Purrfect ePistle

Famous First Words: THE HIGH CONTRACTING PARTIES, In... Treaty of Versailles 1919

In this ePistle we believe...Dinosaurs had jazz.

Ahhhh, it's Kitten Day! We gave our cat a sitness watch. Today she sat on the floor three times, the counter, a chair, a keyboard, two laps, and a term paper. Thank you, sitbit. ++ The kids camped out in the backyard, but the cat refused to stay in a pup tent.

..........Just a half a mile from the railroad track........Arlo Guthrie …..Alice's Restaurant Massacree

The solution to climate change is staring us in the face. It's energy policy. If we pursue a global clean-energy economy, we can cut dramatically the amount of carbon pollution we emit into the atmosphere and prevent the worst impacts of climate change. --John F Kerry

It is a wet Friday morning. Last night's rain dampened grass and pavement, cement and leaves. It has cooled the air (72°F) and left the scene. The cloudy sky is beginning to show bits of blue sky which now and then even allow in bits of sunshine. Summer trees are thick with leaves and are dripping water onto everything below. Squirrels and mourning doves flip drops of water from their sunflower seeds as they breakfast on the patio. No breeze moves the leaves so only a few willow branches are moving. The only sounds are hidden birdsong and car motors hurrying off to work or morning chores. The world smells wet...chemical cement, fragrant foliage, and soggy soil...the pot pourri of a summer shower. Puck has been out and come back shaking droplets from his fur. Now he sleeps under my feet. Veronica has been out, eaten some grass, returned, and disappeared onto the second floor. I sip my doctored decaf and hope I can share this wonderful morning with you.

Hope your weekend purrs all the way, faithful reader

First Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: Well done, Belgium. I shall continue to sing the praises of your waffles. --@deadheadgirly on bluesky

In this ePistle we believe you should...Never trust a goose with a briefcase.

The difference between a cat and a comma is that a cat has claws at the ends of its paws, but a comma has a pause at the end of its clause. ++ We put a tiny top hat on our cat for his birthday. Now he thinks he's a dandy lion.

..........While we seek mirth and beauty........Arlo Guthrie …..Hard Times Comes Again No More

Trivia Questions: Happy 136^th Birthday to Wyoming!!

1. Do you know the origin and/or meaning of the name Wyoming?

2. In 1869 women became eligible to vote in Wyoming. What reasons do historians give for this?

3. Where does Wyoming rank among the states in area size and/or population size?

4. There is only one public 4-year educational institution in Wyoming. Can you name it?

5. How much of Wyoming is actually owned by the US government?

Big Hello: Bondjoû - Walloon (Belgium) https://www.omniglot.com/language/phrases/hello.htm

Second Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: Not saying that game was stolen from Egypt, but it is now on display at the museum in London. --Kitty on Bluesky

Image of the Week: Baby cardinal on my patio. He's so cute.

Insult of the Week: The c*nt of mostly Crisco. --Submitted by TPWJS

In this ePistle we believe...Kevin knows what he did.

A pile of kittens is known as a meowtain. ++ Ah, it's a gif of Batman sharing a mouse with Catwoman. ++ Faris the feline Bartender invented the Whisker Sour.

.........Could we ever feel much finer..........Arlo Guthrie …..Comin' Into Los Angeles

Moonbeam: When we ask for advice, we are usually looking for an accomplice. --Saul Bellow

Blasphemy of the Week: The only thing sadder than an adult with an imaginary friend...is an adult with an imaginary enemy. --Submitted by Blasphemy Memes

Coffee Joke of the Week: Our household ran out of coffee, somebody failed at leadership. I don't care who. Form a committee, immediately, and fix the bean shortage. https://www.facebook.com/maythecoffeebewithyou

Next Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: It's been an exhausting couple of days controlling the weather to ruin the Trump250 festivities. You think I just push a button but it's a lot more labor intensive than that. https://www.facebook.com/TauntTheElephant

In this ePistle we believe...Nothing happens for a reason.

My insurance company has a new mascot – a cute kitty. They've named it Copay Cat. ++ My cat uses mousewash for fresh breath.

..........Just raise hell as we go along..........Arlo Guthrie …..St. James Infirmary Blues

1) The name Wyoming comes from the Lenape Indian word mecheweami-ing, which means at or on the big plain.

Almanac: It is Friday, July 10, 2026. The moon will be new next Tuesday (7/14) and is in Taurus. Today is Alcoholics Anonymous (Founders) Day, BallPoint Pen Day, Be A Miracle In Someone's Life Day, Drink Chenin Blanc Day, Iced Tea Day, National Egg Roll Day, and National Frosted Cookies Day.

Among those born on this day were Gustave Courbet 1819, Immanuel Velikovsky 1895, Frederick Loewe 1904, Howlin' Wolf 1910, Terence Rattigan 1911, Saul Bellow 1914, Judy Garland (Frances Gumm) 1922, Earl Hamner, Jr. 1923, Baby June Haver 1926, Maurice Sendak 1928, F. Lee Bailey 1933, Ron Glass 1945. Matthew Fisher 1946, Timothy Van Patten 1959, Gary Wallis 1964, and Elizabeth Hurley 1965.

