F-stands for February.

FEBRUARY. by Helen Hunt Jackson.

Still lie the sheltering snow

And reign the Winter's pregnant silence still;

No sign of spring, save the catkin's fill,

 And willow stems grow daily red and white

 These are the days when ancients held a rite,

 of expiation for the old year's ill.

 And prayer to purify the new year's will : 

Fit days, ere yet the bounding blood grows hot with haste,

 And dreaming thoughts grow heavy with haste,

 The ardent summer's joy to have and taste;

 Fit days, to give to last years losses held,

 To reckon clear the new life's sterner need;

Fit days for Feast of Expiation placed.

   

I do hope that you enjoyed reading this Fetching  sonnet written by Helen.H. Jackson it comes from her 'A Calander of Sonnets'..... a collection of  poems relating, mainly to the months in the year and the changing seasons thereon.

I believe she is more widely known for 'A Century of Dishonour', which described the adverse effects of Government treatment,  and mistreatment of Native Americans.

She was a very Feisty lady and a keen activist in fighting for better treatment of the Native Americans, she wasn't afraid to take on corrupt politicians and Frequently spoke loudly and clearly for her cause.

 Sincere thanks to the Fabulous Denise Nesbitt for bringing us all so much Fun when she First devised ABCW, also to the Frightfully Factual Roger for all he does ably assisted by the Fearless Leslie from Vancouver BC. Finally we mustn't Forget the team of helpers who fervently help with visiting and commenting on other sites. That's it FOLKS ! I'm just about Finished.

Di,x

abcw team.

 

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F is for FAMILY

In the context of human society, a family is affiliated by blood, marriage, or cohabitation. Members of the immediate family include spouses, parents, brothers, sisters, sons and/or daughters. Members of the extended family include grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, nephews, nieces, and/or brothers or sisters-in-law.

Personally, I consider the people of ABC Wednesday to be members of my family!  I seem to "see" or "hear" from these people more regularly and more often than some of my immediate family.  And we usually have similar interests even if we live thousands of miles away from each other in different countries or even on different continents.  Sometimes I "click" with one or another contributor and really look forward to their contributions each week.  And there have been times when I've actually met someone I "met" here at ABCW. 

For example, in 2012, I met Denise Nesbitt, the creator of ABCW when I was travelling in England.  As I was visiting her area, she invited my friend and me for tea and a visit.  We had a wonderful time as she showed us around her village in North Yorkshire.  And through Denise, I met a woman named Jill who has become a very dear friend.  I'll be visiting her again this summer when we take in Robin Hood's Bay, Scarborough, and York along with the pub that was filmed in the TV series "Heartbeat" where her son now bartends.  I'll be sure to get my photo taken there!

I consider these friends whom I met through blogging to be family, also.  There's Jane in Newport, Wales and Liz in Swansea, Wales, both of whom have visited me here in my home.  There's Di in Liverpool, Anne in Oxford, Sally from Kings Lynn and Ellie in Cambridge - all in England. There are others who live not too far away, but too far for a quick visit. 

There are also my long-time friends from years past that I consider family.  Cathy, Eileen, Irene, Sheila (who hails from Ireland) and Lynne, with whom I go out to dinner to celebrate each others' birthdays.  There's also Josie, who lives in Vancouver, so I only get to see her occasionally.  But, because my own immediate family is small, these are the people I choose to consider my extended family.  I thank God that He has personally chosen these good friends to share my life with and to whom I can turn in times of joy or crisis.

So always remember this:

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An InLinkz Link-up

F is for FABULOUS FABARES

As we head into the dog days of summer, my mind started to focus on the summers when I picked berries at the farm across the street from us.  Those were the days of the mini transistor radios and there was always one playing CFUN's top tunes.  One of my favourites was "Johnny Angel," that I had watched Shelley Fabares sing on the "Donna Reed Show.  I was probably around 10 years old and she was my idol!! How many of you remember her?

After the "Donna Reed Show," she seemed to vanish from television, but apparently, she did do a lot of work in TV and movies.  She even starred with Elvis Presley in some of his lesser-known movies. Do you remember the movie "Brian's Song"?  Oh my goodness, I cried my heart out at the end of that movie where she played the wife of Brian Piccolo (played by James Caan), a football player who died of cancer.   In 1989, she won the role of Christine Armstrong on the ABC sitcom "Coach," starring Craig T. Nelson.  In 1993 and 1994, she won Emmys for Outstanding Supporting Actress for this comedy series.  Check her out on Wikipedia to see the entire list of her works and awards.

