By the time you receive this issue, the Fourth of July celebrations will have come and gone, but a milestone as significant as America’s 250th birthday deserves to be celebrated all year long.
I have always considered it a true honor and privilege to be an American. Watching videos on social media of visitors experiencing our country during recent events reminded me just how fortunate we are to call this nation home. Sometimes it takes seeing America through someone else’s eyes to appreciate all that we have.
As we settle into the heat of summer, I also hope you’re finding ways to stay cool during these months of Arizona’s extreme heat.
If you’re planning any home repairs or remodeling projects this summer, I encourage you to support the outstanding local businesses that advertise in The Grand Season each month. Their continued support makes this publication possible.
Here’s to celebrating America’s past, embracing the present, and looking forward to a bright future together.
Enjoy every day
Melissa Whitton Editor/Associate Publisher
MEDIA WALLS
INSPIRE FREEDOM
Freedom is not worth having if it does not connote freedom to err and even to sin.
—Mahatma Gandhi
May freedom be seen, not as the right to do as we please, but as the opportunity to please to do what is right.
—Peter Marshall
It also is an occasion for remembering that in the truest sense freedom cannot be bestowed, it must be achieved; and that there must be constant vigilance if it is to be maintained.
—Franklin D. Roosevelt
Freedom is the open window through which pours the sunlight of the human spirit and of human dignity.
—Herbert Hoover
All the great things are simple, and many can be expressed in a single word: freedom, justice, honor, duty, mercy, hope.
—Winston Churchill
Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.
—Martin Luther King, Jr.
Liberty, when it begins to take root, is a plant of rapid growth.
—George Washington
F Freedom lies in being bold.
—Robert Frost
If you assume that there is an instinct for freedom, there are opportunities to change things, there’s a chance you may contribute to making a better world. The choice is yours.
—Noam Chomsky
The secret to happiness is freedom… And the secret to freedom is courage.
—Thucydides
DINING GUIDE
After trading $3 billion worth of Pepsi-Cola to the U.S.S.R. in exchange for vodka, submarines and other military hardware, the Pepsi company briefly had the sixth largest military in the world.
Time slows down so dramatically near a black hole that if you stood close enough to it, years could pass for the universe while just minutes passed for you.
Los Angeles has the world’s largest Korean population outside of Korea.
Iceland’s parliament, the Icelandic Althingi, first formed in 930 A.D., is the oldest in the world.
The tradition of carrying the bride across the threshold started in medieval Europe when many people believed that a bride was especially vulnerable to evil spirits through the soles of her feet. To guard her from such attacks, the chivalric groom would carry her into their new home.
In J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” dragon blood is revealed to be an effective oven cleaner.
The Pyramids of Giza are the only Great Wonder of the ancient world still standing.
A sloth can take up to two weeks to digest a single meal.
Lightning isn’t limited to thunderstorms, but can also occur in volcanic eruptions, wildfires and snowstorms.
REFLECT INFLUENCERS
The United States was shaped by many influential leaders whose ideas, actions, and sacrifices helped create and strengthen the nation. From the American Revolution to the Civil War and the fight for equal rights, these individuals played vital roles in American history.
During the struggle for independence, Samuel Adams organized the Committee of Correspondence and helped build support for breaking away from Great Britain. Patrick Henry inspired colonists with his famous words, “Give me liberty or give me death!” Thomas Paine’s pamphlets, including Common Sense, encouraged Americans to seek independence. Meanwhile, King George III’s taxes and refusal to compromise pushed the colonies toward revolution.
Several Founding Fathers helped establish the new nation. Benjamin Franklin was an inventor, diplomat, and signer of the Declaration of Independence. Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration and later became the third president, overseeing the Louisiana Purchase. George Washington led the Continental Army to victory and became the first president. James Madison, known as the “Father of the Constitution,” helped design the nation’s government, while Alexander Hamilton created important financial systems as the first Secretary of the Treasury.
As the nation grew, leaders faced challenges involving expansion and sectional differences. James Monroe issued the Monroe Doctrine to prevent European interference in the Western Hemisphere. Andrew Jackson expanded presidential power but is also remembered for the Trail of Tears. Before the Civil War, Henry Clay sought compromise between North and South, while John C. Calhoun and Daniel Webster represented opposing regional interests.
