June 28, 2024

FOURTH OF JULY 2024

Overview for this week.

This week, I've decided to pepper the newsletter with trivia at the end of some of the sections. I always enjoy learning new trivia and I hope you do too. 

1. The Fourth of July is next Thursday; I have a couple of guides on where to find the best fireworks shows to celebrate the country's 248th birthday.

2. I grew up in New England where there was a tradition of having a bonfire on the eve of the Fourth of July to celebrate the nation's birthday. I share some of the history of this tradition below.

3. There used to be a point-to-point triathlon that was part of the Fourth of July celebrations in New York and Philadelphia called the Liberty to Liberty Triathlon from the Statue of Liberty to the Liberty Bell. Mike and I raced in the very first one.

4. I have a preview of what you might be able to see in the predawn sky next week and a set of red, white and blue stars that will be visible on the night of the 4th.

5. it's time to catch up with some of the Flock's Next Gen. I have updates on Keith Murfee-DeConcini and Zoe Crimmel.

6. In Performing Arts I give a shout-out to Ballet Tucson as they have announced their 2024/2025 season schedule.

7. In the KId's Corner I have some road trip games to keep the whole family entertained on your next vacation.

8. The monsoon has arrived in Tucson bringing summer rains to the parched desert.

9. In Wellness, it’s time to look at another red meat that is a healthier alternative to beef in your diet.

10. This week I'm closing with a tip on a modest summer retreat in the White Mountains of Arizona being offered for sale by a Flock reader.

Now, to this week's Flock.

Tap to view past issues.

Next Thursday, July 4th, America turns 248. Each year at this time I like to send out a special thank you and honor all of those who have served this country and preserved the freedom that the Founding Fathers had envisioned. Happy Birthday America!

From:Britannica, By: Adam Zeidan

Fireworks have been part and parcel of U.S. Independence Day, the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, since its first celebration in July 1777. That celebration took place in the midst of the Revolutionary War, however, and explosions, artillery fire, and “bombs bursting in air” were not exactly a cause for joy and celebration at the time. So why did Americans begin celebrating Independence Day with fireworks?

To answer this question, a lot of people point to John Adams’s letter to his wife, Abigail, informing her that the Continental Congress had declared independence:

“It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.”

The celebratory display of fireworks we know today evolved out of the use of fireworks in romantic performances of combat and in elaborate pageants and plays, typically associated with national events. England’s King Henry VII, whose royal standard bore the Red Dragon, included fireworks at his wedding in 1486, the first known use of fireworks at a national celebration, and his wife’s coronation in 1487 featured a fire-breathing dragon, which became popular in royal fireworks displays during the reign of the Tudors.

From: Loving New York, By: Steffen, June17, 2024

After more than 10years, the location of Macy's 4th of July Fireworks 2024 in Nyc will be on the Hudson River Again!

One of the most important Independence Day celebrations in the US, the Macy’s 4th of July fireworks show is a must-see when visiting New York.

Between 8:00 pm and 9:30 pm on the 4th of July, the skies light up over NYC’s Hudson River. Yes, after more than 10 years the fireworks will be back on the west side of Manhattan! This coordinated fireworks display consists of more than 60,000 shells launched from barges floating in the river. This celebration includes music and a display of red, clear, and blue water shot 300 feet into the air by the New York Fire Department.

Make sure to grab your spot before 8 pm in one of the official elevated viewing spots. These official viewing spots will be announced on Macy’s official website.

Our recommendations to see this year’s fireworks on the Hudson River:

• Little Island Pier 54
• Rooftop on Pier 57
• The Edge Observation Deck
• Hudson River Park
• New Jersey: Hoboken or Weehawken waterfront

Maybe you can't make it to the shores of the Hudson River for the 4th of July, the following article from USA Today has the next 10 best places to see fireworks this year.

From: USA Today, May 22, 2024

Fireworks may not have originated in the United States, but they're certainly a longstanding American tradition. The first 4th of July fireworks display dates back nearly 250 years, and fireworks have long been a mainstay for a wide variety of other holidays and festivities as well.

