New moon: In Aries, April 3
Full moon: In Libra, April 17 (Full Pink Moon)
Visible constellations: Crater, the Cup (Goblet of Apollo); Hydra, the Sea Serpent
Astrological sign: Aries, March 21 to April 19; Taurus, April 20 to May 20
Astrological element: Earth
Gem stone: Emerald
Flower: Sweet pea or daisy
Born this month: William Shakespeare (1564); blues musician Muddy Waters (1915); ethologist Jane Goodall, famous for her study of chimpanzees (1934)
Harvard history snippet:
“Harvard in the mid-1730s was a small and uncomplicated community. The town, as it settled down to routine business at the beginning of 1734, took action on a number of trivial matters, projects that had to be undertaken before the town could function smoothly.” Those projects included establishing a burying ground, building a pound for stray animals, and building a set of stocks “for humans who might go astray.”
—from Directions of a Town, by Robert C. Anderson (1976)
Household tips:
- To remove wine stains from washable fabrics, sponge with hydrogen peroxide, then wash as usualProtect your computer keyboard from dust by covering it with a cloth when not in use.
- Keep a fresh cake from sticking to the serving plate by sprinkling the plate with granulated sugar before setting the cake down.
- To remove wine stains from washable fabrics, sponge with hydrogen peroxide, then wash as usual.
Going green:
- Instead of using plastic grass to line Easter baskets, use a skein of green yarn. You can use it later for knitting projects or to tie up gift packages.
- Teach your children about the importance of resource conservation—such as turning off lights when not in use and turning off the faucet when brushing teeth.
What to do in the garden:
- Scratch some limestone into the soil around lavender plants
- Plant seeds of perennials directly in the garden.
- To improve soil that is heavy with clay, add sand and compost.
Trivia tidbit: Pocohontas married John Rolfe (1614); the Titanic sank (1912); the wind on Mt. Washington gusted to 231 miles per hour, the highest wind speed ever clocked (1934); a devastating tsunami struck the Hawaiian islands, killing 170 people (1946).
According to folklore: If the ash leafs out before the oak, t’will be a wet season.
Thought for the month:
“Winter’s done, and April’s in the skies, Earth, look up with laughter in your eyes!”
—Charles G.D. Roberts, Canadian poet (1860–1943)
Do you have an almanac tidbit you’d like to share? E-mail to editor@harvardpress.com.