A Few Of FR's Finest....Every Day....09-17-03....Florida~The Sunshine State

dansangel

[dansangel]

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, dansangel, dutchess, Mama_Bear, Aquamarine ~

~The "Sunshine State"~

Florida became the 27th state of the Union in 1845.

To me, Florida is the most beautiful and compelling state in the United States. Of course, I'm just a *tad* biased. Although I wasn't born there, I consider myself a Floridian after spending most of my adult life there. After this current (and definitely temporary) leave of absence, I intend to make Florida my home state once again.

The Florida peninsula itself boasts approximately 1200 miles of coastline (source: NOAA). Factoring in the coastal area of all of its islands and keys, this total grows to over 8,000 miles (source: the U.S. DEA). From Jacksonville in the north to Key West at its southernmost tip, Florida is packed with history and rare beauty.

Are you a history buff? Take a trip to St. Augustine. Located in northeast Florida, it is our nation's oldest city. On March 27 1513, Don Juan Ponce de Leon sighted land while sailing towards the "New World" from Spain. He claimed this land for Spain, naming it "La Florida," meaning "Land of Flowers."

In 1564, the French succeeded in establishing a fort on the St. Johns River, threatening the safety of Spain's treasure fleets. In 1565, Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles arrived off the coast of Florida. Eleven days after the Feast of St. Augustine (August 28) he founded the city of St. Augustine and set about reclaiming the territory from the French. With the help of a hurricane, he defeated the French, destroyed their fort and fleet and began building the city of St. Augustine.

Today, St. Augustine is a popular tourist spot due to its many museums, its lighthouse and, of course, the oldest house and the oldest schoolhouse in the country. With more than 4 centuries of history to share, St. Augustine is a must-see on any trip to Florida.

Key Deer

The Florida Keys comprise the southernmost portion of the Florida territory. Stretching out over the ocean beginning just south of Homestead, the keys serve as a gateway from the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico. From Key Largo to Key West, all of the keys connected by 113 miles of U.S. Highway 1 boast their own beauty and attractions. Key deer, no larger than a large dog, can be found on Big Pine Key. Swim with tame dolphins off of Islamorada. Or, visit Ernest Hemingway's house in rustic and festive Key West. The sunset viewed from Mallory Dock off of Duval Street is like none other viewed anywhere else in the world.

Florida Everglades

Finally, the Everglades and their own delicate and unique ecosystem is described eloquently by Jeff Ripple as found on the Florida Everglades Website:

"The Everglades and the Ten Thousand Islands is a rare and beautiful place. It is one of North America's unsung wild places - a beautiful, rugged, subtropical landscape experienced by a relatively few adventurous souls each year. Many who appreciate the unique qualities of this wilderness will argue that it is a place better kept secret. Perhaps, in my quest for solitude and a deeply personal communion with nature, I might ordinarily agree. But I also feel that it is a resource important not only for its natural heritage and spiritually enriching powers, but for its commercial and recreational values as well."



The peace and serenity in the Everglades is beyond description. Once you venture out, it is difficult to return to civilization. We have a duty to preserve the delicate balance of flora and fauna so that generations to come will benefit from its beauty.

There are many other points of interest in Florida not mentioned here. From the white sands of its pristine beaches to the protected habitats of the Everglades, Florida is definitely one of those places where, once you visit, you may just want to call it "home."

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 09-15-03 Military Monday 09-16-03 This One's For You T Man

