D'you know Juno?

@owlwings (43915)
Cambridge, England
June 1, 2017 5:26am CST
Welcome June! Half the way through the year and (in England, at least) the month when nature, the countryside and gardens are probably at their best with warm sunshine, and showers bringing out the roses, honeysuckle, and all manner of other summer flowers. It's also the month when, if you are very lucky, you might hear a nighingale singing in the luminous, scented dusk. June takes its name from the Roman goddess Juno who was the queen of all the gods and married to Jupiter (who was also her brother - those gods were very free-thinking, it seems!). One of her duties was to look after and preside over marriages, married women and housewives. Her special bird was the peacock, probably the most amazingly showy bird there is. Perhaps because it is one of the best summer months and because it is so easy to find words which rhyme with it, June is the month most often referred to in songs about love and romance. What else can I say about June? It was the month I was married (many moons ago) and both of my grandsons have their birthdays this month, so our family has several reasons to celebrate and, true to the old myth, June and joviality go hand in hand (Jove - in case you didn't know - was another name for Jupiter, which is why we talk about the 'Jovian moons').
12 people like this
15 responses
@shivamani10 (11038)
• Hyderabad, India
1 Jun 17
June is a very nice week. I like it. My sister was got married in this month only. The peple born in june are really brilliant,
2 people like this
@topffer (42156)
• France
1 Jun 17
Yup, brilliant : Donald Duck, Donald Trump...
1 person likes this
@josie_ (9764)
• Philippines
1 Jun 17
@topffer _Trump is more of the Daffy Duck type.
2 people like this
@owlwings (43915)
• Cambridge, England
1 Jun 17
1 person likes this
@YrNemo (20272)
31 Aug 17
Juno supposed to be with a big build? I used to like reading about Gods and Goddesses. The marriages between brothers and sisters among these Gods turned me off completely! (Same with the Pharaoh families!)
1 person likes this
@owlwings (43915)
• Cambridge, England
31 Aug 17
I don't know whether she was a big lady. All the pictures I've seen show her as rather slim but then who knows? It's all imaginary, anyway! Some painters preferred buxom women and painted them like that.
1 person likes this
@owlwings (43915)
• Cambridge, England
1 Sep 17
@YrNemo According to the dictionary, 'junoesque' means 'particularly tall and shapely'. I'd use it to describe the kind of woman who also has a certain poise and charisma and who is immediately noticed by everyone as soon as she enters a room.
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@YrNemo (20272)
31 Aug 17
@owlwings I guess so from the word 'junoesque' .
1 person likes this
@1hopefulman (45125)
• Canada
5 Jun 17
Thanks for the history behind the name of the month of June. Even here, June is about the best weather month, pleasant and not too hot. July and August are way too hot unless one is on a beach.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (454979)
• Switzerland
1 Jun 17
One of my favorite months of the year, sunny and warm but still not too hot. The Roman Gods were very free thinking, not the best example for the mortals.
1 person likes this
@shshiju (10343)
• Cochin, India
2 Jun 17
June is the school opening here. Also celebrate the environment day. Government supplies plants to celebrate the day.
1 person likes this
@Kandae11 (53601)
1 Jun 17
My only child was born on June 17.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (157591)
• Boise, Idaho
2 Jun 17
Interesting about Juno. Two grandsons born in this month? Interesting.
@marguicha (214294)
• Chile
1 Jun 17
I have my birthday in June and so has my oldest daughter. Nice poster. Thanks.
1 person likes this
• China
1 Jun 17
I don't know June was named after Juno until reading your post.In our myth, the god who is in charge of the same work as Juno is the Old Man of the Moon .
1 person likes this
• United States
1 Jun 17
No birthdays, or other celebrations for us in June. June is ok, but August is my favorite summer month whether anything rhymes with it or not!
1 person likes this
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
1 Jun 17
Isn't it wonderful to live in a part of the world where the seasons change? I love June, too. It's warm but not too hot and the roses are in full bloom.
1 person likes this
@Courtlynn (67002)
• United States
1 Jun 17
Good information. Thanks.. June is my daughters birth month and my anniversary month.
1 person likes this
@josie_ (9764)
• Philippines
1 Jun 17
Your charming and poetic "a nightingale singing in the luminous,scented dusk." makes me wish I could experience your idyllic countryside
1 person likes this
@responsiveme (22932)
• India
1 Jun 17
Birthday wishes go out to your grandsons. Enjoy the country side. Liked this post
1 person likes this
@Poppylicious (11133)
1 Jun 17
I love peacocks. They're so pretty. I also love June, but it always rains towards the end of the month. I know this because it's when we have the Summer Festival in town and it's always wet. Silly June.