The folks who make up the Colorado association – both on the administrative side and the member companies – are top notch.

Congrats, again, to ALCC on 50 years.

The Fourth of July means different things to everyone. For Brian, who is inherently distrustful of fireworks, the holiday is for grilling out and enjoying the musical stylings of America’s greatest rock and roll band.

And while I certainly love a good cookout, for me, the holiday really centers on blowing stuff up.

For the nerdier more scientific among you, the above video features John A. Conkling, Ph.D., author of “The Chemistry of Pyrotechnics, Basic Principles and Theory.” Here, he outlines the chemistry behind our favorite rockets.

And that’s what’s so wonderful about today, and what’s so worth celebrating. We have the freedom to celebrate our independence in whatever way we choose. Brian gets his Van Halen, I get my Roman candles.

So, however you celebrate today, please have a safe and happy holiday. We’ll be back tomorrow with our regularly scheduled programming.

Big Wooden Ball Project from Mike Leuis on Vimeo.

Here’s our round-up of cool stuff from the web. Check it out and have a great weekend. (And call your dad!)

• The coming mosquito invasion. (via @senskeblog)
• Church covers its nave with turfgrass for the queen.
• Economics: 100 years of consumer spending.
• Science: pH explained.
• Why people hate unkempt lawns.
• Above: What to do with those old stumps.

When you do many things at once (which, technically, is impossible), your brain tricks you into thinking you’re doing them all well. But Sherry Turkle, author of “Alone Together,” explains that trying to multitask actually makes you less productive.

Here’s our weekly digest of cool stuff we found online. Enjoy!

• New invasive plant database for the Midwest.
• Get a taste of Giverny in NYC.
• A new perspective on worker injuries. (via @ValleyCrest)
• Plants that smell you.
• Phoenix housing market rises like a … well.
• Above: Denver-based Swingle Lawn & Tree Care does a great job of producing how-to videos for its customers.

Here’s our weekly collection of fun and educational stuff from the web. Enjoy, and have a great weekend!

• It’s official – warmest spring on record.
• 5 great summer water movies.
• Canada’s pesticide ban means Toronto’s parks ‘going to seed.’
• New research on small business from Bank of America.
• Why you should drink more coffee.
• Above: Manufacturers focus on faster mowers for pros and homeowners alike. (via @OPEInstitute)

Here’s our latest digest of educational, informative and interesting stories from the web. Enjoy!

• How colors make us buy.
• 2011 foreclosures at lowest rate since 2007.
• Don’t just work harder. Work harder on the right things.
• The Oracle of Omaha could (but probably won’t) buy John Deere.
• Leadership lessons from Genghis Khan.
• Write better press releases.
• Above: Marshall Horsman, technical manager for Harrell’s, on how to best fertilize palms.

Here’s our weekly digest of interesting stuff from the internet. Have a great weekend. (And call your mom.)

• A history of the sunflower.
• Top 2012 outdoor living trends.
• The best times to post to Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr.
• Massive stormwater park opens in Los Angeles. (via @ValleyCrest)
• Chris Heiler on practical uses of Pinterest.
• Above: Transplanting a tree in Australia with ArborCo.

Here’s our weekly collection of fun stuff from the internet. Enjoy!

• The longest-serving employee at the Morton Arboretum also lives there. (via @ChicagoTreeMD)
• Rutgers launches rain barrels designed by local artists.
• Roanne Miller on why local green industry businesses are better for their communities.
• A great round-up of landscaper-friendly apps from @JShilan.
• Eye candy: 55 photos of Frank Mariani’s personal gardens.
• Above: A new video from the ASLA on how urban agriculture can be adapted to small spaces in cities.

Here’s our digest of fun, interesting and important links from the week. Dig in and enjoy!

• SoCal water fight heats up.
• Plans underway to create world’s largest online plant database.
• Many small businesses are avoiding loans. (via @genemarks)
• Top green building trends for 2012. (via @ValleyCrest) 
• An oldie but a goodie: Email checklist.
• Above: Mark Ciccarelli from the Neave Group and his famous bourbon bacon chicken wings. (via @chris_heiler)