On This Day: May 19th … Strange Holidays
World Plant A Vegetable Garden Day
Boy’s Club Day
May Ray Day
National Devil’s Food Cake Day
Maybe it’s just me and I love chocolate as much as the next person, but to have the word food between Devil’s and Cake just seems wrong. Cake is a sweet. Cake is a calorie adder. Food is things like steak, roast beef, spaghetti, and so forth. Okay, my rant is done and I’m off to do two of these.
May Ray Day
According to meteorologists, the month of May is the last month of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. It is when the temperatures start raising and the anticipation of summer is evident all around us; in stores with summer clothing and agricultural produce, in nature with summer flowers and plants getting ready to bloom, and in our schools where students are getting ready for the upcoming summer vacations. This makes it the best time of the year to get some sunshine and enjoy the Sun before it gets too hot.
In the Southern Hemisphere, May is the last month of fall (autumn). If you live below the Equator, then celebrate May Ray Day by spending some time under the Sun before the temperatures fall.
A little tidbit for you: The month of May is named after Maia, the Greek goddess.
In Greek mythology, she is the eldest of the 7 Pleiades and the mother of Hermes.
World Plant A Vegetable Garden Day
“Give a man some vegetables, and you feed him for a day.
Teach a man how to grow a vegetable garden,
and you feed his whole family for life!"
We live in a hungry world. Famine affects millions upon millions of people. If everyone had even a small garden, there would be far fewer people suffering from starvation. For the average person, having a vegetable garden, helps to ease the family food budget, too. In addition, people who grow some or all of their own vegetables often do so organically, or at least with less of those harmful chemical insecticides, herbicides, and fertilizers. This means healthier food. This alone is a great reason to start a vegetable garden.
Thinking/looking for ideas on where to plant your first garden? Millions upon millions of people are already gardening in some amazing places. Backyard gardens are what normally comes to mind. Urban community gardens also flourish. In urban environments, vacant lots are often used (seek permission from the owner first).
People grow gardens in containers and pots on balconies, decks, and patios.
Apartment rooftops can be a great place for your new garden. For those who are space constrained, vertical gardens can be the solution.
Participation is fun and easy. Join the hobby of gardening. Simply start a vegetable (or flower or herb) garden. If you are already a gardener, encourage and help someone to start their very first garden. Start small, making it easy to handle and less like a chore. Chances are, you will make your garden larger in future years, as you grow your gardening expertise.
"Old Gardeners never die.
They just spade away then throw in the trowel"—H.V. Prochnow, Sr.
More Strange Holidays Coming!