For a very long time April was considered to be the first month of the year. It was the time when the northern hemisphere began to return to life. It’s quite possible that early man wasn’t sure that winter wouldn’t get even colder and darker and that green plants and warm breezes were gone forever, so the stirring of new growth and the reappearance of migrating birds and hibernating animals was a sign of new beginnings. Thus, a new year.

April’s name comes from the Latin word for Ram (Aries, the leader) which, according to the Zodiac, includes the last 10 days of March and the first 19 days of the April. That suggests that, with the passing of time and the development of the calendar, those 29 days once comprised the month of April. According to the Zodiac, which lists Aries as the beginning of the year followed by Taurus, the Bull, people born under those two signs are remarkably similar. Both are characterized as being leaders, independent and innovative. Both are considered to be ambitious and competitive, intelligent and creative. They become loyal friends and valued team members. They stick to goals and see the job through to its finish. The main differences seem to be that the Aeries is more high-spirited with a shorter fuse, and while sociable, is also happy in his own company while the Taurus is more grounded and inclined to love good food, wine and art.

While I have never been an adherent of astrology, I have noticed that those characteristics seem to be present in myself, my youngest sister and friends who were born under those two signs, but then I know many other people, born in other months, who exhibit those same admired traits. Could it be that we all like to hear positive things about ourselves? Could it be that, knowing what the Zodiac says, we strive to fulfill those descriptions? Or could it be that the people who wrote those predictions knew human nature so well that they tried to make us all look like winners as a way of improving the human race? Whatever the driving force, we are all happy to welcome those first mild days in March and embrace April’s balmy promises.

There are a number of adages concerning April, most of them related to agriculture, since the matter of food has always been one of mankind’s major concerns. Here are just a few; ‘A cold and moist April fills the cellar and fattens the cow.’ Put another way, ‘A windy April and a cool May, a full barn.’ It seems that ‘A wet April’ predicts ‘a dry June,’ giving this month the status of weather prognosticator. We notice that, in the northern hemisphere, hibernating animals emerge and carry on with their busy lives, and that migrating birds head north in great flocks to breed and raise their young.

We’ve all heard the saying that ‘April showers bring May flowers,” inspired by a line from a poem written in the 1500’s by Thomas Tusser, an English poet. The exact quote is; ‘Sweet April showers do spring May flowers,’ and I rather like the double meaning of the word ‘spring’.

While the earth is erupting with spring flowers, the night sky is blooming with a display of its own, a spectacle which many of us miss. Between April 16th and 25th, the night sky explodes with meteor showers in the east near the constellation Aeries. The best displays usually occur after midnight. around April 22nd and 23rd. To have your best chance of the most spectacular show, you must be patient and prepared. Find a comfortable place outdoors to lie down with an unobstructed view of the eastern part of the sky and away from city lights that would dim your view. Be patient and hope that you don’t fall asleep and miss the whole thing.

Other interesting dates in April include the 23, which is the birthday of William Shakespeare, Leonardo da Vinci and Queen Elizabeth II. The 15th, aside from being the traditional deadline for filing your tax return, is the anniversary of the tragic sinking of the Titanic in 1912. And, after a 1,500-year break, the first modern Olympic games were held in Athens on April 6, 1896.