Dear Friend,
It’s an auspicious week! The USA is celebrating its 250th birthday! Other than avoiding the noisy fireworks that set off dogs barking everywhere, I’ll be celebrating from a historical perspective.
Did you know you could actually celebrate the USA’s formation on several days? According to a history scholar on the Revolutionary War, after the Second Continental Congress met on July 2-3 to discuss the document (known only as the “Declaration”), the parchment would not be signed by all thirteen colony’s delegates until early in 1777!
On July 4th, although we celebrate it as our “birthday,” no document was signed─yet. Except for the signature of the Secretary of the Second Continental Congress, Charles Thomson, none of the delegates signed. There was agreement to the document’s points on July 4th, but no one else signed that day.
And the New York delegates needed to go back to New York to get approval. Back then, that round trip took a week! Granted, those in attendance agreed to adopt the “Declaration,” but the only one who could be considered a traitor was Mr. Thomson, who wasn’t even a delegate.
So, set August 2, 1776 on your calendar as the date when almost everyone signed the Declaration. Except for at least one delegate, who was already off fighting the British!
Now, why am I thinking about this as an important birthday? That’s because in my Louisa’s Vineyard Series, my main male character’s birthday is July 4th. At the point Will and Louisa celebrate his birthday, they’re on their honeymoon and he’s now twenty-one!
Insert image of chocolate cake with candles burning -if you can find an image of a person’s mouth focused on blowing out the candles without seeing their face that would be great!
So, hurrah for Will and Louisa! Louisa finds a novel and romantic way to treat Will to a very arousing birthday. If you haven’t already enjoyed A Vision of Home, Book 3 of the Louisa’s Vineyard Series, I highly recommend that you share the pleasures of Will’s birthday. Louisa provides the cake, and her treats are the icing on Will’s cake.
Enjoy the holiday, whichever date or dates you decide to celebrate!
How do you celebrate birthdays? What was a memorable favorite of yours?
Please let me know what you’re thinking when you consider your life and what matters to you.
Send your responses to: Shelley@ShelleySommers.com
Thank you!
