Poetry and Potpourri .... October 24-25-26, 2003

10-24-2003 | JustAmy, St.Louie1 and Mama_Bear

[JustAmy]

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The Poetry Branch has been in limbo since the prior hostess left FreeRepublic April 15th 2003. We've since learned that said hostess has lost her posting privilege. That being the case, and Jim Robinson having given his ok, I wanted to renew the thread.

FreeRepublic is blessed with many fine poets, and we look forward to seeing their poems posted on FR once again. There were many non-poet FReepers who visited the Poetry Branch for the camaraderie; we hope they will return.

I would like to invite everyone to visit and relax at Poetry and Potpourri. Hopefully you will renew old acquaintances for chatting, sharing jokes, telling stories, posting cartoons, etc. Everyone needs a place to escape from the everyday news, make Poetry and Potpourri that place.

...................

The Belvedere's Guardian Wolf ~
the always charming, lovable, huggable,
LouieWolf.

[SpookBrat]

I'm just checking in. I went to the Dr. this morning and guess what....my heart beats too fast and flutters. I'm 35 years old and got heart medicene today. I'm sure it's nothing serious but I guess this makes me officially old.

I've got to run because we're having a huge blow out Halloween party tomorrow night. Check out this recipe for "chocolate mice" I found. (The link is slow today for some reason).

Chocolate Mice

The kids are going to make a rat maze and we're going to put chocolate sprinkles in it to make it look "lived in". I'm going to get some mouse traps to decorate the table with. Doesn't it sound delciously disgusting? I love Halloween. I'm off the butcher to see if they have some eye balls they'll give me.

Bawahahahahaha...

[SpookBrat]

(((hugs))) Forgot to ping you on the above. :) Have a good day.

[JustAmy]

Morning, Meekie.

I finally got tired of waiting for a response from the servers this morning, so I went back to bed for a couple of hours.

Thank Carl for bringing everyone coffee refills this morning.

[Pippin]

Hi, (((SPOOKY))))!

[Pippin]

Another offering for the P&P thread! :O)

I wanna be a Dittohead!

I really like Drudge's thread!

I also want the insanity

brought about by Sean Hannity

Read aloud the Limbaugh letter

This is what makes me feel better!

But I really get a rush

Some say I even blush

To see The people of Iraq

come and take thier country back!

I say Hip Hip Hurray

cause FREEDOM'S the rule of the day!

[MeekOneGOP]

Those bluebonnets look like Texas ! ...

[MeekOneGOP]

I wanna be a Dittohead!

[Billie]

Amy, the poems you are posting with these Welcome graphics are absolutely wonderful! They couldn't fit any better. I did see the one with the children you posted earlier this week. I wanted to tell you thank you for your efforts in making P & P fun and 'pretty' to look at and read - and that I know it takes time and dedication to search for just the right words to post, and one doesn't have to be able to write them to appreciate them. I love your great-aunt's poems especially - maybe because they're 'closer to home'. :)

I also wanted to post the latest update from wolfie, and he wanted me to say hello and thank you to all who have been concerned about him, prayed for him, wished him to get well. He's lost 7 pounds in these 2 weeks. That's not good. :( Here, from wolfie, from last night:

"Not much change here. Tendons seem to be part of the problem now. Primary care hasn't corrected anything so I'm to see the orthopedist early next week. Surely he'll figure out where this pain and swelling is coming from."

[MeekOneGOP]

Roses are Red,
Violets are blue.
Hip ! Hip ! Hooray !
This Bud's for you ! ...

[JustAmy]

Pippin .... Thanks for today's P & P offering. I enjoyed it. : )

I loved reading your fantasies on the Finest this morning. Hope to get over there soon. Have a fun day.

[MeekOneGOP]

Chocolate mice, huh ? Cool ! :O)

[MeekOneGOP]

Well, at least ya got some extra shuteye anyway. Glad to see I wasn't the only one.

Someone said it was a Vast Left-Wing Conspiracy why our servers were down, lol ! ...