She was a lifelong friend of Annette Funicello, whom she met in catechism class in the seventh grade and was at Annette's bedside with her family when she died of multiple sclerosis on April 8, 2013.  Shelley was married twice, her second husband being Mike Farrell, best known for his role in MASH.

Unfortunately, Shelley Fabares had some serious health issues and in October 2000, she had a life-saving liver transplant due to autoimmune hepatitis.  She is doing well, but I must admit that I was a bit shocked at the most recent photos I could find of her.  She seems very thin and her hair...well, do you like it?  I hope she just had it done for the 2004 Screen Actors Guild Awards show. 

Shelley Fabares started her career as a pretty and talented teenager and morphed into a beautiful and still talented woman.  She remains a favourite memory of my youth as I sweated during those hot summer days listening to "Johnny Angel" on a mini transistor radio, dreaming of my own future "Johnny Angel".  And now for your viewing and listening pleasure, may I present Shelley Fabares singing "Johnny Angel" exactly as shown on the "Donna Reed Show."


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An InLinkz Link-up

F is for FAIRY tale

Once upon a time, there was a FINE FIRECRACKER of a woman named Denise from the FARAWAY land of England, who had a FANCIFUL idea for a blog FRAMEWORK. What if she FACILITATED a place where people could FOCUS their FLIGHTS of FANCY, alphabetically? It would not matter if the FILINGS were FACTUAL or FACETIOUS or FICTITIOUS, even FOTOS. And it was so.

Eventually, though, our FOUNTAINHEAD became FATIGUED by the FRANTIC task of FORMATTING introductions, FIELDING questions and other FUNCTIONS. She FEARED that the FORMULA she FUELED might FAIL, and needed to FIND a FLOCK of FAITHFUL FOLLOWERS who could FREE her FROM some of the FRENZY, FAST. And it was so.

FLASH FORWARD: the FABLED ABCW FEDERATION is now FLOURISHING in its eighth year, an amazing FEAT; time FLIES when you're having FUN. This FIESTA has been FEASIBLE because you FEARLESSLY FIND new FELLOWS and FEMALES to FOLLOW on the Linky, and in doing so FORGE a FAMILIARITY, a FONDNESS, even FRIENDSHIP with FOLKS you haven't even FANCIED in person. This has a FINE, FAR-REACHING effect on the world, I am FOOLISH enough to FEEL.

I FIGURE it's only FAIR, not to mention FASHIONABLE, that you provide some FEEDBACK to at least a FRACTION of those visiting you. Don't FORGET!

So now it's time to FIRE up your FOUNTAIN pens, and FEARLESSLY (FANATICALLY?) FAVOR us with a FEW FRESH ideas. Or FERMENTED ones; we're not that FUSSY.

Thanks for being a part of the FANTASTIC ABC Wednesday FAMILY, now and in the FUTURE.
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An InLinkz Link-up

F is For...

Fifteen Minutes of Fame.

Most people credit Andy Warhol for inventing the phrase "Fifteen minutes of Fame." although photographer Nat Finkelstein claimed that he was the one who said it first, to Andy.  Nevertheless, in the sixties, and in the days before the internet and reality TV, it meant something different than it means today.

German Art Historian  Benjamin H. D. Buchloh explained the Fifteen Minutes of Fame theory like this: 

The systematic invalidation of the hierarchies corresponds directly to the belief that the hierarchy of subjects worthy to be represented will someday be abolished, hence "anybody", and therefore "everybody," can be famous once that hierarchy dissipates,  and by logical extension of that, in the future, everybody will be famous, and not merely those individuals worthy of fame.

Um... Yeah... OK...

I'm sure he may have been right, assuming anyone knows what he actually said there...

But in todays' world,

a world of  You Tube and Justin Bieber,

of The Voice, American Idol, and MXC,

of Who Wants to Be The Next Mutligazillion Dollar Celebrity in Rehab (Ok, I just made that one up)

and Crash the Superbowl Doritos' Contests,

It appears as if just about anyone can be Famous for a brief period of time.

So now, it's your turn, it's your Fifteen minutes.

Be Famous:

Show us what you have.

               F


Hey, our next round is fifteen....

Do I feel an inspiration for the next logo coming up?

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An InLinkz Link-up

Fly In

This FLYER is advertising FLYERS, one word many meanings. FANCY a spin with the FURNESS FUTURE FLYERS?   FIRST you must be between 6 and 16. Is that a pass or a FAIL? Count me out by a long way but the FACT is the FIRST thought I had was the alliteration might FACILITATE an ABC post at some time.  Does this mean I'm hooked on the meme FAIR-and-square, yes, are you too?

