Are you someone who wonders how the year arrived in June so soon? By the end of this month, the year will be half over. It is another of the short months with only 30 days, but there is much to remember and do. (Pop quiz-what other months have 30 days? Answer at the end of this post.)
Spring meets Summer
Many of us in the northern hemisphere made it through the cold dismal winter months only to contend with spring storms. Near where I live we have had devastating tornadoes. I’ve seen reports of massive flooding in other areas.
June promises warm, even hot, summer days to enjoy outdoor activities and vacations. The first day of summer occurs in June, called the summer solstice. South of the equator you experience the winter solstice.
It’s the longest day of the year, then the days progressively shorten until the first day of winter in December.
Summer break or graduate?
Most students are on summer break or graduated and moved into a new phase of life. Congratulations and thanks if you earned and received a diploma, degree, certificate, or any other learning achievement this year.
We can use whatever knowledge and talent you bring to the table. Help us make the world a better place.
Raymond and I enjoyed celebrating our granddaughter’s high school graduation with her parents, brother, and several thousand other people.
Father’s Day
Here in the United States, we observe Father’s Day on the third Sunday. of June. It’s not quite as big a deal as Mother’s Day was in May, but is catching on. I understand that other countries have similar observances for fathers.
I wrote a post featuring a well-known Bible story about a father and two sons. It’s popularly known as the story of the “prodigal son” which became the name of a short-lived television series a few years ago.
June 6-D Day
Earlier in June, we observe a more solemn event. On June 6 every year, we pause to remember that day in 1944, simply known as “D-Day.” This year marks the 80th anniversary of that fateful day. I saw a news video of WWII veterans who traveled to France to observe the occasion. One of them is 107 years old!
D-Day. The Invasion of Normandy. Operation Overlord. It goes by various names, but we’ve all heard about it through history class, older family members, the news, or shows like “Band of Brothers.”
On June 6, 1944, more than 160,000 Allied forces landed in Nazi-occupied France as part of the biggest air, land, and sea invasion ever executed. It ended with heavy casualties — more than 9,000 Allied soldiers were killed or wounded in those first 24 hours — but D-Day is considered the successful beginning of the end of Hitler’s tyrannical regime.
(This information is from the U.S. Department of Defense, defense.gov/NEWS)
5 Things You May Not Know About D-Day
Remembering a D-Day Veteran
I was privileged to know one of those soldiers and wrote about his personal experience in the invasion, and how it changed his life. Please read about my late friend, soldier, and artist, Bill Hart in this post.
A son reflects as a nation remembers D-Day, June 6
In 1943, Bill deployed to England, and prepared for the invasion of France. What he thought would be a grand adventure turned into a nightmare which he vividly captured in his book.
Keep readingJuneteenth, June 19
Another important liberation day is Juneteenth, observed on June 19 annually since being designated a national holiday in 2021.
The word “Juneteenth” is a Black English contraction, or portmanteau, of the month “June” and the date “Nineteenth.” Juneteenth celebrates the date of June 19, 1865, when enslaved people of African descent located in Galveston, Texas, finally learned of their freedom from the slavery system in the United States.
National Park Service
President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, thus granting freedom to enslaved persons. However, slaveholders in Texas, a Confederate state, made no attempt to free enslaved African Americans. President Lincoln’s proclamation was unenforceable without military intervention, which eventually came 2 years later.
Photos by Dr. Aletha -I captured these images when I visited Washington DC. President Lincoln’s and Dr. King’s statues are even more impressive in person.
exploring the HEART of health
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Now the pop quiz answer-
Months with 30 days are April, June, September, and November. Congrats if you knew all.
Notice two are in the first half and two in the year’s second half.
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Dr. Aletha
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Hi, Aletha – These are very important days to observe and I’m happy you wrote here to remind us of when they are this year. D-Day and Juneteenth make me cry to remember them. Thank you – Angie, http://www.yourtrueselfblog.com
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Would you believe I use my knuckles to determine which months of the year have 28, 30, or 31 days? If you start with the knuckle of your forefinger, all the knuckles are the months with 31 days. The spaces between are the shorter months. When you get to your pinkie finger, you tap it twice and go back to your forefinger! My second grade teacher taught us that, and I have used it ever since!
June is the date of my father’s birth and my wedding anniversary. We will celebrate 48 years this year. We won’t have any graduations for a couple more years, but I don’t think any will be as large as your granddaughter’s! Congratulations to her!
Thank you for all the interesting information…especially the post about your father.
Have a wonderful week, Aletha!
https://marshainthemiddle.com/
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Happy anniversary Marsha, and many more. I recently heard about the hand method you describe, although don’t remember from whom. Yes, she graduated from a large high school, over 1000 in the senior class alone. Thanks for visiting and comment, I appreciate it so much.
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