July begins the second half of the year and is the seasonal equivalent of January in the Southern Hemisphere. Originally named Quintilius because it was the 5th month in the Roman calendar, it was renamed by the Emperor Augustus to honor Julius Caesar.

According to the new Marist Poll: 74% of Resident Americans know that the US declared independence from Great Britain, 20% were unsure and 6% named other countries. This is a great lead-in to my annual recommendation that everyone watch Liberty! The American Revolution. Originally broadcast on PBS in 1997, this is a great history and civics lesson that is actually fun. It is always intriguing to me that the issues dealt with by the 1st Continental Congress are the same issues dealt  with by every subsequent Congress. See for yourself!

If Christmas in July is a tradition in your family, or you would like to make it one… Check out Dunthor Design on Etsy. This may be the last few days that scarves will be available in the store. I am deciding whether or not to  remove them rather than figuring out the recent FTC labeling laws.

This is also the anniversary of our finding Maggie trapped in a storm drain in downtown Burien while walking Freya on a firework filled night.

Click here to read about the rescue of Margaret Liberty Duncan on that particular 4th of July back in 2004.