USO Canteen FReeper Style....Liberty R&R Goes to Virginia Join Us .......July 6,2002

Aquamarine and Snow Bunny

[Snow Bunny]

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Monticello.......Thomas Jefferson’s home

The Blueridge Mountians of Virginia

Virginia Beach

The wonderful Daffodil Festival in Gloucester, Virginia

Music performed by the Fifes and Drums of Colonial Williamsburg. Tap your toes to the exhilarating martial music that marked the routine of military troops during the 18th century and sent the patriots marching into battle.

A large area of the town of Williamsburg consists of buildings preserved from Colonial times, i.e. from before the Declaration of American Independence in 1776.

Think of the Williamsburg Area... and the images that come to mind are...

`Small Town' Colonial Life...

the Search for American Independence...

the Model for Democracy used throughout the world.

Enjoy a 'Cold One' in the same Taverns where the likes of Tommy Jefferson and Patrick ("Give me liberty, or give me death") Henry, argued over the fate of a super power's Colony… and their lives.

College of William & Mary - Second oldest Institution of Higher Education in the Nation… with today, Graduates from all over the world. There is where Thomas Jefferson and some of his buddies went to school.

Don't forget to ask about the friendly ghost that's been dropping by the Wren Building for several Centuries.

College of William & Mary... which was the school to young law students like Thomas Jefferson.

The second oldest institution of higher learning in the United States... William & Mary began the Honor Society that was based on individual Responsibility... as well as the Phi Beta Kappa Society... which recognized and acknowledged individual Excellence.

The College's Wren Building, was constructed in 1695.

Williamsburg Historic District - the political and intellectual Capitol of England's colony in the New World. Where the ideas and ferment originated for the modern concept of Democracy now used throughout the world. Authentic reconstruction's, shows, exhibits, interpreters. Referred to as the 'Largest Living Museum in the World'.

It was here that the colonists (and their `legislators' who were permitted to make recommendations to the King)... began to understand that they did not have to be ruled by a foreign power... but could manage their own country under rules which they themselves developed by community consensus (discussions and voting).

Walk through and actually dine in the same Taverns... where the arguments took place between the `Crown Loyalists'... and the `Revolutionaries'... and where the concepts that became the America Constitution were discussed by the likes of George Washington and Patrick Henry ("Give Me Liberty, or Give Me Death").

Then let's take a little trip over to Yorktown.

Yorktown is still the small little village on the York River where a Revolution ended… setting the stage for a New American Nation to begin.

Yorktown may be a tiny village, but it's important in American history because the definitive battle of the American Revolution was won by George Washington there in 1781. After Lord Cornwallis surrendered his huge army to the American and French allies on October 19, 1781, Britain soon appealed for peace. As a result, the 13 colonies emerged into the United States of America.

We can’t forget a visit to Jamestown.......the first English Settlement in the 'New World'… now some 400 years old. See authentic replicas of the boats that crossed the ocean seeking religious freedoms and opportunities.

Th time in sheer wonderment at the resolve and fears of men, women and children crossing an Ocean in a Susan B. Constant... a small boat that today, seems like an oversize mini van.

Roughly 400 years ago, on December 20, 1606, three merchant ships loaded with passengers and cargo embarked from England on a voyage that would later set the course of American history.

The Susan Constant, Godspeed and Discovery reached Virginia in the spring of 1607, and on May 14, their 104 passengers all men and boys began building on the banks of the James River what was to be America's first permanent English colony, predating Plymouth in Massachusetts by 13 years.

[lodwick]

Thanks for all the good information you brought us today Sam.

[blackie]

Liberty was my favorite (I was young :o) part of Navy life !!
Ya can't have too much liberty...
Liberty Saturday...Bump !!

Lest We Forget !!

Freedom Is Worth Fighting For !!

Molon Labe !!

[andysandmikesmom]

Victoria, thanks for the kind words..having a great here today....

I am with Loddy...that 'Smoke gets in Your Eyes' is being played and replayed here...what a great song...have always loved it...reminds me of my very, very young days...

[Aquamarine]

, and how if you wanted to bake, you place your prepared ingredients in a big old cast iron implement, set it on hot coals, and then covered it with hot coals, creating a little sort of 'oven'...but of course, someone had to man the fireplace and constantly keep changing those coals, when they died down, they had to be replaced..

That may have been a cozy way to cook in the winter but I wouldn't want to try that in the summer...especially here in North Ga. today. It's blistering hot here.
I hope they had some lemonade around whenever they had to cook like that in the heat.

[Victoria Delsoul]

Tanks for the link, Souris.

