Thursday Thirteen ~ The August Edition

Thirteen Things about August After Julius's grandnephew Augustus defeated Marc Antony and Cleopatra, and became emperor of Rome, the Roman Senate decided that he too should have a month named after him. The month Sextillus (sex = six) was chosen for Augustus. Not only did the Senate name a month after Augustus, but it decided that since Julius's month, July, had 31 days, Augustus's month should also have 31 days. The flower for August is the gladiolus or poppy. August birthstones are peridot, sardonyx, or sapphire. In Irish, August is known as Lúnasa, a modern rendition of Lughnasadh, from the god Lugh. Some of Ireland's most famous battles have been fought in this month. They include: the Second Battle of Athenry (1316); the battle of Knockdoe (1504); the Battle of the Yellow Ford (1596); the First Battle of Curlew Pass (1599); the Battle of Dungans Hill (1647); the Battle of Castlebar (1798), and the Battle of the Bogside (1969). In 1945 the end of the Second World War was brought about following the August 6 bombing of Hiroshima and August 9 bombing of Nagasaki in the first and only use of nuclear weapons against people. Emperor Hirohito declared Japan's unconditional surrender on August 15. 08/03/1676 - Nathaniel Bacon publishes "Declaration of People of Virginia" . 08/03/1745 - Bonnie Prince Charlie lands on Eriskay, Hebrides . Katrina formed on August 23 during the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season and caused devastation along much of the north-central Gulf Coast of the United States. Katrina made its second landfall at 6:10 a.m. CDT[2] on August 29 as a Category 3 hurricane with sustained winds of 125 mph (205 km/h) near Buras-Triumph, Louisiana. At landfall, hurricane-force winds extended outward 120 miles (190 km) from the center and the storm's central pressure was 920 mbar. After moving over southeastern Louisiana and Breton Sound, it made its third landfall near the Louisiana/Mississippi border with 120 mph (195 km/h) sustained winds, still at Category 3 intensity.[2] Katrina maintained hurricane strength well into Mississippi, but weakened thereafter, finally losing hurricane strength more than 150 miles (240 km) inland near Meridian, Mississippi. (We had evacuated to Meridian and it was really bad there). My parents were married in August. We moved to the Mississippi Gulf Coast in August (1987).