On July tenth Franklin's kite was struck by lightning 1752, NY regulated the medical profession 1760, the Continental Congress appointed a committee to write a Declaration of Independence 1776, the rubber tire was patented 1846, Tristan & Isolde was first performed 1865, The Elks Lodge was founded 1899, The first forest fire lookout tower was built 1905, Robert Smith & William Wilson formed Alcoholics Anonymous 1935, Janis Joplin gave her first live concert 1966, Coca Cola returned to its old formula 1985.

Night Sky, 7/10: The Milky Way will be visible in the Teapot cluster in the sign of Sagittarius along the southern horizon.

Fraternal Picture of the Week: The Butterfly feeders

This Week: Saturday, July 11 – Bald Is In Day & Cheer Up The Lonely Day & World Population Day

Sunday, July 12 – Different Colored Eyes Day & International Day of Hope & Paper Bag Day & Night of Nights

Night Sky, 7/12: Morning planets: Mars – small and reddish before sunrise. Saturn in golden hues high in the southeast predawn. Neptune & Uranus also in the morning sky but you may need binoculars.

Monday, July 13 – Embrace Your Geekness Day & Gruntled Workers Day & National Be Your Own Boss Day & National Barbershop Music Appreciation Day.

Tuesday, July 14 – Bastille Day & International Nude Day & World Chimpanzee Day

Night Sky, 7/14: Evening planets: Venus is the evening star but mostly lost in the solar glare. Jupiter is sinking rapidly toward the horizon in the evening twilight.

Wednesday, July 15 – Be A Dork Day & National Hot Dog Day & Take Your Poet To Work Day

Thursday, July 16 – World Snake Day & Get To Know Your Customers Day & National Guinea Pig Day

Night Sky, 7/16: Sunrise: 6:08 am Sunset: 8:45 pm 14 hours and 37 minutes of daylight. Moonrise: 9:07 am Moonset: 6:13 pm

In this ePistle we believe...It's further to L A than by bus.

Our kitten has stayed small and never grew much. I think it was the condensed milk we gave her. ++ I can tell when the cat has been using my computer; there's litter in the letters.

..........Like a river flows surely to the sea..........Arlo Guthrie …..Can't Help Falling In Love

2) Wyoming was the first state to offer suffrage to women. The reasons the resolution won: a) a genuine conviction that women should have the same rights as men b) a desire to attract new settlers by appearing more modern and c) some men voted for it just to be able to say they did, believing that the bill did not have enough votes to pass. The state motto is Equal Rights.

Preantepenultimate Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: Chant heard at a World Cup game: He's fat... with piles... he's in the Epstein files... --The English fans

Moonbeam: Science is the key to our future, and if you don't believe in science, then you're holding everybody back. --Don Herbert aka Mr Wizard

Artism of the Week: AI artwork looks the way Christian rock sounds. --Danielle on bluesky

Video of the Week: Louise Lasser as Mary Hartman: Waxy Yellow Build Up (1:41) https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x61gqc6

The safest nuclear power or energy policy is to realize “zero nuclear power”. --Naoto Kan

In this ePistle we believe...Every raccoon is fighting a battle you know nothing about.

Carl Cat went to therapy because he has so many hissues. ++ I've noticed kittens these days seem to be into hip-hop.

..........This train's got the disappearing railroad blues..........Arlo Guthrie …..City Of New Orleans

3) Wyoming is the 10^th largest state by area (97,818 square miles) and the smallest, (50^th) in population (586,000).

Antepenultimate Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: And he owns all these beauty pageants, Miss America, Miss Universe. Isn't that a bit like Michael Vick owning a series of pet stores? It's a f*cking catch and release program for him. This is a man who said, “'My daughter is hot. “ Even people in Arkansas went, “That's f*cking wrong.” --Robin Williams (2012) --Submitted by TPWJS

Weird Word of the Week: Mamihlapinatapei: A wordless, meaningful look between 2 people who both desire something but are hesitant to initiate. (Yaghan word from Tierra del Fuego) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mamihlapinatapai

Dragon of the Week: This is my dragon, or at least her face, she was made for me by my friend, Jo, with a 3D printer belonging to someone at her Bridge club. I don't know how to spell or pronounce her dragon name so I call her Dread the Red.

Wacky Uses for Common Products: Give piano keys more traction. Fill a trigger-spray bottle with Coca-Cola and lightly mist the piano keys. Dry with a soft, clean cloth. The thin coat of Coca-Cola leaves a sticky film that prevents the pianist's fingers from slipping across the keys. https://www.wackyuses.com/wacky/cocacola3.html

In this ePistle we believe...Birds deserve tiny pants.

Professor Carey Cat teaches Meowthematic at the University of Catalonia. ++ I understand that cats play hairball. Is there a world cup for that?

...........I don't want a tickle..........Arlo Guthrie …..The Motorcycle Song

4) The University of Wyoming in Laramie has a student body of 10,819. Go! Cowpeople!!

