A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....10-14-03....Relax. You're in Georgia now.

Aquamarine

[Aquamarine]

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

The State of Georgia is a combination of big cities, small towns, mountains and beaches, and a wealth of historic sites that feature the depth and breadth of Southern living.

Although I'm not a native of Georgia, I've lived here most of my life and have grown to love this part of the South and will always consider it my home. The state of Georgia has 5 distinct regions so come along as we start at the top and work our way down.

Mountains

This is the part of Georgia where I make my home now, so naturally it's my favorite part of the State. Rich with an abundance of natural beauty, North Georgia has gone through a tremendous poulation growth in the last 20 years and it's no wonder. In Georgia’s mountains you’ll find dramatic vistas, wild whitewater, and unspoiled forests (so please keep this part a secret;).

A section of the Blue Ridge is found in northeastern Georgia north of the Piedmont. These mountains are forested with hardwoods and pine softwoods. Much of North Georgia is encompassed by the Chattahooche National Forest with elevations ranging from 1,000 to 5,000 feet. Located in the mountains is the southern most point of the 2,144 Appalachian Trail on the way to its terminus in Maine. Brasstown Bald Mountain is Georgia's highest at (4,780feet)

Alpine Helen is the most popular destination in North Georgia. The rugged beauty of this high mountain watershed, known today as the Helen Valley, attracts hundreds of thousand people to events such as Oktoberfest and the Alpine Lights. The Chattahoochee River begins as a spring above Helen in the fittingly name "Chattahoochee Gap," little more than a trickle of water at 3200 feet. Over the first 100 miles the river falls almost 2400 feet, forms a major Southeast lake (Lanier) and provides water for millions of Georgians.

Near Calhoun is the New Echota Historic Site where Cherokee Indians modeled their new nation based on the United States Government culminating in the "Trail of Tears" to Oklahoma. In Cartersville there is a very unique historical Indian State Park named the Etowah Indian Mounds.

In this area of the State there are many bold waterfalls. Amicalola Falls (Cherokee meaning "tumbling waters"), which plunges 729 feet, is the highest waterfall in the Eastern United States. Georgia has over 4,000 miles of trout streams with the majority of the streams in the mountains of North Georgia. The small mountain town of Dahlonega, a Cherokee word meaning "precious yellow," is the site of the country's first major gold rush where you can still pan for gold.

Historic South

Here you'll find music legends, year-round golf & historic sites. Stretching from the rolling foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the north to the edge of the Okefenokee in the south, and from the wiregrass country in the west to the white sands on the edge of the coastal plain, this is the heart of Georgia. A sweet onion known around the globe, artists and performers who became legends, and inventions that changed the world are what you can expect from the land of the Historic South.

The southwest area of Georgia is comprised of meandering rivers. Callaway Gardens with 14,000 acres of gardens, woodlands and lakes and over 700 colorful varieties of Azaleas is a favorite destination.

Columbus is the largest city in historic Georgia, situated on the Cattachoochee River at the foot of a series of falls. Columbus used its water supply to become an important manufacturing center for arms during the Civil War. Today it is home to Fort Benning, the only U.S. Army infantry training center.

Grown properly only in a small pocket of south Georgia, the Vidalia onion matures into unsurpassed sweetness in the spring. In one of nature's most delicious mysteries, the granex seed, which produces a hot onion elsewhere, grows into an onion one "can eat like an apple" in the fields around Vidalia and Glennville. This area is also reknowned for pecans.

Atlanta Metro

Having spent a good portion of my youth living around Atlanta, alot of good memories were brought back while researching this part of Georgia.

From a virtually uninhabited railroad terminus in 1837 to a sprawling metropolis of over four million people today, metro Atlanta has the vibrancy of the world’s great urban centers combined with the Southern charm of small town centers. Here you’ll find historic sites from the Civil War through the Civil Rights era, as well as world-class shopping, entertainment, and nightlife.

