The month of August 2016 is the last full month of summer. Even though the trend of public schools is to begin the school year in August and not the usual time after Labor Day. August also brings some of the hottest weather of the year and the most weed growth of the summer. The Anglo-Saxon name for August is “Weodmonath,” meaning weed month.

Yet there are plentiful fun days still left in summer offering alternatives to pulling the weeds in our gardens – a number of cultural festivals throughout the country are held in August. August is also national picnic month and romance awareness month.

Besides, the full “Sturgeon Moon” or full “Green Corn Moon,” aptly named by our Native American Tribes, promises to be a bright heavenly body on August 18th, casting its luminosity across the summer landscapes and bodies of water in North America. During the week prior to full moon, in the moon’s first quarter phase, there is the anticipation of the Perseid Meteor Shower on August 11 at 1:00 am.

Of interest, the Romans named what would become our eighth month of the year after the first Roman Emperor Augustus Caesar in 8 B.C.E. Likewise, August is the time for each of us to soak up the sun and treat ourselves like royalty and enjoy vacation days and summer jaunts to parks, favorite swimming and recreation sites before we get involved in our autumn agendas of tasks, projects and schedules.

Furthermore, there are no federal holidays in August. However our U.S. Houses of Congress have been on recess the entire month of August, including the last half of July. Albeit, our senators and congressmen and congresswomen are in their home states and districts of representation and hopefully allowing for some vacation time too.  

In addition, some notable days in August begin on August 3^rd which is appropriately designated as National Watermelon Day. It definitely is the time to munch on watermelon to quench our endless summer thirst. August also has a Friendship Day set for August 7, which is coincidently National Lighthouse Day and also my birthday. In our summertime travels we may notice some landmark lighthouses along our way. Included in our eighth month, Women’s Equality Day is celebrated on August 26th.

In these last warm weeks of summer, let’s continue to enjoy the outdoors and the indoor relief of air conditioning. There are promising days ahead to perhaps schedule a brief solo or guided half or full day retreat or a few days for deeper insight and soulful restoration. Do enjoy your August and delight in the mystery and joyous anticipation of the graces and unsought blessings found in each day and every month.