Celebrate the 4th 0f July

John Trumbull's famous painting depicting the signing of the Declaration.

Americans celebrate July 4th as Independence Day because it was July 4th, 1776 that members of the Second Continental Congress, meeting in Philadelphia adopted the final draft of the Decleration of Independence. Following its adoption, the Declaration was read to the public in various American cities, whenever they heard it patriots erupted in cheers and celebration.

In 1777, Philadelphians remembered the 4th of July, bells were rung, guns fired, candles lighted and firecrackers set off. However, while the war for Independence dragged on, July 4th celebrations were modest at best.

When the war was ended in 1783, July 4th became a holiday in some places. In Boston it replaced the date of the Boston Massacre, March 5th, as the major patriotic holiday. Speeches, military events, parades and fireworks marked the day. In 1941, Congress declared July 4th a federal holiday.

While the Fourth is celebrated across the country, historic cities like Boston and Philadelphia draws huge crowds. Philadelphia holds its celebration at Independence Hall, where historic scenes are reenacted and the Declaration of Independence is read. The Declaration and the American Revolution have since inspired freedom-seekers the world over. Overtime various other summer time activities also came to be associated with July 4th, including historical pagents, parades, picnics, games and many more outdoor activities.

I hope you have a very safe July 4th, and go out and celebrate it with your town. Be safe above all, light your fircrackers and sparkles with care, just have a wonderful time and say a prayer for our country and the fore-fathers who drafted the Declaration, may they rest in peace.

History of Galapagos Islands

Photo of Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

These islands are located just below the equator, 600 miles off the coast of Equador in South America. There are around 19 volcanic islands and range in different sizes. The oldest island are over 4 million years old, while the youngest islands are still being formed today. The islands has fascinated people for hundreds of years. There is so much wildlife; such as Penguins, tropical birds, albatross, blue footed boobies, pelicans, gull birds, hawks, finches, snakes, iguanas, totties and the Komodo dragons and much more. Sounds like a wonderful place to visit, no wonder Darwin fell in love with this place.

The Galapagos Island were first discovered by accident in 1535, when Thomas Berlanga's ship was carried out to the islands by the ocean currents. Later in 1835 the islands were studied by Charles Darwin, he was fresh out of college when he went on his expedition to Galapagos Island, aboard a ship named HMS Beagle.

Darwins very radical idea on the structure of the living world transformed biology from a collection of curious but disconnected facts into a vigorous and unified science. His theory of evolution by natural selection originated during a five year voyage around the world as a naturalist on board the HMS Beagle.The first crude navigation of the islands was done by Ambrose Cowley in 1864. He named the individual island after some of his fellow pirates or English Noblemen, later they were renamed.

The Galapagos Islands are a place born of fire. In the last 200 years a remarkable fifty plus eruptions have occurred, some threatening the fauna and flora, some creating new land, such as the lava flow on Santiago Island, this was unseen in Darwins time. As the tectonic plates move (at a rate of about 5cm per year) the volcanic activity moves with them, creating newer islands to the west and reducing activity of older islands to the east.

The islands animals are unique in the world, do to its exotic wild life and environment, that can only be seen in the group of beautiful and enchanted islands located in the Pacific Ocean. The animals in the Galapagos are unafraid of man and they are so different from any others found elsewhere. This fact make visitors wonder about their very existence on our planet. Galapagos Islands wild life is one of the major attractions and there are thousands of visitors a year.

There are a few islands that have inhabited towns, most of the islands do not. Two of the islands have airports. The towns are small but are well equipped with modern conveniences.You are not allowed anywhere on the island without a tour guide and not allowed off the trails. The high season for tourists to visit is usually June to August. Tourists with interest in the volcanic origins may prefer to visit in the cool dry season, when conditions are more pleasant for hiking. I enjoyed posting this and I hope you enjoy it as well.

A National Treasure—Yellowstone National Park

Emerald pool in Yellowstone National Park.

The park is located at the headwaters of the Yellowstone River, from which it gets its name. The park spans three states, stretching from Wyoming out into Idaho and Montana, the largest area is in Wyoming. The park allows animals to run free and undisturbed. There are bears, elks, bison, birds and more. Travelers can drive or walk through the park at their own will.

