A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....10-20-04....New Hampshire ~ Live Free or Die!

Mama_Bear

[Mama_Bear]

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, dutchess, Aquamarine,

We're
"On the Road Again"...

Please join "A Few of FR's Finest" as we make a cyber-visit to another state in this great Union of ours.

Over the past several months each "Finest" hostess has profiled her home state for the Finest Thread. The remaining states are being presented, about one a month, in random order. We hope you are enjoying these visits to our beautiful United States. Please FReepMail me if you would like to participate in spotlighting your state. I would appreciate your input on what you would like to see highlighted.

These are the states
we have presented to date:

05-23-03 Alabama 06-27-03 Maryland 07-11-03 Vermont 07-25-03 Utah 08-05-03 Texas 08-22-03 Nevada 08-26-03 Wash DC 09-05-03 Tennessee 09-17-03 Florida 09-19-03 Minnesota 10-03-03 New Mexico 10-14-03 Georgia 10-17-03 Louisiana 10-22-03 Michigan

11-04-03 South Dakota 11-14-03 California 01-09-04 South Carolina 02-06-04 West Virginia 02-20-04 Oregon 03-09-04 Pennsylvania 03-30-04 Wyoming 04-13-04 Mississippi 04-27-04 Missouri 05-25-04 Indiana 07-21-04 Virginia 08-18-04 Colorado 09-29-04 Idaho

Today we are visiting beautiful and historic New Hampshire, and we salute the FReepers and patriots who call this Fine state home. 131 FReepers proudly fly the New Hampshire flag on their profile page.

Click below to go to the
New Hampshire message board.

This motto was part of a volunteer toast which General John Stark sent to his wartime comrades, in which he declined an invitation to head up a 32nd anniversary reunion of the 1777 Battle of Bennington in Vermont, because of poor health. The toast said in full:

"Live Free Or Die;
Death Is Not The Worst of Evils."
The following year, a similar invitation (also declined) said: "The toast, sir, which you sent us in 1809 will continue to vibrate with unceasing pleasure in our ears, "Live Free Or Die; Death Is Not The Worst Of Evils."

An Abbreviated Timeline of
New Hampshire's History
(Thank you SHG Resources)

17th century

• 1602 - Bartholomew Gosnold explored for English merchants the coast of New England from southern Maine to Buzzards Bay.
• 1614-1616 - Captain John Smith assumed leadership of the colony.
• 1622 -
  • March - King James I grant region between the Salem and Merrimac rivers, under the name of Mariana; to John Mason and Sir Ferdinando Gorges jointly.
  • 1st known European settlement at Piscataqua was founded by a Scottish Gentleman, Mr. David Thomson
• 1623 - Dover, the first permanent settlement, is founded.
• 1629 - November 7 - John Mason alone, receives a grant of that portion of the Province of Maine which lay between the Merrimac and the Piscataqua, under the name of New Hampshire.
• 1641 - Massachusetts Colony gains control of New Hampshire
• 1642 - First school act of Massachusetts; New Hampshire towns included; parents and masters required to teach children reading, citizenship, and religion.
• 1679 - England forms New Hampshire as a separate royal colony.
• 1680 - New Hampshire enacts own first school law requiring schools in all towns of fifty households or more.
• 1690 - The Falkland, a warship, is constructed for the British Navy, creating an industry that remains in Portsmouth until the 1960s.

18th century

• 1717 - John Wentworth becomes lieutenant governor of New Hampshire.
• 1734 - The Great Awakening sweeps through New Hampshire
• 1756 - The New Hampshire Gazette is formed; and was at one time the "oldest newspaper of continuous publication in the United States."
• 1765 - November 1 - Stamp Act of King George III goes into effect.
• 1769 - Founding of Dartmouth College.
• 1774 -
  • First state to declare itself independent from England.
  • Patriots from the local area raid Fort William and Mary and steal the gunpowder stored there. (Incident becomes known as the Powder Raid.)
• 1776 -
  • July-18 - Declaration of Independence is read on July 18 on the state house's western steps.
  • The first independent government from England is established
  • State to adopt a revolutionary constitution.
• 1777 -
  • January 27, Letter to Benjamin Franklin, John Paul Jones arrived in Paris and readiness of Ranger to sail with squadron.
• 1778 - First state to hold a constitutional convention
• 1788 - New Hampshire becomes the 9th state; U.S. Constitution is ratified by New Hampshire at a convention in Exeter.