Atlanta was burnt during the Civil War, a part of history that was later written about by Margaret Mitchell; her book Gone With The Wind became a legend and was later turned into an epic Hollywood movie.

Georgia is home of the Atlanta Brave Baseball, Falcons Football and Atlanta Thrashers Hockey teams. Atlanta has emerged as a banking center and is world headquarters for Fortune 500 companies such as Delta Airlines, Coca Cola, Holiday Inn Worldwide and United Parcel Service. At The King Center you can view unique exhibits illustrating the life and teachings of Martin Luther King and visit the King Center’s Library, archives, and his final resting place.

In the hub of convention business in the capital city you'll find the Centennial Olympic Park, Georgia’s World Congress Center as well as the World of Coca-Cola, a 45,000-square-foot pavilion where the history of this favorite soft drink—past, present and future—is told through fascinating exhibits. After the tour, you can lunch at Underground Atlanta.

The Georgia State Capital was dedicated on July 4, 1889. The gold leaf on its dome, rising 237 feet above the city, was mined in nearby Dahlonega.
Am very proud to proclaim that we recently elected a new Republican Senator Saxby Chambliss, and Governor Sonny Perdue - the first Republican Governor since Reconstruction, and hope to take back Democrat Zell Miller's Senate seat in the next election!

Fernbank Museum of Natural History has an impressive dinosaur connection. This exceptional facility also has a delightful Star Gallery that provides an easy way to find stars in the evening sky with the help of a Fernbank astronomer and a fiber optic ceiling. Discovery: The Naturalist Center at Fernbank, is an educational facility equipped with laboratories, computers and a scanning electron microscope.

On 3,200 gorgeous acres just 16 miles east of downtown Atlanta, the stories of the South come to life at Stone Mountain Park. The mountain itself is the world's largest mass of exposed granite. The centerpiece of the Park -- and one of the true marvels of western engineering -- is found on the mountain's North side, where you'll see the world's largest high relief carving, depicting three heroes of the American Confederacy, Robert E. Lee, Jefferson Davis and Stonewall Jackson.

Classic South

Farming, Folklife & Folklore. Off the main highway and into the countryside, the land spreads out and the roads roll into small towns, each of which offers its own unique charms and intriguing history. You’ll discover an outdoor paradise, where the lakes teem with fish, the woodlands are alive with wildlife and the rivers flow steadily across the landscape.

Take in Georgia's Antebellum Trail. Unspoiled lakes and forests surround charming, white-columned mansions in city squares. Three of these classic antebellum towns are Washington, Madison and Milledgeville. The area also encompasses Athens,"The Classic City" home to the University of Georgia, and Augusta, well known for the world's most prestigious golf tournament, "The Masters". As the state's geographic center, Macon, founded in 1823, has more than 150,000 flowering cherry trees, resplendent with blossoms during the annual March festival. Its antebellum and Victorian homes are among the state's best preserved. Macon is home to the Georgia Music Hall of Fame whose honorees include Ray Charles, James Brown, The Allman Brothers Band, Little Richard and Chet Atkins.

Many different types of crops and produce are grown in this area of the state. Georgia grown peaches are recognized for their superior flavor, texture, appearance and nutritious qualities that promote a healthy, balanced diet. Georgia is known as the "Peach State" because of the growers' reputation for producing the highest quality fruit. The peach became the official state fruit in 1995.

Farther south is Milledgeville, the former capital of Georgia from 1803 - 1868. General Sherman burned government buildings and documents, but essentially left the antebellum homes in tact during the civil war. The locals refer to the town as "The Antebellum Capital of Georgia." It is the only town besides Washington DC to be designed as a capital.

Coast, Barrier Islands

Here you’ll find Savannah and its historic district, dotted with parks and lined with moss-covered trees. St. Simons Island, Sea Island, and Jekyll Island have miles upon miles of protected seashore with endless white sand beaches and deserted barrier islands perfect for exploring.

