Home Remedies for Sunburn

• To ease a mild sunburn, pat skin with cider vinegar, witch hazel, or wet tea bags.

• Bathe a sunburned face in buttermilk. It’s great for the complexion, too.

• Add about a cup of baking soda to a bath filled with lukewarm water, and submerge sunburned areas.

• Remember that water doubles your sun exposure. Apply sunscreen under your eyes and chin to ward off reflected light.

• Wear a hat!

From Old Farmers Almanac

Dog Days Begin

The dog days (a period of 40 days starting July 3 and ending August 11) are named for the Dog Star, Sirius, which is visible with the rising Sun at this time. Ancients associated this sky picture with the hot days that coincided with it.

From Old farmers Almanac

March 15—The Ides of March

This has long been considered an ill-fated day. The word ides comes from a Latin word meaning “to divide.” In fact, the ancient Romans considered the ides of any month unfavorable. The concept of unlucky days survived Julius Caesar (who was assassinated on March 15, 44 B.C.—talk about bad luck) and calendar reforms. William Shakespeare made the phrase “Beware the ides of March” a popular saying in his play Julius Caesar.

From Old Farmers Almanac

Man of Honor

From Old Farmers Almanac Newsletter:

If you think that George Washington chopped down a cherry tree and then admitted his wrongdoing by saying to his father, “I can not tell a lie,” think again. He didn’t say it; he didn’t even chop down the tree! Parson Mason Weems (1759–1825), one of Washington’s biographers, made up the story, hoping to demonstrate Washington’s honesty.

This tale is not the only myth about Washington. His wooden dentures? They weren’t made of wood. Instead, they were made of hippopotamus teeth that had been filed down to fit Washington’s mouth.