Facts about the month of June
Welcome to June in the Valley!
It’s one of my favourite months because I can spend more time in my lovely garden and it’s now in full bloom and looking amazing (well worth all the hard work).
Here’s a few facts about June for you – June is named after Juno, the goddess of youth. It’s the month with the longest daylight hours of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, and the shortest daylight hours of the year in the Southern Hemisphere.
Key dates in June
1st – Start of meteorological summer
4th – Full moon
18th – Father’s Day
18th – New moon
21st – Summer Solstice (midsummer)
Summer Solstice
Lia Leendertz shares some good old-fashioned ways of celebrating the summer solstice in her book The Almanac:
- Cut sprigs of herbs that dry well, such as oregano, thyme, mint, marjoram, rosemary and bay and hang them up in bunches somewhere airy to dry and use throughout the winter.
- Collect flowers to make into posies to give to friends or have around your home in jam jars. Include roses, lavender, oregano, cornflowers, herb Robert, honeysuckle, red campion, oxeye daisy and whatever you can find, tie with coloured ribbons.
- Make a spray bottle, add 1 teaspoon of vodka and 25-30 drops of summery essential oils (try lavender, Ylang Ylang and geranium). Shake it up and spritz it around.
- Hang prisms on your sunniest windows to capture the solstice sunlight and turn it into rainbows.
Friends and family – June birthdays
If you need to shop for a family member or friend’s birthday in June, here’s a few things that may help!
June birthstone is pearl symbolising purity, innocence, and humility.
The Diamond Store, believe that pearls are the ultimate gem of feminine power boasting a juicy history full of legend, romance and powerful women.
Pearls are the only gems found within living creatures, both salt and freshwater mollusks.
Most pearls on the market today are cultivated or cultured, since they now occur extremely rarely in nature so if you are looking for a different option you could choose Moonstone or Alexandrite .
(Birthstones originated in Poland around the 18th century. By the 19th century, the National Association of Jewellers had released a list of modern options. To this day jewellers continue to add more options to the modern birthstone chart).
For more information on birthstones, visit look at the Gem Society Birthstone Chart
The June birth flower is the Rose and the Honeysuckle.
The Zodiac
Sign: Gemini (21st May– 20th June)
Symbol: The Twins
Planet: Mercury
Element: Air
Colour: Yellow
Characteristics: Chameleon-like, emotionally intelligent, optimistic, clever, communicative.
Teachers’ gifts
As we approach the end of the school year, many parents and children will want to show their appreciation to their favourite teachers.
So, in preparation for this, we have already started stocking up on some beautiful cards and gifts including coasters, notebooks, keepsakes and more!
Please be aware that some schools have a policy regarding teachers accepting gifts from students. Most schools are fine with a small gift or card, but you may want to check first just in case.
Wedding gifts
We are well into the peak wedding season which is typically between May to October but as most weddings take place in the UK between June and August, we have stocked up on some beautiful and unusual wedding gifts, there are too many to mention here but if you are looking for a gift, pop in for some inspiration.
Food to eat in June
As the months roll on, you will see more seasonal fruit and veg appearing and they all look so yummy. I don’t know about you, but I always try to buy from my local suppliers where possible because I know they will be fresher and even more delicious.
This month’s seasonal fruit and veg
Eating food in season is highly recommended, it’s fresher, full of goodness and has less preservatives – so here’s a list of seasonal fruit and veg to savour.
Asparagus, Aubergine, Beetroot, Blackcurrants, Broad Beans, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cherries, Chicory, Chillies, Courgettes, Cucumber, Elderflowers, Gooseberries, Lettuce, Marrow, New Potatoes, Peas, Peppers, Radishes, Raspberries, Redcurrants, Rhubarb, Rocket, Runner Beans, Samphire, Sorrel, Spring Greens, Spring Onions, Strawberries, Summer Squash, Sweetheart Cabbage, Swiss Chard, Tayberries, Turnips, Watercress.
Salmon & Asparagus –one of my old summer favourites
Make the most of this beautiful vegetable while it’s in season – take care to just steam it gently and don’t overcook it, because it only takes a couple of minutes to cook.
The mixture of textures here adds interest to this dish, with the moist soft Salmon and the crusty topping of the parmesan layer which is still subtle enough not to overpower the fish..
Hope you enjoy June!
Auds
