Happy holiday! Here are some general safety tips to be safe on the 4th!

***Fireworks

-Do not use alcohol when handling or lighting fireworks

-Follow the instructions on the label

-Only ignite outdoors away from structures

-Light them one at a time

-Never reignite “duds”

-Keep away from children

-Store in a cool, dry place

-Never point, throw or shoot fireworks at people or animals

-Keep pets inside

-Don’t ignite from metal or glass containers

-Don’t carry in pockets

-Use caution even with sparklers, which burn at more than 1,000 degrees

-Keep water, a hose, or portable fire extinguisher nearby in case of small fires

-Douse used fireworks with water when done and dispose properly according to the label.

***Water Activity Safety

-Review safe boating practices

-Never consume alcohol while driving a boat

-Assure there are enough life preservers for every passenger

-Set water safety rules for your family

-Pools should be enclosed or otherwise have restricted access to unattended children

***Grilling

-Never grill indoors, in a garage, or any other enclosed area that may catch on fire

-Keep the grill at least 10 feet away from any flammable materials

-Keep children away from grills

-Check gas grill hoses for cracks, holes, and leaks which can cause fire or explosions.

-Keep a portable fire extinguisher nearby

Happy 4th of July!!

The Story of the Fourth of July

The Declaration of Independence

We celebrate American Independence Day on the Fourth of July every year. We think of July 4, 1776, as a day that represents the Declaration of Independence and the birth of the United States of America as an independent nation.

But July 4, 1776 wasn’t the day that the Continental Congress decided to declare independence (they did that on July 2, 1776).

It wasn’t the day we started the American Revolution either (that had happened back in April 1775).

And it wasn’t the day Thomas Jefferson wrote the first draft of the Declaration of Independence (that was in June 1776). Or the date on which the Declaration was delivered to Great Britain (that didn’t happen until November 1776). Or the date it was signed (that was August 2, 1776).

 

So what did happen on July 4, 1776?

The Continental Congress approved the final wording of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. They’d been working on it for a couple of days after the draft was submitted on July 2nd and finally agreed on all of the edits and changes.

July 4, 1776, became the date that was included on the Declaration of Independence, and the fancy handwritten copy that was signed in August (the copy now displayed at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.) It’s also the date that was printed on the Dunlap Broadsides, the original printed copies of the Declaration that were circulated throughout the new nation. So when people thought of the Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776 was the date they remembered.

In contrast, we celebrate Constitution Day on September 17th of each year, the anniversary of the date the Constitution was signed, not the anniversary of the date it was approved. If we’d followed this same approach for the Declaration of Independence we’d being celebrating Independence Day on August 2nd of each year, the day the Declaration of Independence was signed!

 

How did the Fourth of July become a national holiday?

For the first 15 or 20 years after the Declaration was written, people didn’t celebrate it much on any date. It was too new and too much else was happening in the young nation. By the 1790s, a time of bitter partisan conflicts, the Declaration had become controversial. One party, the Democratic-Republicans, admired Jefferson and the Declaration. But the other party, the Federalists, thought the Declaration was too French and too anti-British, which went against their current policies.

By 1817, John Adams complained in a letter that America seemed uninterested in its past. But that would soon change.

After the War of 1812, the Federalist party began to come apart and the new parties of the 1820s and 1830s all considered themselves inheritors of Jefferson and the Democratic-Republicans. Printed copies of the Declaration began to circulate again, all with the date July 4, 1776, listed at the top. The deaths of Thomas Jefferson and John Adams on July 4, 1826, may even have helped to promote the idea of July 4 as an important date to be celebrated.

Celebrations of the Fourth of July became more common as the years went on and in 1870, almost a hundred years after the Declaration was written, Congress first declared July 4 to be a national holiday as part of a bill to officially recognize several holidays, including Christmas. Further legislation about national holidays, including July 4, was passed in 1939 and 1941.

Day Eight: “Treasure” — Zoom In Developing Your Eye

 Only God can make such a beautiful thing so that is a real treasure!

The earth laughs in flowers.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Day Eight: “Treasure” — Zoom In

Objects, places, people, moments — we all cherish something or someone. Anything deeply meaningful to you can be a treasure.

A treasure can be grand, like a precious heirloom, or teeny-tiny, like the first plump blackberry of spring atop a tart.

Or perhaps it’s the vintage coat passed down from your grandmother, your once-in-a-lifetime trip through the Himalayas, a quiet space in the woods, or your children. What’s your treasure?

Today’s Tip: Get close to your subject. Use the zoom function in your camera, or physically move closer to it. Often, our goal is to capture as much of a scene as we can. This time, zoom in on your subject or a particular detail to tell a more interesting story.

Visit the resource page for details. Remember to tag your post with #developingyoureye and check the Reader to see posts from fellow course participants!

Everything you probably didn’t want to know about the month of July

July Facts

The 7th month of the year brings us Independence Day and Canada Day.

