You likely have plans to fire up the grill for a backyard barbecue and take in a fireworks show on Independence Day. But do you know the real history behind the Fourth of July? This 242-year-old holiday was almost celebrated on an entirely different date!
The Second of July?
The Second Continental Congress met on July 2 to approve our new nation's independence, which it officially did two days later. Future President John Adams expected July 2 to be a memorable day, but it was the Fourth of July we came to celebrate.
Put your John Hancock on it
Most signers of the Declaration of Independence did so on August 2. There's great debate about who, if anyone, signed the document on July 4, but many historians believe John Hancock's famous signature was the only one added on July 4, 1776.
Presidential births and deaths
Three U.S. presidents have died on the Fourth of July: John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe. In fact, Adams and Jefferson died only hours apart in 1826 on the 50th anniversary of the nation's founding. Only one president, Calvin Coolidge, was born on July 4, in 1872.
Thanks, Uncle Sam
Congress declared Independence Day a national holiday in 1870. However, it wasn't until 1938 that Congress made July 4 an official paid holiday for American workers.
Hot diggity dog!
More hot dogs are eaten on the Fourth of July than any other day of the year. Estimates put that number at a whopping 155 million dogs consumed at celebrations across the country.
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Don't make your Fourth of July cookout memorable for all the wrong reasons... keep your family and friends safe while you grill with observation and upkeep. Your neighborhood covenants allow for outdoor grills, barbecue smokers and other kitchen equipment – just be sure to follow safe practices to avoid accidents. The National Fire Protection Association offers some key
outdoor grilling safety tips
.
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Fun at the National Balloon Classic
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Take flight at the
National Balloon Classic
in Indianola from July 27-August 4! Nearly 100 hot air balloons will paint the sky with brilliant colors and special shapes as skilled pilots compete for points and prizes. Enjoy live music each night, fireworks on Saturdays, incredible sunrise and sunset flights, and much more. This annual event is an Iowa staple sure to provide fun and entertainment for all ages.
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Monthly Wellness Update:
Summer Ingredients for Your Heart
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This is an ongoing series dedicated to health and wellness provided by our partners at UnityPoint Health. Each month, look for an article discussing general nutrition, exercise and well-being from the health experts at UnityPoint.
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Fresh, local produce make your recipes extra delicious and nutritious. This time of year, gardens are growing, fruit trees are ripening and farmers’ markets and vegetable stands are in business. Summer is the perfect time to stock up on delicious fruits, vegetables and herbs to create a diet that is low in calories and packed with antioxidants and vitamins.
Here are four popular summer ingredients that will add flavor to your meals and health to your heart:
- Basil, considered "the king of herbs," is rich in over 80 nutrients, antioxidants and chemical compounds that are known to have numerous disease-preventing and health-promoting benefits. Basil has anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties, promotes healthy vision, strengthens bones and helps control heart rate and blood pressure.
- Tomatoes are often considered a vegetable, but they are actually a citrus fruit rich in substance. Lycopene is known to ward off cancer and nutrients like niacin, folate, vitamins B6, C and A prevent DNA damage, fight inflammation and reduce the risk of heart disease.
- Sweet corn is much lower in calories than field corn and comes from simpler carbohydrates like glucose and sucrose. Because of this, sweet corn is considered gluten-free and may be used safely much like rice and quinoa in individuals with celiac disease. Sweet corn is also high in fiber, vitamins, antioxidants and ferulic acid, which plays a vital role in preventing cancers, aging and inflammation.
- Bell peppers contain an impressive list of disease-preventing and health-promoting properties. Fresh bell peppers are a rich source of Vitamin C (especially in red peppers), a potent water-soluble antioxidant required for maintaining the integrity of blood vessels, skin, organs and bones. Along with Vitamin A and other essential minerals, these vitamins boost immunity and fight free radicals.
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For many Iowans, catching lightning bugs or fireflies is remembered as a pastime of our youth that continues to be something that many Iowans enjoy with younger generations. As the summer nights warm and the Iowa air swells with humidity, lightning bugs fill the night sky with small blinking lights that perfectly complement the moonlight reflecting off the midnight landscape. Lightning bugs greatly benefit from wet springs and warm, muggy summer nights, and both are a common occurrence in central Iowa.
Although commonly referred to as “fireflies,” these insects are a species of beetle from the Lampyridae family of which there are 124 different species throughout the U.S. and Canada. Their life cycle is the same as all beetles, consisting of four cycles: egg, larva, pupa and adult. The adults we see filling the night sky with light only live for 1 to 2 weeks. During this time most of their energy is committed to reproduction. The light they give off is a part of this process that helps males and females of the same species find and recognize each other. Different species give off light in different patterns, amounts, duration, intervals, motions and height above the ground. Eggs are laid on moist grass or leaves and hatch the same summer they are laid. The larvae are active at night and prey on small insects, worms, snails and slugs. The larvae live underground until the next summer, when they complete the transformation to the adult stage.
The most impressive aspect of the light these insects create is that the chemical reaction that takes place produces nearly all light and very little heat. To put that in perspective, 90% of the energy in an incandescent light bulb is lost as heat and only 10% produces light. This makes lightning bugs the most efficient at producing light. Scientists are unable to recreate any light source that is as energy-efficient as these small insects. Today the populations of lightning bugs are declining due to a combination of light pollution, pesticide use and habitat destruction. Several things that can benefit lightning bugs are reducing outdoor lights, allowing leaf and log litter to accumulate in wooded areas, adding a bird bath, reducing the use of pesticides and fertilizers, avoid mowing lawns too short, and planting trees and other native Iowa plants.
Be sure to take some time this summer to enjoy the gift of lightning bugs over an Iowa field. The show doesn’t last long.
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Now extended through July! Clean up with this exclusive offer from Aspen Waste Systems. Have a dumpster delivered to you, fill it with
accepted waste items
and Aspen will haul it away.
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Save 20% on a lease of at least six months at Cityville Storage, a climate-controlled and secure storage facility. This promotion runs through Oct. 31.
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Buy $25 worth of food and get a FREE drink of your choice at The Bunker Sports Pub and Grille at Copper Creek.
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Beef Cake Fuel is offering Hubbell Community Management homeowners a free Acai Bowl with the purchase of two dine-in meals.
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Enjoy a $10 meal deal from
Papa Murphy's
that includes a large one-topping pizza, 2-liter bottle of soda and one side. Use this deal multiple times through Dec. 31.
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UnityPoint is providing a wide spectrum of blood screening tests at a discounted price. The
Blood Service Menu
offers a variety of tests at various metro locations.
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To learn more, contact Ken Norland at 515-289-1326 or 515-263-1600.
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Don't forget to take advantage of the Homeowner Rewards offerings, and keep checking online for our latest deals!
Click the image to access a digital version of the Hubbell Community Management Homeowner Rewards Card.
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This email is the latest in our monthly series intended to keep you up to date on Hubbell Community Management happenings.
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