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

God Bless Our Military

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

Below are names of some of our FReepers' loved ones who are serving our country. If you have someone you would like to add, please address a post to Billie; Dansangel; Dutchess; Mama_Bear; Aquamarine and we will add their name to this list. As we pray for them, we pray also for all our nation’s leaders, and military personnel, and their families and friends. May God hold them close to His heart.

~~~~~~~~~~   ~~~~~~~~~~

We ask Lord, that You guide the leaders of our great country in their hour of decision. The burden that has been placed on their shoulders is overwhelming. We ask that with Your infinite wisdom You guide them gently to the right decisions.

Please give us the strength, Lord, to get through each difficult and devastating day that faces each of us and our country. Protect and guide our Military that are now being called to duty, strengthen them in their trials and temptations; give them courage to face the perils which beset them; and grant them a sense of your abiding presence wherever they may be; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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

OhioWfan........................son mystery-ak..........son, husband Gogrammy................grandson Inspectorette...................son Blessed American..........nephew Slip18..........................nephew anniegetyourgun...........nephew Pippin....niece,nephew,loved one Doug from Upland......son-in-law weldgophardline.....brotherinlaw Future Snake Eater..........cousin WaterDragon..son-in-law,grandson BeforeISleep...................son The Mayor........................niece LadyX.........................grandson fawn796.....................nephew ValerieUSA................2 sons Warrior Nurse...........active duty SK1 Thurman...........active duty David Osborne.........active duty fc2tomschermuly......active duty bkwells..................activve duty LongCut..................active duty Trish.......................active duty StarCMC......................brother Atomic Conspiracy...........half-brother Atomic Conspiracy............niece, nephew

Maigrey................cousin ladtx....................2 sons Mama_Bear...........2 nephews gator girl............husband severa................husband MozartLover......son, nephew LBGA........................son SpookBrat...........nephew Himyar.....................son boxerblues............2 sons the piper...................son sheeza...............husband kemathen7...........husband Diver Dave................niece deadhead................cousin JimRobinson.....2 nephews Armymarinemom.....3 sons Consort..2 daughters,son-in-law Darheel..................niece dixie sass.............nephew BeAllYouCanBe.........son AgThorn...............2 sons homeschoolmama.......nephew kneezles.................son kimmie7...............brother Tiffee4Bob.............boyfriend Explorer89............brother TexKat...........son and stepson

[MEG33]

My husband and I took a delayed honeymoon in Miami right after he graduated and just before OCS.We drove from Texas and thought it was terrific.I remember we stopped the car around Panama City to feel the sand because it was so white! In those days there was no development there.I've been back for conventions to Miami and spent a week in Sarasota but that first trip was the best,of course.

[MEG33]

Good Morning all.To all of you in Isabel's path,stay safe!

[The Mayor]

[dansangel]

Mornin'((((Meekie)))))

Have a safe and Happy Humpday!

[dansangel]

((((((Gail)))))

Thank you for coffee and biscuits. Ft. Walton beach is supposed to be a lovely area. I'm not that familiar with it, but have heard much about it!

IMHO, *all* of FL is beautiful! :-)

[dansangel]

(((((MEG)))))

Miami has grown tremendously - not all for the better, but there has been a lot of rehab to the beach area.

I went down to meet a friend from England who traveled over and was appalled at the condition of some of the hotels on the strip where she stayed. That was back in 1980. Now, the "average person" probably souldn't afford to stay at these same hotels since the whole area has been redone.

Sarasota is another neat area over on the West Coast. My heart is on the Atlantic side, though.

[dansangel]

(((((The Mayor))))))

Thank you for your gift of steaming hot coffee. Hope you have a wonderful Humpday!

[The Mayor]

I hope so too! I am running a job fair at a Home Depot store.

I'm looking for a few good crews..

[dansangel]

Sounds like fun! Hope you find some really great people.

[MaryFromMichigan]

"I need sleep. I think I'm getting sick..."

How are you this a.m.?
Please get well and stay that way.
(((Calpernia)))

[LadyX]

Be still my heart!
Talkin' here about the land of my birth; one of those rare creatures born (in Miami) and reared in Florida.....we lived in Coral Gables, and moved up the coast to Melbourne when I was nine - in adulthood returned; lived in several more places, plus Panama City on the West Coast.

Remember the Keys from age four on a family fishing trip there, clinging desperately to the piling, certain if I hooked a fish it would pull me into the sea..:))