The four designated "Golden Isles" are St. Simons, Little St. Simons (not accessible by vehicle) - Sea Island and Jekyll Island. Although some "Golden Isles" have been developed, other islands, such as Cumberland and Little St.Simons still linger in the past. Some islands are accessible only by boat. Driving along U.S. 17 you pass broad sandy beaches, creeks, rivers and ruins of antebellum plantations.

In the 1500s, the Spanish arrived in this area, their soldiers seeking gold, and their missionaries seeking religious converts among the Native Americans. In 1736, General James Oglethorpe founded Fort Frederica on St. Simons Island. Six years later, Oglethorpes troops defeated insurgent Spanish at The Battle of Bloody Marsh and helped determine the course of colonial history.

Later, the antebellum era flourished as sea island cotton became king and sprawling plantations operated all along the Georgia coast until late 1800.

The Okefenokee Swamp, one of America’s most fascinating natural areas, is the largest Swamp in North America. Approximately 700 square miles, located in the southeast corner of Georgia, Okefenokee is rich with wildlife. The vast expanse of forest and wetlands is now one of the best-preserved freshwater sanctuaries in the country. Alligator's glide silently through Okefenokee Swamp.

The swamp contains numerous islands and lakes, along with vast areas of non-forested terrain. Prairies cover about 60,000 acres of the swamp. The prairies harbor a variety of wading birds: herons, egrets, ibises, cranes and bitterns.

Hope you have enjoyed your cyber tour through Georgia.

Most of the information above was taken from several Georgia Tourism sites.

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 10-13-03 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 a FReepmail and I will gladly do it for you. ~Mixer

Click on the photo to view the album. To
submit your photo, please contact dansangel or .45MAN danbh59@yahoo.com
and include Freeper Photo Album in subject line.

[Aquamarine]

[Aquamarine]

Georgia On My Mind

[Support Free Republic]

"Facts are stubborn things, and whatever may be our
wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions,
they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence."
- John Adams -

Make your statement.

[Aeronaut]

Good morning Aqua.

[The Mayor]

[Calpernia]

Morning to the Finest!

I'm off to chaperone a school trip. Be back!

[Billie]

Good morning, Aqua! Got your mail and answered it. Love this post today - it is beautiful, and though we've only been 'through' Georgia on our way home from the Smokey Mountains, I liked what I saw. Hey, I even thought Atlanta was pretty! (We spent one night there - don't remember where - just somewhere along the freeway!)

Your post today

[dansangel]

Breathtakingly done ((((((Aqua)))))).

Many of the places that you mentioned .45MAN and I have had the pleasure of visiting. One of my favorites (besides St. Simons which is my absolute favorite) is Tallulah Falls. Gee, makes me want to *live* in GA - LOL!!

What a stunning tribute to GA - you go girl!!!

(((((((Hugs))))))) to my sistahs, ((((((.45MAN))))))) and to my extra-fuzzy brothah:

[[[[[{{{{{(((((Louie_Wolfie_Man)))))}}}}}]]]]]

[Temple Owl]

Good morning. I never met a Georgian that I did not find charming and likeable. You picked the right place to settle.

[Temple Owl]

Good morning. I never met a Georgian that I did not find charming and likeable. You picked the right place to settle.

[Temple Owl]

Good morning. I never met a Georgian that I did not find charming and likeable. You picked the right place to settle.

[Temple Owl]

Good morning. I never met a Georgian that I did not find charming and likeable. You picked the right place to settle.

[Temple Owl]

Good morning. I never met a Georgian that I did not find charming and likeable. You picked the right place to settle.

[Temple Owl]

Good morning. I never met a Georgian that I did not find charming and likeable. You picked the right place to settle.

[Temple Owl]

The computer is going slow. Sorry about the multiple posts, but now you know how I really feel. LOL

[Aquamarine]

Good morning Aeronaut. Thanks for the flyover. :)

[Aquamarine]

Good morning Mr. Mayor. Hope your buddy Russ is doing better, I pray for him and his famliy.

