A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....10-18-05...Poetry and Potpourri at the Finest

10-18-05 | JustAmy

[JustAmy]

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, Dutchess, DollyCali, Mama_Bear ~

Welcome To...


...at The Finest!

'Amy's Place' is more than just about poetry.
Come in, relax, and share with fellow FReepers
your thoughts about any of the things on the *Menu*.

Enjoy! :)











Graphic by St.Louie1

Liquid Courage

They idle in the tavern,
as they have many nights before,
reminiscing about good times
and doing their best to ignore
the ticking clock above the door,
the harbinger of doom in store
for the fair-haired, mustachioed
man in the polyester suit;
the guy sucking back another
cranberry juice and Absolut. "It's time to get ourselves en route
to the church, mister," his astute friend enjoins.

"One more," says the groom.

~ Eric Lammerman ~

Graphic by MamaBear

We are Amy's latest kindle
Cute and cuddly feline bindles
Found underneath the shrubs in Amy's yard

Four girl kittens and four boys kittens
Forlorn and looking like we'd lost our mittens
In the early morning rain, it wasn't hard

To trade in door warmth for outdoor cold
The boys in vests and spats were all so bold
Leaving our box to see just what would unfold

Up above us was this great big thing
Gleaming white and oh so inviting
With a wide long smile that seemed to tease and infect

Little did we know it was Amy's latest project
That lured us all to meticulously, felinely inspect
This thing that makes sounds in pretty ways that nearly sing

We girls in stripes and calico liked the lighter sounds, just because
As we padded and our steps dropped beneath our paws
While the boys pounded the deep ones on this musical sea

When Amy saw us, we thought she'd be angry
Instead she giggled and snapped a picture of "The Usual Suspects"
Though we much prefer to be called "Kittens On The Keys"

Jack Deth~ 10/04/05.

Graphic by Billie

Tangled

"Me" and my new little “sister,”
Just wanted to drop you a line,
She’s getting a little bit tangled in hers,
So I’ll try to write quickly in mine.

We’re hoping you’ll come for a visit,
We all want to see you once more,
Little “Sister” may not have met you yet,
But she’ll soon catch up on that score!

Our door will always be open,
We can have a nice cup by the fire,
Don’t forget to pack well your doohickeys,
Little curious minds will inquire!

NicknamedBob . . . . October 13, 2005

"Cats are the ultimate narcissists.
You can tell this by all the time they spend on personal grooming.
Dogs aren't like this.
A dog's idea of personal grooming is to roll in a dead fish."
~James Gorman~



Bad Penny

Many thanks for stopping by. : )

09-27-05 ~ Hall of Fame #13

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 10-17-05 Military Monday

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' Every Thursday at the Finest The guy's good, folks!

[JustAmy]

Thank you, Billie.

I loved that graphic when Maggie posted it last week; now it is perfect!!!

Thank you for unveiling it here today. :)

[JustAmy]

Yummy .. and it isn't even time for lunch yet. :(

[Army Air Corps]

Foamy is a cartoon squirrel with an "anger management problem".

So, far this is a good Tuesday. I trust that your day is going well.

[JustAmy]

Thank you for sharing your talent with us, Darks. Your art is very good.

How is your fat kitty? I think it is time to post her picture again.

Hope you are having a Terrific Tuesday.

[JustAmy]

LOL

What a cute picture, Billie.

My Mom used to tell a story of when I was very young and wanted to go with my Dad when he milked so I could have a cup of fresh milk.

Yuck!!!

[Darksheare]

Thank you!

Kearen currently has my laundry pinned down.
She thinks the laundry basket is a ready made bed just for her.
Last i sw, she was lording over it with a smug grin.
Though if I try to snap a pic of her sprawled on the laundry, she moves.
She moves surprisingly fast for a cat her size.

[snugs]

Happy Chocolate Cupcake Day

[snugs]

That brings back childhood memories that was a poem my mum used to read to me.

[snugs]

Hello Kitty how are you feeling today?

[DollyCali]

Oliver, Toby & all the kittys voted to celebrate:

Watch a squirrel Day (actually they want it modified to CHASE a squirrel day)

Me, I think I like chocolate Cupcake Day...

thanks for the recipe Snugs.. I am drooling

[JustAmy]

The Walrus and The Carpenter
Lewis Carroll

Shining with all his might:
He did his very best to make
The billows smooth and bright--
And this was odd, because it was
The middle of the night


The moon was shining sulkily,
Because she thought the sun
Had got no business to be there
After the day was done--
"It's very rude of him," she said,
"To come and spoil the fun!"


The sea was wet as wet could be,
The sands were dry as dry.
You could not see a cloud, because
No cloud was in the sky:
No birds were flying overhead--
There were no birds to fly.