Beyond being such a feast for the eyes, public fireworks displays are a shared experience that can bring a community together. An expert panel has selected their top picks for the country's most eye-popping fireworks displays, and readers have voted for their favorites. Here are the 10 best places to see fireworks in the U.S. this summer.

• Nine cities in four states and one federal district have been the capital of the United States; Pennsylvania: Philadelphia, Lancaster, and York, New Jersey: Princeton and Trenton, Maryland: Annapolis and Baltimore, New York: New York City, and Washington, D.C.
• Lancaster, PA was the capital of the United States for only one day - September 27, 1777. On this day, the US government - the Second Continental Congress, was located here, fleeing the offensive of the British army. The very next day Congress lefty Lancaster.
• Massachusetts was the first state to declare the 4th of July a holiday.
• Three U.S. presidents have died on July 4th; John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died hours apart in 1826, and James Monrow died on July 4, 1831.

When I was growing up in New Hampshire, it was common for communities to have a large bonfire on the eve of the Fourth of July. The tradition of celebrating important dates goes back to colonial times but fell out of fashion in the 1960s. Today, July 3rd bonfires a mostly limited to oceanside and lakeside communities.

From:New England Historical Society

Setting a bonfire in celebrationswas a longstanding New England tradition. In Boston, bonfires lit up Pope Night and the celebration of the capture of the Fortress at Louisbourg in 1758.

But then in the first half of the 20th century, bonfires spread like — well, wildfire. Enormous bonfires, months in the planning, capped off Fourth of July celebrations in New England.

It was a custom observed from time immemorial for the towns-boys to have a bonfire on the Square on the midnight before the Fourth,” wrote Thomas Bailey Aldrich in The Story of a Bad Boy, a fictionalized biography published in 1870 about his boyhood in Portsmouth, N.H.

Safe and Sane 4th

The campaign for a Safe and Sane Fourth promoted less dangerous activities – like carefully supervised public bonfires.

Town leaders liked the giant bonfires because they replaced the smaller fires set by juvenile pyromaniacs. In 1914, for example, the Springfield Republican reported firefighters responded to 39 fires on July 4. Fireworks started 10, but bonfires started 22.

Three Ponds bonfire in Milton, New Hampshire

In 1983 triathlete Dave Horning organized the first Liberty to Liberty Triathlon as part of July 4th celebrations in New York City and Philadelphia. The Triathlon was a point-to-point race starting at Battery Park with a view of the Statue of Liberty and ending in Philadelphia at Independence Hall, home of the Liberty Bell. Mike and I participated in this first running of the race and remember the swim across the Hudson River to Liberty State Park in New Jersey being quite difficult due to the strong currents. Luckily, I had my flippers on. The Liberty to Liberty was last run in 2009.

From: The Constitutional Walking Tour, June 30, 2019

Racing in the Liberty to Liberty Triathlon from New York's Battery Park and Past the Statue of Liberty to Philadelphia's Liberty Bell: 2 Mile Swim Around the Statue of Liberty Area, 90 Mile Bicycle Race from Liberty Park in Jersey City, N.J. to Philadelphia and a 10K Road Race Ending at the Liberty Bell

Talk about the Great American Road Trip... That was one way of describing the 100 mile Liberty to Liberty Triathlon that was part of the Fourth of July festivities in New York and Philadelphia, America's Birthplace. The immortal words of American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow seem fitting to describe the Liberty to Liberty Triathlon when Longfellow wrote in "Paul Revere's Ride" -- “One if by land, two if by sea.” 

Long before Wawa Welcome America! was synonmous with the Fourth of July Celebrations in Philly, the first Liberty to Liberty Triathlon was held on July 4, 1983, and it had just 13 Americans competiting, who according to The New York Times, began the race with a rousing chorus of ''The Star Spangled Banner'' before pitching into the waters of the Hudson River. Take a look at the artwork promoting the triathlon, and one will see how the Statue of Liberty and Liberty Bell were incorporated into the signage for the event.

