TUESDAY, APRIL 2, 2024 APRIL - Part i

 TUESDAY, APRIL 2ND

IT IS APRIL

Here are some facts about April: (taken from: https://www.thefactsite.com/april-facts/) 

• NAME

• April is named after the Greek goddess of love, Aphrodite, and the Latin word aperire, which means "to open". This could refer to the flowers and trees that bloom in the spring.

• 
  Springtime

• April is the second month of spring, and the first full month after spring begins on March 20. The arrival of the cuckoo bird in April is a sign that spring has arrived. The days become longer, and temperatures rise, signifying winter's end.

• 
  Birthstone

• April's birthstone is the diamond, which symbolizes strength, courage, and everlasting love. White sapphire is also associated with April.

• 
  Zodiac signs

• April has two zodiac signs: Aries and Taurus. Aries are known for being competitive, energetic, and fearless, while Taurus is known for being stubborn, reliable, responsible, and practical.

• 
  Holidays

• April includes the Boston Marathon, National Find a Rainbow Day on April 3, and National Handmade Day on April 6.

MORE ABOUT APRIL

We know it is the fourth month of the year, but that’s only by the Gregorian calendar that we adhere to now. It was previously the fifth month in the earlier Julian calendar.

April also only had 29 days, but a 30th day was added when Julius Caesar established the Julian calendar.

In the Southern Hemisphere, April is the seasonal equivalent of October.

The etymology behind the word “April” comes from the verb “aperire,” which means “to open.” It’s commonly believed that the word refers to the season of trees and flowers begin to “open” or bloom.

April is a great month for meteor showers. One of them is the Lyrids meteor shower, which appears from April 16th to April 26th each year. Another one is the Eta Aquariids meteor shower, which can be seen from April 21st onwards.

Quite a few notable historical people were born in April, such as Leonardo da Vinci, Shakespeare, and Queen Elizabeth II.

On April 14, 1912, the famous Titanic ship hit an iceberg and sank on her first and only voyage.

George Washington was inaugurated as the First President of the United States on April 30, 1789.

Back in the time of the Ancient Romans, April was sacred to the goddess Venus.

One of the most well-known dates of the month is April Fools’ Day on the 1st of the month. No one is sure where this originated from, but some believe it to be inspired by Geoffrey Chaucer’s story in “Canterbury Tales” called “Nun’s Priest’s Tale.”

Apollo 13 was launched on April 11, 1970, and ran into difficulties about two days later. It was then that the famous line “Houston, we’ve had a problem here” was said, and it is today usually misquoted.

After a 1,500-year break, the first Olympics of the modern era took place in Athens on April 6, 1896.

The explosion of the Chernobyl nuclear plant in Ukraine occurred on April 26, 1986, which forced everyone within a 300-mile radius to be evacuated.

The smaller animals that hibernate for the winter in the Northern Hemisphere usually start coming out of their burrows in April.

In April, the birds also migrate north and settle down for the summer to mate.

For all the car enthusiasts out there, Ford unveiled its first Mustang on April 17, 1964, which cost $2,368.

The first battle of the Revolutionary War, Lexington and Concord, broke out on April 19, 1775.

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More on April tomorrow:  Tax Day, Eclipse, Spring Sports, Final Four

LOVE WINS

LOVE TRANSFORMS US

Karen Anne White, ©, April 2nd, 2024