Penultimate Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: Belgium may have beaten the hell out of the US in the World Cup, but when this is all over the Belgians have to use their longer paid vacations to take their higher standard of living back to their much safer country where they'll have to spend their much longer life expectancies thinking about it. ----stevehofstetter --Submitted by cjj of ks

Science Fiction Convention of the Week: Black Hills Con 2026 (12-14, Rapid City, SD) ...bring geeks, nerds, and anyone else a place to gather... https://www.blackhillscon.com/

Whatever This Is of the Week: It's Teddy Bears Picnic Day. Teddy Bears Picnic was the theme song for Big John and Sparky's Saturday morning radio show: No School Today

Spark of Joy of the Week: A group of zebras is called a Dazzle. --Submitted by ja of ks A group of ladybugs is called a loveliness. --Lisa Mcdavid

In this ePistle we believe...Tuesdays do not exist; they are a collective hallucination invented by big calendar.

My cat throws tantrums. I took her to the vet who said she's a catastrophe. ++ When my cat bakes he uses the whiskers a lot.

..........And grace my fears relieved..........Arlo Guthrie …..Amazing Grace

5) 48% of Wyoming is owned by the federal government. It includes national forests, the National Grassland, and an air force base in the capital, Cheyenne.

Protest Sign of the Week: Trump Has Made #22 Billion+ Since His Re-Election. How Much Have You Made?

Quote of the Week: “I consider looseness with words no less of a defect than looseness of the bowels. --John Calvin ~~I read Calvin in Western Civ at KU. I felt like the proper response to the ideas I found there would be to rush into class a little late, jump onto the table and shout “Calvin ain't for shit!” In the hopes that someone would be so startled they would respond, “Yes he is.” I didn't do that, of course, but if this quote had been part of the class reading, I might have.

Final Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: Schrödinger's McConnell. https://www.facebook.com/RadioRockyMoun

Today's Peace of History: July 10, 1985: The Greenpeace flagship, Rainbow Warrior (named after a North American Indian legend), was blown up in Auckland Harbour, New Zealand, killing one and sinking the ship. The attack had been authorized by French President François Mitterand because the environmental organization had plans to protest France’s nuclear bomb tests in the South Pacific.

In this ePistle we believe...Everything happens for a reason, usually Greg.

What do you call a cat that can play guitar? Jimi Hendrix ++ I just bought a subscription to Good Mousekeeping for my cat.

..........And there wasn't any big parade..........Arlo Guthrie …..When A Soldier Comes Back Home

Masthead of the Week: Friday ePistle, July 10, 2026: Purrfect ePistle . Online at: http://fridayepistle.blogspot.com/ Exclusive editor: Christine Smith. Lawrence, KS.

Moonbeam: Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom. --Marcel Proust

Cost of War:

Pentagon Spending as of 7/9/26: $785,113,033,122

~~That's eighteen billion, four hundred and forty-eight million, three hundred and three thousand, seven hundred and seventy-six dollars spent last week. ($18,448,303,776)

Pentagon Spending as of 7/2/26: $766,664,729,346

***Peace cannot be kept by force; it must be achieved by understanding. --Albert Einstein

Pentagon Spending in June 2026: $82,621,957,422

Pentagon Spending in May 2026: $87,601,145,719

Pentagon Spending in April 2026: $81,264,897,194

https://www.nationalpriorities.org/cost-of/

We need a balanced, long term energy policy to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and preserve the beauty of the land we love. --Heather Wilson

Famous Last Words: You can get anything you want at Alice's Restaurant.

..........And remain each day amazed........Arlo Guthrie …..Massachusetts

In this ePistle we believe you should...Be the chaos you wish to see in the supermarket.

Clyde Cat's favorite mice cream flavor is Whisker-Doodle. ++ My neighbor's cat is pawsitively the luckiest. She just won the lottery.

May Peace ease you through the day

And Joy purr you to sleep at night

prairie mama

christine

Last Laugh:

Cycled ePistle

Famous First Words: Make yourself comfortable. --Superman First words spoken - Action Comics #1 (June 1938)

The 2026 Tour de France begins tomorrow in Barcelona. Chuck Norris once won the Tour de France on a stationary bike. /\ I had a boyfriend who cycled. He used to say things like, “I want to strip you like an undeserved Tour de France title. /\ Two Kerrymen were sitting in a pub when the Tour de France came on the tv. One of the guys turned to the other and asked, “Why do they do that? Why ride miles and miles, up and down hills, around bends, day after day, for weeks? Why do they torture themselves like that?” “It's all for the money,” says the other, “The winner gets half a million pounds.” “I see”, says the questioner, “but why do the others do it?”

..........Whisper of how I'm yearning to mingle with the old time throng..........James Cagney …..Give My Regards To Broadway ~~All of today's song were written or co-written by George M Cohan

Some people think outside the box.

