June 9: St. Columba's Day—in Scotland, the luckiest day of the year. Columba is said to have always carried a sprig of St. John's wort with him, tucked under his arm.

June 11: St. Barnabas Day. The patron saint of peacemakers. Traditionally, the day to make a Barnaby garland of roses, sweet woodruff, and ragged Robin (aka wild William).

June 12: On this day in 1980, the National Herb Garden was dedicated, a gift to the people of America from the Herb Society of America.

June 13: In some calendars, this is Weed Your Garden Day. (On my calendar, every day is WYG Day—or should be.)

Growing Aloe Vera
Aloe looks like a cactus, but it belongs to the lily family. It is a fine pot plant, ideal for a sunny space in the kitchen or on the deck, and it requires little water or extra care. You can grow it outdoors in a well-drained patch of garden, if you'll remember to bring it in when the temperature drops below about 40°F. The aloe will produce offshoots called pups, which you can repot and give to a grateful friend. Make that friends, plural. When an aloe is happy, it pups often.

The Band-Aid Plant
It's the healing gel in aloe's leaves that works its herbal magic. To treat a wound or a scrape, wash it with soap and water. Then cut off one of the aloe's lower leaves, slice it lengthwise (as if you were filleting it) and apply to the wound. The gel forms a protective coating on the skin as it dries—hence its name: the Band-Aid plant. Modern scientific research confirms the plant's efficacy as a wound healer. Aloe juice is no longer recommended as a laxative, and the aloe latex (the yellow sap from just beneath the skin) should not be taken internally.

Cosmetic Aloe
It is said that aloe was one of Cleopatra's beauty secrets, and it is still used in cosmetics and soap. To make a night-time aloe-enriched moisturizer, blend together thoroughly (use a blender or beater) 3 tablespoons almond oil and 2 tablespoons aloe gel. In a double boiler, melt 2 tablespoons liquid lanolin and blend in the aloe-almond mixture. (You can purchase liquid lanolin in a drugstore. It is a heavy-duty moisturizer with the consistency of petroleum jelly.) Remove from heat and add 2 tablespoons rosewater, beating until the mixture has cooled. Spoon into a small jar with a lid.

Read more about growing aloe.

Read more about the virtues of aloe.

Pick a sprig of St. John's wort and tuck it away in your purse or billfold to help keep you safe in your summer travels. As you pluck it, repeat this ancient Gaelic charm.

Make your own Barnaby garland of flowers blooming in your garden. You'll find directions for a carnation garland here—adapt it to the pretty flowers and herbs in your own garden.

Visit the National Herb Garden. It's only a short trip from the Capitol Building, or you can take a virtual tour with some lovely all-season photos. For the true story of how the garden grew, read the entry for June 12 in China Bayles' Book of Days.

Sneak Some Zucchini on Your Neighbor's Porch Day? Find out who makes up all these goofy holidays and why people care. (There's a reason!)

Register your book club with Susan's Book Club Friends, and become eligible to participate in contests, giveaways, and phone chats with China's creator. Libraries, this is for you, too!

Check out the information about Susan's 2009 book tour. We're starting to plan her April book travels. Midwesterners, your herb/garden group, library, or book club could be included in her schedule!

For more about herbs and the passing seasons, read China Bayles' Book of Days.

To find out what's going on in Susan Albert's life in the Texas Hill Country, read Susan's blog.