The Walrus and the Carpenter
Were walking close at hand;
They wept like anything to see
Such quantities of sand:
"If this were only cleared away,"
They said, "it would be grand!"


"If seven maids with seven mops
Swept it for half a year.
Do you suppose," the Walrus said,
"That they could get it clear?"
"I doubt it," said the Carpenter,
And shed a bitter tear.


Happy Tuesday, Fudd Fan.
Thank you for sharing your adorable kitty.

"The Walrus and the Carpenter" can be found here.

[DollyCali]

Amy, Prissy Missy's new kitty is gorgeous (as are your flowers).. ah to live in california!

Leaving soon and will check back in LATE tonight when I get back.. Cant wait to see the recipes, kitty pix & poems all the creative folks here bring

[JustAmy]

LOL

How cute!! How can that be comforable?

Thanks, Billie.

[JustAmy]

Good morning again, Lady.

Shall we steal borrow that adorable graphic?

[JustAmy]

Hello, EsmeraldaA.

Welcome to the Finest and some Cat Potpourri.
Hope you are having a splendid Tuesday.



Graphic by Billie

It is such a task to raise your young
Harder still under the desert sun
The need for food is always high
Beneath the blue unmoving sky
While the friendship of the pack
And staying off the Hunter's Track
Is lower still

Yet, there is a place to gather
Share food and drink and congregate
If others found it, they would certainly be in a lather
Placed her by someone's pleasant grace
Where parents can relax from teaching their kindle
Watch them stretch out, play or bounce
Like a Tracker's worn and dirty bindle

Eyeing our young as they stretch their spaces
While getting their first tastes of social graces
Discussing what has been smelled and seen and heard
Is a respite so blessed it does not have a word
We'll slow our pace and savor the lack of noise
Except from our precocious young girls and boys
Far away from everything. At Amy's Place.

Jack Deth
~05/20/05.

[Kitty Mittens]

Hi, sweet FRiend! The Last Few Days I have been on an Upswing Health-Wise, through God's Merciful Grace. I've been Able to Stand Up for Pretty Long Periods of Time Today in the House, instead of Mainly Sitting, and I'm Thanking the Gracious God of Heaven for it.

Have you been Well, dear Snugs? I haven't been Able to Read the Comments at the Dose much Lately, because I can't Freep as much as I Used to Late Afternoon/Night, so I haven't gotten to Keep Up with any Updates on your Mom and Dad. I Hope All Things are Going Well, (((((((Eleanor))))))).

[JustAmy]

Happy Tuesday, Kitty Mittens.

I'm happy that you are enjoying the Kitty Thread.

Jkphoto took the picture of PrissyMissy;
MamaBear was a sweetheart and made the Pledge Graphic for me.

Have a wonderful day, Kitty.

[EsmeraldaA]

I like to visit here sometimes.

[LadyX]

"Looking forward to the North Country this week. :)"

Suppose The Finest Folks have figured out we're in for a treat tomorrow, with Mama_Bear featuring the great state of ALASKA!!

Billie, your reference to the North Country prompted a memory from December 1962..:))
We headed out at midnight of Christmas Day to move from Rapid City, South Dakota to Fairbanks, Alaska in our station wagon.

With a nearly overflowing luggage rack on top and the back flattened, we padded the latter with all the blankets and pillows we owned. It therefore was comfortable for Steve and Kevin, 7 and 8, and 2-month old Jennifer in a bassinet - and oh yes! - our two dogs - LOL.
Also aboard were numerous pots and pans, lots of food (bags, boxes and canned) and other things we'd need as soon as we arrived, rather than sending them with the movers, who were packing up the household after we left and would not deliver until after we arrived.
(Had arranged with my neighbor and best friend to oversee that.)

All the way on that trip we listened on the car radio to one of the very Top Songs of the day - - North to Alaska by Johnny Horton - over and over and over..:))
We laughed at the appropriateness of it all the way there.

It was the beginning of a truly Great Adventure that can be handled only when you are under 30 and totally trusting and not accustomed to -50 (as in below zero) temps and blizzards and ice fog and total whiteouts, going through Western Canada (Alberta) to the Alaska Highway's beginning at Dawson Creek, British Columbia - Mile Zero - and then 1520 more miles around the very top of the Rocky Mountains and the Yukon Territory to reach Alaska, and then Fairbanks..:))!!

We spent New Year's Eve in Dawson Creek, teaming up with two other American couples who traveled with us as far as Tok, Alaska, where they went south.

The 17 of us piled into the Historic Alaska Hotel opposite the Zero Mile Post to have New Year's Day Dinner before setting out.

Read about the hotel - [ Here ]

The Dining Room is inside the window on the lower right
of the photograph,
with a clear view of the Mile Post.

[JustAmy]

I don't believe that I've ever seen that cartoon.

So far, my day has been good.