The Civil War brought new leaders to prominence. Abraham Lincoln preserved the Union and led the nation through its greatest crisis before his assassination. Ulysses S. Grant’s military leadership helped secure victory for the North. On the Confederate side, Jefferson Davis served as president and Robert E. Lee commanded Confederate forces.
The fight for equality was advanced by Frederick Douglass, a former slave who became a leading abolitionist, and Harriet Tubman, who helped hundreds of enslaved people escape through the Underground Railroad. Elizabeth Cady Stanton launched the Women’s Rights Movement by organizing the Seneca Falls Convention.
Together, these leaders shaped the political, social, and moral foundations of the United States, leaving a legacy that continues to influence the nation today.
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LOVE RELATIONSHIP CHECK UP
Often in marriage, it’s easy to go through the motions, and not really connect on a deeper level. If you want to build a more intimate relationship, carve out the time in your life to answers some of the following questions with your partner:
What part of you have I been missing this year?
Questions About Us
What’s changed about us this year that we haven’t named?
Where have we drifted?
What are we doing on autopilot that we should question?
What part of our relationship feels alive right now?
What used to turn you on that doesn’t anymore?
What turns you on now that you’ve never told me?
What would make you want me again?
What’s the one thing about our sex life you’d change if you knew I wouldn’t get hurt?
Questions
About the Past Year
Questions About Money
What scares you about our finances?
What do you wish we did differently with money?
What do you secretly want to spend money on?
What do you resent paying for?
What part of your life do you want to grow?
What part do you want to let go of?
What’s something you want to try?
What’s something you’ve been scared to start?
What does success look like to you now?
What does it look like for us?
When did you last feel truly seen by me?
What’s something you’ve been carrying alone?
What have you stopped telling me, and why?
Where in your life are you the loneliest right now?
What’s the hardest thing you didn’t say out loud this year?
What are you grieving that I haven’t noticed?
What part of yourself have you put on hold?
When was the last time you felt fully like yourself?
What would you tell me if you knew I wouldn’t react?
What part feels like it’s just going through the motions?
What do you miss about us?
When did you last feel proud to be with me?
When did you last feel embarrassed to be with me?
If we met today, would you choose me again?
Questions About Sex and the Body
What do you wish I knew about your body right now?
What’s changed about what you want?
What’s something you’ve been afraid to ask for?
What’s something you’ve been faking?
What was the hardest moment for you this year?
What was the moment you felt closest to me?
What was the moment you felt furthest?
What did I do this year that hurt you and you let it slide?
What did I do this year that meant more than you said?
What’s something you forgave me for without telling me?
What’s something you’re still holding?
What’s something you’d do differently if you had this year back?
What did you learn about us this year?
What did you learn about yourself?
What would you do if money wasn’t a factor?
How do you really feel about who earns what?
What does financial security mean to you now?
What would have to change for you to feel safe about money?
What conversation about money have we been avoiding?
Questions About Dreams
What do you want for yourself this next year?
What’s a dream you’ve stopped saying out loud?
What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?
What would you do if you knew I’d support it fully?
Questions About Fear
What are you most afraid of right now?
What are you afraid I’II never understand?
What are you afraid will never change?
What are you afraid of losing?
What are you afraid of becoming?
What are you afraid of admitting?
What are you afraid of about us?
What are you afraid of about yourself?
What are you afraid of about getting older?
What are you afraid of about dying?
U.S. ROAD TRIP
In the spirit of celebrating our country’s 250th Anniversary, here’s some trivia to tickle your brain.
