Half a Century

Photo curtosey of dawnzy58

This is half of 100 years, many things has happened, our lives are made better by many different inventions. We have went from just plain old TV to HDTV, to very narrow screens to ones the size of your front room wall. Large cars to mini-coopers, from plain old phones to cell phones.

Fifty years ago on July 30th, 1959, my husband and I stood in front of a Justice of the Peace and said our wedding vows, wow, it is hard to believe it has been that long. I have posted our wedding pictures on my Family Pictures page. Today we will celebrate with the family.

We have two sons, Douglas Wayne, who will be 49 years old in September. Our son Ronald Thomas, was 46 years old this last June. We are still very active, our son's help us with things we can not do anymore, we are pretty healthy, except Doug and myself have contacted poison ivy, boy is this stuff itchy. We got it from hanging up a bird nest just off our lawn in the tree (poison sumac), which I did not know it was one.

I want to thank my friends for coming and commenting on all my posts over the last year. Hope all of you have wonderful anniversary's, birthday's and birth's of your children and grand-children, just have a wonderful life, God bless all of you.

Doggone It

Photo curtosey of emdot

Every summer I really get peeved at what I am about to write on. I love dogs and do not like to see how they are treated in summer months in our town.

First of all, you should not walk them on hot days, after all they have on a fur coat, lets see you wear a heavy coat while walking in the hot weather. Besides sidewalks are hot and burn the dogs feet.

Second, I never see any person carrying a drink for the dog, only for themselves. You could carry a water bottle for them and stop once in a while and squirt a little water in their mouth.

Third, I think it is cruel to make a dog run along side a bike, I never see the person stop to let the dog rest, and most dogs can't stop because they are on a leash. How would you like it if someone put a collar around your neck and made you run along side the bike, and most of the bikes are moving at a pretty good rate. Another thing is the roller blades, dogs are running pretty fast to keep up.

Fourth, Most little dogs need a break by being carried until their legs are rested. I hate to see the dogs pulling their owner in hot weather on different things.

Fifth, The owners could let their dog walk in the grass on the bike paths.

Sixth, I hate seeing dogs left in cars while people shop in the heat.

Seventh, My friend Linda has one, keeping dog's tied up all the time without attention.

These are just some of my pet peeves, let me hear what yours are about this matter. I know that the owners of these dogs love them, but do not take precaution in the hot weather.

Birth Of A Refreshing Idea

Old Coke sign curtosey of Dominic's Pics

The Coca-Cola company started 110 years ago as a small, insignificent one man business. Since then, it has grown into one of the largest companies in the world. The first chairman of the company was Dr. John Pemberton and the current chairman is Roberto Goizueta. The demand for the product has made this company into a 50 billion dollar business.

Coca-Cola was invented by Dr. John Pemberton, an Atlanta pharmacist. He concocted the formula in a three legged brass kettle in his backyard on May 8, 1886 by mixing lime, cinnamon, coca leaves, and the seeds of a Brazilian shrub. Coca-Cola as he called the beverage, made its debut in Atlanta's largest pharmacy, Jacob's Pharmacy, as a five cent-non carbonated drink. Later on, the carbonated water was added to the syrup to make the beverage that we know today.

Coca-Cola was orginally used as a nerve and brain tonic and a medical elixir.Coca-Cola was named by Frank Robinson, one of Pemberton's close friends, he also penned the famous Coca-Cola logo in unique script. Dr. Pemberton sold a portion of the Coca-Cola company to Asa Candler. He was forced to sell because he was in poor health and in debt. In time, Candler acquired the whole company for $2,300, Candler did a lot during his time as owner. On January 31, 1893, the famous Coca-Cola formula was patented. Dr. Pemberton never realized the potential of the beverage he created, he sold his business prior to his death in 1888.

In 1892 Candler incorporated a second company. The Coca-Cola Company (the current corporation), and in 1910 Candler had the earliest records of the company burned, further obscuring its legal origins. By the time of its 50th anniversary, the drink had reached the status of a national icon for the USA.

Coca-Cola was sold in bottles for the first time on March 12, 1894. The first outdoor wall advertisement was painted in the same year. The first bottling company for Coca-Cola was 1899, the site was Chattanooga, Tennessee. Coke concentrate syrup, was and is sold separately at pharmacies in small quantities, as an over the counter remedy for nausea or mildly upset stomach.