Here are some upcoming Celestial events for the first week of July from The Old Farmer's Almanac. Be sure to click through for the full month's guide.

From:The Old Farmer's Almanac, By: Bob Berman, June 28, 2024

July begins with a gorgeous planetary event that you won’t want to miss! Head outside on July 2 during the morning hours to see Jupiter and Mars meet. Plus, see the full Buck Moon! All the planets are shifting back to the morning sky this month. Here is Bob’s Sky Watch for July.



July 1: This morning, around 4:45 A.M., the thin crescent Moon can be seen above Mars, the red planet.

July 2: Today, Jupiter moves into the picture! Look up to the East in the early morning hours (again, around 4:45 A.M.) to see the Moon between Jupiter and Mars. Learn more about the planetary giant, Jupiter.

July 3: Be sure to set your alarm clocks once more! Between 4:45 A.M. and 5:00 A.M., Jupiter and the Moon form a stunning conjunction.

July 5: At 6:57 P.M., the New Moon makes an appearance… or rather, a disappearance? According to the age-old practice of planting the Moon, the ground is the most fertile and wet during the new Moon and the days after. Perhaps it is time to venture into the garden and plant a few mid-summer crops.

4th Of July Sky 2024 | June 24 - June 30 | Star Gazers

• Your hair collects space dust from comets 
• Saturn's rings are incredibly thin 
• Asteroids can have rings and moons
• Shooting stars blaze a range of colours based on the elements they’re made of
• High tide comes on both sides of Earth at the same time

An interview with Flock alumnus Keith Murfee-DeConcini was recently featured in VoyageSavannah. The publication discussed Keith's podcast Disability Empowerment Now, his advocacy, and his story. We are happy to see Keith getting the exposure and recognition he deserves. An excerpt from the interview follows.

From: VoyageSavannah, June 18, 2024

Hi Keith, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?

The podcast Disability Empowerment Now began its recording at the end of 2021 and launched in early 2022. During the third season, in 2023, it became a video cast featuring people across the disability community. Now, with over sixty episodes, I am amazed that this idea was in my head just a few years ago, and I had no idea I could pull it off. It’s hard work, but I work with an amazing team of young professionals to put it all together every week, and the guests that I get to interview just empower me to bring my passion and commitment to every episode! I was born in the 1980s with mild Cerebral Palsy, and I couldn’t speak until age seven. I was a curious child, and that curious nature fuels every episode I have on Disability Empowerment Now. I seek to show that disability can and does affect everyone in some way, shape, or form, and it is nothing to hide from or be afraid of. People with disabilities live life with as much passion and determination as their non-disabled peers, if not more, by design of our lived experiences. My name is Keith Murfee-DeConcini, and while I am the current voice and face of Disability Empowerment Now, I am constantly collaborating to show how diverse the disability community is and always has been.

I'd like to give everyone an update on our favorite rising tennis star and blogger, Zoe Crimmel. What I can tell you is that Zoe is Back! She's back in Aspen working on the tennis programs at The Aspen Tennis Club, and she's back to writing posts for her blog that we're back to eagerly read.

From: Where in the World is Zoe, By: Zoe Crimmel, June 18, 2024

This past almost month has been full of ups, downs, lefts, rights, and a lot of work. Summer for some has been the vacation, no school, no work, and while we were little no worries, just fun. That however was not how I grew up. Since before I can remember summer was always the time of work, mom was on the court and dad was in the office and we helped. Since I was 7 years old I have been helping my mom on court and till this day all summer that is where I am. Our holidays came during the year whenever we decided to go. A week off of school here, maybe one there, because that is when we had time. Summer to me is when the work begins, the rest of the year is my break and this year has been especially filling. This summer I am working full time 8 am to 7 pm at the tennis courts in Colorado and in between I am taking 4 online summer classes through Alcorn State and doing a remote internship. As tough as it is and sometimes draining I also love being busy and having the rewarding feeling of, "Today I accomplished so much!" My life in the past 5 years has been non-stop, a constant go and I always felt myself draining away slowly. It isn't until this summer that I feel myself growing each day as I get closer and closer to finals for my classes, bringing the joy of tennis to more people and getting the chance to work with my crew at GWMP every day! 

