Sunday, April 28, 2013

What's In A Name?

Beasley Drug Store in Conyers, Georgia is under new ownership and is now back to the same name that many of the locals have called it for several decades.  Vince Evans bought this pharmacy in the 80's and re-named it Evans Pharmacy, but I have always called it Beasley's. ( It has the best cherry cokes and fresh lemonade and the tuna salad is just as good as it ever was!)  Do you notice that very often even though there might be something that is renamed, that the local people will still call it by the original name?  I was pleased to see that in Alaska there is a good chance that instead of Mt. McKinley, the official name might now be changed to Denali Mountain, which was the first name by the natives who lived there, and it means "The High One" or "The Great One".  The locals and the mountain climbers have always called the mountain Denali.  I maintain that not only does Denali Mountain sound better, it is certainly a good description of it.
   

How about you?  Is there something like this where you live, and the local people call something by a different name than what it should be?  You really do need to ask what something is called or even how something is pronounced in order not to feel like such an outsider.  I lived in South Georgia as a teenager and I had to learn how to pronounce "Albany" like this, "ALL BENNY".  Hey, I hope that's right, I never could quite get the hang of it. Also, I lived near the little community of Doe Run, which I thought was adorable, but of course, everyone laughed when I said it the way you THINK you should say it.   It is "DOR- un".  Also, I know that GPS is what folks use for directions, but honestly, just ask real people the best way to get to a place.  Yes, they say you can go another way, but we have lived here for a while and we are telling you, this is the best, easiest way to go.  Listen to them.

At lunch time one day this past week, Richard and I got a coffee and a sandwich from Beasley's and took it to the Vaughn Botanical Garden in Old Town Conyers.  When I looked up and saw the red leaves of this Japanese Maple against that blue sky, I knew I had to share it with you.
  Always look for beauty!
 
 
 

 
 
 

34 comments:

  1. Here in our small town it seems like people can't forget who once lived in a house..my in-law's place was "The Starkey's" forever until one of the Docs in town bought it and now it's called by their name even though they haven't lived there in years! Or a store might be named "Save Alot" but the locals always say "the old Hawkins store"..and so on. Your pics are lovely and the Japanese maple is awesome. Ours will be out in full leaf soon.

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    1. It's funny how some names stick around, isn't it? I was pleased to see that Beasley sign since I have always called it that!
      That park with the trees was just so pretty and I was glad to enjoy with my husband, we were lucky with no rain on that day!!

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  2. With my Boston accent, i won't even try to pronounce anything!

    it kills me that age old wonderful stadiums and theatres are renamed after banks and businesses. so i agree it's good to go past that and remember things rightly.

    thanks for the reminder, kay xo

    love
    kj

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    1. Hey kj!
      I have a good friend from Boston and even though she has been here for years, she still tickles me the way she pronounces "Car"!
      Ah, remembering things rightly...I like the way that you put that!

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  3. Oh yes, there's loads of examples here! Especially the names of shops and restaurants in my town are often still used by us, old Ludwigsburghers, the way we once knew them.
    The colour combination of the blue sky, tender spring green on the one tree and vibrant red on the Japanese Maple is indeed beautiful - thank you for sharing!

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    1. Good, then perhaps it is the same the world over, the way we like to hold on to the older names!
      Thanks, and I forgot to mention, Richard took the photo, of course, but I asked him to!! :-)

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  4. Great pics again! However if you think I am climbing that mountain you can forget it!!!!

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    1. Thanks! (Richard again!!)
      Now, not only do I expect you to climb that mountain, but also to help us ditch the crazy woman who keeps hogging the photos! :-)

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    2. Thats a good idea, oh wait....

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  5. Beautiful photos, Kay! I've only been in this city for four years, so I'm not very familiar with everything yet. But in my old city, there were many places that were called by their old name even if it had been a long time since they had changed. Restaurants, clubs, shops, even streets... People get attached to certain names and keep them alive.

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    1. I like that people keep those names alive, don't you?
      I love your city, the photos that you have shown of it, I look forward to more!

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  6. Kay, I loved all your photos. The trees leafs are beautiful. Yes, we have things in our area that are called by different names.. actually some old people know names that the youngs ones have never heard before. xoxo,Susie

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    1. Yes, and I think I am in that category of older people!
      NO, I don't think it, I KNOW it! :-)

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  7. Our cottage at Lake Chautauqua was called "the Scott house" for years after we bought it, even though the Scott's had only owned it for 17 years and it was built in 1879 But now that it's been ours for 32 years the name has changed!