1. How many original Colonies were there?
2. What is the national bird of the U.S.?
3. In what city was the Declaration of Independence signed?
4. True or false? The U.S. Constitution is the world’s longest-standing surviving written charter of government.
5. What explorer is America named after?
6. What year did women finally get the right to vote?
7. Who’s credited with sewing the first American flag?
8. The name of the first American Colony, settled in 1607, was __________.
9. Who are the only two nonpresidents who appear on our currency?
10. What are the three branches of U.S. government?
11. What event officially brought the U.S. into World War II?
12. If someone requests your John Hancock, what are they referring to?
13. What song contains the lyrics “for amber waves of grain”?
14. Who was the first woman to serve on the Supreme Court?
15. When did the U.S. officially get involved in World War I?
16. Which type of alcohol is distinctive to the United States?
17. Who was the King of England during the American Revolution?
18. What U.S. city is known as the “wedding capital of the world”?
19. Which Civil Rights figure led the famous Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955?
20. True or false? Apple pie was invented in the good old USA.
21. What was the only state to ever have been ruled by a queen?
22. Who was the first American astronaut in space?
23. Which was the first established university in the U.S.?
24. What does the U.S.’s motto “E pluribus unum” mean?
25. What was the original capital of the U.S.?
26. What is the largest national park in the U.S.?
27. Which was the first state to be admitted to the union?
28. Where can you find the National Baseball Hall of Fame?
29. What is America’s longest highway?
30. In which American city did jazz music originate?
31. What is the busiest airport in the U.S.?
32. Which explorer discovered the Mississippi River?
33. How many states were eventually created from the Louisiana Purchase in 1803?
34. What was the name of the Native American tribe the Pilgrims celebrated the first Thanksgiving with?
35. On April 9, 1865, where did Robert E. Lee formally surrender to Ulysses S. Grant?
36. Which state is Juan Ponce de León credited with discovering?
37. What fashion trend was born out of the Suffrage Movement in the 1850s?
38. During the Gilded Age, who was the richest American and the country’s first billionaire?
39. Who did the U.S. fight against in the War of 1812?
40. Why was the U.S. Secret Service officially formed in July 1865?
41. Which President won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009?
42. Who was the first president to be born in the 20th century?
43. Which state has produced the greatest number of U.S. presidents?
44. Which four presidents are on Mount Rushmore?
45. Which president died in office after serving only 32 days
46. Who were the first residents of the White House?
47. Who was the first president to name a woman to his cabinet?
48. When the White House was on fire in 1814, which first lady sprang into action and saved a portrait of George Washington?
49. Which president is responsible for creating the interstate highway system?
50. How many sitting presidents have been assassinated?
51. Who was the shortest commander in chief?
52. The first U.S. president to be impeached was ______________.
53. Which two presidents died on July 4, 1826, which was also the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence?
54. The only person to hold the offices of both president and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court was ___________.
55. True or false? Martin Van Buren had two pet tiger cubs while in the White House.
56. Which U.S. state has the smallest population?
57. When you stand at the Four Corners Monument, which four states can you be in at the same time?
58. What’s the highest mountain in the U.S.?
59. What’s the oldest city in America?
60. Which two sets of states contain the names North and South?
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RITA’S
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•Want to finish “The Look”
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SPIKED PINK
LEMONADE
INGREDIENTS
4 cups pink lemonade
6 oz. vodka
1 oz. grenadine
2 lemon slices
2 strawberry slices (optional)
DIRECTIONS
Divide pink lemonade between
2 ice cube trays. Freeze until solid, at least 8 hours and up to 6 months. In a blender, blend frozen lemonade, vodka, and grenadine until smooth. Divide slushy between 2 glasses.
Garnish with lemon slices and strawberry slices (if using).
BLUEBERRY JAM
GIN SPRITZ
INGREDIENTS
2 oz. gin, divided 1 Tbsp. blueberry jam, leftover in jar
1/2 oz. fresh lemon juice
Ice
Club soda, for topping off
3 fresh blueberries (optional)
1 fresh basil sprig (optional)
Lemon peel, for serving (optional)
DIRECTIONS
Pour 1 oz. gin into jam jar with jam. Tightly close and vigorously shake for 10 seconds. Add lemon juice and remaining 1 oz. gin and stir to combine. Fill jar with ice, then top off with club soda. Skewer 3 blueberries (if using) and place in jar. Garnish with basil and lemon peel (if using).
COCONUTPINEAPPLE SPRITZ
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup small pineapple chunks, plus 1 pineapple wedge and 2 pineapple leaves
1 Tbsp. packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 oz. rum
Ice
1 oz. coconut water
Seltzer water, for topping off 1 lime wedge
DIRECTIONS
In a cocktail shaker, muddle pineapple chunks and brown sugar until pineapple is smashed to a puree and releases juices. Add rum, then fill cocktail shaker with ice. Cover and vigorously shake until outside of shaker is very frosty, about 20 seconds. Strain into a pint or highball glass, shaking and tapping shaker to ensure all liquid is strained. Fill glass halfway with ice and pour coconut water over. Top off with seltzer water. Squeeze juice from lime wedge into glass and drop wedge into glass. Garnish with pineapple wedge and leaves.
