A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day...06-27-03..."Oh, The State I'm In!" ~ Pippin's Maryland

Mama_Bear and Pippin

[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.

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

Fasten your seatbelts and hang on, folks. Pippin is taking us on a whirlwind tour of Maryland.

As we take in the sights and sounds, and the flora and fauna, let's listen to Pippin's own words as she proudly tells us about her 'Finest' state.....

"Maryland is one of the original 13 colonies, having been founded in 1634 by Cecil Calvert, 2nd Lord Baltimore. It was the 7th colony to ratify the constitution, thus becoming our 7th state in 1789."

The Maryland state flag contains the family crests of the Calvert and the Crossland families. The black and gold representing the family of the 2nd Lord Baltimore.

"Maryland is richly steeped in history and is a great place to visit, whether it’s to find the perfect vacation spot or if you are interested in discovering America's roots. As I have said before, Maryland is a diverse state ~ an 'America in miniature'.

We have the beautiful Catoctin Mountains southwest of Baltimore, site of the Camp David Presidential retreat, and we have many lakes and rivers where fishing is the main sport activity. If you like boating, there’s the Chesapeake Bay and it’s tributaries. Every February, in Annapolis, the state capitol, they have a boat show at the Annapolis harbor where the latest in recreational boats are shown."

Annapolis Harbor

Annapolis is also home of the U.S. Naval Academy.
GO NAVY!!

"Like seafood? Maryland is famous for it’s seafood. In Baltimore we have the world’s famous Lexington Market, the oldest continuing marketplace in the country! Lexington Market started out as an open-air market for fishermen and other merchants to display and sell their goods in Baltimore City in 1789."


Lexington Market - of days gone by.

"We have Phillips seafood restaurant, with it’s really out of this world baseball crab cakes located at Lexington Market. Speaking of crab cakes, what about our famous steamed crabs and cold beer!"

"If you are into sports we have Baseball, Football, Soccer, Lacrosse, and even Jousting (I kid you not). Every year, September thru October, we have the Renaissance Festival in southern Anne Arundel County, where there is Jousting and feasting and fun 'Elizabethan style'!"

"We have our baseball team, the "Orioles" and Camden Yards, our new ballpark, built in the early 1990’s on the grounds of the old Camden train station. The main building still stands. This is must see (as well as seeing an Orioles game.) For football lovers, we have Ravens stadium just a mile from Camden Yards. The Ravens were named for Edgar Allen Poe’s poem, “The Raven”."



"Want to spend some time at the ocean? Take a trip across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge to Ocean City. There are condos to rent for the summer and shops to look through as well as the famous boardwalk and fantastic beaches.


Boardwalk Cam - Downtown Ocean City

I hope I’ve managed to whet your appetite and have made you curious enough to come to my state and find out why I’m so proud to be a Marylander. There is so much more to Maryland than meets the eye."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And, finally........

Now, as we thank our tour guide, Pippin, for introducing us to her beautiful state, why don't we all sing a rousting chorus of......
"Maryland, My Maryland".

Thou wilt not cower in the dust,
Maryland! my Maryland!
Thy gleaming sword shall never rust,
Maryland! my Maryland!
Remember Carroll's sacred trust,
Remember Howard's war-like thrust,
And all thy slumb'rers with the just,
Maryland! my Maryland!


Thank you all for coming. Hope to see you again when we tour another Finest state in this great land of ours. ~Mama_Bear

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 06-23-03...Military Monday 06-24-03...Happy Anniversary to the Finest 06-25-03...Hall of Fame in Review #4 (& Billie's Birthday) 06-26-03...John's Two Cents "Don't leave the smoking gun behind!"

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

Thanks, Mixer!

1) Click on the graphic to open the Calendar.
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[ST.LOUIE1]

Nothing like a cold one on a hot humid day, enjoy :-)

WOW! Thank yoooou! LOL!

Yep, Dave, with tall beers like that....call the designated driver! : )

[Mama_Bear]

Did break down and turned on the AC yesterday. Watching that little dial on the electric meter made me dizzy.

LOL. You're not kidding!! But, so far, we haven't used our a/c this year. Our house is very well insulated and the ceiling fans and whole-house fan keep us pretty comfortable most of the time. That whole-house fan is worth it's weight in gold!

But, I'm thinking that today may be the day we finally have to break down and turn on the air. Enough is enough. LOL!

[MeekOneGOP]

hehe !!

