A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....10-20-04....New Hampshire ~ Live Free or Die!

Mama_Bear

[Mama_Bear]

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day

Free Republic made its debut in September, 1996, and the forum was added in early 1997.   Over 100,000 people have registered for posting privileges on Free Republic, and the forum is read daily by tens of thousands of concerned citizens and patriots from all around the country and the world.

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day was introduced on June 24, 2002. It's only a small room in JimRob's house where we can get to know one another a little better; salute and support our military and our leaders; pray for those in need; and congratulate those deserving. We strive to keep our threads entertaining, fun, and pleasing to look at, and often have guest writers contribute an essay, or a profile of another FReeper.

On Mondays please visit us to see photos of A FEW OF FR'S VETERANS AND ACTIVE MILITARY

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We're having fun and hope you are!
~ Billie, Mama_bear, dutchess, Aquamarine,

We're
"On the Road Again"...

Please join "A Few of FR's Finest" as we make a cyber-visit to another state in this great Union of ours.

Over the past several months each "Finest" hostess has profiled her home state for the Finest Thread. The remaining states are being presented, about one a month, in random order. We hope you are enjoying these visits to our beautiful United States. Please FReepMail me if you would like to participate in spotlighting your state. I would appreciate your input on what you would like to see highlighted.

These are the states
we have presented to date:

05-23-03 Alabama 06-27-03 Maryland 07-11-03 Vermont 07-25-03 Utah 08-05-03 Texas 08-22-03 Nevada 08-26-03 Wash DC 09-05-03 Tennessee 09-17-03 Florida 09-19-03 Minnesota 10-03-03 New Mexico 10-14-03 Georgia 10-17-03 Louisiana 10-22-03 Michigan

11-04-03 South Dakota 11-14-03 California 01-09-04 South Carolina 02-06-04 West Virginia 02-20-04 Oregon 03-09-04 Pennsylvania 03-30-04 Wyoming 04-13-04 Mississippi 04-27-04 Missouri 05-25-04 Indiana 07-21-04 Virginia 08-18-04 Colorado 09-29-04 Idaho

Today we are visiting beautiful and historic New Hampshire, and we salute the FReepers and patriots who call this Fine state home. 131 FReepers proudly fly the New Hampshire flag on their profile page.

Click below to go to the
New Hampshire message board.

This motto was part of a volunteer toast which General John Stark sent to his wartime comrades, in which he declined an invitation to head up a 32nd anniversary reunion of the 1777 Battle of Bennington in Vermont, because of poor health. The toast said in full:

"Live Free Or Die;
Death Is Not The Worst of Evils."
The following year, a similar invitation (also declined) said: "The toast, sir, which you sent us in 1809 will continue to vibrate with unceasing pleasure in our ears, "Live Free Or Die; Death Is Not The Worst Of Evils."

An Abbreviated Timeline of
New Hampshire's History
(Thank you SHG Resources)

17th century

• 1602 - Bartholomew Gosnold explored for English merchants the coast of New England from southern Maine to Buzzards Bay.
• 1614-1616 - Captain John Smith assumed leadership of the colony.
• 1622 -
  • March - King James I grant region between the Salem and Merrimac rivers, under the name of Mariana; to John Mason and Sir Ferdinando Gorges jointly.
  • 1st known European settlement at Piscataqua was founded by a Scottish Gentleman, Mr. David Thomson
• 1623 - Dover, the first permanent settlement, is founded.
• 1629 - November 7 - John Mason alone, receives a grant of that portion of the Province of Maine which lay between the Merrimac and the Piscataqua, under the name of New Hampshire.
• 1641 - Massachusetts Colony gains control of New Hampshire
• 1642 - First school act of Massachusetts; New Hampshire towns included; parents and masters required to teach children reading, citizenship, and religion.
• 1679 - England forms New Hampshire as a separate royal colony.
• 1680 - New Hampshire enacts own first school law requiring schools in all towns of fifty households or more.
• 1690 - The Falkland, a warship, is constructed for the British Navy, creating an industry that remains in Portsmouth until the 1960s.

