What specific details in the first paragraph describe the day on which the lottery takes place? Why do you think the story gives such specific details about the setting–the time and place of the story?

The morning of June 27th was clear and sunny, with the fresh warmth of a full-summer day; the flowers were blossoming profusely and the grass was richly green. This underlines the irony of the story. The warm setting throws the reader off the dark undertones of the story that become increasingly apparent.