BLUEBERRY LEMON DROP SLUSHIES
INGREDIENTS
1/2 oz. fresh lemon juice, plus more for glasses
Granulated sugar, for glasses
2 Tbsp. blueberry preserves
10 oz. frozen lemonade
2 cups ice cubes (about 8 oz.) 5 oz. vodka
Lemon wheels and fresh blueberries, for garnish
DIRECTIONS
Squeeze some lemon juice into a small bowl. Place sugar on a plate. Dip rims of 2 glasses into lemon juice, then into sugar. In a small bowl, combine blueberry preserves and 1/2 oz. lemon juice. In a blender, blend frozen lemonade, ice, and vodka until smooth. Spoon 1 Tbsp. blueberry mixture into base of each prepared glass. Divide lemon drop between glasses, then spoon remaining blueberry mixture over top. Garnish with lemon wheels and fresh blueberries.
The United States Constitution is the oldest written national constitution still in use.
The first permanent English settlement was established at Jamestown, Virginia, in 1607.
The original United States flag had 13 stars and 13 stripes representing the first colonies.
The current 50-star American flag was designed by a 17-yearold high school student, Robert Heft, in 1958.
The capital of the United States moved from New York to Philadelphia, and finally to Washington, D.C., in 1800.
Alaska is the largest state by area, possessing a longer coastline than all the other 49 states combined.
Denali in Alaska is the highest peak in North America, reaching 20,310 feet.
Yellowstone was the first national park in the world, established in 1872.
The Missouri River is the longest river in the US, spanning over 2,300 miles.
American
1. 13
2. The bald eagle
3. Philadelphia
4. True. Since it was ratified in 1789, the Constitution established the U.S. government as it exists today.
5. Amerigo Vespucci
6. 1920, with the passage of the 19th amendment
7. Betsy Ross
8. Jamestown, Virginia
9. Alexander Hamilton on the $10 bill and Benjamin Franklin on the $100 bill
10. The Legislative, Executive and Judicial
11. The December 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor
12. Your signature
13. “America the Beautiful”
14. Sandra Day O’Connor
15. 1917
16. Kentucky bourbon
17. George III
U.S. ROAD TRIP
22. Alan Shepard
23. Harvard
24. “Out of many, one”
25. New York City
26. The WrangellSt. Elias National Park & Preserve in Alaska
27. Delaware
28. Cooperstown, NY
29. Route 20, which stretches from Boston to Newport, OR
30. New Orleans
31. HartsfieldJackson Atlanta Airport
32. Hernando De Soto
33. 15
34. The Wampanoag tribe
35. The Appomattox Court House in Virginia
36. Florida
37. Bloomers, aka loose trousers that gathered at the ankles
38. John D. Rockefeller, the founder of Standard Oil
39. Great Britain
Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln
45. William Henry Harrison
46. John and Abigail Adams
47. Franklin Delano Roosevelt
48. Dolley Madison
49. Dwight D. Eisenhower
50. Four
51. James Madison, who stood just 5 feet 4 inches tall
52. Andrew Johnson
53. John Adams and Thomas Jefferson
54. William Howard Taft
55. True! Van Buren received the cubs from the Sultan of Oman, but Congress said he couldn’t keep them, so the cubs were donated to the local zoo.
56. Wyoming
57. Arizona, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico
18. Las Vegas
19. Martin Luther King Jr.
20. False. It originated in England, with the first recipe written in 1381.
21. Hawaii
40. To stamp out rampant counterfeiting after the Civil War
41. Barack Obama
42. John F. Kennedy
43. Virginia
44. George Washington,
58. Denali, also known as Mt. McKinley, in Alaska, which stands at 20,310 feet.
59. St. Augustine, FL
60. North and South Carolina and North and South Dakota
HOLLYWOOD HAPPENINGS
Michael Douglas and Oliver Stone joined forces again for the upcoming drama film “White Lies.” Douglas, 81, and Ellen Barkin, 72, will be supporting Josh Hartnett, 47, whose character is the film’s main focal point.
