Along The Ad Routes

by Mike Reilly

This Friday (tomorrow) is the celebration of our nation’s birthday - July 4th or Independence Day. Here’s a little know historical fact and I love and respect history (even though it is being taken away from us). “On July 4, 1826, as the nation celebrated the 50th anniversary of its independence, both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died. The loss of two of the first three Presidents, as well as two of its founding fathers, is one of the remarkable coincidences in the history of the nation. The two men are inextricably linked to the Revolution.  Both were among the fifty-six signers of the Declaration of Independence, and Adams and Jefferson were on the Continental Congress’ Committee of Five to compose the document.

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Saturday morning breakfast took us to the north a little ways to a very familiar place that just opened the first Thursday of June for breakfast (only). It was 400 Springs, at the House on the Rock Resort Golf Course. Drew (chef) and Dawn (head server) had a short sabbatical from there last year. So, they reopened. Bob, Tom, Dewey and myself were there a couple of Sundays ago before Dewey left for Indiana. This time it was Bob, Terry, Tom, Potsie, Dave and Royce joining me. Everyone had been there before except Royce. He was impressed! Dave won’t be with us again until the first Saturday of August as he’s headed out west for windsurfing, golf and more vacation things! We arrived a few minutes before 8:00 and waited until they opened at 8:00 on the dot! Derek, a young fellow from Gotham, took our drink order then Bella Mae, a young girls from Ohio, who had just moved to the area and had just started there was our server. They weren’t real busy when our food came so Dawn helped her serve us. But by the time they set things down, people started coming in. They were well over half full by the time we left. Bob and Tom had a huge helping of quiche, something not too many places serve. The rest of us had French toast, pancakes and eggs with meat. It all was very good!

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After I got back to the office I headed to just outside Darlington for a “Marty” reunion. My cousin Jeanette (from Atlanta) is back in the area and her husband (Jack) is a Marty from Darlington. All the relatives that could make it did to his sister Jeanne Black’s place. Besides Jeanette, I also had her/my relatives Melanie (daughter) and Grace (granddaughter), from Athens, Georgia, there. It was a lot of fun catching up with all of them, some I hadn’t seen in several years and some I met for the first time! Grace left for a concert in Colorado on Wednesday, but Jeanette and Melanie are around for a few more days!

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The temperatures were again pretty brutal last week up until the end of the week. I think the humidity was 150%, even though we all know that’s not possible! It was pretty tough to breathe when you were outside!

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Mineral Point is the place to be for the area’s 4th of July activities. It begins with the “Historic Run” early in the morning and concludes with a community band concert, homemade pie and fireworks with a lot going on in between!

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July 12/13 will be Iowa County Farmer’s Appreciation Day events in Dodgeville. Upland Hills Health holds “Sip & Savor” at Harris Park Saturday evening with fireworks ending the day. The Farmers Appreciation Day Parade will be at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday through downtown Dodgeville with events following at the Iowa County Courthouse Parking Lot - right behind the Dodgeville Chronicle office. New this year will be an “Iowa County Farmers Market’ in the BMO parking lot next to the courthouse, featuring vendors from all over the county!

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When the Farmers Appreciation events end, the Town Square events begin in Dodgeville on the blocks between Union and East Merrimac Streets (near the Red Room Bar & Restaurant and Bob’s Bitchin BBQ) It opens at 2:00 p.m. with live music and Beer Garden. It ends Saturday, July 26 with Maxwell Street Day all over the city and wine tasting at the Town Square. There are a lot of great activities going on every day in between. Check ou the chamber FACEBOOK page for a complete schedule!

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I can’t forget to mention Highland’s community celebration “Our Town” that will take place July 17-19. Their chicken BBQ is one of the best around. There are ball tournaments, kids’ activities and much more!

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Kind of rounding out the July events in the area is Linden’s Annual Frolic Days. They will run July 24-27 with a chicken BBQ and parade culminating events on Sunday.

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Today (July 3) is National Stay Out of the Sun Day. It’s a day that encourages us to give our skin a much-needed break from the sweltering heat. Although one doesn’t technically need to be indoors to avoid the sun, any excuse to lounge around the house for a lengthy period of time can (and should) be taken full advantage of. Moderate sun exposure will provide you with a healthy, all-natural dose of Vitamin D, but spending too much time basking in the sun speeds up the aging process. Whether you opt to spend this holiday relishing in the great indoors, or relaxing in a hammock in the shade.