Freedom Week (4-11): The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion. --Albert Camus

It is a splendid Friday morning. 77°F with a light wind is not yet hot but it is a little muggy. Birds are busy chattering and singing before the sun gets too high and too hot. There are no real clouds, only small puffs of humidity hovering here and there. They do not provide shade nor play peek-a-boo with the sun. Puck has been out and returned to sleep and cough under my desk. Veronica was around earlier but has disappeared upstairs somewhere leaving a trail of catnip mice and brightly colored balls. I am sipping my doctored decaf and gently petting Puck with my foot. Algeria lost their world cup game last night and Lawrence is mourning the loss. I am not looking forward to a weekend of fireworks and frightened birds (Puck has never paid much attention; explosions, meh). Be safe out there, ePistliers, happy 250^th birthday!

~~Yes, last week I said I was drinking leaded coffee instead of my usual decaf. No, I have not “fallen off the wagon”. I had a restless night and needed a pick-me-up.

Hope all your weekend fireworks are beautiful, matriots and patriots.

First Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: Forget a blue wave. I want a Mamdani tsunami. https://www.facebook.com/wokeginger

The first Tour de France was actually won by the 7^th German Panzer Division. /\ First my bike chain went rusty, next my handlebars came loose, then my whole bike fell apart. Chain reaction!

..........I'm a real live nephew of my Uncle Sam.........Bert Parks …..I'm A Yankee Doodle Dandy

Some people can't find the box.

Trivia Questions: Happy 136^th Birthday to Idaho!

1. Do you know the origin and/or meaning of the name Idaho?

2. What percentage of Idaho is “public land”?

3. About how many acres of Idaho are considered “wild land”?

4. What percentage of the US potato crop comes from Idaho?

5. Do you know Idaho's nickname?

Big Hello: Tereq – Vōro (Estonia, 75,000 speakers) https://www.omniglot.com/language/phrases/hello.htm

Second Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: Here's my issue, why are fancy burgers so tall. What do you expect me to do with that? Unlock my jaw like a serpent? I can't accommodate that. A good burger should have a wider circumference, not more height. Think about a frisbee or a vinyl. That's ambition, that's progress. --super mario griff --Submitted by Writers, Readers and General Tomfoolery

Image of the Week: My daughter Kirsten sent me this picture of her in Gig Harbor, WA. ~~Fine Print: Pride Education Acceptance Compassion Equity

First Freedom Quote of the Week: If you've never been in my shoes, you have ZERO business telling me how to tie my laces. --Submitted by Feral Spiritualists

Just WATCHING the Tour de France makes my back hurt. I'm just gonna schedule a massage. /\ A 3 time Tour de France winner just said it was time he retired. Then he bought two brand new Continental tyres with wheels.

..........Long before the fashions came.........Bob Hope …..Mary's A Grand Old Name

Some people are the reason the box has a warning label.

Moonbeam: Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty never grows old. --Franz Kafka

Blasphemy of the Week: Behold, the dumpster is burning with fire, but the dumpster is not consumed. --Submitted by Wittenburg Door

Coffee Joke of the Week: Coffee is my spirit animal.

Next Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: At middle age, the growth of a woman's hair on her legs slows down, which gives her time to care for her newly acquired beard. --Submitted by ks of ks

I watch the Tour de France, only I call it “Tour de Tight Pants”. /\ I once had a job fixing broken bicycle horns. My company's motto was “beep repaired”

..........I'm glad you told me the truth.........Henry Burr …..You Remind Me Of My Mother

1) Version 1: Idaho derived from a Native American word that means “the land of many waters”. English has kept closely to the indigenous pronunciation. Version 2: Despite the popular belief that it is an Indigenous term meaning "Gem of the Mountains," the name "Idaho" is actually not a Native American word. It was fabricated by a white mining lobbyist, George M. Willing, who falsely claimed it was a Shoshone phrase before Congress named the territory

Almanac: It is Friday, July 3, 2026. The moon was full last Monday (6/29) and is in Aquarius. Today is American Sparkling Wine Day, Compliment Your Mirror Day, Drop A Rock Day aka Rock Painting Day, International Plastic Bag Free Day, National Crown Day aka Black Hair Independence Day, National Deep Fried Clams Day, Sparkling Wine Day, Stay Out Of The Sun Day, and Superman Day. Because it is the first Friday it is also Big Tech Day.

Among those born on this day were Louis XI of France 1423, Samuel de Champlain 1567, John Singleton Copley 1738, Charlotte Perkins Gilman 1860, Geroge M Cohan 1878, Franz Kafka 1883,

George Sanders 1906, Tony Curtis 1925, David Lynch 1929, Roger Christian 1934, Tom Stoppard 1937, Gloria Allred 1941, Geraldo Rivera 1943, and Tom Cruise 1962.

On July third The city of Quebec was founded (1608). The 1st savings bank in the US opened (NYC) (1819). The 1st state normal school in the US opened (MA) (1839). Idaho became the 43rd state (1890). The Jaycees were forced to admit women as members (1984).

Night Sky, 7/3: Predawn planets in the east: Mars, Saturn, Jupiter, & Pluto.