In the Georgian calendar, the calendar that most of the world uses, July is the seventh month. However, on the Roman calendar, it was actually the fifth month and was call Quintilis, which meant fifth. Later in 46 B.C., Caesar gave 31 days and the Roman Senates named the month Julius in honor of Caesar. In northern hemisphere, July is usually the hottest month of the year when it is actually a winter time in southern hemisphere. It gets very cold in Antarctica and cold and rainy in South America. Because there isn’t much rain in July, the grass loses its greenness. Moreover, the abundance of flowers and insects occur in July.

Below are some fun facts about July:

1. The birthstone for July is the Ruby.

2. The zodiac signs for July are Cancer (June 21 – July 22) and Leo (July 23 – August 22)

3. The birth flower for July is the water lily.

4. The month of July was named after Julius Caesar.

5. On July 1, 1867, the Dominion of Canada was established due to the British North America Act.

6. On July 1, 1898, the San Juan Hill was occupied by the American troops during the Spanish-American War.

7. During World War I on July 1, 1916, the Battle of Somme began.

8. On July 2, 1881, President James Garfield was killed by Charles Guiteau.

9. On July 2, 1890, the Sherman Antitrust Act (an Act to prohibit trusts) was passed by the United States Congress.

10. On July 5, 1971, Amendment 26 was proclaimed which set the voting age at 18 in the United States.

11. On July 6, 1854, the Republican Party held its first state convention at Jackson, Michigan.

12. On July 11, 1804, during a duel between Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton, Hamilton was killed.

13. The 38th President of the United States, Gerald R. Ford, was born on July 1, 1913.

14. On July 16, 1790, District of Columbia was established.

15. The first atomic bomb was set off by scientists in Alamogordo, New Mexico on July 16, 1945.

16. National Blueberry Month

17. National Ice Cream Month

18. National Hot Dog Month

19. July 1 – Canada Day

20. July 4 – Independence Day

Happy Fourth of July

Independence Day of the United States, also referred to as the Fourth of July or July Fourth in the U.S., is a federal holiday commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, by the Continental Congress declaring that the thirteen American colonies regarded themselves as a new nation, the United States of America, and no longer part of the British Empire. Independence Day is commonly associated with fireworks, parades, barbecues, carnivals, fairs, picnics, concerts, baseball games, family reunions, and political speeches and ceremonies, in addition to various other public and private events celebrating the history, government, and traditions of the United States. Independence Day is the National Day of the United States.

During the American Revolution, the legal separation of the Thirteen Colonies from Great Britain occurred on July 2, 1776, when the Second Continental Congress voted to approve a resolution of independence that had been proposed in June by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia declaring the United States independent from Great Britain rule. After voting for independence, Congress turned its attention to the Declaration of Independence, a statement explaining this decision, which had been prepared by a Committee of Five, with Thomas Jefferson as its principal author. Congress debated and revised the wording of the Declaration, finally approving it on July 4.

Also called	The Fourth of July
Observed by	United States
Type	National
Significance	The day in 1776 that the Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Continental Congress
Celebrations	Fireworks, family reunions, concerts, barbecues, picnics, parades, baseball games
Date	July 4

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July Fun Facts

No only is this month July but it has special meaning it is my birthday month and my wedding anniversary month. July 29th is my birthday and my anniversary.

The 7th month of the year is an outstanding one In the Georgian calendar, the calendar that most of the world uses, July is the seventh month. However, on the Roman calendar, it was actually the fifth month and was call Quintilis, which meant fifth. Later in 46 B.C., Caesar gave 31 days and the Roman Senates named the month Julius in honor of Caesar. In northern hemisphere, July is usually the hottest month of the year when it is actually a winter time in southern hemisphere. It gets very cold in Antarctica and cold and rainy in South America. Because there isn’t much rain in July, the grass loses its greenness. Moreover, the abundance of flowers and insects occur in July. Below are some fun facts about July:

1. The birthstone for July is the Ruby.

2. The zodiac signs for July are Cancer (June 21 – July 22) and Leo (July 23 – August 22)

3. The birth flower for July is the water lily.

4. The month of July was named after Julius Caesar.

5. On July 1, 1867, the Dominion of Canada was established due to the British North America Act.

6. On July 1, 1898, the San Juan Hill was occupied by the American troops during the Spanish-American War.

7. During World War I on July 1, 1916, the Battle of Somme began.

8. On July 2, 1881, President James Garfield was killed by Charles Guiteau.

9. On July 2, 1890, the Sherman Antitrust Act (an Act to prohibit trusts) was passed by the United States Congress.

10. On July 5, 1971, Amendment 26 was proclaimed which set the voting age at 18 in the United States.

11. On July 6, 1854, the Republican Party held its first state convention at Jackson, Michigan.

12. On July 11, 1804, during a duel between Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton, Hamilton was killed.

13. The 38th President of the United States, Gerald R. Ford, was born on July 1, 1913.

14. On July 16, 1790, District of Columbia was established.

15. The first atomic bomb was set off by scientists in Alamogordo, New Mexico on July 16, 1945.

16. National Blueberry Month

17. National Ice Cream Month

18. National Hot Dog Month

19. July 1 – Canada Day

20. July 4 – Independence Day