[Aquamarine]

Good morning Cal! Sounds like you're going to have your hands full today. Hope you have a good one!

[Aquamarine]

Happy to hear that you enjoyed your time spent in Georgia. You should come back and see more of Georgia. You would enjoy it.

[Aquamarine]

Thanks (((Dansy)))

I'm already thinking of places that I left out. Kennesaw Mountain State Park, and Tallulah Gorge are two that I should have mentioned.
Told you, Georgia grows on you. :)

[Aquamarine]

Good morning. I never met a Georgian that I did not find charming and likeable. You picked the right place to settle.

Good morning Temple Owl. It's that Southern Hospitality coming through. Don't think I could ever live anywhere else, I'm addicted to the South! :)

[MeekOneGOP]

Mornin', everybody ! Happy Tuesday !

[Pippin]

Howdy everybody!

Sorry I wasn't online til today.

Aqua, You did a great job on Georgia!

My niece in the Air Force is stationed in Georgia.

I have a rant to make, Well, more of a statement.

Yesterday I was off from work for the Columbus Day holiday, so I was listening to WBAL radio in Baltimore, Md. now they had Rush Limbaugh's show from 12:00 til 3:00 PM local time, however, in WBAL's infinate" wisdom they decided not to air Rush's show while he's in rehab. which in my opinion is unfair to those who listen to the show and whant to listen to the subs that are doing the show while Rush is away. I just think it's unfair and that's all I got to say about that!

But a local talk show host from Baltimore, Chip Franklin, had a really nice peice about Rush and his current trouble. Chip played again Rush's statements from Friday and then whent into a monologue about how really crude and uncaring these people are who revel in Rush's misfortunes. I think, along with Chip, that it is really cruel to kick a person around when he or she are down.

No matter weather I agree with thier political or moral views, I still would show some taste and not snipe or maklecrude remarks about thier misfortunes. I'll keep Rush in my prayers that he'll beat this demon as I would anyone else in a simiular situation or who are "down" with either a health issue or family issue or any other "demon"

That's what I have to say about that!

[Aquamarine]

The computer is going slow. Sorry about the multiple posts, but now you know how I really feel. LOL

The connection is slow today. But it was worth repeating. ;)

[Aquamarine]

Good morning Meekie! Hope everything is going well in your part of the world today. :)

[MeekOneGOP]

Everything is just lovely. Except that navigating FR is VERY SLOW today. I saw on the Yahoo! FR member board others were saying FR is 'Down' for them. Slow dialups plus FR server is SLOW = DOWN alrighty ...

[DollyCali]

Simply beautiful Aqua. Thank you. I really love the swamp.... have canoed, kayaked , explored there several times..... but not recently.

hope all you Finest FReeper Folks have a wonderful day.

[The Thin Man]

Chattahooche National Forest

Chattahoochee River

Cattachoochee River

Hi, Aqua..... I just hope that one of them is right. LOL!

[DollyCali]

Simply beautiful Aqua. Thank you. I really love the swamp.... have canoed, kayaked , explored there several times..... but not recently.

hope all you Finest FReeper Folks have a wonderful day.

[dutchess]

Hi Aqua. What a beautiful job today! Stunning! And very informative! Aside from driving through Atlanta, I think your state is absolutely beautiful! (BTW...have been trying to post for the past half hour and keep locking up :o(

Have a lovely day finest sistahs....First day back to work after a few days off...ugh!

[MeekOneGOP]

So which one is better, folks ?? These captions were suggested to me by a Florida Freeper ...

[FreeTheHostages]

WOW!! {{{aqua}}} Great job!!

This calendar is for you too, Dutchess.

[FreeTheHostages]

I have never been to the Callaway gardens or the coastal areas or hiking along the Blue Ridge or any of a number of things I'd love to do in Georgia. I've only been to Atlanta. Which is a shame. I just love plants and I think first on my list is the Callaway gardens.