Fraternal Picture of the Week: Sword Fight with Balloon Weapons

Extra Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: These gas prices are the reason the armies in Revelation are riding horses. --Submitted by Wittenburg Door

This Week: Saturday, July 4 – USA Independence Day ...Happy Two Hundred and fiftieth!!

…......You're a high flying flag.........Mike Story …..You're A Grand Old Flag

Sunday, July 5 – Bikini Day & Thong Day

Night Sky, : Predawn Mars & Uranus can be seen in the east (Taurus). Saturn & Neptune rise early in the evening. Jupiter is low in the west just after sunset.

Monday, July 6 – International Kissing Day & World Kiss Day

Night Sky, 7/6: Earth at Aphelion: Earth will be at its greatest distance from the sun this year at 12 pm CDT.

Tuesday, July 7 – Chocolate Day & Dive Bar Day & National Day of Rock n' Roll & Tell The Truth Day

Wednesday, July 8 – National Video Game Day & SCUD (Savor the Comic, Unplug the Drama)

Night Sky, : Sunrise: 6:01 am CDT Sunset: 8:48 pm CDT 14 Hours and 47 minutes of daylight Moonrise: 12:50 am Moonset: 2:48 pm

Thursday, July 9 – Bald Is In Day & Deadhead Day & National Dimples Day

Amsterdam is like the Tour de France: a lot of people on drugs riding bikes. /\ My old man was a peddler. He sold bicycles door to door.

..........So we ought to all be glad that we're alive.........George M Cohan .....I'm Mighty Glad I'm Living, That's All

2) A whopping 63% of the state is considered public land. ...parks, reserves, lakes, and rivers, etc. I don't know whether it includes buildings, lawns, roads, and jails, etc.

Preantepenultimate Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: I set my standards high. Actually I do a lot of things high. --Submitted by ks of ks

Moonbeam: Every revolution evaporates and leaves behind only the slime of a new bureaucracy. --Franz Kafka

Fun Fact of the Week: We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid. --Benjamin Franklin

Video of the Week: An explanation of why the Jaycees were forced to admit women: (:50) Roberts vs Jaycees

Liberty means responsibility. That is why most men dread it. --George Bernard Shaw

A small insect nest in the middle of a little used highway was destroyed when all 186 Tour de France riders ran over it. Talk about cross ants. /\ An environmentalist entered the Tour de France but every night he would run the same route that they had biked during the day. He just had to recycle

..........Then the fates blow rather breezy.........George M Cohan …..Life's A Funny Proposition After All

3) There are about 4,522,506 acres of wild land in Idaho. Yes, this means there are no roads there.

Antepenultimate Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: If kinetic energy can be converted to thermal energy, how hard do I need to slap a chicken to cook it?

Weird Word of the Week: Heliolatry: A worship or reverence of the sun https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/english/heliolatry

Dragon of the Week: 40 feet high, made of train parts

Wacky Uses for Common Products: Clean mold and mildew from clothes. Pour a two liter bottle of Coca-Cola into a washing machine, add your regular detergent, let the machine fill with water, and let the clothes soak for thirty minutes before running them through the regular cycle. https://www.wackyuses.com/wacky/cocacola3.html

There is a new reality show this summer where the goal is to do as many drugs as possible without dying or getting caught. It's called the Tour de France. /\ It gets more expensive to buy a tyre pump every year. It's all because of inflation.

...........The folks expect a street parade.........George M Cohan …..You Won't Do Any Business If You Haven't Got A Band

4) Nearly one third of America's potatoes are grown in Idaho.

Penultimate Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: Instead of “single” as a marital status, I prefer “independently owned and operated”. --Submitted by INRITH

Science Fiction Convention of the Week: CONvergence 2026 (2-5, Minneapolis, MN) ...the Geek in the Machine. https://www.convergence-con.org/

Surprise Blasphemy of the Week: It's strange that God made Shakespeare a better writer than Himself.? --Sam Harris --Submitted by MMS

Spark of Joy of the Week: If common sense were free, there'd still be people waiting for it to go on sale. --Submitted by jm or ks

Lance Armstrong is amazing. To recover from testicular cancer and win the Tour de France 7 consecutive times. I don't care that he used drugs. When I was using drugs I couldn't even find my bike. /\ Did you hear about the lunatic who won the Tour de France in one day? He took the psycho path.

..........H A double R I G A N.........James Cagney ....Harrigan

5) Idaho is sometimes called the Gem State. 72 types of precious stones are found in the state.

Protest Sign of the Week: Sperm Cause All Abortions Outlaw Ejaculation

Quote of the Week: So, if you are too tired to speak, sit next to me for I, too, am fluent in silence. --R Arnold --Submitted by bu of ks

Final Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: I'm having dejamnesia vu. I think I've forgotten this before. --Submitted by cp of ks

Today's Peace of History: July 3, 1835: Children employed in the silk mills at Paterson, NJ, went on strike for an eleven-hour workday and a six-day work week rather than 12-14 hour days. With the help of adults, they won a compromise settlement of a 69-hour week.