I'm a big fan and supporter of Ballet Tucson. They've announced their 2024/2025 Season and it looks fantastic. I have the highlights below.

From: Ballet Tucson

The 2024/2025 Season pushes the boundaries of ballet and demonstrates the incredible versatility of our dancers. Highlights include the return of Chieko Imada's Dia de los Muertos ballet Spirit Garden in collaboration with famed artists Lawrence Lee and Calexico, the Ballet Tucson premiere of legendary choreographer George Balanchine's iconic work Rubies, a dazzling ballet by Tony Award-winning choreographer Justin Peck and a World Premiere in partnership with the Tucson Desert Song Festival and Tucson Guitar Society celebrating the Father of Chicano Music and treasure of Tucson's Barrio Viejo, Lalo Guerrero.

It's time to start thinking about the time to loading the family into the car for a summer vacation. We've assembled a few of our favorite road trip game that will help keep everyone intertained. No extra technology is needed for these game, all you need is sharp eyes and a quick mind.

Here are some of our favorite road trip games that are fun for all ages.

Alphabet Game

This is the classic alphabet game everyone knows and loves. Go through alphabet using words on signs

The Rules:

• You are trying to find words in alphabetical order
• You can use billboards, business, and road signs
• You can't use license plates
• The first one to get to the end of the alphabet wins
• Once a word is said, nobody else can repeat that word

Source: BuzzFeed

Guess Who

Think of this as celebrity charades without the action, says DeRosa: One person describes someone the entire group knows, one detail at a time, and other players see who can correctly name the person first. Who counts as a celebrity can depend on the age range of your players: A favorite swimming teacher, the mailman, Grandpa, or Bluey are equally worthy choices for the preschool set.

Source: Martha Stewart

Road Trip Bingo

Road trip bingo is always a crowd-pleaser. Before you leave, you can create your own paper bingo cards or print road trip Bingo cards for free to distribute to each player.If you make your own, consider a theme of fast food restaurants (McDonald's, Chick-Fil-A, KFC), gas stations (BP, Shell, Texaco), or types of cars (Honda Civic, Subaru Outback, Toyota Tacoma). Whichever you choose, make sure there are enough markers or stickers for everyone to mark their cards.

Source: Real Simple

My Cows!

The rules are simple, if you see a herd of cows you say “My cows!” And you get a point if you pass a cemetery who ever says “Bury your cows!” Gets to keep their points and all other players lose their points. The game ends when you get to your destination. I like to play it with an addition to the rules and that is if the cows are separated by a fence or a natural barrier such as rocks or trees, they count as two separate herds and thus must be claimed separately from one another.

Source: Reddit

Last Saturday, Tucson got its first big monsoon downpour of the summer. Thunderclouds built up throughout the day bursting into strong winds and heavy rain in the early afternoon. The storm brought surface flooding and a much-welcomed drop in temperature for the afternoon.

From: Tohono Chul Gardens • Gallery • Bistro

Stayin' Alive

Where rain is unreliable and water is in short supply, plants and animals must adapt to an arid environment or die. Despite the Arizona Upland's two rainy seasons, precipitation is unpredictable – a summer's worth may fall all in one day or months may go by with none. Desert plants and animals must be able to takeadvantage of rain when it does come, save water for the future, or wait out dry times.

Although the earth is wide, the clouds are braced across it and will come…

They will leave the earth soaked everywhere, even the highest hills.

The water will gently flood the little washes, wherever they are…

It will leave the earth well moistened.

After that various kinds of seed will sprout.

