New moon: In Taurus, May 3
Full moon: In Sagittarius, May 17 (Full Flower Moon)
Visible constellations: Coma Berenices, the wife of Ptolemy III of Egypt, whose beautiful long hair was given to Aphrodite as a gift. Corvus, the Crow, sent by Apollo to fetch water.
Astrological sign: Taurus, April 20 to May 20; Gemini, May 21 to June 20
Astrological element: Air
Gem stone: Emerald
Flower: Lily of the valley
Born this month: Silent Spring author Rachel Carson (1907), John F. Kennedy, 35th president of the United States (1917), actor-director Clint Eastwood (1930).
Harvard history snippet:
“The Harvard Shakers believed that Mother Ann Lee was the second coming of Christ, and that with her, all men might be redeemed. This was in conflict with the Calvinistic doctrine of predestination, which “no doubt contributed to the early animosities between the Shakers and the traditionalist Congregationalists of Harvard.”
—from Directions of a Town, by Robert C. Anderson (1976)
Household tips:
- To remove bumper stickers from car chrome or windows, paint the stickers with vinegar and let it soak in; then scrape the stickers off.
- To soften hardened paint brushes, soak them in a solution of 1 pint warm water and 2 capfuls of hair conditioner. Rinse thoroughly and hang brushes to dry.
Going green:
- Skip the bottled water, get a reusable drink container.
- Turn off the water when brushing your teeth.
What to do in the garden:
- Make your own potting soil by combining five parts loam, two parts screened compost, and one part sand.
- Plant asparagus 8 inches deep in trenches, spacing them 1 foot apart. Harvest shoots the third spring..
Trivia tidbit: In May 1889 heavy rains collapsed a dam in Johnstown, Penn.; the resulting flood killed more than 2,000 people. In May 1922 a 20-ton meteor crashed to Earth near Blackstone, Va. In May 1942 wartime gasoline rationing began, with individuals permitted to buy only 3 gallons a week.
According to folklore: Frogs singing at dusk indicate fair weather to come.
Thought for the month:
“The world’s favorite season is the spring. All things seem possible in May.”
—Edward Way Teale, American naturalist and photographer (1899–1980)
Do you have an almanac tidbit you’d like to share? E-mail to editor@harvardpress.com.