A cyclist threw in the towel halfway through the race; picked up his bike and went home. Seconds later a minor avalanche killed 3 teammates that he had been riding next to. Survival of Defeatist. /\ Bank tellers are barred from the Tour de France because they keep losing their balance.

..........The Yanks are coming.........Nora Bayes …..Over There

Masthead of the Week: Friday ePistle, July 3, 2026: Cycled ePistle . Online at: http://fridayepistle.blogspot.com/ Exclusive editor: Christine Smith. Lawrence, KS.

Moonbeam: A book should serve as the ax for the frozen sea within us. --Franz Kafka

Cost of War:

Pentagon Spending as of 7/2/26: $766,664,729,346 ~~That's three billion, nine hundred and forty one million, two hundred and eighty-nine thousand five hundred and seventeen dollar in one day!

Pentagon Spending as of 7/1/26: $762,723,439,829

***Make wars unprofitable and you make them impossible. --A Philip Randolph

Pentagon Spending in June 2026: $82,621,957,422

Pentagon Spending in May 2026: $87,601,145,719

Pentagon Spending in April 2026: $81,264,897,194

https://www.nationalpriorities.org/cost-of/

Man will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest. --Denis Diderot

Famous Last Words: Are you still there? --Jim Morrison who died 7/3/71 of heart failure perhaps caused by a heroin overdose.

.........Don't forget to come back home.........Ada Jones …..So Long, Mary

Today I rode my bike a mile to the store. So, I guess you can say my Tour de France dreams are getting pretty serious. /\ Lance Armstrong was selling his Tour de France bikes. A potential buyer asked what's the lowest he would go and he said, “About two mph, otherwise you'd tip over.”

May Peace be your companion

And Joy be your sidekick

prairie mama

christine

Last Laugh:

Pollinated ePistle

Famous First Words: We the peoples of the United Nations... UN Charter --signed by 50 nations on June 23, 1945

Rock Chalk Algeria!

The Algeria world cup team is based in Lawrence, KS during the games.

June is National Pollinators Month. We all know about bees, right? Bead Bee had such messy hair it was nicknamed FrizzBee ввв The shortest distance between 2 buzz-stops is a beeline. ввв The Brookline Hive called their baby bees humbugs.

..........On a lonely highway.........Chris Isaak …..Blue Hotel

...unite our strength to maintain international peace and security...Preamble UN Charter

It is a rainy Friday morning. The sky is a solid gray-white without texture or wind. But sound is layered and varied and beautiful. First thing I hear is the patter of raindrops falling from the eaves of the house, splat, splat, splat, right outside the door. Then the distant bird conversations from unseen sources somewhere in the trees shading backyards down the block and a wall of sound. Further away motor cars make mechanical white noise as they drive across wet pavement on their way to life. Together it is the soundtrack of a summer morning. I spread out some sunflower seeds and a few peanuts for the wildlife and I return indoors noticing the tiny ponds created by the rain like swimming holes for flies and beetles. Puck has not yet gone out. He sleeps most of the time now. Come to think of it, I sleep more now too. A nap of two a day, drives the sleepy slumps away. Right now, I am sipping regular coffee and listening to my protest song playlist; O, and enjoying the cool, damp day. But writing to you is, as always, the best part.

Hope your weekend is magic, through and through, friends (or not) of Potter.

First Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: Celebrating 150 year since Custer got Sioux'd. https://www.facebook.com/thundervalleycdc

Flies (all kinds) are the second most prolific pollinators. A woman walked into the kitchen to find her husband stalking around with a fly swatter. “Hunting fly, uh?: She asked. “Killing any?” “Yep”, he replied, “3 males and 2 females.” “How can you tell them apart?” she asked. His response, “3 were on the beer can and two on the wine glass.” ₣₣₣ Flies buzz around annoying everyone. I don't even need wings to do that.

..........I can't leave you alone..........Carlos Santana …..Black Magic Woman

Trivia Questions: Yay! It's Canoe Day

1. How long have canoes been around?

2. What is the average speed of a canoe?

3. How many parts does the paddle have and can you name any of them?

4. There are 8 kinds of canoeing; how many can you name?

5. When did canoeing become an Olympic sport?

Big Hello: Chào ahn – Vietnamese https://www.omniglot.com/language/phrases/hello.htm

Second Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: Experts issue dire warning that AI has now learned how to use the semicolon. https://www.facebook.com/TheBabylonBee

Image of the Week: We paid to build it in the first place, paid for him to renovate it, now we pay to protect it, and will probably pay to restore it in the future.

Butterflies are important pollinators. Do chatty caterpillars turn into social butterflies? ƁƁƁ Brace Butterfly's favorite school subject was mothmatics. ƁƁƁ All caterpillar fortune cookies said “Change Is Imminent”.

..........bueno pa gozar..........Carlos Santana …..Oye Como Va ...Good to enjoy)

Moonbeam: The young do not know enough to be prudent, and therefore they attempt the impossible – and achieve it, generation after generation. --Pearl S Buck

Blasphemy of the Week: I only believe in 12.5 percent of the gods. I'm an eightheist

Coffee Joke of the Week: In the orchestra of life, coffee is the conductor.