— Tohono O’odham rain speech

Desert Rain - Monsoons of the Sonoran Desert

While too much red meat can be detrimental to your heath, an appropriate portion can be of this nutrient packed food can be a beneficial addition to your diet. The World Cancer Research Fund recommends no more than three to four 4-6oz portions per week. Two weeks ago, we looked at the nutritional profile of Lamb. This week we are looking at Bison, which stacks up very well compared to other red meats.

From: Healthline, By: Ashley Sobel, RD, CDN

Beef comes from cattle, whereas bison meat comes from bison, also known as buffalo or American buffalo. Though both have much in common, they also differ in many aspects.

Comparable nutrient profiles

Lean cuts of bison and beef are good sources of protein and many nutrients like iron and zinc. Therefore, eating either in moderation can be part of a healthy diet

Here are the nutritional differences between 4 ounces (113 grams) of bison and beef: 

As you can see, beef is higher in calories and fat than bison.

Both are excellent sources of iron and zinc and provide good amounts of phosphorous, niacin, selenium, and vitamins B6 and B12.

What’s more, like all meats, bison and beef are composed mainly of high-quality protein, providing all nine essential amino acids your body needs for growth and maintenance

• Male bison can grow to be over 6 feet tall and 11 feet long. The average weight range for buffalo is between 701 to 2,205 pounds, but the heaviest bison ever measured weighed more than 3,800 pounds!
• Given their size as the largest mammals in North America, bison are surprisingly agile with an ability to swim well, jump up to six feet and run between 35 and 40 mph.
• The American bison is not only the country’s official mammal; the bison is also the state mammal of Wyoming, Oklahoma, and Kansas.
• Bison and buffalo are not the same. Bison are native to North and South America and Europe, while the traditional home of buffalo is in Africa and Asia.
• At the height of their magnificence, there were between 30 and 60 million bison in the new world circa the 16th century. Today, there are currently half a million bison roaming happily across North America.

Flock reader, Phil has placed his mountain retreat in Arizona'sWhite Mountains up for sale on Facebook Marketplace. The retreat is a 35' Fleetwood Tropi-Cal motor home located in Show Low, AZ. 

From: Facebook Marketplace

This 35’ stationary motor home has one big slide out, 2 A/C systems, a furnace, a 2 year old water heater, a queen bed, a T. V., and is located in the friendly and inexpensive Country Lane R. V. Park lot 81 in Show Low, Az. Includes a large parking area with a carport and a large shed. 

dew drops on aspen leaves

photo: Fern's mom Margaret

These Flock regulars are always here for you:

• Dr. Hayward M. Fox, Ph. D. and The Institute of Personal and Transpersonal Knowledge

• Kimberly Gomer, MS, RD/LDN – Dietitian / Nutritionist – Private Practice. (609) 509-4969

• Kyria Sabin of Body Works Fletcher Pilates, she's the best. (520) 323-7070

• Where in the World is Zoe Zoe is back in Colorado helping launch the 2024 early childhood, junior high, high school, and adult tennis programs with sister and mother Petra.

• Sarah Smallhouse & Make Elections Fair Arizona - Sign the petition here!

• The Fabric Jeanie! Tap to learn more. (520) 245-0589



• Cita Scott for paintings, photography, and culinary art. Cita will be in and out of town all summer. Don't hesitate to give her a jingle. (520) 404-1551

• Sensitive & Specific: The Testing Newsletter by Mara G. Aspinall and Liz Ruark. Mara is always here to help up in understanding, testing knowledge, and how it is being applied

In coming weeks: we'll be sharing more investigative articles from our roving reporter William George, original writing from Flock favorite Dino DeConcini, and an update on the Marolt brothers' coming expedition to Argentina.

Don't Be Shy: Share Your Stories!

I'm looking forward to sharing more of your personal stories - oral, written, or otherwise, as we enter our third year. I'd so love to present them to The Flock, hit a mailbox below to share your story.

Holualoa Ed Fit Wellness & Culture 2

520-818-4433

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