In 1872 Ulysses S. Grant set aside as a park for the benefit and enjoyment of the people. However within twenty years financial support begin to dwindle, because of the lack of the ability of the common man to see the glory of Yellowstone Park. With the luck the railroad began to cater to the common tourist, bringing money and visitors to Yellowstone. Also, due to the mass production of the automobile the visitors to the park quadrupled. In 1970 attention strayed away from the History of the park and became more interested in conservation.

Camping is a favorite activity and hiking the many trails. There is camp grounds, such as, Slough Creek Campground, this is a major favorite spot in the park. The Other favorites are, Old Faithful Inn Hotel, fits beautifully into its surroundings and it is completely built of logs and is located within the park boundaries. The Lake Yellowstone Hotel is also located within the park boundries, it is a modern get-a-way, has enormous fireplace. You had better make hotel reservations well in advance for these popular hotel's, due to their central location. In 2004 Yellowstone Inn celebrated its 100th anniversary, with a year long celebration.

Yellowstone Park is the largest park in all the states. It has some of the most famous park features, such as Old Faithful, the Grand Canyon and freely roaming herds of buffalo's, its the largest wild life preserve, an enormous lake, the Continental Divide and over 1,000 miles of trails.

Over 600,000 years ago the central portion of the park exploded and collapsed, leaving a smoldering caldera 28 by 47 miles in size. There is evidence that the area was used by hunters for at least five thousand years. The first white man to visit the park area was probably mountain men and John Colter an adventurer who wandered throughout the area and also trappers. The Hayden Geological survey of 1871, piqued public interest and the work of painter Thomas Morgan.

Yellowstone Hot Spot is a section where the thickness of the earths crust is extremely thin, the magma below the crust is less than two miles. The planet's internal heat is closer to the surface here than anywhere. Water seeps down through the ground here, until it is superheated, it begins to rise and eventually returns to earth as a geyser, this trip from surface to surface may take 500 years.

There are many creeks and rivers in the park. Firehole River flows toward the Upper Geyser Basin and this river is warm all year round. Lewis River has a falls named after it, this river is in the south central portion of Yellowstone Park. Yellowstone Lake is in the central portion of the park, it is the largest lake in the world, over 7,000 feet, the coast of the lake is over one hundred miles in length, this lake was once twice its size.

Steam rises from volcanic hot springs in Yellowstone.

There is so much to write about, this park is so fascinating and full of history. There are rumors that the volcanic part of the park could erupt, but scientist do not know when it might happen. They have sensors all over the park, monitoring thie activity of the magma. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I did posting it, but this only touches on the information about the park.

Poems to Enjoy

I went to garage sales again today and picked up some picture frames with sayings and I would like to pass them on to you.

And Sweetly Sing; by Marion West

A little bird with feathers brown,
Sat singing on a tree;
The song was very soft and low,
But sweet as it could be.

And all the people passing by
Looked up to see the bird.
That made the sweetest melody
That ever they had heard.

But all the bright eyes looked in vain,
For birdie was so small,
And with the modest, dark-brown coat
He made no show at all.

"Why, Father" little Alice said,
"Where can the birdie be?
If I could sing a song like that
I'd sit where folks could see."

"This birdie is content to sit
Unnoticed by the way,
And sweetly sing his Maker's praise
From dawn till close of day.

"So live, my child, through all your life,
That, be it short or long,
Though others may forget your looks,
They'll not forget your song."

Dear Friend, I Remember You

If I could go back in time, back to yesterday
We'd share secrets once again, and plan each special day
In snow and sun and rainbows, those days of you and me
Lovely times, God blessed, a friendship meant to be
Dear Friend, I live and thank you, for precious memories true
When I remember yesterday, I remember you.

My friends I hope you truly enjoy these as I did. I really cry when I read poems and think of the people that have wrote them for all to enjoy. I have always wanted to write poems but just can not seem to put it together right. I do also enjoy reading other posts with poems. Hope you enjoy a great summer.