A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....01-12 to 14-07...T.G.I.F. at the Finest

January 12, 2007 | billie

[DollyCali]

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, GodBlessUSA, Aquamarine~

Welcome to TGIF at the Finest!   We hope you've been having as much fun as we have with our essays and/or spotlight on various FReepers. From the beginning, we've been kicking back on Saturdays and Sundays and simply reviewing the features of the week; our weekend threads now start on Friday and continue through Sunday. If you missed seeing any of this week's threads and want to say hello there now, just click on the link for that particular day. If you'd like to drop in and out of this thread today through Sunday, please feel free to do that also. One of us will try to be around to see the welcome mat is still out, put the coffee pot on, and maybe even bring fresh flowers for the table. : )

~ Billie, Dutchess, Dolly Cali, GodBlessUSA, Aquamarine ~



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"Getting to Know You"

THIS WEEK'S THREADS


1-08-07 ~ Military Monday
By Billie
Presented by The Mayor

1-09-07 ~ Hall of Fame #18
By Billie
Presented by Billie

1-10-07 ~ Warm Fuzzy Wednesday
By Billie
Presented by DollyCali

1-11-07 ~ JH2 – Liberals Hung Up on Saddam
By Aquamarine

Have a wonderful weekend!

1-09-07 ~ Hall of Fame #18

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

"Wear Red" Friday

You will soon see a lot of people wearing Red on Fridays. Here's why..... The Americans, who support our troops, are the silent majority. We are not "organized" to reflect who we are, or to reflect what our opinions are. Many Americans, like yourself, and all their friends, simply want to recognize that Americans support our troops. Our idea of showing our solidarity and support for our troops is starting Friday and continuing on each and every Friday, until this is over, that every red-blooded American who supports our young men and women, WEAR SOMETHING RED.

Word of mouth, press, TV -- let's see if we can make the United States, on any given Friday, a sea of red much like a home football game at a University. If every one of our memberships share this with other acquaintances, fellow workers, friends, and neighbors, I guarantee that it will not be long before the USA will be covered in RED - and make our troops know there are many people thinking of their well-being. You will feel better all day Friday when you wear Red! So let's get the word out and lead by example; wear RED on Fridays.

SUPPORT OUR TROOPS! WE LIVE IN THE LAND OF THE FREE, BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE. FOR US, THEIR BLOOD RUNS RED!! GOD BLESS AMERICA.

I received this in my email June 10th, the author is unknown.
I am wearing red today and every Friday ~ Billie

[Mama_Bear]

[Lady Jag]

Cheers from Massachusets!!

[Mama_Bear]

LOL! Don't tell me you have beach weather back there!? Something is wrong with this picture.

Our fountain is the local watering hole for the neighborhood birds. The poor little finches are in a panic. They can't find any water to drink. How do the birds survive back east where all the water sources are frozen for weeks at a time?

[Mama_Bear]

Oh, does that ever look pretty....like spring, warm. I am so ready for spring.

[MEG33]

BRRRrrrrr..Great picture!

[MEG33]

;)My daughter does have a few roses blooming. I know our warm weather is in for a change, though. I am always ready for spring!!

[La Enchiladita]

Lori, Good Morning Hugs....What kind of bird is that sitting atop the frozen fountain? Hope it didn't get frozen stuck on there...!!

Hah, great photo. Since I don't have an outdoor thermometer, I checked often at weather underground last night and this morning. 'Round midnight, 'twas 35F in my neighborhood, 38F @ 9:00 a.m. today. The forecast is more of the same cold temps for the coming week plus, but DRY, dry, dry.

That's a pretty fountain, by the way...

[Lady Jag]

Of course I'm ragging you. It's 40 out here and only the polar bears are swimming today.

There's almost always water if the sun comes out. Otherwise I don't know what the birds water requirements are.

I wouldn't want to be a bird.

[Mama_Bear]

That's a "Carduelis psaltria" (a little Latin lingo for ya', LOL). Commonly known as a "Lesser Goldfinch". They love to paddle around in the icy water. They are the most playful birds I've ever seen and they have such fun in our fountain. I never see them during the summer, just during December and January. Not much larger than a hummingbird, but tough little things!

Wikipedia - Lesser Goldfinch

[Mama_Bear]

It's 40 out here

Well, you are about 15 degrees warmer than we are! So much for temperate California. LOL

I wouldn't want to be a bird.

Nor would I - especially a California bird not used to this kind of cold.

[Lady Jag]

So much for temperate California.

Surely it's just a case of temporary insanity and you will get warmer while we get colder.

[Mama_Bear]

Surely it's just a case of temporary insanity and you will get warmer while we get colder.

Well, that's what I'm hoping. We could use a little global warming about now. LOL

[La Enchiladita]

Thanks for the "Latin lingo"... hehe.

I'm not a true birder, but I like to try to identify the ones that I see. Their funny ways are delightful to watch. I like wild critters in general, as long as they're not bigger than I am... LoL.

If Lesser Goldfinch only appears there in December and January, it must live further north for the rest of the year... Interesting.

[Lady Jag]

It's 73 in Mississippi...

[MEG33]

It's 72 here...My daughter lives just N of Houston.

[La Enchiladita]

Ooh, I would like to grow that rose!!

Hey, GeeBee, are you in the market for some bare-roots?

;^)

[La Enchiladita]

HAHAHA.... Here I am 5 miles from the beach, bundled up, furnace blasting and it's nearly Noon!!!

Be sure to use sun block, LJ!!

[NicknamedBob]

"How do the birds survive back east where all the water sources are frozen for weeks at a time?"

Standing water freezes, but water sources do not. We see seagulls here all the time. They're drawn to our asphalt parking lots, which warm up nicely.

On any sunny day, what was frozen will melt somewhere, at least a little bit, and especially so if it is near a dark, absorptive color.

On cold dark days, most birds use their secret stash, or even their fat reserves, but the ones who winter here typically have a moist diet anyway, finding insects under leaves and such. Also, you'd be surprised how many water sources there are in say a quarter mile radius. Even the dew or frost in the morning is enough to sustain a small bird.

It's about sixty here, and I just went out to chop some wood. Boy! Did it warm up quickly! First the sweater came off, and I was tempted to remove my flannel shirt, but prudence prevailed, and I came back inside to cool off.

[Mama_Bear]

Thanks for information about the survival skills of your cold weather birds. Very interesting. I knew they had to find water somewhere. Our birds aren't used to having to search for water, so the finches were panicking around the frozen fountain. I went out and broke up the ice and added some warm water for them.

It's about sixty here

SIXTY?? Well, that's about thirty degrees warmer than it is here. Not fair, hogging all the global warming back there. :-(

[Mama_Bear]

It's 73 in Mississippi...

It's 72 here...

Awwwww......man! I would LOVE a 70 degree day!