19th century

• 1800 - Portsmouth Navy Yard is established.
• 1808 - State capital is established in Concord.
• 1809 -
  • Portsmouth Academy is opened.
  • Fort Constitution explosion during an Independence Day celebration badly damaged the Captain's House and killed 14 people.
• 1812 - Portsmouth's foreign trade is destroyed as a result of the embargo enacted during the War of 1812.
• 1833 - The first U.S. public library is founded in Peterborough.
• 1835 -
  • March - Twenty-eight white students and fourteen black students commence classes at the newly established Noyes Academy in Canaan, New Hampshire.
  • August 10, 1835 - White residents of Canaan, New Hampshire, with the help of residents of neighboring towns and "nearly one hundred yoke of oxen," forcibly remove Noyes Academy from its foundation.
• 1853 - Franklin Pierce of Hillsboro becomes the 14th U.S. President.
• 1869 - First mountain climbing cog railroad (Mt. Washington).
• 1890 - Lucy Swallow and Delia Brown become the first female students of University of New Hampshire.

20th century

• 1909 - First credit association in the nation chartered (St. Mary's Bank Credit Union).
• 1913 - The General Court Passes an act to provide for the election of delegates to the National Convention by direct vote of the people. The primary date is set for the third Tuesday in May.
• 1915 - The primary is moved to the second Tuesday in March to coincide with Town Meeting Day.
• 1916 - New Hampshire holds its first primary.
• 1923 - The University of New Hampshire established.
• 1938 - First aerial passenger tramway in North America (Cannon Mtn).
• 1939 - May 24, USS SQUALUS (SS-192) Submarine Disaster
• 1945 - WW2 German U-Boats surrender in Portsmouth.
• 1997- Portsmouth is chosen by Money magazine as the fifth best place in the nation to live.

And, on May 3rd, 2003, New Hampshire's beloved emblem; the colossal profile of natural granite high atop a sheer cliff in the White Mountains, known as "The Old Man of the Mountain", without warning collapsed, smashing below into a thousand nameless fragments.

Daniel Webster once said, ..."Men hang out their signs indicative of their respective trades; shoe makers hang out a gigantic shoe; jewelers a monster watch, and the dentist hangs out a gold tooth; but up in the Mountains of New Hampshire, God Almighty has hung out a sign to show that there He makes men."

New Hampshire's Governor Benson has declared May 3rd as "Old Man of the Mountain Day", stating, "From its mountainous perch, the Old Man has stood for centuries as a testament to the steadfastness of New Hampshire's Yankee character and the resolve of its people. This rugged yet beautiful monument fit the character of the pioneers who founded this state, the immigrants who built it, and the spirit of those who live here today. It was the ultimate symbol of those who would "Live Free or Die." And while that symbol may have fallen, that spirit still remains." -- Governor Craig Benson

Read more about New Hampshire's
state emblem HERE.

"Autumn creeps gently upon New Hampshire and all eyes are on the Great North Woods, New Hampshire's most northern tier. For it is here that nature begins her quest to dress New Hampshire for autumn. During September, the first hint of color interrupts the lush greenery of this sparsely populated area. By the end of the month, the woods are ablaze in gold, orange, and red foliage. And so the process begins as the colors slowly spill southward into the White Mountain region, progressing down through the Lakes and Seacoasts Regions to the east and over to the Dartmouth and Monadnock regions that hug the Vermont border, until finally splashing across the Merrimack Valley region.

If ever the state were to declare official seasonal aromas, autumn's would be the scent of apples and cinnamon fresh baked from the oven. The promise of pies, crisps, and baked apples, lures shoppers to the farm stands where the supply of apple filled baskets seems inexhaustible.

Still others choose to pick their own. Some armed with poles to snatch the fruit from atop the tree and all with baskets to carry their tasty treasures home, the apple pickers head out to the orchards, by foot or by courtesy of a horse drawn or tractor drawn hayride.

Agricultural fairs, festivals, and other harvest time celebrations across the state provide plenty to do and see. Getting there can be half the fun as autumn at the height of foliage season gives new meaning to "going for a drive." A stop in Pittsburg's Moose Alley in the hopes of spying one of the great creatures against autumn's vibrant backdrop, the spectacular painted vistas of the White Mountains from the Kancamagus Highway, the panoply of colors all along Rte 89 ending in the lovely little college town of Hanover, or a drive up the coast with a stop to walk the tree lined streets of Exeter are just a few of the enticements that draw tourists and natives alike to the roads of New Hampshire.

Boaters, bicyclists, and hikers, find that the end of summer is not the end of their passion. They have a few more weeks to enjoy their sports - in a much prettier and more invigorating setting, under October's bright blue skies. Enjoying the season can be as simple as stepping outside and going for a walk because there isn't a place in New Hampshire - city, town, or country road - that isn't spectacular in autumn.

