010: “BP DEEPWATER HORIZON OIL SPILL” DUMPS 210 MILLION GALLONS OF OIL INTO THE GULF OF MEXICO.
APRIL 22, 1970: THE FIRST “EARTH DAY” TO BE CELEBRATED INTERNATIONALLY OCCURS ON THIS DAY.
APRIL 24, 1800: “THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS” IS ESTABLISHED.
APRIL 25 – AUGUST 12, 1898: “THE SPANISH AMERICAN WAR” BEGINS ON THIS DAY.
APRIL 26, 1986: NUCLEAR DISASTER AT THE CHERNOBYL PLANT IN THE SOVIET UNION OCCURS ON THIS DAY.
APRIL 30, 1789: GEORGE WASHINGTON BECOMES THE FIRST PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.

FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS

*MARVIN GAYE (APRIL 2, 1939 – APRIL 1, 1984)
—-R&B / SOUL SINGER, SONGWRITER, PRODUCER
*EMMYLOU HARRIS ( BORN APRIL 2, 1947 )
—-COUNTRY SINGER / SONGWRITER
*CHRIS “J.P. PATCHES” WEDES ( APRIL 3, 1928 – JULY 22, 2012 )
—-CHILDREN’S SHOW HOST
*WASHINGTON IRVING (APRIL 3, 1783 – NOVEMBER 28, 1859)
—-AUTHOR, HISTORIAN (“RIP VAN WINKLE” & “LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW”)
*MARLON BRANDO (APRIL 3, 1924 – JULY 1, 2004)
—-FILM ACTOR, DIRECTOR
*MAYA ANGELOU ( BORN APRIL 4, 1928 )
—-AUTHOR, POET
*MUDDY WATERS (APRIL 4, 1913 – APRIL 30, 1983)
—-BLUES GUITARTIST / SINGER / SONGWRITER
*BOOKER T. WASHINGTON ( APRIL 5, 1856 – NOVEMBER 14, 1915 )
—-CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER, AUTHOR
*GREGORY PECK (APRIL 5, 1916 – JUNE 12, 2003)
—-FILM / RADIO ACTOR ( “TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD”, “MOBY DICK”)
*ROSE SCHNEIDERMAN ( APRIL 6, 1882 – AUGUST 11, 1972 )
—-LABOR LEADER, FEMINIST ACTIVIST
*BILLIE HOLIDAY (APRIL 7, 1915 – JULY 17, 1959)
—-JAZZ SINGER
*JOSEPH PULITZER (APRIL 10, 1847 – OCTOBER 29, 1911)
—-PUBLISHER, JOURNALIST, (NAMESAKE OF “PULITZER PRIZE”)
*FRANCES PERKINS ( APRIL 10, 1880 – MAY 14, 1965 )
—-U.S. SECRETARY OF LABOR ( 1933 -1945 )
*DOLORES HUERTA (BORN APRIL 10, 1930)
—-LABOR LEADER, CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST
*THOMAS JEFFERSON ( APRIL 13, 1743 – JULY 4, 1826 )
—-3rd PRESIDENT OF U.S.
*ANNE SULLIVAN ( APRIL 14, 1866 – OCTOBER 20, 1936 )
—-EDUCATOR / COMPANION OF HELEN KELLER
*LEONARDO DA VINCI (APRIL 15, 1452 – MAY 2, 1519)
—-ARTIST, INVENTOR, SCULPTOR
*CHARLIE CHAPLIN ( APRIL 16, 1889 – DECEMBER 25, 1977 )
—-ACTOR, COMEDIAN, DIRECTOR
*GEORGE TAKEI (BORN AAPRIL 20, 1937)
—-TV / FILM ACTOR (“HIKARU SULU” OF “STAR TREK), AUTHOR, ACTIVIST
*JACK NICHOLSON (born APRIL 22, 1937)
—-FILM ACTOR ( “THE SHINING”, “EASY RIDER”)
*WILLIAM CASTLE ( APRIL 24, 1914 – MAY 31, 1977 )
—-FILM DIRECTOR, PRODUCER
*ELLA FITZGERALD (APRIL 25, 1917 – JUNE 15, 1996)
—-JAZZ VOCALIST
*EDWARD R. MURROW ( APRIL 25, 1908 – APRIL 27, 1965 )
—-BROADCAST JOURNALIST
*MEADOWLARK LEMON (APRIL 25, 1932 – DECEMBER 27, 2015)
—-BASKETBALL PLAYER with “THE HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS”
*WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (APRIL 26, 1564 – APRIL 23, 1616)
—-ENGLISH PLAYWRIGHT, POET
*CAROL BURNETT ( BORN APRIL 26, 1933 )
—-COMEDIAN, SINGER, WRITER
*MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT ( APRIL 27, 1759 – SEPTEMBER 10, 1797 )
—-WRITER, PHILOSOPHER, WOMENS RIGHTS ACTIVIST
*CORETTA SCOTT KING (APRIL 27, 1927 – JANUARY 30, 2006)
—-CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER, AUTHOR, WIFE OF MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
*JACK KLUGMAN (APRIL 27, 1922 – DECEMBER 24, 2012)
—-STAGE / FILM / TV ACTOR
*DUKE ELLINGTON ( APRIL 29, 1899 – MAY 24, 1974 )
—-COMPOSER, BAND LEADER, PIANIST
*CHARLEY PATTON ( APRIL 1891 – APRIL 28, 1934 )
—-BLUES SINGER / GUITARIST / SONGWRITER (“FATHER OF DELTA BLUES”)
*WILLIE NELSON ( BORN APRIL 30, 1933 )
—-SINGER / SONGWRITER, ACTIVIST

FACTS & TRIVIA for APRIL

APRIL IS “NATIONAL POETRY MONTH”.
APRIL IS NAMED for the LATIN WORD “APERIRE”, MEANING “TO OPEN”.
APRIL 23rd is “TAKE YOUR DAUGHTER / SON to WORK DAY”

HOME & GARDEN

Keep GRASS mowed to 2” – 3” (recommended). Mow twice monthly or as needed.
Prune EVERGREEN SHRUBS & CONIFERS. PRUNE Forsythia once it’s done flowering.
Add 3” – 4“ layer of MULCH to garden beds, trees & shrubs (mid-March – early April).
Locate & remove any MORNING GLORY before they get started.
Wash WINDOWS. *(PRO TIP: use ordinary liquid dish soap & water, squeegee, & remove residual gunk, smudges, etc. on GLASS windows with “Super Fine: Grade 0000 Steel Wool.)
Swap out storm windows for SCREENS.
Good time to PRUNE Sarcococca, Hebe, Heather, Boxwood (March – April).
In the VEGETABLE garden, PLANT: lettuce, spinach and other greens, root vegetables, onions, chives. SOW (late April): basil, watermelon, cantaloupe, cucumber, pumpkin, squash.
Finish planning your larger OUTDOOR PROJECTS, to begin starting next month, in order to make the most of the coming drier, warmer weather and longer daylight hours.
PLANT Summer blooming BULBS (lilies, dahlias, gladiolas, begonias, etc.) this month.