[JustAmy]

Gingered Ale
(5 Gallon Batch Size)

1/2 # Black Patent Malt
3/4 # Dark Crystal Malt
3.3# can Edme Plain Dark Liquid Malt Extract
2-1/2 # Edme Dark Dry malt Extract
2 ounces Cascade Hops (Flavor)
1 ounce Willamette Hops (Aroma)
4 ounces grated Ginger Root
1 tsp Irish Moss
1/2 tsp Gypsum
12 grams Edme Ale Yeast

Place whole grains in a strainer bag and submerge in 6 quarts cold water. Slowly bring water to a boil, removing grains when boiling commences. Squeeze as much liquid as possible from the spent the grains. Add malt extracts, flavor hops, and ginger. Boil for 60 minutes. At 30 minutes remaining, add the gypsum and irish moss. Add the aroma hops with 2 minutes remaining. Strain into fermenter with 3 gallons chilled water. Top off to 5.5 gallons. Hydrate yeast for 15 minutes in 1 pint of pre-boiled water. Pitch when wort temperature falls below 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Bottle in 8 to 12, priming with 1-1/2 cups of corn sugar.

O.G. 1.040
F.G. 1.014
Alcohol Content 3 to 3.5 percent by volume



Is it time to start the celebrations?

[JustAmy]

A mechanical engineer died & went to heaven. Upon arrival Saint Peter checked "THE BOOK" and didn't find his name, so he informed the engineer that he must get on the elevator and go DOWNSTAIRS.

Reluctantly the engineer boarded the elevator for the long trip DOWNSTAIRS and upon arrival in hell found that he was very uncomfortable due to the excessive heat. He asked to see the devil and was granted an interview, at which time he requested a large of materials with which to build an air conditioner. The devil replied that he could have anything he wished, and what he couldn't find, they would steal. So the engineer spent a month and a half building an air conditioner, which, when completed, cooled hell off only a few degrees.

Somewhat unsatisfied the engineer requested additional materials, with which he spent another month and a half building a sprinkler system to add to the cooling effect of his air conditioner. Hell was getting much cooler now and folks were beginning to almost enjoy it.

About a month later the red phone rang. The devil answered, and found that God was on the other end of the line.

"Remember that mechanical engineer we sent down about 4 months ago?" God queried.

"Hell yes, I remember!" Said the devil.

"Well, Saint Peter missed that man's name on the last page of our book because the page was stuck to the one in front of it. So I want you to send the engineer back UPSTAIRS, as is our agreement. If they're on THE BOOK, then they stay UPHERE and if not, they go DOWNSTAIRS." God exclaimed!

"I'll be damned if your going to get that engineer back. He's put in an air conditioner and a sprinkler system down here and folks are almost happy to be here. I expect that when some folks hear about this they may begin to request to be sent DOWNSTAIRS!" said the devil.

"Now look here! We have an agreement! In the book---UPSTAIRS and not in the book---DOWNSTAIRS!! If you don't send that engineer back right away I believe I'll have to sue you!!!" shouted God!!

"And just where do you think you'll get an attorney?" replied the devil!!!!!

[Jen]

"Deliciously disgusting"

Yep, that's a good way to describe your rat maze! Here's another Halloween idea.

Kitty Litter Box Cake

Bake a sheet cake, top with ground up nuts (use blender or coffee grinder), then randomly poke holes in the cake and pour in melted chocolate. Make sure chocolate pools and forms a 'clump' on top of the cake. Yummmmmm? :-P

[Billie]

Rat Maze, Kitty Litter Box Cake......

Yummmmmm? :-P

NO! YUCK! To both! LOL

[SpookBrat]

Jen, sorry to "poo poo" your idea, but I saw some recipes for cat poop and kitty litter cake and I just can't stomach the idea. Dead rats and mice sound a lot more edible than kitty litter. It must be because I'm the only one who changes the box around here. I'm rather bitter about it, of course.

[JustAmy]

This one sounds interesting!

Critter Munch
Delight the party guests with this fun snack.

1-1/2 cups animal cracker cookies
1/2 (6-ounce) package cheddar or any flavor goldfish crackers (1 1/2 cups)
1 cup dried tart cherries
1 cup plain candy-coated chocolate pieces
1 cup honey roasted peanuts

Put animal crackers, goldfish crackers, dried cherries, M& Ms and peanuts in a large mixing bowl and mix well. Store in a tightly covered container at room temperature.
Makes 6 cups.

Recipe provided courtesy of the Cherry Marketing Institute.

[Aquamarine]

Heart medicine at your age, my word!

You're going to the butcher's to get some eyeballs! LOL!

[MeekOneGOP]