May 11, 12, and 13 are the feast days of Saints Mamertus, Pancras, and Gervais. These three are known as the Three Chilly Saints not because they were cold during their lifetimes, but because these days are traditionally the coldest of the month. English and French folklore (and later American) held that these days would bring a late frost. In Germany, they were called the Icemanner, or Icemen Days, and people believed it was never safe to plant until the Icemen were gone. Another bit of folklore claimed, “Who shears his sheep before St. Gervatius’s Day loves more his wool than his sheep.”
Question of the Day
How can I kill poison ivy and poison oak? I have not had much success digging it up.
The only successful method of eradication is the use of chemicals. Even those who are environmentally conscious usually resort to them. Pulling the plants doesn’t stop the broken-off rootlets from forming again the next year, and some of the worst cases of poison ivy and oak dermatitis come from “grubbing out” the plants and roots. It is also unsafe to burn poison ivy and oak. The tiny urushiol (the oil that causes blistering in humans) molecules are carried in smoke and can be deposited on clothing and skin, in eyes and ears, and even on food. They also can be inhaled, causing a reaction in the lungs. So stick with the chemicals. You can find several commercial products at farm and garden stores.
Advice of the Day
For long-lasting blooms, pick flowers in the late afternoon, when the leaves and stems contain the most sugar.
Home Hint of the Day
To remove white marks from wooden furniture, rub on a little toothpaste (not the gel type) with your finger.
Word of the Day
Clodhopper
A rude, rustic fellow.
Puzzle of the Day
What did the computer do at lunchtime?
Had a byte!
Born
Chang and Eng Bunker(original Siamese” twins”)–
Irving Berlin(composer)–
Margaret Rutherford(actress)–
Martha Graham(dancer)–
Salvador Dali(artist)–
Richard Feynman(physicist)–
Sheila Burnford(author of The Incredible Journey)–
Bernard Fox(actor)–
Doug McClure(actor)–
Boyd Gaines(actor)–
Natasha Richardson(actress)–
Jonathan Jackson(actor)–
Cory Monteith(actor)–
Matt Leinart(football player)–
Died
Sir John Herschel(astronomer)–
Lex Barker(actor)–
Lester Flatt(musician)–
Bob Marley(Reggae musician, founding member of The Wailers)–
Douglas Adams(science fiction author)–
Joseph Bonanno(gangster)–
Doris Eaton Travis(last of the Ziegfeld Follies chorus girls)–
Norman Lloyd(actor; died at 106 years old)–
Events
First known dated printed book, Wang Jie’s copy of the Diamond Sutra published–
Prime Minister Spencer Perceval assassinated by John Bellingham in the lobby of the British House of Commons–
A new dance called The Waltz arrived in English ballrooms–
President James Monroe rode on The Savannah to inspect the harbor defenses of Savannah, Georgia, making him the first U.S. president to ride on a steamboat–
Minnesota admitted as the 32nd state–
Pullman strike ended in defeat for organized labor–
Glacier National Park in Montana established–
A 20-ton meteor fell to the ground near Blackstone, Virginia–
Siam changed its name to Thailand–
Linda McCartney became the first woman photographer to shoot a Rolling Stone cover–
The first heart-lung transplant took place in Baltimore, Maryland–
After taking off from Miami, FL, a fire started by improperly-handled oxygen canisters in the cargo hold of Atlanta-bound ValuJet Flight 592, and caused the Douglas DC-9 to crash in the Florida Everglades killing all 110 on board–
Weather
A tornado hit Newark, New Jersey–
A strong 2-day dust storm removed massive amounts of topsoil from the Great Plains in one of the worst dust storms of the Dust Bowl–
Dust storms darkened skies from Oklahoma to the Atlantic Ocean
–
The Waco Tornado (registering at F5) hit downtown Waco, Texas–
Spring snowstorm hit western part of South Dakota. In some areas the snow was accompanied by thunder, lightning, sleet, and hail–
