F Things We Appreciate
“It takes a long time
to grow an old friend” ~ John Leonard
Happy Friday,
Everyone! Though I’m not on a full-time work schedule anymore, I doubt I’ll
ever stop appreciating Friday for much of what it stands for; the end of a
school or work week, the beginning of the weekend. Most of the time, the
anticipation alone could get me through the work week. Even if I had no plans.
But, who
needs plans when something is always going on? For instance, unexpected snow flurries
during Fireside
chats, Folklore
whispered in the glow of a Flashlight in a backyard tent or Flying Kites in Fragrant meadows. Meeting Friends
and/or Family
for French
Dips and Fries is one of my favorite things to do.
Unless, of
course, I’m discovering a new “must-see” Arizona destination. Fossil Creek is one such place. From its springs near the
Mogollon Rim, headwaters emit upwards of 20k gallons per minute year-round,
making it the 4th largest producer of Travertine in the United
States.
While efficiency may have been foremost on his mind, safety wasn’t far behind when, in 1741 Benjamin Franklin created the Franklin stove, a revolutionary innovation he declined to patent, which was later improved upon by David Rittenhouse with the addition of a chimney. It was during that same time that Franklin also established America’s first Fire Insurance Company.
By the way, those stickers they put on fresh Fruit at the grocery store aren’t edible. Not that I ever thought they were, but it’s recently been confirmed by a young close friend ;-)
Any
thoughts? Can you add to the list of things we appreciate that begin with the
letter F?
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHi, diedre!
ReplyDeleteHappy Friday to you, dear friend! Speaking of unexpected flurries, a friend of mine up home in York, PA, tells me more snow is in the forecast tomorrow. Winter is hanging on for dear life up there.
In addition to snow, your post touched on some other things I appreciate and loved to do in my youth. They include building a blaze in the fireplace located in the subterranean game room of our house, telling stories by flashlight inside a tent, flying a kite in a field in my neighborhood, and wandering through meadows dotted with Muscari aka grape hyacinth, which we called "blue bells."
I appreciated learning about Arizona's Fossil Creek, a leader in limestone deposits. The log cabin where my family spent summer vacations was heated by an old style stove like the Franklin. One thing I do not appreciate is removing the sticker from fresh fruit and beginning to eat it only to discover (a bite too late) that there were two or more stickers placed on it. :)
Have a wonderful weekend, dear friend diedre!
Hi Shady!
DeleteHappy Friday to you as well ;-)
I imagine the endless winter of the east is enough to make the Snowbirds drag their feet going back.
I've only seen one Franklin stove up close - in an antique store.
Those little 'Blue Bell' flowers are truly enchanting.
Another thing I've learned about those pesky fruit stickers is that they adhere quite well to the side of my stainless steel sink ;-)
Thanks for sharing memories of such wonderful places to grow and learn!
Hi Diedre - the flurries are rampant at the moment ... I'm just glad we have fog! Well some and misty rain ... lots of good fun words ... wonderful to see the fossil creek - those labels are horrid! Cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteHi Hilary!
ReplyDeleteFog is something we rarely get here in the desert. It sure is mystical when we do. Another brilliant addition for the letter F!
Wishing you a spectacular springtime - soon ;-)
LOL! That's a lot of good F things to appreciate.
ReplyDeleteDidn't know about the Frankling stove. Good piece of 'everyday' history ;-)
Hi Sarah!
DeleteI guess I did get a little carried away, didn't I? (grin)
Thanks for coming by!
How appropriate to have "F" day fall on a Friday. Your mention of David Rittenhouse caught my attention. I've been watching the time travel show Timeless and the nemesis of the show is David Rittenhouse, his ancestors, and the secret Rittenhouse society. I didn't realize who exactly he was or that he was actually a real person.
ReplyDeleteArlee Bird
Tossing It Out
Hi Lee!
DeleteWell, now you've piqued my curiosity about a secret society ;-) I haven't seen "Timeless", but it sounds interesting.
I guess after looking forward to Fridays for so long, they'll always be a special day to me ;-)