Oh Joy—It’s June!

By Joe Bullick

Well, here comes June.  It’s the start of summer and a great month.  Half the year is nearly over.  What do you have planned for the second half of the year?

I never gave much thought to the passing of time as a young boy.  All that mattered was that school was out.  The trees and flowers were in bloom and spring cleaning was over.  Our garden was in full swing too.  I didn’t like weeding it—that was part of my job. 

With no TV and computers, the outdoors was my heaven.  We went swimming at North Park pool.  The only problem was that we had to walk there or ride a bike.  With only one car in the family, we used our thumb quite often. 

I spent a lot of time in West View.  Mom would shop at the A&P store.  It was great because I always got an ice cream cone from Isaly’s. 

June has many special days.  On the second Sunday of the month, many churches celebrate Children’s Day.  If you are lucky enough to be in Hawaii on June 14, you can celebrate Kamehameha Day in honor of the king who ruled over the island. 

Let’s not forget our fathers on the third Sunday of June, especially those fathers who are in the service or have given their lives for our country.  May God bless them. 

It is interesting to note that June is the only month in the year in which no president was born.  However, many other noteworthy individuals celebrate their birthday during this month.  To name a few:  Helen Keller, The Duke of Windsor, Pearl Buck, Pat Boone and Judy Garland.

June is the month for high school graduation.  As I look back, high school was a great time for me.  I hope today’s graduates realize that “commencement” simply means a new beginning.

June offers the most hours of daylight of any month.  For farmers and gardeners, this is a great boon, allowing them time to concentrate on their fields.  An old proverb says, “Calm weather in June sets corn in tune.”

June has more weddings than any other month of the year.  So a word to the wise:  Keep your eyes wide open before marriage, half shut afterward. 

If you were born between May 21 and June 20, you are a Gemini.  The birthstone is pearl and the flower is a rose.  The rose has been called man’s favorite flower.  (See this month’s Trivia for more on roses.)

Enjoy June, the sun, the flowers and the long days.  Hug your dad, kids, and, Dads, hug your kids.  Give a rose to someone and don’t forget to fly your flag on June 14, Flag Day. 

To graduating seniors, don’t forget to thank a teacher who helped you along the way. 

I’ll leave you with this quote from Sydney Harris.  “‘Information’ and ‘communication’ are often used interchangeably, but they signify quite different things.  Information is giving out; communication is getting through.”

See you and have a great June.

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Joe welcomes any ideas, suggestions or interesting stories.
Email him at northcon@nauticom.net. Please put "Town Crier" in the subject line of your email.

To contact Joe to schedule an appointment to tour his museum at McKnight Elementary School, call the Northern Connection office at (724) 940-2444 or email northcon@nauticom.net. Please put "Museum Tour" in the subject line.

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