Hugh Jackman hits screens as the elderly robber/ baron of Sherwood Forest in “The Death of Robin Hood” (co-starring Jodie Comer and Bill Skarsgard), in which the former “Wolverine,” 57, takes on Robin Hood’s midlife crisis.
Jackman then immediately jumped into playing Long John Silver in Ridley Scott’s upcoming reimagining of “Treasure Island.” The book “Treasure Island” by Robert Louis Stevenson has sold more than tens of millions of copies since it was first published in 1883. In 1934, MetroGoldwyn-Mayer (MGM) made a film version with Wallace Beery and Jackie Cooper
In 1950, Disney produced an exciting version with Robert Newton and Bobby Driscoll, and in 1972, Orson Welles played Long John Silver. In 1990, a TV adaption starred Charlton Heston, Christian Bale and Oliver Reed
AAA SENIOR PLACEMENT AZ
A Message from Sue Royer
“I was born and raised in inner city Chicago, the sixth of eighteen children with fifteen brothers. Being the oldest daughter, I was always a caregiver which I believe influenced me to pursue work in the healthcare industry. Today, I have three daughters and five grandchildren.
Years ago, I volunteered for hospice and knew immediately that helping seniors was my calling. I was soon employed by hospice but I felt something was missing. I realized it was the limited time I was able to spend with my clients. Having my own business allows me to provide the intimate hands on service needed in our community. I am committed to our seniors throughout their lives and I thank the community for the opportunity to serve.”
Sue RoyerDirector
About Us
Since 2002, AAA Senior Placement AZ has been offering FREE services helping seniors find safe, affordable and loving assisted living.
When it becomes too difficult for you or your loved ones to safely manage daily living and/or manage medical needs, call Sue Royer for help navigating the many options available.
We are specialists in all levels of assisted living care resources with referrals to Arizona’s best:
• Group Homes
• Assisted Living Communities
• In-Home Primary Care Physicians
• Home Health Care Therapy
• Transportation
• Private Duty In-Home Care
• Respite Care
• Alzheimer’s Care
• Memory Care
• Hospice
• Support Groups
Assisted living resources accepting:
• Private pay
• Arizona Long Term Care-ALTCS
• Medicaid
• VA Benefits
6 Reasons You Should Call
AAA Senior Placement AZ
• We are well known and respected in the medical community.
• All clients are given a thorough assessment to determine proper placement needs.
• There is never a fee charged to the senior or their family for our service.
• We are NOT contractually bound to any outside business. This allows us to serve our clients with only their interests in mind.
• Years of knowledge and experience in the field of senior care.
• AAA Senior Placement AZ is family owned, allowing us to give you quality, personalized service.
FOUNDATION
The United States Constitution is one of the most important documents in American history. Written in 1787, it established the framework for the federal government and outlined the rights and responsibilities of both the government and its citizens. More than two centuries later, it remains the supreme law of the land and continues to guide the nation.
One reason the Constitution is so important is that it created a system of government based on the principles of democracy and the rule of law. It divided power among three branches of government—the legislative, executive, and judicial branches—to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful. This system of checks and balances helps protect the freedoms of the American people.
The Constitution also established federalism, which divides power between the national government and state governments. This balance allows states to govern local matters while maintaining a strong national government capable of addressing issues that affect the entire country.
Equally important are the Constitution’s amendments. The first ten amendments, known
as the Bill of Rights, were added in 1791 to protect individual freedoms. These amendments guarantee rights such as freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, the right to bear arms, and the right to a fair trial. The Bill of Rights ensures that citizens are protected from government abuse and have the freedom to express their beliefs and opinions.
Over time, additional amendments have helped the nation grow and become more equal. The 13th Amendment abolished slavery, the 14th Amendment guaranteed equal protection under the law, and the 15th Amendment gave African American men the right to vote. Later amendments expanded voting rights to women through the 19th Amendment and lowered the voting age to 18 through the 26th Amendment.
The Constitution and its amendments have allowed the United States to adapt to changing times while preserving the principles of liberty, justice, and democracy. These documents provide a foundation for government, protect citizens’ rights, and help ensure that all Americans are treated fairly under the law. For these reasons, the Constitution remains one of the most significant documents in the history of the United States.