As October draws to an end, the leaves that adorned the trees fall prey to the winds. They cover the ground, crackling underfoot. Children's shrieks of delight are heard as they jump into piles of leaves. Still, the foliage has not stopped adorning the country side, although, now it does so in secret - stuffed into a cast off pair of pants, shirt, and pillowcase; they make the stuffing for the man sitting on the front porch among the corn stalks, pumpkins, and gourds awaiting Halloween and Thanksgiving.

Don't lament the passing of summer, because in New Hampshire, the best is yet to come!"---Christina Coruth

There is so much more to say about this beautiful state, I can't possibly cover it all, so I will leave that to our New Hampshire FReepers. Please tell us what you love about your state and why you are proud to be a New Hampshirite.




In closing I am posting a graphic of a very special place in New Hampshire; Newfound Lake. As a small child I recall visiting my grandparents at this lake where they had a summer home. Wonderful memories of this beautiful place!

And thank you to the following websites
for providing information and graphics.
Autumn in New Hampshire
New Hampshire Colonial History
The New Hampshire Almanac
Old Man of the Mountain

Have a Wonderful Wednesday!

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 10-18-04 Military Monday 10-19-04 Girly Man (Real Men don't wear lipstick)

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 at
danbh59@yahoo.com
and include Freeper Photo Album in subject line.

CLICK

[Mama_Bear]

....but I would never have thought of washing my house!

LOL. I know it sounds weird, but you would if you lived in CA Central Valley where it doesn't rain from April to October. Everything gets so dusty outside.

Of course, since it was mostly men who made up the water rationing rules, naturally they allowed for frequent driveway car washing, but you better not get caught hosing off your sidewalk or your house. Priorities, you know. ;-)

[JustAmy]

LOL
Guess which pledge graphic I used this morning??

Good morning, , Lori. Thank you for being our tour guide to another of our 50 states.

I need to get back and read a little more later.

A girl friend and I visited New Hampshire (also Vermont and Mass.) in 1986. We didn't see as much of NH as we would have liked to see but it is a beautiful state.

The northeast is lovely and the history there is awesome.



Thank you!!

[dansangel]

Hey, I was born in MA too, and now I live in CA

That's right - I'd forgotten about that.

It feels so strange for me to say that because I have spent so many years *not* living in MA that I relate more to being a Floridian.

Speaking of which, lots of voting stupidity going on here along with the early voting. Every night on the news some idiot is complaining that elderly and minority voters are being "disenfranchised" by the new computer voting system.

The sKerry crud-ola is gearing up early for their challenge on Nov. 2nd when he loses. I pray to God that President Bush wins by an undisputable landslide to put this nonsense to rest once and for all.

My blood pressure can't take this!

[Mama_Bear]

And yet another state I have not visited and now really really want to! So many places to see...so little time.

I know. I want to go to all of the states that I present, they are all beautiful in their own way.

I'm sure you are having some nice fall color in Ohio about now. Ours won't come until about the middle of next month although a few of the trees are just starting to turn.

Have a good day, Sis.

[Mama_Bear]

lots of voting stupidity going on here along with the early voting. Every night on the news some idiot is complaining that elderly and minority voters are being "disenfranchised" by the new computer voting system.

I know, we've been hearing about it. Sheesh! I heard someone ask how come all the really stupid voters were in Florida. LOL. If CA were a swing state, you better believe we'd have our share of disenfranchised voters too. But, since Kerry is virtually assured of getting all 55 of our electoral votes, our voting will go like clock-work. ;-)

[scubachick]

What a beautiful visit to a wonderful state! As always, your state thread is gorgeous, informative and well-thought out! I would love to see New Hampshire in the autumn or spring-all the lovely colors. When you and Daddio retire, we will have to do the Fall Colors Princess Cruise. By then, this baby should be out! lol Love you!

[Mama_Bear]

We're having apple pie for dessert tonight.

Doesn't that sound GREAT??? How about just apple pie for dinner? Fruit is good for you. ;-)

What a beautiful job you're doing in presenting these United States of America each month

Awwwwwww.....thank you. I love doing it, and I have learned so much about our beautiful country in the process. :-)

[Mama_Bear]

When you and Daddio retire, we will have to do the Fall Colors Princess Cruise. By then, this baby should be out! lol

Well, I should hope so! By the time Daddio and I get to retire, that "baby" will probably have graduated from college! LOL

HUGS!

[Mama_Bear]

The Allegiance is so nice to read each day!

Well, thank you. That one is one of my favorites. I think JustAmy took that photo of Jim, or maybe my husband did, I can't remember now.

Nice to see you both here bright and early this morning.

Pippin where are you? You are missing out on the trip to New Hampshire. ;-)

[Mama_Bear]

Hi Amy. Lovely flowers, thank you. :-)

The last time I was in New Hampshire I was about five years old, visiting my grandparents at their summer place on Newfound Lake. Even though it was so long ago, I remember New Hampshire as such a beautiful place. I remember being told "that big mountain over there on the other side of the lake is Sugarloaf Mountain." I was fascinated with it because of the name, I think.

