Happy Independence Day!

Dandelion Fireworks by sherylkphoto

Since many people have the day off in observance of Independence Day, I'm layin' low on the blog today. I will have some miscellaneous fun up later this afternoon, but stop back tomorrow for the winner of the Daniel M. Jewelry Giveaway (still time to enter here!), the winner of the June Couture drawing and a yummy new In the Kitchen post.

In the meantime, here is little interesting history about the Fourth of July. Did you know that Independence Day is technically July 2? John Adams wrote a letter to his wife saying that 'the second day of July, 1776 would be the most memorable epoch in history', as this was the day the legal separation of the American colonies from Great Britain actually occurred, and Congress voted to approve a resolution of independence. Congress then turned it's attention to the Declaration of Independence, which was the statement explaining the separation decision, and after debating and revising the declaration, they approved the final version two days later on July 4, which became the day of public celebration.

In a remarkable coincidence, both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, the only signers of the Declaration of Independence to later serve as President of the United States, died on the same day: July 4, 1826, which was the 50th anniversary of the Declaration.