Next Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: Have they tried giving all the hydrogen peroxide to one algae and waiting for it to trickle down. --el on bluesky

Second Blasphemy of the Week: God isn't the problem. It's his fanbase.

Beetles do a fair amount of pollinating. A dung beetle walks into a bar and asks, “Is this stool taken?” ₿₿₿ I'm a June Bug, a beetle in the genus Phyllophaga.” I'm a July bug, a beetle in the genus Pinacolada”.

..........People, people, let's start together..........Carlos Santana …..Migra

1) The earliest known canoe artifact is the Pesse Canoe in the Netherlands. Carbon dated between 8040 and 7510 BCE.

Almanac: It is Friday, June 26. The moon will be full (Strawberry) on Monday (6/29) and is in Scorpio. Today is 626 Day (Lilo & Stitch), Ashura, Barcode Day, Canoe Day, and Drive Your Corvette to Work Day. Because it is the Friday closest to June 30 it is Harry Potter Day and because it is the 4^th Friday it is International Rose Day, and finally, because it is the last Friday it is International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, National Canoe Day, National Coconut Day, and Women in Nude Recreation Day . Because it is the Friday closest to June 30 it is Harry Potter Day and because it is the 4^th Friday it is International Rose Day, and finally, because it is the last Friday it is National Food Truck Day.

Among those born on this day were Charles Messier 1730, Abner Doubleday 1819, Jay Stowitts 1892, Pearl S. Buck 1892, Stuart Symington 1901, Peter Lorre 1904, Salvador Allende 1908, Tom Parker 1909, Babe Didrikson 1911, Pavel Belyayev 1925, Pat Morita 1933, Larry (The Mole) Taylor 1942, Carlos Santanna 1947, Chris Isaak 1956, and Chris O'Donnell 1970.

On June twenty-ninth Richard III usurped the English throne (1483), The first pure food law was enacted in the US (1848). The Atlantic City Boardwalk opened (1870), Nieuport set an aircraft speed record at 83mph (1911), The NY Daily News began publication (1919), The US ended an 8 years occupation of the Dominican Republic (1924) , The UN charter was signed by 50 nations (1945), and Madagascar gained independence from France (1960).

Night Sky, 6/26: The bright Moon will appear near the red supergiant star Antares after sunset.

Fraternal Picture of the Week: Biscuit & Ollie & Charon & Max

Extra Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: The Reflecting Pool is now the Strait of Warm Ooze. --Audrey Loves Politics

This Week: Saturday, June 27 – Ice Cream Cake Day & National Onion Day & World Bike Naked Day

Sunday, June 28 – Descendants Day & International Body Piercing Day & Log Cabin Day

Night Sky, 6/28: The moon is 98% illuimated and shines near The Teapot, an asterism of Sagittarius.

Monday, June 29 – Festival of Goodwill & International Mud Day & World Camera Day

Night Sky, 6/29: The Strawberry Moon will be full at 7:56 pm CDT.

Tuesday, June 30 – Asteroid Day & National Meteor Watch Day & NOW Day (National Organization of Women)

Night Sky, 6/30: Venus & Jupiter are high in the west after sunset.

Wednesday, July 1 – Canada Day & International Tartan Day & Zip Code Day

Night Sky, 7/1: Mars and the Pleiades visible 90 minutes before sunrise in the east.

Thursday, July 2 – Fast of Tammuz & Made In the USA Day & World UFO Day & World Porcupine Day

Night Sky, 7/2: Sunrise 5:55 am Sunset 8:42 pm 14 hours & 54 minutes & 56 seconds of daylight Moonrise 8:17 am Moonset 10:51 pm

Hummingbirds do their part as pollinators. The bee hummingbird is the smallest bird in the world. Its tiny brain still contains more factual information than Fox news. ₶₶₶ 4 out of every 10 hummingbird jokes ends with the punchline, “Because they don't know the words”.

..........You and the swan will float upon a cloud of pink ice cream..........Chris Isaak …..Cotton Candy Land

2) Canoes average 3 mph.

Preantepenultimate Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: Does god's GPS say “You Are Everywhere”.

Moonbeam: In real danger sometimes even a democracy can really keep a secret. --Stuart Symington

Fun Fact of the Week: Happy Barcode Day! The first use of the barcode was to label railroad cars. (1961) The first UPC code was on a pack of Wrigley's chewing gum. (1974).

Audio of the Week: Talkin' About A Revolution by Tracy Chapman https://open.spotify.com/track/0YMFcrMtBowDdD5bPz0cgy

To develop friendly relations among nations based on respect for the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples, and to take other appropriate measures to strengthen universal peace... --UN Charter Article 1

Bats are on everybody's top ten pollinators list. Bats come out a night, like bad decisions. βββ I used to have a coworker who would say, “I'm hanging in there like a bat.” I thought it was a metaphor until I caught her hanging upside down in her office one day.

