THE FOURTH of JULY

No one in North America would consider the fourth day of the month of July as anything but: The Fourth of July.   For us, it is a formal name, paired with Independence Day in the United States. The tradition of Independence Day goes back to the 18th century with the American Revolution.  It was made a federal holiday in 1870, and finally a paid holiday to all federal employees in 1941. There had been debate on which day should be the celebrated day.  John Adams considered July 2nd the correct date to celebrate American independence. It was on July 2nd that the Continental Congress voted in favour of Lee's resolution for independence. The Continental Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, and this is the date that became cemented in American tradition. The famous name of John Hancock:  he is the only one who actually signed the Declaration on July 4, 1776.  The others signed it later.  It was first read in public on July 8th, 1776 and the first celebration took place then. Both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died on July 4th 1826, the 50th anniversary of the the Declaration's adoption.   On Saturday, there were 40 open gardens in Watertown, a beautiful town on the escarpment.  Here's a beautiful espalier.