An Ancient Beverage

He was a wise man who invented beer. - Plato

Now Plato lived some 2,300 years ago in fourth century B.C. and beer had already been around for a long time.

Tests performed on ancient pottery from Mesopotamia (modern day Iraq and parts of Iran, Syria and Turkey), indicate that beer was produced there some 7,000 years ago, and a 3,900 year old poem contains the oldest known recipe for beer. 

The process of making beer was passed along to the Greeks who then taught the Romans. Beer was important to the early Romans, but was eventually replaced by wine as the alcoholic beverage of choice, rendering beer at that time, fit only for barbarians. Obviously this opinion didn't hold for long as beer brewing has continued throughout the centuries and in many cultures. 

If you doubt the historical importance of beer, consider that the desire to make beer led people to give up a nomadic lifestyle to form villages, cultivate crops and develop agriculture, thus leading to civilization.

What started small thousands of years ago, rose to a multi-million dollar industry and mass production, is now returning to it's roots with this new concept of microbreweries and craft beers. 

Last night we met up with some friends at the tasting room of a local brewery. They have lots of different beers on tap, some with exotic names and flavors. However I chose Carolina Blonde, a cream ale, which is lower on the bitterness scale. It is light, smooth and refreshing, especially on a hot summer evening.



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Breathe and Enjoy Your Day!

You don't always need a plan. Sometimes you just need to breathe, trust and let go and see what happens. - Mandy Hale

Enroute to Skippers Fish Camp in Darien, GA

We did have a plan when this picture was taken. A very definite plan, indeed. Dinner at Skipper's. What was different was our choice of routes. This was by far more scenic and well worth the change to our plan. 

Not every aspect of every day of your life needs to be planned out to the letter. Sometimes it is better to just go with the flow and see where you end up. Allow your day to be like a Sunday afternoon drive in the country with no definite place to go. One of those you'll know when you get there kind of days.

So sit back, ditch your well-thought-out plans, take a deep breath and go where life leads you. You may find something great waiting for you just around the corner.


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Smiles Matter

Image Source: Wikipedia

It was only a sunny smile, and little it cost in the giving, but like morning light it scattered the night and made the day worth living. - F. Scott Fitzgerald

Smiles cost nothing, are easily given and may do more good you can possibly know. They can brighten days, change minds, modify opinions, enhance first impressions, bolster spirits and make both the giver and the recipient feel better.

Often we march through life with our faces in neutral, or worse, frowning or scowling at some injustice, whether real or perceived. If you see that person without a smile, give them one of yours. If you are that person, look around you and find something to smile about. 

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