So on this FINE FEBRUARY day take to the FIELD FAST AND FURIOUS and link up, or perhaps as the Latin motto says FESTINA LENTE (make haste slowly).

Sign up and enjoy the FUN

By signing up to ABC Wednesday you acknowledge that you have red the rules and agree to FOLLOW them.  

F is for...FUN...

Although I FREQUENT ABC Wednesday regularly, I usually post only a FEW FOTOS on each post.

I FIND that more than just a FEW of you FINE FOLKS FIND pleasure in posting FANTASTIC and FABULOUS snapshots of several different scenes that are FAMILIAR to you. Some include FAMILY and other FRIENDLY FACES, sometimes a FIESTA, a FOREIGN city or village, FOGGY scenes, FINE FOOD, FINE ARTS, and so much more. Whatever the image, you all seem to FOCUS very well on technical FORM.

Instead of FRITTERING away more of your time, I FORECAST that the FLOODGATES will open and you will FORGE ahead and bring FORTH photographs that will FIT the bill for the letter "F"---I'll FUEL your imagination by showing you this FISH that I FOUND on the wall of a restaurant in FISH CREEK, Wisconsin.

Have FUN!!

FINE FINNEY CRITTER

IS IT FABULOUS TO EAT

FASTENED TO A WALL!

Flawlessly Flopping for "F"

Free Association

Feeling funky and fearless, Francine frolicked feebly for a fraction of a fortnight.
Frankly, Francine's family favored free fixtures that flickered and flashed, never mind Francine's frolicking. Furthermore, the famous and fastidious figurehead, Floyd, festooned fabulously, fought feverishly and fiercely for Francine's freedom. Folks feel this to be frivolous and a bit frippery, not frugal nor foolproof. Along came five friendly fellows flanking Floyd, fighting fist to fist on the fifth floor. It proved to be a fatal fight. Francine, fevered and fatigued from frolicking, yet flabbergasted by such facilitation, feigned a furlough. Funny, Francine's friend Faith, felt forgetful and fuzzy, yet fixated on furbelows. She was no help. Floyd? Fractured, fragmented  and forlorn, his best hope was for a fungo.

Finally.

This message has been approved by Sigmund Freud

(furbelows)

The F word is.....

FUN

During these dog days of summer, a Fabulous old song came to mind that Filled me with memories of Frisky and Fun-Filled days that were Funky, Footloose, and unForgettable. I am referring to the Beach Boys' "Fun Fun Fun" from their 1964 album "Shut Down Volume 2." (To hear/watch the song, click on the red title above.)

The song was written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love about a teenager named Shirley England, who worked for her father, the owner of radio station KNAK in Salt Lake City, Utah. Apparently, one day Shirley borrowed her Dad's Ford Thunderbird to go to the library, but she ended up at a hamburger stand instead. As a result, her Dad took the car away from her. The next day, the Beach Boys happened to be visiting the radio station for an interview and overhead her complaining about it to the staff. The Beach Boys were inspired to write this song! One interesting Fact is that the Wilson brothers' Father thought the song was immoral and tried to keep the group from recording it. I am Frankly Flabbergasted and Freaked out that we may never have heard this Fun song!

So have FUN FUN FUN, everyone, for the rest of the summer. Be Festive, Fabulous, Flirty, and Fascinating! Tell us all about your Ferocious Felines, your Fashion sense, your Flights of Fancy or even about your latest Flight to wherever. We're not Fussy. We want to hear all about the Frenzied tomFoolery at your last Festive Event.

Thanks to our hostess Denise Nesbitt and her Fabulous and Faithful Flock for their Fearless and Feisty assistance in Facilitating this weekly Fun. This has become more than a Fad since we're into the 5th year of ABCW and it has spread to many countries around the world. Tell your Friends to check us out at this website and encourage them to join in the Fun!

F is for Fantastic!

Face the Front! Don't Fallback! It's a Fact! Today is the F Day! I'm here to help Facilitate your Fantastic entry! This is not a day for the Fainthearted! Try not to make a False start! Nothing Fake For today, no Fads! Something Familiar and Fun! Doesn't have to be Fancy, although you will be Famous on ABC for the day! Call in the word Fairy! Don't Falter now! Tickle your imagination with a Feather! Forget about your Finances For the day and Fight your way through the Fickle Figs and Follow the Flute player who will teach us to dance the Flamenco before the Fourth of July. Now, if that doesn't light your Fire, you might as well take a Flight with your Furry Friend to the Far east!!! Feel Free, Frisky and Flaky! It's the most Fun ever!

-SYLVIA