July, July
This is another name for the Fourth of July.
What is Independence Day? It commemorates the signing of the Declaration of Independence. On July 4, the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia is tapped 13 times, one for each original colony.
This nocturnal hunter is known for its near-silent flight.
What is the owl? The shape of owl wings and feathers significantly reduce the sound made when they fly.
This herb sometimes tops butter and/or sour cream on a baked potato.
What are chives? Onion and garlic varieties are easy to grow and adapt to most soils. They produce small bulbs below the surface, and both their stalks and leaves are edible and used for seasoning. They’re best served fresh as a raw garnish.
This is the term for a prolonged dry period in nature.
What is drought? The drought that caused the Great Plains Dust Bowl lasted nearly a decade, and it couldn’t have happened at a worse time—during the Great Depression.
The Beatles landed in New York City in this decade.
What is the 1960s? On February 7, 1964, the Beatles phenomenon crossed the Atlantic Ocean. They were greeted by 100 police officers, 200 members of the press, and 4,000 screaming fans.
July honors this large fruit with a green rind.
What is watermelon? It’s National Watermelon Month. The rind contains many nutrients, and they are eaten pickled in the South and stir-fried in China. The seeds are also edible and are roasted in the Middle East and China.
John Travolta plays a hardware store worker by day and a disco king by night in this 1970s film.
What is Saturday Night Fever? Disco music and dancing were all the rage in the 1970s, especially in New York when Studio 54 reigned supreme.
The Genovese variety of this herb is used to make pesto.
What is basil? It’s a member of the mint family and comes in many varieties, from lemon to licorice to cinnamon. It takes its name from the Greek basileus, meaning “king or royal.”
This is the term for decomposing plants and animals that are used as an energy source.
What is fossil fuels? Coal, oil, and natural gas are fossil fuels. Sun and wind are renewable sources.
Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J. P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson died in a plane crash while on tour during this decade.
What is the 1950s? On February 3, 1959, the plane crashed in Clear Lake, Iowa. The pilot was not instrument qualified, but he took off in inclement weather. There were no survivors.
Previously known as Dominion Day, this country celebrates its creation on July 1.
What is Canada? The original colonies formed the semi-independent union called the Canadian Dominion on July 1, 1867. After Canada gained its full independence in 1982, the first Canada Day celebration was held in 1983.
This is the proper name of the North Star.
What is Polaris? Did you know that, while Polaris is the current North Star, it hasn’t always been? The title is given to a bright star that is closest to Earth’s celestial pole. Vega was the North Star 14,000 years ago.
This herb from a woody plant goes well with lamb dishes. It’s a member of the mint family and comes from Latin, meaning “dew of the sea.”
What is rosemary? The plant is a perennial, and its leaves are used abundantly in Mediterranean cooking.
This is the most prevalent blood type in the world.
What is O positive? O negative is considered the universal blood donor type, and while not ideal, it can be used on anyone in a medical emergency.
This decade brought us the first televised presidential debate.
What is the 1960s? The debate was between Kennedy and Nixon, and it was broadcast in 1960 on CBS.
July is named after this man.
Who is Julius Caesar? Caesar was born under the Roman calendar, and he ushered in the Julian calendar, the predecessor to today’s Gregorian calendar.
This U.S. state has the highest number of night-shift workers.
What is Nevada? This is due to the high percentage of third-shift workers in Las Vegas.
This herb is often used with fish and in pickling.
What is dill? It’s a member of the carrot family, and it resembles carrot tops.
This thick dairy ingredient is used in French food to thicken sauces and soups and as a dessert topping.
What is crème fraîche? Crème fraîche has a 30 percent fat content, while sour cream has a 20 percent fat content. The higher fat content makes crème fraîche richer and creamier, and it’s also less tangy than sour cream.
It was during this decade that Dolly the sheep was cloned
What is the 1990s? In Scotland in 1996, Dolly became the first cloned animal. Scientists used a mammary gland for the process, and the sheep was named for Dolly Parton. Parton said, “I never met her, but I always said there’s no such thing as ‘baaad’ publicity.”
Louis Pasteur administered the first vaccine against this on July 6, 1885.
What is rabies? A rabid dog had bitten a boy, and even though the vaccine had not been tested, Pasteur decided to try it on the boy. It worked, and the boy survived the deadly disease.
On the Doomsday Clock, the end of civilization is represented by this time.
What is midnight? The symbolic clock is set annually and is run by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, a nonprofit organization.
This herb can be made into tea as a remedy for coughs and colds, and it gets its name from the Greek word for “courage.”
What is thyme? The woody varieties are evergreen, so you can use them straight from the garden to the kitchen year-round.
Princess Diana and Winston Churchill have this name in common.
What is Spencer? Before she was Diana, Princess of Wales, her full name was Lady Diana Spencer, and Winston Churchill’s full name was Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill. Princess Diana was related to Churchill, Humphrey Bogart, Louisa May Alcott, Rudolph Valentino, and Audrey Hepburn. She was also King Charles’ seventh cousin.
This entire decade was focused on the possibility of a Y2K bug.
What is the 1990s? People feared that, because early computer code expressed years in two numerals, omitting the “19” before the year would cause power, communications, and access to electronic funds to be lost. In the end, nothing happened. Life went on without a hiccup.