I know you are always busy on your thread, so I really appreciate that you take the time to come on our cyber-trips with us.

[Dubya]

The Missionary's Leg

...all things work together for good to them that love God. Romans 8:28.

A Missionary was captured by cannibals. "I suppose you intend to eat me?"
said the Missionary, and the chief grunted his affirmation. "Try a sample
first, and see if you like me." said the Missionary as he took his knife
and cut a slab from the calf of his leg and handed it to him.
"Try this and see!"

The chief took one bite and choked. The Missionary had a cork leg. The chief
wanted no more of it and the Missionary was spared.

Years before, he had thought it a "great misfortune" to lose his left leg and
to wear an artificial leg, but afterwards it saved his life. It also preserved
a great ministry that would have other wise been terminated immediately by the
cannibals. Yes, it worked out "for good!"

Are you going through a "tragedy" at this moment dear friend? Then remember
ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD, TO THOSE WHO LOVE THE LORD JESUS! ALL THINGS!

"Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything!"

[dansangel]

I heard someone ask how come all the really stupid voters were in Florida.

The problem is, most of the people taking advantage of the early voting are the elderly - many of them have never owned a computer and feel overwhelmed with the electronic voting.

.45MAN and I took a ride to the elections office today because we can't get anyone to answer the phone to find out if we are registered. We registered Sept. 17, just after we arrived in FL, and have not received our voter registration cards yet.

It was an absolute *zoo* at the board of elections because that is one of the places to take advantage of early voting. The place was chock full of elderly voters and the sKerry/Edwards signs were everywhere. I really feared for my life pulling up in my car with the"W '04" sticker on the back window.

One of the volunteers inside very nicely told us to just show up on Nov. 2 at our voting precinct and chances are we would be in the computer. Otherwise, we would have to wait in a painfully long line full of voters to even get into the office.

I hate to sound like a tin-foil hat alarmist, but I told .45MAN that I think when we registered at the driver's license office, they saw "Republican" on our forms and conveniently pitched them when we left. I wouldn't put it past this very left-slanting state.

Meanwhile, the volunteer said that Hurricane Jeanne put things a bit behind. Hmmmmmmm.........we'll see on the 2nd.

Y'all may hear about me on the news election day - if I go to the voting place and I'm not on the roster, I am going to pitch a fit the likes of which the dimRATS have never seen!

[Mama_Bear]

Finally, an actual New Hampshirite!

You have a beautiful state. I enjoyed doing the research and graphics for the presentation. The last time I was there was many years ago and all I remember is how beautiful Newfound Lake and the surrounding mountains were.

I see you are in Maryland now. I bet you miss the beautiful autumn colors of New Hampshire, although I know that Maryland is pretty this time of year too. I lived in DC for six years.

Thanks for taking the time to post on our thread today.

[Mama_Bear]

I really feared for my life pulling up in my car with the"W '04" sticker on the back window.

Isn't it awful that it has come to this in our country?

Y'all may hear about me on the news election day - if I go to the voting place and I'm not on the roster, I am going to pitch a fit the likes of which the dimRATS have never seen!

You go girl! I don't blame you. I'd scream to high heaven too.

You might be interesting in reading about the experience a freeper had in Bakersfield at a voter registration table outside of the welfare department. The only way the rats can win is by hook or crook and they are pulling out stops this election.

I witnessed a Democrat voter registrar try to disefranchise a black voter in Bakersfield.

[Mama_Bear]

"Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything!"

That is true, that's exactly what I believe. Thank you, Dubya.

[Diver Dave]

Afternoon, MB. I ate all the leftover doughnuts :)

Nice presentation of New Hampshire. Looks like a nice place to go for a weekend drive-about, 'specially this time of the year with all the fall colors.

[dansangel]

Thank you for the link. That was a very probable story in my eyes. Coupled with the stories that are coming out of OH that there are more registered voters than population, I would say things are looking very scary this election.

I'll be glad when it's all over and GWB wins by an undisputed landslide.

*Please God.*

[Mama_Bear]

Afternoon, MB. I ate all the leftover doughnuts :)

Hi Dave. Leftover doughnuts? What are those? Never been such a thing at my house. ;-) LOL

[Mama_Bear]

*Please God.*

Amen! This is getting really scary. You'd think we were living in some kind of third-world country, not the United States. :-(

[Mama_Bear]

Oops, I intended to post this to you and somehow posted to myself. I think I have been at the computer too long.

*Please God.*

Amen! This is getting really scary. You'd think we were living in some kind of third-world country, not the United States. :-(