My two sons reside there; one in the West Palm Beach area - the other the Ft. Lauderdale area.

Long Cut, St. Augustine is fascinating, isn't it? The varied history of it is so interesting - the necessity of having the houses so close together to protect the residents from the assorted 'hostiles' who wanted to possess it, ownership ebbing and flowing.

To stand at the point where Ponce de Leon came ashore is to be able to 'see' his vessels - and appreciate the sight he saw that prompted him to declare the spring there a Fountain of Youth!

By virtue of the Indian Chiefs being required to take the tallest eligible young woman of the tribe for his wife, and their good diet, the result was the Indians were seven feet tall!

In the theater building over the spring, a lifesize paiting shows them greeting the puny Europeans - Ponce de Leon a mere four feet tall, as were so many Europeans then, with their inferior diets.
The Indians, of course, had access to vegetables and fruit most of the year, and plentiful game. Luckily, they were friendly!

Most Americans do not realize that this occurred in 1513, and was the first time American soil was dedicated to our God.....Jamestown and Plymouth Rock came more than a hundred years later, as the first English colonies.

Dansy and .45MAN - I remember when Miami Beach was mostly sand dunes and palmettos, going there to swim, before WWII....when most of both coasts were, too.
Sebastian did not even have a caution light, and was a blink of the eye in the dash ( 45 mph the highest speed limit on all of U.S. 1 ) through.

My grandparents moved from Pennsylvania to Orlando in 1909, when my father was ten years old.
In 1923, he married my mother (from South Carolina) and took her there to live. I know the Old Florida as persons today never couls imagine. Saw the Cape develop in the county where I resided, and watched space flights launched.

The West Coast sands are finer and softer, but eveywhere are the magnificent sunrises and sunsets and skies filled with beautiful clouds - - those things I miss.

Long Cut - in your treks between Daytona Beach and Jax, did you ever discover the awesome scenery at Bulow Creek and its State Park?!!
It is so lovely, John James Audobon spent two months there sketching the changing savannas and birds!

The huge ancient oak at the park is something to see, too.

[MeekOneGOP]

Thanks. You have a lovely day too ...

[FreeTheHostages]

[dansangel]

Thank you for posting your memories/impressions of the beautiful state of Florida (((((((LadyX))))))

I just *knew* you would have bunches to add.

I wanted to put so much more into the thread, but it would have turned into a book. There is just *so much* to see and do in the Sunshine State. Words defy the beauty of the sky each and every day. It is ever-changing, much like the surf below. And that only scratches the surface....

I have definitely made it my *mission* to get back there.

[FreeTheHostages]

Lovely job! Wonderful.

I sincerely have always had a question about people who live in Florida. What about the heat and humidity though? If you live there all year round, doesn't it get real bad in the summer?

[dansangel]

If you live there all year round, doesn't it get real bad in the summer?

If you live on the Atlantic side of FL, there is always an ocean breeze to regulate the air. Up north, it gets more hot, more oppressive and more stagnant than in FL.

As to the humidity, we actually have higher humidity here in Hotlanta than we ever had in FL. I would put those white crystals (the chemical name escapes me) in the closets to keep the humidity away from clothing, etc. As long as things are vented properly and you run the A/C, humidity is usually not a problem. ((((((Freezie)))))))

[Aquamarine]

Beautiful job on the opening post Dansy!
My mom and her side of the family are from Florida so I've been fortunuate enough to spend alot of time there in my life, sometimes months at a time. She was born in Hollywood and was just a baby when her family went through that terrible Hurricane in 27 (I think). They lost everything and barely lived through it, her family eventually settled in Jacksonville. My grandfather was the Chief of Police in St. Augustine at one time.

[Aquamarine]

Ever spent any time down St. Augustine way? Beautiful beaches, great food and fun, and wholly conservative. My favorite part of Florida is that streetch of A1A along between Jax and Daytona.

That would be the Palm Coast area. Beautiful area, we have some friends who have a condo there on the International Coastal Waterway that let us stay there in the past. Perfect place to retire!

Didn't know you were in Iceland now, are the volcanos still active in that area?

[dansangel]

Thank you ((((((Aqua))))))) for sharing your story.

My grandfather was the Chief of Police in St. Augustine at one time.

*That* must have been a really cool job! I've been there twice - once in 1982 when my daughter was only 5 and again with .45MAN a few years ago before we left FL. It's a really interesting and historic place!

[getmeouttaPalmBeachCounty_FL]

I love Daytona!

I have a friend who might still be up there in Iceland. Her husband's pararescue, I believe. She's sent some beautiful pictures!

Dh went through NAS PCola, and it's bee-eutiful over there! Nothing like those beaches!