About July

July, the Seventh Month
(Credit: Farmer's Almanac)

Thursday is the first day of July. Julius Caesar named July after himself when he reworked the old Roman calendar. (Ironically, the change went into effect in 44 B.C., the year Caesar was assassinated.) See the origin of month names.Although Earth is at its farthest point from the Sun this month, the sunshine comes with enough power to make July the warmest month in most of the continent.

July is for sailboats and lemonade, thunderstorms and ripe peaches, haying and fireworks. Traditionalists eat eggs on St. Swithin’s Day (the 15th) and oysters on St. James’s Day (the 26th). The rest of us fire up our grills or head for the clam shack.