May 28, 2015
What Do You Remember About June?
By Eloise Graham
What Do You Remember About June?
To me, June 1st meant that I needed to play “June Is Bustin’ Out All Over” on the old Victrola – just as loud as I could! Even though we lived on two acres and had no nearby neighbors, my parents didn’t think I needed the volume on high! They won out.
What are your memories of Father’s Day? My dad’s dad had passed away when my dad was 6 yrs old. His aunt and uncle raised him. I can remember packing a picnic lunch and going to the small rural town where the aunt and uncle lived. There were some other relatives there also. Two sisters, older widowed aunts, lived together in a big-framed house. They had beautiful gardens with so many different flowers! But they didn’t like new-fangled conveniences. No electricity, telephone or running water (that included indoor plumbing). I wonder what they would have thought of our microwaves and cell phones!
How did you celebrate Flag Day, June 14th? I always wore red, white and blue. Probably the same outfit I wore for Memorial Day and the Fourth of July! I got up early and ceremoniously helped my dad Raise the Colors. I don’t know if I would have passed a military inspection, but my heart was in the right place. I learned respect for our flag. AND I was sure the Victrola should be cranking out “The Stars and Stripes Forever”! Again. I was not allowed to play it at the volume I thought would be proper for the day!
Have you ever heard of or celebrated Juneteenth day? It is also known as Emancipation Day, the holiday commemorating the freedom of the slaves in the United States. The name is from the words June and nineteenth. The Emancipation Proclamation was issued September, 22, 1862. It went into effect January 1, 1863. However, slaves were not free in the Confederacy until the Union Army was able to come in and take over. On June 18, 1865 the Union Army arrived in Galveston, TX. The next day, June 19, General Gordon Granger announced that the slaves in Texas were free by order of the President of the United States. Juneteenth is an official holiday in Texas.
Did you ever celebrate Paul Bunyan Day? This is June 28. Many states that thrive on the folklore of Paul Bunyan and Babe, the blue ox, enjoy local celebrations. Some of those states include California, Oregon, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan… any of the states where lumberjacks worked and camped. To celebrate, people would wear red flannel shirts and have a pet stuffed ox, or dress up their dog like an ox.
What is your favorite date or memory of June? I am partial to June 20 or 21, the summer solstice. I love the long hours of daylight. The only down side is that I know that this is the best it is going to get! But there is still plenty of summer to enjoy!