[Dubya]

People can begin signing up for national do-not-call list

Do Not Call site:

[Mama_Bear]

You and "the Pipster" make a great team!

Well, thank you, Sis. I think so too.

Have a nice day. (BTW, I haven't forgotten the convention pics. I will send you a link to them soon.) :-)

[Dubya]

[Mama_Bear]

I don't know...you all have some wonderful writers here. I'm just kind of the 'clown' on the thread.

Hey, we love clowns around here! As you may have noticed, we're populated with quite a few of them. And there's plenty room for more at the Finest circus. ;-)

I don't think I could write a Finest feature.

Well, we'll see. Maybe when it's New Jersey's day in the spotlight you can direct us to some of the places of interest. I believe that New Jersey may be one of the states I have never visited. If I did, I was very young and it was just to drive through.

[GailA]

I didn't even get toast, we usually don't do an early morning meal, we wait until about 11 or 12 and eat then with a snack later if we get hungry.

[Mama_Bear]

Do Not Call site:

Isn't this wonderful? And about time!! I, like most people, am fed up with the constant barrage of solicitors using MY phone to intrude on MY time in MY home.

Thanks for the link, dubya. I haven't been to the site yet, I am waiting for the crowds to die down. I'm sure for the next couple of weeks everyone and their brother is going to be trying to crowd in there. I don't know anyone who isn't angry over these constant solicitation calls.

[Mama_Bear]

Edgar Allen Poe is buried not far (about 4 blocks) from where I work. He's burried in the old Westminister churchyard on reene street in Baltimore.

Hmmmmm.....very interesting. I'm learning all kinds of new things today.

Poe was.....ummmmmmm..........a rather 'creepy' guy, wasn't he? "The Pit and the Pendulum".......and "The Tell-Tale Heart"........he wrote the stuff nightmares are made of. LOL.

[Mama_Bear]

My tummy is telling me it is lunch time. I'll be back later.

[ST.LOUIE1]

Is it this hot yet? : )

[LadyX]

Ariving with an apology, not having 'custody' of the computer earlier, and wading through the entire thread (pant, pant..) before responding.

This series on the individual states - all qualifying as among The Finest of America - is a wonderful idea, and you've done such a great job with the presentaion, Mama_Bear and FRiend..:))

I've been in and through Maryland several times. The first was when I represented Florida in the National Spelling Bee in 1947, part of our week's tours going to The U.S. Naval Academy.

While I froze on the Mt. Vernon tour (down by bus - returned on a steamship), 47 degrees that morning and had to purchase a jacket, the one to The Academy was in the 90's or better.
Was dying of thirst, and we never found a single water fountain - at the indoor pool, I was tempted to dive in and drink!

Lived near there, Pippin, in 1955-56, in Chincoteague, Virginia, just a bit down the Eastern shore. Went to Maryland to Pokomoke City now and then, the largest town anywhere near.

[MeekOneGOP]

LOL !!! I upload that one. ** S N I P !! **

[MeekOneGOP]

It hit 100 about a month ago and has been in the 90s a lot this month.

Thursday last week I went with a buddy to pick up his boat to haul back to his house. It was only about 93 that day, but MAN, was I exhausted the next day or two after. The heat index must have been around 100 or more I bet.

[Dubya]

I am glad to have a no call list. I will get on it ASAP.

[Mama_Bear]

I went and registered. That was sure quick and easy. Now, I guess we will see it works. :-)

[ST.LOUIE1]

Where in the States haven't you been, pretty Lady? : )

[Mama_Bear]

..........and wading through the entire thread (pant, pant..) before responding.

Well, bless your heart. :-)

This series on the individual states - all qualifying as among The Finest of America - is a wonderful idea, and you've done such a great job with the presentaion, Mama_Bear and FRiend..:))

Thanks for the nice words, LadyX. I think it was Billie's idea, but since it seems to be going over quite well, I will take take credit for it too. ;-)

I am really enjoying spotlighting these states, and you can be sure, when I get to Alaska you'll be hearing from me. You will make a great tour guide. I can think of no one better to show us the sights in Alaska than LadyX. :-)

[ST.LOUIE1]

It was only about 93 that day, but MAN, was I exhausted the next day or two after.
The heat index must have been around 100 or more I bet.

Tough! But until you're laid out on the sidewalk like that egg....the 100 degree weather is coooool. LOL

St.Louis has heat AND high humidity, now that's exhausting!