Go Fourth and Enjoy!

Originally posted July 2017

As another July 4th rolls around  in the US, friends and family gather to celebrate the birth of our great country and to kick off the summer. For some of us who live in northern climes, it is especially good. Ahhh……long days and sunshine. It’s the best.

For me, it always means the beginning of an all-too-short season of gathering good buddies on our deck overlooking Lake Michigan, maybe a fun boating opportunity, building sand castles with grand children or downtime to read a leisurely beach book.

Curious about some of our traditions, I looked up and found some fun facts about the Fourth of July. Hope you’ll enjoy and can dazzle your buddies at the neighborhood barbecue. I’ve also included a few photos of my view of Pure Michigan.

Fun Facts about July 4

1.Contrary to popular belief, only two Founding Fathers signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. The majority of signers penned their signatures on August 2, 1776.

2.In a now-famous letter to his wife, Abigail, dated July 3, 1776, John Adams made a prediction that the “Second Day of July” would be celebrated as American Independence Day, since the Congress had actually voted to sever ties with Great Britain the day before.

3.Other countries, including Denmark, England, Norway, Portugal and Sweden also celebrate the Fourth of July as a way to bring in American tourists.

4.The original draft of the Declaration of Independence was lost.

5.In a bizarre, though perhaps apt, twist of fate, both Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died on July 4, 1826.

Hot Dog Holiday

Every wonder about the hot dog? I found this interesting tidbit on the Internet.

July Fourth is the “biggest hot dog holiday of the year,” according to TIME magazine, with Americans reportedly consuming about 155 million of them on Independence Day alone. But despite a nationwide love for the salty snack, no one really knows where the hot dog came from. According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council “likely that the North American hot dog comes from a widespread common European sausage brought here by butchers of several nationalities.” The meaty treat’s origin story remains murky, however.

How about Turtle Soup?

And one final bit of trivia to share as you gather around the patio table. “According to legend, on July 4, 1776, John Adams…and his wife, Abigail, sat down for a celebratory meal of turtle soup, New England poached salmon with egg sauce, green peas and boiled new potatoes in jackets. They followed the meal with Indian pudding or Apple Pandowdy,” wrote Justine Sterling for Delish.com in 2011.

Thank you, but I’ll stick with a good burger with all the fixings or maybe some yummy ribs.

Happy Fourth of July