18th century

• 1717 - John Wentworth becomes lieutenant governor of New Hampshire.
• 1734 - The Great Awakening sweeps through New Hampshire
• 1756 - The New Hampshire Gazette is formed; and was at one time the "oldest newspaper of continuous publication in the United States."
• 1765 - November 1 - Stamp Act of King George III goes into effect.
• 1769 - Founding of Dartmouth College.
• 1774 -
  • First state to declare itself independent from England.
  • Patriots from the local area raid Fort William and Mary and steal the gunpowder stored there. (Incident becomes known as the Powder Raid.)
• 1776 -
  • July-18 - Declaration of Independence is read on July 18 on the state house's western steps.
  • The first independent government from England is established
  • State to adopt a revolutionary constitution.
• 1777 -
  • January 27, Letter to Benjamin Franklin, John Paul Jones arrived in Paris and readiness of Ranger to sail with squadron.
• 1778 - First state to hold a constitutional convention
• 1788 - New Hampshire becomes the 9th state; U.S. Constitution is ratified by New Hampshire at a convention in Exeter.

19th century

• 1800 - Portsmouth Navy Yard is established.
• 1808 - State capital is established in Concord.
• 1809 -
  • Portsmouth Academy is opened.
  • Fort Constitution explosion during an Independence Day celebration badly damaged the Captain's House and killed 14 people.
• 1812 - Portsmouth's foreign trade is destroyed as a result of the embargo enacted during the War of 1812.
• 1833 - The first U.S. public library is founded in Peterborough.
• 1835 -
  • March - Twenty-eight white students and fourteen black students commence classes at the newly established Noyes Academy in Canaan, New Hampshire.
  • August 10, 1835 - White residents of Canaan, New Hampshire, with the help of residents of neighboring towns and "nearly one hundred yoke of oxen," forcibly remove Noyes Academy from its foundation.
• 1853 - Franklin Pierce of Hillsboro becomes the 14th U.S. President.
• 1869 - First mountain climbing cog railroad (Mt. Washington).
• 1890 - Lucy Swallow and Delia Brown become the first female students of University of New Hampshire.

20th century

• 1909 - First credit association in the nation chartered (St. Mary's Bank Credit Union).
• 1913 - The General Court Passes an act to provide for the election of delegates to the National Convention by direct vote of the people. The primary date is set for the third Tuesday in May.
• 1915 - The primary is moved to the second Tuesday in March to coincide with Town Meeting Day.
• 1916 - New Hampshire holds its first primary.
• 1923 - The University of New Hampshire established.
• 1938 - First aerial passenger tramway in North America (Cannon Mtn).
• 1939 - May 24, USS SQUALUS (SS-192) Submarine Disaster
• 1945 - WW2 German U-Boats surrender in Portsmouth.
• 1997- Portsmouth is chosen by Money magazine as the fifth best place in the nation to live.

And, on May 3rd, 2003, New Hampshire's beloved emblem; the colossal profile of natural granite high atop a sheer cliff in the White Mountains, known as "The Old Man of the Mountain", without warning collapsed, smashing below into a thousand nameless fragments.

Daniel Webster once said, ..."Men hang out their signs indicative of their respective trades; shoe makers hang out a gigantic shoe; jewelers a monster watch, and the dentist hangs out a gold tooth; but up in the Mountains of New Hampshire, God Almighty has hung out a sign to show that there He makes men."

New Hampshire's Governor Benson has declared May 3rd as "Old Man of the Mountain Day", stating, "From its mountainous perch, the Old Man has stood for centuries as a testament to the steadfastness of New Hampshire's Yankee character and the resolve of its people. This rugged yet beautiful monument fit the character of the pioneers who founded this state, the immigrants who built it, and the spirit of those who live here today. It was the ultimate symbol of those who would "Live Free or Die." And while that symbol may have fallen, that spirit still remains." -- Governor Craig Benson

Read more about New Hampshire's
state emblem HERE.