[Aquamarine]

I just find it hard to believe patsy was not included on the original list. That's a huge oversight on someone's part.

I agree. That person must not have been a Country Music fan.

[Victoria Delsoul]

Perhaps, something newer… :-)

Taylor Dayne, I'll Always Love You

[Aquamarine]

Is it hot there in Texas today like it is here in Georgia?

[Aquamarine]

[SAMWolf]

<=== We aim to please.

[Aquamarine]

Thank you for the beautiful flowers. They are unusual looking.
Here's you a carousel.

[tomkow6]

Nice er.......HAT, .....yea.........HAT!

[Victoria Delsoul]

God bless the USA, indeed!

Lee Greenwood, God Bless the U.S.A.

[SAMWolf]

Why is Virginia a Commonwealth?

There is no such entity as the "State" of Virginia. While generally categorized as a state, Virginia has been the "Commonwealth" since independence from Great Britain. Virginia is first of four states that are commonwealths, to include our daughter Commonwealth of Kentucky, which was formed from Virginia in 1792.

Our first Constitution, adopted on June 29, 1776, directed that "Commissions and Grants shall run, In the Name of the Commonwealth of Virginia, and bear taste by the Governor with the Seal of the Commonwealth annexed." The Secretary of the Commonwealth to this day issues commissions in this manner. Among other references, the Constitution furthermore dictated that criminal indictments were to conclude "against the peace and dignity of the commonwealth."

It is Virginia's Declaration of Rights adopted on June 12, 1776, that sets forth both our rights and philosophy of government. Virginia's founders viewed government as a contract between people who are "created equally free and independent." The underlying theory held that personal sovereignty was given over in order to create a society, which then in turn facilitated individual pursuits. As "all Power is…vested in, and consequently derived from the People," government was created to be the servant of the people.

Of greatest importance, Virginia's founders envisioned that the people would possess certain traits, namely, "a firm Adherence to Justice, Moderation, Temperance, frugality, and Virtue." No concept was more central than that of public or civic virtue. The civically virtuous citizen was self-reliant and self-determinative while recognizing a duty to the general welfare, or common good, of the community. It is the figure of Virtue, standing over the dead body of Tyranny, that dominates the Great Seal of the Commonwealth.

Virginians, as members of the Commonwealth, enjoy a higher degree of sovereignty. The continuing existence of the Commonwealth requires that each citizen be an active participant in government. All citizens must likewise be practitioners of civic virtue, dedicated to conducting themselves in a socially responsible manner.

A state may or may not reflect the will of the people, but a commonwealth simply cannot exist without the people's express consent. The commonwealth is an extraordinary form of government based upon collective genius of its citizens. The Commonwealth is distinguished from, and superior to, a mere state by the greatness of the people of Virginia.

[SAMWolf]

The heck with the hat, check out the legs!

[SAMWolf]

Thanks Victoria thats a always a great song to hear.

[tomkow6]

Um. Yea........that's what I meant.......Nice HATS.........make that nice HAT!

[Aquamarine]

Right on cue! Thank you!

I'm having fun with these cute gifs that I found. :)

[SAMWolf]

A Brief History of Virginia Wine

Virginia wine began when our nation began. Early settlers produced wine at Jamestown in 1609.

Early Virginia wine was produced from native grapes and the next two centuries saw frustrating, unsuccessful attempts to produce a palatable wine.

Thomas Jefferson, credited as being the father of American wine, encouraged Americans to drink wine with meals, served as wine advisor to several American presidents, and selected the first wines to be stocked at The White House.

Between 1800 and the Civil War, a strong wine industry developed but was destroyed by the devastation of so many grapevines during the fierce battles fought on Virginian soil.

Prohibition set back the industry even more and in 1950 there were only 15 acres of grapes in the state. Today, there are more than 2,000 acres of grapes in Virginia.

A revival of Virginia's wine industry came about in the 1960s as the result of an increased national appetite for wine.

One of the most important elements that aided in the growth of the industry was the introduction of the Farm Winery Law of 1980. This legislation provides many agricultural benefits for wineries and allows them to sell at the wholesale and retail levels without additional licenses.

In the 1980s, the commonwealth and the United States Department of Agriculture initiated successful programs through Virginia Tech to help improve the growth and the palatability of Virginia wines. Those have developed into very important viticulture (the study of grapegrowing) and enology (the study of winemaking) programs, which now provide a tremendous amount of service to both new and existing wineries and vineyards.

Today, Virginia has 70 wineries (with more on the way) that offer world class wines and exciting activities for the entire family.