And since all this loveliness can not be Heaven, I know in my heart it is June. (Abba Woolson)
Of all the abundance of flowers that bloom in the month of June, roses are the most colorful, showy, and fragrent.
The rose is the flower usually associated with the month of June. Roses come in many different colors, all with their own special meaning; but generally roses convey love and passion.
It’s no wonder that the Month of June is a very popular time for Weddings! And a large share of the wedding budget is usually flowers. If you or someone you know has set the special day during this wonderful month, after the event consider donating all those gorgeous flowers you’ve purchased to the Power of Flowers Project. As you know, we take the large donated bouquets into the POFP workshop, refresh each bloom, and make many smaller individual bouquets, which we then deliver to nursing homes in the area. Check out our website for more information about donating flowers!
![Veronidae [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)]](https://pofproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Bride-with-flowers-240x300.jpg)
June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month
The Alzheimer Association has designated June as Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month to start a global conversation about this incurable disease and to raise awareness. Alzheimer’s is NOT a natural part of aging. Alzheimer’s is a type of Dementia. According to the World Health Organization “Dementia is a syndrome in which there is deterioration in memory, thinking, behavior, and the ability to perform everyday activities.” Dementia affects 47 million people worldwide; Alzheimer’s accounts for 60-80% of dementia cases.
Purple is recognized as the official color of the Alzheimer’s movement and people are encouraged to wear purple all month long to show their support. Purple not your color? Just wear a purple ribbon. The important thing is to get people talking and understanding the difference between Alzheimer’s Disease, Dementia syndrome, and normal age-related changes.
One way to mitigate dementia is to keep on top of your brain’s health. The brain is like a muscle and as such needs nourishment and exercise. No one wants a flabby brain! Prevent memory loss by keeping your brain active and sharp. Research shows learning new things (such as languages, knitting, knot tying, dancing) and exercising the brain (by doing brain games like Scrabble, mazes, Sudoku, math games, Trivial Pursuit) can maintain brain health and mitigate memory loss.
Next week, this blog will focus on the signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s and how they differ from typical, age-related changes.
The first full week of June is National Gardening Week. It is a time to celebrate one of the most popular hobbies in America. Tens of millions of Americans, be they young or old, rich or poor, healthy or disabled have a garden of some size. If you haven’t planted all the items you purchased on May 4 at the POFP Plant Sale, get crackin’. Find a wonderful place for the little garden decoration you found. Take your newly sharpened hoe or clippers and do some garden maintenance. You know what’s great fun; gardening with a small child. Show them how to plant a seed or set a plant. Teach them how to water effectively. Check on the plant’s progress… maybe teach the child to keep a garden journal… use your phone camera to record progress. In addition to growing flowers, herbs, and vegetables, gardens help you grow serene.
Container Gardening counts, too. Keep that beautiful container garden you created on May 15 with Joyce by showing it some extra TCL in honor of National Gardening Week.
June 4 is National Hug Your Cat Day. Studies show that owning any pet is good for your heart, but cats in particular lower your stress levels. You say you don’t have a cat? Don’t Shop, Adopt. You’re in Luck. American Humane has designated June as Adopt-a-Cat Month. June 4 would be a perfect time to drop by your local animal shelter and check out the available cats and kittys. Hug one. See how good it feels!
June 14 is Flag Day, which commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States on June 14, 1777 by resolution of the Second Continental Congress. Everyone knows that Betsy Ross sewed the first American flag in her small upholstery shop in Philadelphia, PA. She received the design for the flag when a committee from the Continental Congress visited her little shop on the down low.
The committee consisted of George Washington, Robert Moris, and Uncle George Ross. (George W’s original design included a six-sided star, but Betsy talked him out of it by showing him how to cut a 5-point star with a single snip of the scissors). She began sewing in 1776 in secret and finished in late May or early June 1776, in time for the reading of the Declaration of Independence from Independence Hall. The new flag served to promote national pride and unity within the young country. Celebrate this day by proudly displaying your American Flag outside your home.
The Summer Solstice, the official Meteorological first day of summer, begins Friday, June 21, 2019, at 11:54 AM. For us in the Northern Hemisphere, the summer solstice marks the longest day of the year, in terms of daylight. From this day forward, days will be getting shorter (brrrrr) Friday, June 21 is 6 hours, 12 minutes longer than on December 21, 2019 (December Solstice). How can this be? Solstice is an astronomical event, caused by Earth’s tilt on its axis and its motion in orbit around the sun.
So, enjoy this glorious month of June… tuck a rose in your hair or into your lapel, grab your cat, do some Sudoku, wave your flag, and prepare to have the best summer ever!