In 1985 the Coca-Cola Company made what has been known as one of the biggest marketing blunders. The company developed a new formula in efforts to produce a diet coke. They invested 4 million dollars into research to come up with a new formula. The decision to change their formula and pull the old coke off the market came about because taste tests showed a distinct preference for the new formula. The new formula was a sweeter variation with less tang, it was also slightly smoother. This was a mistake, consumers jamed the line to coke objecting to the new taste and the company was looseing millions a day. On July 10, 1985, eighty-seven days after the new Coke was introduced, the old coke was brought back in addition to the new one.

The Coca-Cola Company has, on occasion, introduced other cola drinks under the Coke brand name. The most common of these is Diet Coke, Caffeine-Free-Coca-Cola, Diet Coke caffeine-free, Coca-Cola Cherry, Coca-Cola Zero, Coca-Cola Vanilla and special editions with lemon, lime or coffee. The actual production and distribution of Coca-Cola follows a franchising model. The Coca-Cola Company only produces a syrup concentrate, which it sells to bottlers throughout the world who hold Coca-Cola franchises for one or more geographical areas. The bottlers produce the final drink by mixing the syrup with filtered water and sweeteners and then carbonate it before putting it in cans and bottles, which the bottlers then sell and distribute to retail stores, vending machines, restaurants and food service distributors

A few catch ups; After 1904, instead of using fresh leaves, Coca-Cola started using "spent" leaves-the leftovers of the cocaine-extraction process with cocaine trace levels left over at a molecular level, today they use a cocaine-free coca leaf extract. In January 2009, C0ca-Cola stopped printing the word "Classic" on the labels of 16 ounce bottles sold in parts of the USA. 1940's, during the war, 64 bottling plants were set up around the world to supply our troops.

Some slogan over the years; 1886 "Coca-Cola-Delicious-Refreshing, Exhilarating. 1929 "The Pause Thar Refreshes". 1943 "A Taste All It's Own". 1954 "For People On The Go". 1971 "I'd Like To Buy The World A Coke". 1993 "Always Coca-Cola". The Coca-Cola bottling system grew up with roots deeply in local communities. This heritage serves the Company well today as people seek brands that honor local identity and the distinctiveness of local markets. As was true a century ago, strong locally based relationships between Coca-Cola bottlers, customers and communities are the foundation on which the entire business grows.

I really like to research this history, but like all companies it is impossible to write down everything that has gone on. I sure would like to find some of the real old memorabilia, such as coke bottle, advertising items and some of those beautiful old serving trays with those old time gals on them. Have a great summer, get out and enjoy yourselves.

The Old Barn

Old Barn photo courtesy of Robb North

I have set out by the fields, unnoticed and unused for about fifty years. The old house has long been torn down and removed. I was built about a century ago of sturdy timbers and with loving hands, the neighbors came from miles around to help with the building. I was so proud to stand up straight and tall, I even had a nice red shiny coat of paint, which has long faded.

My hayloft was always full of hay and the children would play in the hay for hours, even the family cat slept here and had her kittens. The stall's were always full of cows and horses. I loved the sounds that were made here and when night came the doors were closed, it felt safe and comfortable. The only sound was the wise old owl, the bats flew in and out, I could hear the soft breathing of the animals, I forgot to mention the scurrying of thr mice.

Now I am lonley and dusty, spiders and mice are my only company, my doors have been closed for nearly fifty years. The hayloft still has hay waiting to be used. The stalls have only cobwebs clinging to there sides, they were cleaned out long ago.

Today, I heard a creak, then my front doors slowly swung open, a lady came in very slow as if not to disturb the ghost past. The air in here has not been disturbed for half century. The back doors was also opened, this created a soft breeze, it came in to mingle with the dust that had been in here for years. The smell of the fresh breeze brought back memories of a time long ago, it swirled the dust around and blew it out the back door. I could even feel the hay move a little.

Something bright and shinny was creeping in the front doors, it was warm and friendly, I recall it and remember how it warmed me in the early morning. She was still in here, I can feel her walking around, it felt so good to have someone in here. Then she opened a small door, went in, looked around and approched a small shelf, reached out her hand and found what she was looking for. Years ago, when she was a young child, and they were moving away, she put the turtle she had made at school way back in the corner of the shelf, she promised the turtle she would come back for it someday, and was glad no one had found it.

As she was closing up the old barn she turned to whisper a promise to the old barn, she also would return and rebuild the old home she once lived in as a child. Do we have treasurers that we have tucked away and promised some day to be back. I know we all clean out closets, old boxes and drawers to find at our surprise things we still have from long ago. The treasure from the past can spark many a memories, perhaps given by a loved one we no longer have with us.