..........I keep searching through the rain..........Chris Isaak …..I Wonder

3) There are 6 parts to a paddle: Grip, Neck, Shaft, Throat, Blade, and Tip.

Antepenultimate Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: Caught a cat about to leap onto the counter and without thinking I said, “Don't do it. You have a Black auntie now.” He paused and looked at me and then decided not to do it. This proves that cats either understand a lot more than we give them credit for or they respect a good bit. --Sharai Bohannon

Weird Word of the Week: Lissome: Something that is graceful, flexible, or agile. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/lissome

Dragon of the Week: 80 ft of garden wall

Wacky Uses for Common Products: Heat Water. Save empty two-liter Coca-Cola bottles. Paint the clean, empty jugs and bottles black with tempera paint and fill them with water. Set them in the sun in the morning and by late afternoon, the water is hot enough to use for washing dishes or bathing. https://www.wackyuses.com/wacky/cocacola3.html

I came for the pollen and stayed for the fun. ₩₩₩ Wasps are just Wannabees.

...........Well, nobody told me about her..........Carlos Santana …..She's Not There

4) The 8 types of canoeing are Expedition, Wilderness tripping, River, Recreational, Whitewater, Racing, Fishing, and Freighter.

Penultimate Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: It's only Algae if it comes from the L'Algae region of France, otherwise it's just Sparkling Slime. --Dr sp on bluesky

Science Fiction Convention of the Week: Realm Makers Writers Convention and Expo 2026 (26-27, St Louis, MO) ...Christians who write speculative fiction... https://www.realmmakers.com/2026-realm-makers-writers-conference-registration/

Anti-Commercial of the Week: I just ate Chick FilA for the first time in 20+ years. (It was free/all they had at my daughter's school picnic.) It sucks. It's good to know that in addition to being morally reprehensible, it's also garage-tier food. --dre on bluesky

Spark of Joy of the Week: June 26, 1963: President John F. Kennedy addressed 120,000 West Berliners and concluded his speech, “All free men, wherever they may live, are citizens of Berlin, and, therefore, as a free man, I take pride in the words: "Ich bin ein Berliner!” The East German government had stopped all travel and commerce between the Soviet-controlled and the American/British/French-controlled parts of the city in 1961.

Moths too are on every list. The moths' motto is “Chase the Light Side”. ₼₼₼ The largest section of a moth's budget is lightbulbs. ₼₼₼ OMG, did you see that lightbulb? Yes, he's so hot.

..........Like seven inches from the midday sun..........Carlos Santana …..Smooth

5) The sport of canoeing first appeared in the Olympic games at Paris, 1924. In 2016 it made its Paralympic debut at Rio.

Protest Sign of the Week: Roses Are Red. Violets Are Blue. Come November Senate Will Be Too

Quote of the Week: If you don't read the newspaper, you're uninformed. If you read the newspaper, you're misinformed. --Mark Twain

Final Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: Libraries will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no libraries. --Anne Herbert

Today's Peace of History: June 26, 1945: On the stage of San Francisco’s Veterans Auditorium (now known as the Herbst Theatre in the center of the War Memorial Veterans Building), delegates from 50 nations signed the United Nations Charter, establishing the world body as a means of saving “succeeding generations from the scourge of war”.

The Honey Possum is a special niche pollinator. When baby honey possums roll in pollen, it's called a sticky situation. . ₶₶₱₱ Why did the honey possum go back for more nectar? Because it's a more-supial.

..........I get tired of waiting and fooling around..........Carlos Santana …..Evil Ways

Masthead of the Week: Friday ePistle, June 26, 2026: Pollinated ePistle . Online at: http://fridayepistle.blogspot.com/ Exclusive editor: Christine Smith. Lawrence, KS.

Moonbeam: It's not just enough to swing at the ball. You've got to loosen your girdle and really let the ball have it. --Babe Didrikson Zaharias

Cost of War:

Pentagon Spending as of 6/25/26: $746,969,204,475 --19 billion, 481 million, 389 thousand, 7 hundred and 24 dollars just this week.724 (That's 187 million less than last week – must be the ceasefire.)

Pentagon Spending as of 6/18/26: $727,487,814,751

Pentagon Spending as of 6/11/26: $707,819,308,268

Pentagon Spending as of 6/04/26: $689,074,081,940

Pentagon Spending in May 2026: $87,601,145,719

Pentagon Spending in April 2026: $81,264,897,194

https://www.nationalpriorities.org/cost-of/

All Members shall settle their international disputes by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and security, and justice, are not endangered. --UN Charter Article 2

Famous Last Words: Dive, thoughts, down to my soul. --Richard III by William Shakespeare in Richard III

..........Dry your eyes, face the dawn.........Chris Isaak …..Life Will Go On

Everyone agrees that Bees are the top pollinator. A bee that can't make up its mind is called May-Bee. ввв The Bangor Hive use to fly around the head of a person buzzing and buzzing, around and around, until a spell was woven and the person was Bee-wiched.

May your garden grow Peace

And all your seeds be Joy

prairie mama

christine

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