New moon: In Cancer, July 11
Full moon: In Capricorn, July 25 (Full Buck Moon, Full Thunder Moon)
Visible constellations: Hercules, the fifth largest constellation in the sky, can be seen in the northern hemisphere, although it can be difficult to locate because of its dim stars. Also visible is the Corona Borealis, or Northern Crown, named for the crown that Ariadne, the daughter of King Minos of Crete, wore at her wedding.
Astrological sign: Cancer, June 21 to July 22; Leo, July 23 to Aug. 22
Astrological element: Water
Gem stone: Ruby
Flower: Larkspur
Born this month: Calvin Coolidge, 30th president of the United States; comedian Phyllis Diller; John Newton, captain of an 18th-century slave ship and composer of “Amazing Grace.”
Harvard history snippet:
“While the population of Harvard tripled in the years between 1940 and 1976, “its business community struggled and, in some cases, passed away. ...the trend toward shopping out of town at large regional shopping centers with modern supermarkets sounded the death-knell for general stores in small towns across the country, and by the mid-1960s Harvard’s had closed its doors. Other small shops came and went, including a meat market and a farm stand that was the only in-town source of groceries and fresh produce.”
—from Directions of a Town, by Robert C. Anderson (1976)
Household tips:
- Remove sticky substances from carpeting by rubbing with vegetable oil, then blotting it up with absorbent paper or cloth. When stickiness is gone, scrub area with mild soap and water.
- To repel houseflies, spray window screens with a mixture of 2 tablespoons oil of lavender and 1 cup rubbing alcohol.
- To soothe a mild sunburn, apply witch hazel or cool peppermint tea.
Going green:
- Before making your next purchase of a nonfood item, consider acquiring it as a recycled item from places like the Salvation Army or Freecycle.com.
- If you don’t already do it, log the mileage on your car at each fill-up and calculate your miles per gallon since the last fill-up. Track the numbers on a spreadsheet, and use to help determine things you can do to improve your mileage. (Such as regular maintenance, keeping tires properly inflated, etc.)
- Get together with neighbors and challenge them to a neighborhood energy-reduction goal.
What to do in the garden:
- Pick off Japanese beetles from plants in the garden and deposit them in a jar or bucket filled with warm water and a little liquid dish detergent.
- Mulch vegetables with straw or grass clippings (as long as they’re not from a chemically treated lawn).
- Start planning ahead for end-of-season garden projects, such as building a cold frame. Draw up the plans and source the materials.
- Treat plants with organic sprays to discourage nibbling by bugs.
Trivia tidbit: Amelia Earhart disappered over the Pacific Ocean on July 2, 1937.
Thought for the month:
“Do what we can, summer will have its flies.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson, American philosopher, essayist, and poet (1803–1882)
Do you have an almanac tidbit you’d like to share? E-mail to editor@harvardpress.com.