Wow, FR is slow today. Took me the longest while to get this post up!

[jwfiv]

Good afternoon, Miss Aquamarine...such a beautiful thread you offer us today...the love with which you labor is quite apparent...thank you....)

Very nice.

Good morning and afternoon to all our Hostesses and all the Finest...)

Pippin, nice to see your rant...)

[Aquamarine]

Except that navigating FR is VERY SLOW today. I saw on the Yahoo! FR member board others were saying FR is 'Down' for them. Slow dialups plus FR server is SLOW = DOWN alrighty ...

It's been down for me and slow as molasses when it's up!

BTW....I like the Ah'll Be Back Rush graphic the best.

[Aquamarine]

I really love the swamp.... have canoed, kayaked , explored there several times..... but not recently.

We rented a little fishing boat in the Okefenokee Swamp one time and rode around the swamp. There were gators everywhere. Every now and then we'd feel a bump as we went along, hitting gators under the water. Even got out on an island, in the Seminole language "Okefenokee" means "The Trembling Land", the ground really does move when you walk on it.

[Aquamarine]

Chattahoochee River is the winner! Don't know how I misread the other two. Had copied and pasted those in.
Can't trust those durn tourist sites! lol!

[Aquamarine]

Thank you Dutchess. I'm looking forward to your featured State post. Know you've been working hard on it. :)

[Aquamarine]

Almost missed your post Pippi! Wanted to tell you there was a thread about the radio station in Baltimore that thinks they can phase Rush out.....WBAL Baltimore has pre-empted Rush's Show

[MeekOneGOP]

Thanks !

Hey, here is a link to an article about the FR server problem. My post to FR management requesting is in comment #90. Let's see if I get a reply to it ...

Is FR slow today, or is it just me?

Link goes to my post #90, btw ...

[Aquamarine]

If you like plants you would love Calloway Gardens. They have a Butterfly and Horticulture Center and the most beautiful growth of azaleas anywhere in the State.

[Aquamarine]

.the love with which you labor is quite apparent...thank you....)

You're welcome JW! I'm glad it's apparent because I did labor over it. Just ask Billie and Mama Bear...they helped me make it a reality!

[dutchess]

Hi again Aqua. Gosh I stopped in and got here right away. Maybe the slow server problem has been fixed.

Gosh...I forgot all about Savanah. We spent about 5 days there a few years ago when Mr. D. had a conference. I just LOVED it. While he was in session all day I wandered the town feeling very safe. Loved the parks on every block, the beautiful old homes and the riverwalk area. Also, everyone was so friendly and wonderful food! Would love to go back there!

[FreeTheHostages]

butterflies too!! I'm THERE!

[FreeTheHostages]

Oh, and I'm so sorry FR is so slow on a day where you've done such a great job with this state. I promise, LOL, to reread the thread again several times to make up for the general inaccessibility to FR for so many people today. I think lots of people have just given up. But it's getting better, no? Things seem to be moving.

[Mama_Bear]

Hi Aqua! I tried and tried to get in earlier but my connection kept timing out. Seems to be working better now.

I know how you stressed over this, but you have done a such a good job presenting your state. I told you it would be beautiful, and it is! Makes me want to come for a visit. :-)

Very nice pledge graphic too!

HUGS!

Wishing you all a lovely day.

[Aquamarine]

[Mama_Bear]

Isn't this a beautiful picture of autumn in Georgia?

"Autumn Solitude"

Stone Mountain Park, Georgia

[Aquamarine]

I'm glad you get to see it. It's been a long time since I've visited Savannah. We stayed at the beach and didn't even take the historic tour of the town.

[Billie]

Are we back? :) Hello, Sistahs, hope the rest of the day goes swimmingly for you all. Great to hear from each and every one, and so early in the day. Maybe we should have tea? :)