    Love the beautiful Japanese maple leaves in your photos. Really I like all your pictures. And love that you have a Beasley's which still serves good tuna sandwiches!

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    1. OH, Kristi, the house was built in 1879? That sounds wonderful! Not only must it be very well made but just think of all the memories that it holds!!
      Thanks for liking these photos! All by my Richard, he really does have a very good eye! And you would LOVE those tuna sandwiches, they are the best!! xx

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  8. When we lived in Georgia we lived in Martinez, but it was pronounced Mar-tin-ez, never could say it that way.
    Here in Savannah there's a street spelled DeRenne pronounced Duh-ren

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    1. You should pity my Richard trying to pronounce cities and streets in this English accent when he first moved here!!

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  9. Hi Kay! When I come down to visit one day, we will need to add a cherry Coke from Beasley's to our list of things to do/places to see!!! (wink wink).

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    1. Oh yes, Audrey! And besides the Cherry Cokes and lemonades, they have wonderful ice cream cones too!!

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  10. Be assured that getting directions from long-time locals can sometimes be quite problematic to someone in a big truck from far away. For unless you are aware of the fact that Bill's Bowl-A-Rama is now Phil's Pizza Palace and Bowling Emporium, it is likely that you will miss seeing where you need to make a left turn at the corner where that huge live oak got split almost down the middle by a lightning strike during a storm back in '86. Well, at least I did. Sigh.

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    1. Ha! You are so right! I should have said, ask one of the smart locals, not goofy ones like me. I am likely to say, "turn at the new Kroger" and then I will remember that the Kroger has been there for 20 years! Or turn at the first grove of trees that you see....and then someone will remind me that the trees are now replaced by a strip mall.
      Best to use the GPS and THEN ask the locals, use both and maybe you will make it!!

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  11. We do have a soda fountain here that, when the first owner decided to get out of the business, one of his former employees who has made good in local business bought it and kept the name. It's a great thing when they keep the name.

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    1. I love a nice soda fountain, don't you? That's really nice that he kept the name. It's a little thing, maybe, but a nice touch.

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  12. It is quite common to retain the original name of law firms, tire companies, etc., here in Hawaii. No problem.

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    1. Hey! Thanks for your comment here!
      Aloha! Please visit me again. :-)
      (And I might have to go and check out the names of things in Hawaii myself. Any excuse to go to Hawaii!!)

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  13. There's a building in our town which is still known as the gas showrooms even though they closed about 30 years ago! x

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    1. See, it's funny how people do that, isn't it?

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  14. Kay, thank you for your comment.
    I love the beautiful photos, especially those vivid tree leaves.
    I like it better when things are named for natural features rather than people.

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    1. Hi Terry!
      So happy to you see YOUR comment here! I am glad that you are better now.
      Natural features rather than people, I agree!

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  15. Yes, I like Denali more too! That is such a nice garden -- I would love to picnic there :D

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    1. Yay! Another vote for Denali!!
      And you are right, it was a lovely spot in lovely weather for a picnic! xx

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  16. Oh Wow! What pictures - so bright.

    We have a butcher in the town called Charles MacLeod but to all the locals he is "Charlie Barley". AND do not get me started on the nicknames of most of the Hebrideans around here - Alec - known as Solo, Norman - known as Curly, Donny - known as Mater - and on it goes. The main reason for this is that there are so many "Macs" that nicknames were a necessity. We even have a local telephone directory with all the nicknames. We are the only family with our surname in the whole of the Hebrides - how is that for being "special"!!!!

    When our Georgian friend Sandy came to stay for the first time - I was "Paayat", and the stairs were "Staayers". Just wonderful. I can well understand the difficulties your Richard had at first.

    Great post Kay x

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  17. Thanks, Pat! (Hey, you do know that I have a drawl just like your friend, Sandy, don't you?)
    A local directory with all the nicknames? That is just too FUNNY!!
    Well, my dear, it is getting late and I must climb the STAAYERS to get to bed!! HA! (Richard calls them apples & pears!!)

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  18. Gorgeous photos, Kay! When we were in Alaska I did notice that they referred to the mountain as Denali.

    I really don't like it when they change the name of stores. I was sad when Marshall Fields in Chicago and Liberty House in Hawaii was changed to Macys. When Longs Drugs was bought out in Hawaii, CVS was smart in keeping the original name.

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