June! The Month of Roses and Weddings

June is rose month, the flower's shining hour. The many different varieties, cabbage, moss, yellowbrier, damask, rambler, everblooming and more, do their best to fill your senses and yard with aromatic fragrence and beauty.

The early Romans were known to be particular rose lovers. Their banquet couches were strewn with the delicate petals-hence the expression, "bed of roses". The Roman Code of Law prohibited anything said under a garland of roses at dinner or meeting from being repeated in court-thus, "sub rosa."

As you may know, June takes it's name from the Roman goddess Juno, patroness of marriage and the special guardian of women and childbirth. For this reason, June has always been looked upon as the best month in which to get married.
"Married in the month of roses-June
Life will be one long honeymoon." So says June fokelore.

Also, during the middle ages, June has traditionaly been called "The Marriage Month", because (this is funny, but true) people were clean from their annual May baths.

The rose is a flower of love. The world has acclaimed it for centuries. "Pink roses are for love hopeful and expectant. White roses are for love dead or forsaken, but the red roses, ah the red roses are for love triumphant.”

Full moon on the fifteenth is called “Strawberry Moon” by Native Americans and New England and the Great Lakes because at this time of year the strawberry ripened.

On June 1st there was a partial Solar Eclipse of the sun that was visible in eastern Asia, northern America and Iceland. Sorry we missed it, oh well next time.

On June 15th there will be a total Lunar eclipse of the moon. This will be visible in South America,Europe, Africa, Australia, and Asia. We still have time to book a flight and see it.

June is the month of long twilights. By the 21st, the first day of summer, when the sun has moved as far north of the equator as possible, the balmy evenings are a delightful invitation to dine out of doors. Too many of us overlook the potentialities of our yards and gardens, letting them serve only as settings for our homes instead of making them into backgrounds for living. A simple portable grill on the patio is all the foundation you need for cooking and entertaining in your own backyard, and it will give you an extra dimension in gracious living.

“It is the month of June,
The month of leaves and roses,
When pleasant sights salute the eyes,
And pleasant scents the noses.”

To keep a fragrant year-round reminder of this gentle month, why not make this old-fashioned rose petal potpourri:

Gather fragrant rose petals in the early morning, spread on paper and dry in a dark,cool place for a week. To each 4 cups of dried petals, add 1tsp. each of powdered orris root, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and the rinds of one lemon and orange, dried and crushed. Mix thoroughly. Store in a pretty jar, sprinkling coarse salt on each layer of spiced petals. Close tightly for 6 weeks. To release fragrance, open jar and stir. You could also put some of the potpourri in little hamdmade sachets to put in dresser drawers or closets giving your clothing a delightful scent.

June is a fantastic month: the official start of summer, schools get out, and it's a great time to be out in the ministry, weatherwise.

Believe it or not, June is also adopt a "Cat Month." More kittens are born in the spring and summer than at any other time. If you are looking to adopt a cat or kitten, now is a great time—and you don't even have to travel far from home. There are many animal shelters filled with cats and kittens just purring to find a good home and a lap to curl up on.Yes, June is here! Enjoy every moment of it. Drink in it's beauty, and meditate deeply on the one who made it all. Give praise and thanks to him for "All your works will laud you, O Jehovah, and all your loyal ones will bless you" Psalms 145:1-12

This is Raven-as the crow flies