Annie's "April Symbols and History" Page

"And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee,
if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God."
~Deuteronomy 28:2~

April is the fourth month of the year, according to the Gregorian calendar, which is used in almost all the world today. The Romans called the month Aprilis. The Roman name may come from a word meaning to open, or it may come from Aphrodite, the Greek name for the goddess of love. April was the second month in an early Roman calendar, but it became the fourth when the ancient Romans started using January as the first month.

In the Temperate Zone of the Northern Hemisphere, the appearance of the outdoor world usually changes more in April than in any other month of the year. Ice and snow disappear, grass grows green, and leaves appear on bushes and trees. Small animals that hibernate are usually out of their burrows by this time. Birds fly northward or settle down to raise families. Butterflies and bees gather nectar from the first flowers. In the Southern Hemisphere, people enjoy mild autumn days.

April showers bring May flowers........... And if we have April showers then
we will have "Showers of Blessings..........."

Let's look out the window together.
As we look let's remember to look to the Lord for our the direction for our day.
For the Lord tells us that: "I will instruct you and teach you in the way that thou shalt go. I will guide thee with mine eye."

Quotations	Spring bursts today, For Christ is risen and all the earth's at play..... Winter is past, Sweet Spring is come at last, is come at last. ~~~~Christina Rossetti~~~~
April cold with dropping rain Willows and lilacs brings again, The whistle of returning birds And trumpet-lowing of the herds. Source: Ralph Waldo Emerson	The first of April, some do say Is set apart for All Fools' Day; But why the people call it so Nor I, nor they themselves, do know. Source: From Poor Robin's Almanac, 1760
Thirty days hath September, April, June, and November; February has twenty-eight alone, All the rest have thirty-one, Excepting leap-year, that's the time When February's days are twenty-nine. ~Author Unknown~	When proud-pied April, dressed in all his trim Has put a spirit of youth in everything. Source: William Shakespeare
Monday's child is fair of face, Tuesday's child is full of grace, Wednesday's child is full of woe, Thursday's child has far to go, Friday's child is loving and giving, Saturday's child works hard for its living, But the child that's born on the Sabbath day Is bonny and blithe, and good and gay. ~Author Unknown~

Information about April

April , fourth month of the Gregorian calendar year. It has 30 days. The Romans gave this month the name Aprilis, derived from aperire, probably because it is the season when buds begin to open; it was called Eostre (Easter) month by the Anglo-Saxons. Playing tricks on the first day of April is a custom among European peoples. In France the victim of such practical jokes is called an April fish; in Scotland, a gowk or cuckoo; and in English-speaking countries, an April fool.

Activities - April is mainly a sowing time on many northern farms. In some parts of the world, April is a harvest time for grain. The professional baseball season begins in the United States. Amateurs in many other sports are lured out of doors with the first warm days. Householders begin their spring cleaning and start work on their gardens and lawns.

Special days - On the first day of April, children and grown-ups play jokes on one another. Arbor Day is a day for planting trees, observed on various April days. Easter nearly always falls in April, and brings with it other Christian celebrations such as Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, and Good Friday. The Jewish religious festival of Pesah (Passover) often comes early in April.

The Chinese celebrate the Pure and Bright Festival in early April. People in England and Canada celebrate St. George's Day to honor the patron saint of England.

April symbols - The special flowers for April are the sweet pea and the daisy. The birthstone for April is the diamond.

April: from aperire, Latin for "to open" (buds)

~In many areas, April is high season for tornadoes.~

April is National Card and Letter Writing Month in the US

BIRTHSTONES:
Birthstone , any of various gems associated with the particular calendar months of the year and considered lucky to people born in those months. Some attribute the origin of the tradition of birthstones to the 12-jeweled breastplate worn by Aaron, the brother of Moses (see Exodus 39). Myths and superstitions gradually grew up regarding the stones, and symbolic meanings or virtues were ascribed to them. Five months of the year have alternate birthstones.

The various birthstones and the qualities they symbolize, as specified by the Jewelry Industry Council in New York City, are given in the accompanying table.

April Card Celebrations:

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