Hello, April

 About April

 

Holidays

April Fools' Day

Autism Awareness Day

Easter

Earth Day

Arbor Day

 National Poetry Month

National Arab American Heritage Month

Teacher Appreciation Week

Jazz Appreciation Month

Alcohol Awareness Month

Cancer Control Month

 

Symbols of April

Birthstone: Diamond

Flower: Daisy and the sweet pea

History: In the initial Roman calendar April was the second month of the year until January and February were added in 700 BC. It is thought that the name April comes from the Latin word "to open" and describes the trees opening at springtime. It could also be that the name comes from the Greek goddess Aphrodite.

 

Fun Facts about April

 

It is the second month of spring.

It is a time of planting and spring cleaning.

In the Southern Hemisphere, April is the same as October in the Northern Hemisphere.

The diamond of April symbolizes innocence.

The Boston Marathon is held during April.

In Ancient Rome the month of April was sacred to the goddess Venus.

The Japanese fiscal year for most businesses starts on April 1st.

In England there are many cuckoo festivals.

The arrival of the cuckoo bird in April is a signal that spring has arrived.

April is the month when the professional baseball season begins in the United States.

The month of April gets its name from the Latin word aperio, meaning “to open [bud],” because plants really begin to grow now.

 

April Calendar

April 1 is All Fools’ Day—otherwise known as “April Fools’ Day.” Where did this silly day come from?

April 2 marks the start of Ramadan (beginning at sundown). Learn more about Ramadan.

April 10 is Palm Sunday, the Sunday before Easter and the last Sunday of Lent.

April 15 is Good Friday. Learn more about Good Friday.

April 15 is the start of Passover, which begins at sundown on this day. 

April 17 is Easter Sunday. (April 24 is Orthodox Easter.)  Did you know that Easter’s date is related to the full Moon?

April 22 is Earth Day. To celebrate, see some Earth Day ideas and activities.

April 24 is the birthday of Robert B. Thomas, the founder of The Old Farmer’s Almanac!

April 29 is National Arbor Day. Find out who started Arbor Day and how we observe this day honoring trees.

 

“Just for Fun” Days

Apr. 1: Sweet Potato Day

Apr. 6: International Pillow Fight Day

Apr. 7: National No Housework Day

Apr. 17: Blah, Blah, Blah Day

Apr. 21: Go Fly a Kite Day

Apr. 26: National Richter Scale Day

Apr. 27: National Sense of Smell Day

 

April Astronomy

The Pink Moon

April’s full Pink Moon will rise on Saturday, April 16, reaching peak illumination at 2:57 P.M. Eastern Time. This full Moon is also the Paschal Full Moon this year. Learn more about April’s full Moon here!

 

Odds and Ends

 1.  Three cheers for the Ukrainian people.  Talk about gumption.  From their president on down they have shown uncommon courage and loyalty.  We should be doing all we can to help them in their fight against Putin-the biggest thug in Europe-maybe the world.  

2.  For the umpteenth time and once and for all the higher gas prices are not Biden's fault.  Has it occurred to anyone that it might be a case of good, old price gouging but greedy oil companies?  First republicans complain because we don't leave the private sector alone and then they complain when we do exactly that.  Come on, guys.  Make up your minds.

3.  Have you heard some of the questions being asked by republicans during the supreme court nominee hearings?  Ketanji Brown Jackson has handled people like Ted Cruz and Lindsay Graham with class and diplomacy.  The aforementioned senators are a pair of ignorant morons who continue to embarrass themselves but Jackson deflected their stupid questions skillfully and politely.  

 4.  Are you watching the Oscars Sunday night?  Me neither.  I haven't seen a single one of the movies and I never heard of most of the actors. 

5.  And now for something I ran across a little while ago.  Check it out.  It pretty much says it all.  

 

Setting the Record Straight

 I am sick and tired of listening to ignorant, redneck Trump supporters blaming Biden for Russia's invasion of Ukraine.  Their reasoning is that Biden is weak.  That of course is pure bull.  Just take a look at the image I've posted below.  It says it all.  

When Biden was elected, someone observed that it was going to take him a very long time to undo the damage Trump caused.  Here's another example of how true that is.  

It's Time to Put Things in Perspective

 Stop what you're doing.  Do you hear that?  Listen carefully.  It's a high-pitched, constant annoying sound coming from somewhere.  Wait, I think I've got it.  It's coming from-everywhere.  It's being made by millions of Americans.  It's called WHINING.  You know, that sound your kids used to make (or are still making) when they weren't getting what they wanted. 

So what are they whinging about?  High prices.  High prices of food, heating oil, natural gas, gasoline, you name it.  Just high prices.  

Listen, I get it.  Higher prices for families just getting by can be crushers and when situations like this occur people want to blame someone.  Naturally the first person they point to is the president-whoever it may be at any given time.  Only this time it would be wrong to do that.  

The reasons we're in the fix we are are complicated and varied.  From supply chain delays due to the pandemic to the Russian attack on Ukraine, the natural order of things has been thrown out of balance. 

Certainly there are things government can do to alleviate some of the pain for those suffering the most but for many of us it's just a matter of biting the bullet and waiting for the time when things return to a state closer to normal. And it will.  It always does.  

Take for example the gas prices.  In many ways it's simply a matter of supply and demand.  The higher the prices go the more people conserve which in turn cuts demand thereby lowering the prices. It never fails. 

So let's all be thankful that our country is not being bombed into the dark ages. Things could be a lot worse.