Here's an old photo that speaks volumes about summertime past.
All the cousins
(from that year) sitting on the back stoop of the house I grew-up in.
Probably 1960 or thereabouts. Those were the days of free-range
children. Most of us are brown as berries - evidence of long hours out
of doors. I'm the shirtless one with the shaved head in the middle.
Might have even been the Fourth of July. Since this predated Weber kettle grills propane gas technology and a dedication to BBQ cuisine there might have been burnt chicken or wieners involved. And the adults would be drinking frosty Gettleman from a pony keg.
Good times.
Raise an ice cream cone to Independence Day today!
Black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckis hirta), a very popular native wildflower found in pollinator habitat, butterfly gardens and household flower beds.
This plant is characterized by bright yellow, daisy-like florets surrounding a dark brown or black center cone. This plant loves full sun and will thrive in various soil types. They are excellent for attracting pollinators such as bees and butterflies and will bloom the first year its seeds germinate.
We have a birthday to celebrate tomorrow. Our nation's Semiquincentennial - ordinarily known as a 250th anniversary. A nation conceived and born of rebellion.
Yup,
rebellion.We are a nation birthed of armed insurrection against imperial rule.
The revolution against King George III broke out in April 1775 with a handful of colonists who were willing to
fight for absolute independence from Great Britain and the imposition of
colonial rule.They were considered
radicals.
By the time 1776 rolled-around many more colonists
had begun to chafe-against their subjugation under British rule and warmed to
the idea of independence.The writings
of Thomas Paine early in the year fed the growing hostility against Britain and
helped to spread revolutionary fervor.
The colonies legally
separated from Great Britain on July 2, 1776 when the Second Continental
Congress voted to approve a resolution of independence that had been proposed
earlier in June by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia.Following the vote, Congress redirected its
attentions to the drafting of an explanation of this decision.Written by a committee of five - with Thomas
Jefferson as the principal author - this Declaration of Independence was
approved on July 4.
Independence Day - also referred to as
the 4th of July - is a federal holiday memorializing the adoption of the
Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.
Raising a toast to rebellion
against imperial rule and future return of a Congress with cojones.
Pro Tip: Want to learn more about the American Revolution? Look to the labels feature on the left-hand side of the blog homepage and click on The Road To Independence. You'll be redirected to a short selection of posts published in the last year.
On July 2,1982, Larry Walters, a 33-year-old truck driver from San Pedro,
California, redefined the meaning of homemade adventure. From his
backyard, Larry tied 42 helium-filled weather balloons to a lawn chair,
packed a parachute, a CB radio, sandwiches, beer, and a pellet gun—and
took off into the sky. His plan was simple, if wildly optimistic: to
gently float a few hundred meters above his neighborhood, enjoy the
view, and then use the pellet gun to gradually pop the balloons and
descend.
But things didn’t go as
planned. Larry shot up rapidly, reaching an astonishing altitude of
4,900 meters (over 16,000 feet), unintentionally entering the controlled
airspace of Los Angeles International Airport. Commercial pilots began
reporting a man in a lawn chair floating near their flight paths, and
air traffic control was thrown into disbelief. Eventually, Larry drifted
into power lines, causing a blackout in parts of Long Beach.
Miraculously, he landed safely and was immediately arrested by the Long Beach Police Department.
Despite
the chaos, Larry Walters became an instant folk hero. His story made
headlines worldwide, he appeared on Late Night With David Letterman, and his
now-legendary lawn chair was later displayed in the Smithsonian. Though
his flight was illegal and dangerous, Larry captured the imagination of
millions—a symbol of daring, eccentricity, and the kind of wild dream
only someone with enough courage—or enough curiosity—would actually try
to live.
Later in life he later broke up with his girlfriend of 15 years and could only find work sporadically as a security guard. On October 6, 1993, at the age of 44, Walters died by suicide.
From
our early walk this morning it was already 75F and forecast to rise
into the mid to low 80s. Whew! We ran the trail camera trapline too so
there are more critters to follow,
There was also silky dogwood - Cornus amomum.
This
deciduous shrub has an open-rounded form and features tiny
yellowish-white flowers in flat-topped clusters in late spring to early
summer, followed by attractive berry-like drupes that ripen from white
to blue in late summer. It is typically found in moist lowland areas, such as swamp borders, floodplains, and along streams and ponds. The
berries are edible for birds and wildlife. The berries can be used in
teas or other preparations when ripe but are otherwise toxic to people.
Lots more blooming in the pollinator habitat; and monarch butterflies, pardon the pun, are king.
False Sunflower (Heliopsis Helianthoides), is a perennial native.
It is characterized by its bright yellow petals surrounding a darker orange-yellow center. It prefers full sun and average to dry well-drained soil. It's a good pick for pollinator habitat or a butterfly garden because it provides abundant amounts of pollen and nectar.
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