"Autumn creeps gently upon New Hampshire and all eyes are on the Great North Woods, New Hampshire's most northern tier. For it is here that nature begins her quest to dress New Hampshire for autumn. During September, the first hint of color interrupts the lush greenery of this sparsely populated area. By the end of the month, the woods are ablaze in gold, orange, and red foliage. And so the process begins as the colors slowly spill southward into the White Mountain region, progressing down through the Lakes and Seacoasts Regions to the east and over to the Dartmouth and Monadnock regions that hug the Vermont border, until finally splashing across the Merrimack Valley region.

If ever the state were to declare official seasonal aromas, autumn's would be the scent of apples and cinnamon fresh baked from the oven. The promise of pies, crisps, and baked apples, lures shoppers to the farm stands where the supply of apple filled baskets seems inexhaustible.

Still others choose to pick their own. Some armed with poles to snatch the fruit from atop the tree and all with baskets to carry their tasty treasures home, the apple pickers head out to the orchards, by foot or by courtesy of a horse drawn or tractor drawn hayride.

Agricultural fairs, festivals, and other harvest time celebrations across the state provide plenty to do and see. Getting there can be half the fun as autumn at the height of foliage season gives new meaning to "going for a drive." A stop in Pittsburg's Moose Alley in the hopes of spying one of the great creatures against autumn's vibrant backdrop, the spectacular painted vistas of the White Mountains from the Kancamagus Highway, the panoply of colors all along Rte 89 ending in the lovely little college town of Hanover, or a drive up the coast with a stop to walk the tree lined streets of Exeter are just a few of the enticements that draw tourists and natives alike to the roads of New Hampshire.

Boaters, bicyclists, and hikers, find that the end of summer is not the end of their passion. They have a few more weeks to enjoy their sports - in a much prettier and more invigorating setting, under October's bright blue skies. Enjoying the season can be as simple as stepping outside and going for a walk because there isn't a place in New Hampshire - city, town, or country road - that isn't spectacular in autumn.

As October draws to an end, the leaves that adorned the trees fall prey to the winds. They cover the ground, crackling underfoot. Children's shrieks of delight are heard as they jump into piles of leaves. Still, the foliage has not stopped adorning the country side, although, now it does so in secret - stuffed into a cast off pair of pants, shirt, and pillowcase; they make the stuffing for the man sitting on the front porch among the corn stalks, pumpkins, and gourds awaiting Halloween and Thanksgiving.

Don't lament the passing of summer, because in New Hampshire, the best is yet to come!"---Christina Coruth

There is so much more to say about this beautiful state, I can't possibly cover it all, so I will leave that to our New Hampshire FReepers. Please tell us what you love about your state and why you are proud to be a New Hampshirite.




In closing I am posting a graphic of a very special place in New Hampshire; Newfound Lake. As a small child I recall visiting my grandparents at this lake where they had a summer home. Wonderful memories of this beautiful place!

And thank you to the following websites
for providing information and graphics.
Autumn in New Hampshire
New Hampshire Colonial History
The New Hampshire Almanac
Old Man of the Mountain

Have a Wonderful Wednesday!

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 10-18-04 Military Monday 10-19-04 Girly Man (Real Men don't wear lipstick)

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' The guy's good, folks!

Thanks, Mixer!

1) Click on the graphic to open the Calendar.
2) Once there you can click on any month and even click to the right to go into next year. Once you are in the month that you joined FR you will need to click on the number in the calendar and then an add item screen will come up.
3) In the next box enter your name in the "Calendar Text" field and then click on submit.
4) If any of the screens fail to load simply click on refresh in your browser and that will usually fix it.
5) If all else fails or simply if you want me to do this for you send me a FReepmail and I will gladly do it for you. ~Mixer

Click on the photo to view the album. To
submit your photo, please contact dansangel or
.45Man at
danbh59@yahoo.com
and include Freeper Photo Album in subject line.

CLICK

[Mama_Bear]

[Mama_Bear]

If you would like to be added to or removed from the Finest ping list, freepmail me.

