A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....02-24-04....Let's Celebrate Mardi Gras!

Dutchess

[dutchess]

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

If you have a suggestion, or an idea, or if there's a FReeper you would like to see featured, please drop one of us a note in FR mail.

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

It's Mardi Gras Time!

History

In Christian communities around the world, the 40 days preceding Easter comprise Lent, a period of fasting and penitence. It begins with Ash Wednesday, the day many Catholics go to church to receive the sign of the cross marked in ash on their foreheads, its purpose being to remind them of their own mortality. The Mardi Gras season begins on January 6 and continues until Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday. For much of the country the Tuesday before Lent is just that, a Tuesday, but in New Orleans this Tuesday is "Mardi Gras" or "Fat Tuesday", representing the last gasp of decadence before a period of austerity.

When French-Canadian explorer Pierre Le Moyne, Sleur d'lberville, landed on a plot of ground about 70 miles down river from the present location of New Orleans on Mardi Gras, Mar. 3, 1699, he christened it Pointe du Mardi Gras.

Masks, Music, and Mayhem

French royals, feather-covered showgirls, painted clowns, masked lions-you can find them all (and countless others) in the streets of New Orleans at Mardi Gras. By dawn on that most famous Tuesday, people have claimed the best spots on the streets to watch fabulous floats, outrageous performers, and visiting celebrities go by. Many travel hundreds of miles to be a part of the excitement. Marching bands, some of them founded more than a century ago, also take to the streets with music and festive dress. They open the day by spreading jazz music through the city before the more than 350 floats and 15,000 costumed paraders take over the scene. Crazy costumes and wild makeup are the order of the day for paraders and parade-watchers alike. The most lavish get-ups can be seen at the cross-dressing beauty pageants in the French Quarter, where bawdy costuming may reach new heights (over seven feet, in heels.)

Krewes: New Orleans Royalty

Mardi Gras has long combined wild street activities open to everyone with events organized by private clubs known as krewes. Today, thousands of people belong to about 60 krewes that plan the parades and balls of New Orleans' Mardi Gras. The oldest krewe, the Krewe of Comus, was founded in 1857.

In 1872 the Russian grand duke Alexis Romanoff visited New Orleans at Mardi Gras. A group of businessmen organized the Krewe of Rex to host a parade for the occasion, and appointed a "king for the day" so that the grand duke could have a royal reception. Naming kings and queens at Mardi Gras balls has been a tradition of the krewes ever since. Another tradition began with that royal visit: the Romanoff house colors-purple for justice, green for faith, and gold for power-became the official colors of Mardi Gras.

The Krewe of Iris, a ladies only krewe, was formed in 1917 and held its first parade in 1959. Today it has over 500 members.

Catch the Throws

The millions of colorful beaded necklaces thrown from floats are the most visible symbols and souvenirs of Mardi Gras. In addition, millions of cups and toy coins known as "doubloons" are decorated with krewe logos and thrown to parade-watchers. Some "throws" are especially prized: only the luckiest folks manage to take home the hand-decorated coconuts from the Krewe of Zulu.

Bals Masque and the King Cake

One of the highlights of Mardi Gras are the balls held by the krewes where a king is crowned. A huge cake, called the King Cake, is prepared and a piece is served to every attendee. In one of the pieces is hidden a tiny doll said to represent Jesus. If you are lucky enough to get that piece, you will have good luck for the entire year. Unfortunately, you have to provide the King Cake for next year's Bal Masque.

All Things Change

While families still flock to the parades, the demographics of Mardi Gras have been changing. Especially in the French Quarter, the festivities have taken on a Spring Break atmosphere, attracting visitors more interested in drunken escapades and flashes of nudity than Mardi Gras' cultural significance and storied pageantry.

An FR Finest Mardi Gras

We, the Finest Hostesses, invite you to take on the BEST of the traditions…..let's share our food, our company….and celebrate FAT TUESDAY FREEPER STYLE!!!!!

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 02-23-04 Military Monday

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 an FReepmail and I will gladly do it for you. ~Mixer

[FreeTheHostages]

[FreeTheHostages]

Party on! Great opening, great colors! LOL, MY kinda colors.

[Temple Owl]

Good morning dutchess and a happy Mardi Gras to all FReepers everywhere. I can look forward to liver and onions for supper tonight.

[FreeTheHostages]

Have some king cake!

[dutchess]

Hi John. Thanks for stopping by. Looking forward to Thursday. This week you get the "real thing". Billie is doing the thread! What a combination!

[dutchess]

Hi Aeronaut. As always, thanks for the flyover. BTW, took off all by myself, did 45 degree bank turns (and stayed within 100 feet of original altitude) AND passed my flight physical this weekend. This is getting addictive! ...and expensive :o)

[jwfiv]

Wow...wonderful, colorful thread, Miss Dutchess...thank you.

I'm feeling fat this Tuesday morning, so I must be in sync with the Cosmos....in a good mood after listening to the President's speech last night, and the one this morning.

Regards to all our Hostesses...y'all sure lookin' foxy in your masks...I thank each of you for making every day a little Mardi Gras of its own.

Big howdy to all the Finest in Freeperville.

[dutchess]

Thanks Raven. Nice to see you here. Happy Fat Tuesday!

[FreeTheHostages]

[dutchess]

[dutchess]

New Orleans is one of our favorite places to visit although I don't think I would ever go for MardiGras. We usually go Thanksgiving when it's pretty laid back and mellow. We love to see people decorating their balconys and if the weather is right celebrating Thanksgiving on the balcony too.

Thanks for stopping by and for the King Cake. Yum!

[Diver Dave]

Party on dudes and dudessess. :)

[The Thin Man]

Good morning, dutchess. It seems you did everything right. I can only find one topper and there doesn't appear to be any typos.
 
 

But not so fast.... it looks like the "Freeper Foto Album" link is missing and this is the one day that I really wanted to see it. :-(

[dutchess]

Thanks for todays devotion Mayor. This is worth repeating.

God's love cannot be explained—it can only be experienced.

[MeekOneGOP]

hehe ! Party guy there ! ;^)

Crazy, man. Crazy.

[dutchess]

Thanks dansy and free. The colors do remind us freezie don't they????? ((((((dansy)))))) ((((((freezie))))))

[dutchess]

I've read the carnival in Rio is like no other. Lucky friend! BTW, hope to finally meet you at the next Ohio get together!

[dutchess]

Hi Gail...really really need that coffee this morning. Giz says to give Rocky an extra treat!

[dutchess]

Happy Fat Tuesday back at ya. Good to see you SheLion!

[dutchess]

The traditional King Cake is made from twisted strands of cinnamon dough topped with icing and sprinkled with purple, green and gold colored suger. Today, many additional varieties of King Cake are also available with fillings such as cream cheese, strawberry, apple and lemon.

The cream cheese one sounds perfect for me too!