[tame]

what a BEAUTIFUL thread :o) now, you say it only takes you a couple of minutes to do all this??? i don't believe it. it must take DAYS :o)

[Mama_Bear]

[Mama_Bear]

Awwwwwwww........thank you. I admit, it did take a little more than a few minutes. But it was a labor of love. :-)

[Aeronaut]

Good morning Mama.

[dixie sass]

Morning, cleaning house - yuck! Will be back later to read about New Hampshire!

[dixie sass]

Morning Flyboy - see you've got the fancy one out today!

[dixie sass]

Morning Flyboy, see you've got the fancy one out today!

[The Mayor]

October 20, 2004

A Gift Of Grace

Read: 2 Corinthians 8:7-15

You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor. —2 Corinthians 8:9

Bible In One Year: Isaiah 59-61; 2 Thessalonians 3

---

In high schools in the US, being elected homecoming queen is a great honor for any young woman. But when a high school near Houston, Texas, crowned Shannon Jones, it was a special moment for her and for everyone in the community. Nineteen-year-old Shannon, who is an award-winning athlete and an active member of her church youth group, has Down syndrome.

Shannon knew this once-in-a-lifetime experience was a gift from her younger sister Lindsey, who was the catalyst to elect her. Their dad said, "I'm so proud of Lindsey. Probably somewhere in the back of her mind, this is something she'd like to do." But she made it happen for Shannon.

The most inspiring acts of human love are only a shadow of the immeasurable gift our Savior has given us. Paul wrote, "You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich" (2 Corinthians 8:9).

Christ left His glory in heaven and died on the cross for our sin so that we could be forgiven through faith in Him. His sacrifice was based on His love, not on our merit. All we are and all we have are the Savior's loving gifts of grace to us. —David McCasland

God gives His grace so rich, so free—
No one will He deny;
For He has promised in His Word
An infinite supply. —D. De Haan

Grace is an unearned blessing to unworthy sinners.

[.45MAN]

Good morning to you Mama Bear... Great post today!! I spent 15 years in New Hampshire..

[phancypants]

The last line is right on the money.
Always uplifting to read your posts in the morning!
Thanks so much...

[DollyCali]

Lovely Mama.. I arrived in time for the Mayor's coffee & your lovely thread. Will forward to my friend & his son. Son lives/works in New Hampshire.(Hi Ken, Hi Bill!) Rainy here this AM in NE Ohio.. but we are to have a bit of a warming trend towards end of week.

Hard to believe we are in game 7 of world series. It appeared the Yankees were a bulldozer that would not be stopped.

Molly Pitcher on another thread suggested it would be interesting if it were a Boston/Houston world series.. mirroring the elections...

[The Mayor]

That's nice to hear..

your welcome.

[The Mayor]

Autumnal colors reflecting in the Swift river (near Kancamagus highway)
in White Mountains, New Hampshire
I used to love to visit the Kancamagus highway, 11 miles of pure beauty!

[mrstank]

Thank you Mama_Bear for teaching everyone about my neighbors!

Ahh the memories. Having been a New Englander for only 3 years or so, I am still in awe of the beauty up here. With my husband being in the National Guard in Vermont, we have often driven across the Kancamagus on our way to and from his drills. I think my favorite trip was when we packed a picnic lunch and took my mom for a drive for her birthday. She just happened to be visiting and we knew how much the fall colors were her favorite.

We are just now getting some brilliant color in southern Maine, and I miss those drives, but hopefully next fall we can once again drive across the Kanc (as the locals call it).

For anyone interested in how to pronounce Kancamagus, most of the time I hear it, it is more like Kanga-main-gus...you know how the Maine-ahs like to change vowels and connsonants around!

I will be in and out today, but wish everyone a happy hump day!

[ST.LOUIE1]

Good morning, fuzzy. : )

Beautifully done thread....as always. You and Billie have the week off to a great start. : )

Save me a donut. : )

[ST.LOUIE1]

Morning, Russ!

[The Mayor]

Mornin Louie!

[The Mayor]

It's a beautiful drive, Rapids on one side and mountains on the other.

I almost fell from the top of one of those waterfalls.
Skinny at the top and wide at the bottom..

I haven't been there since the early 70's