Snakebitten

I was hoping by this time to announce to the blogosphere the birth of a brood of baby peachicks at Andalusia. Unfortunately, I am not going to be able to do so. More than a month ago we noticed one of the hens sitting on a clutch of eight eggs. Since we didn't wish to count our (pea)chickens before they were hatched, we resisted the temptation to post anything about it on the blog, website, or Facebook. We were, nevertheless, pretty excited about this prospect and planned to hand out candy cigars in the gift shop once the birds were born. A couple weeks ago I went out to the aviary while the hen was off the nest and counted only four eggs. Where did the others go, I wondered? Not wanting to disturb the nest or alarm the mother I chose not go into the coop for a closer look. The same thing happened again last week, only this time there was only one egg left. On Monday morning when I went out to feed the birds, I was able to go into the coop and have a look around. This time the nest was empty. I dug around in the straw to see if, perhaps, the sole surviving egg had been moved. There were no signs of it anywhere. What could have happened? The aviary protects our birds from all predators - except one. Snakes.

An email to one of our visitors, a man who raises peafowl, confirmed what we had suspected all along. According to him, only a snake would eat an egg and not leave behind any shell remnants. Moreover, the culprit(s) had to be pretty large - at least in the 41/2 to 5 foot range - in order to unhinge their jaws wide enough to down a peacock egg. This good man also gave us some recommendations for preventing a similar outcome in the future.

Despite the violence in the aviary, I am happy to report that none of our birds was harmed. Indeed, they seem happier than ever munching on the parrot treats we bought them in the wake of this rather disturbing incident.
- Mark

Fabulous Feat

With our eighteen visitors from the Atlanta Girls School this morning we surpassed the 4000 mark in yearly attendance for the first time in the Foundation's history. We have now had more than 22,000 visitors tour Flannery O'Connor's home in the seven years Andalusia has been open to the public. It is quite a feat considering that we're a bit off the beaten track. In a letter to her agent, O'Connor once quipped, "The only way to get here is by bus or buzzard." (Habit of Being, p. 77) Nevertheless, O'Connor fans by the score manage to find us and never fail to be captivated by the farm home of one of the twentieth century's greatest writers. We thank all of you who have made the trek to Andalusia and hope you'll come back again.
- Mark

Champion Sugarberry

Anyone who has walked the nature trail at Andalusia can't help but be impressed by the majestic trees on either side of the path. Even on the hottest summer day - and believe me we've had a bunch of them this year - the shade trees along Lower Tobler Creek provide welcome relief from the sun. One of these trees - a 92' Sugarberry - was named this week by the Georgia Forestry Commsion as the largest of its species in the entire state of Georgia. While we don't have a blue ribbon to nail into the trunk, we are nonetheless proud of our Sugarberry.
- Mark

Scraggly Squawkers

'Tis the season for birds of all feathers to lose their plumage. The peafowl at Andalusia are no exception. During the last week I have been raking up feathers by the wheelbarrowful. The male is looking especially scraggy these days with only a couple feathers from his once regal train now sticking out at odd angles. Seeing our birds this scruffy reminds us that they have now been living happily in captivity at Andalusia for a year. When we got the birds last August, they were molting as they timidly adapted to their new environs. I am happy to report that they are now thriving.

Just arrived in our gift shop...the 2010 edition of The Flannery O'Connor Review ($15.00). In this beautifully edited journal be sure to check out the review of Lorraine Murray's new book, The Abbess of Andalusia. Murray's much-in-demand account of Flannery O'Connor's spiritual journey is also available for purchase in the gift shop ($16.95).

Last but not least...birthday wishes are in order for Andalusia's executive director, Craig Amason, who passed the half-century mark August 4th. Happy Birthday, Craig!
- Mark

A birthday of a different order

Today marks the 46th anniversary of Flannery O'Connor's death. Many visitors to Andalusia mistakenly assume that the author died in her bed at the farm. The truth is that O'Connor died at Baldwin County Hospital in the very early hours of August 3, 1964. In February of that year the author had an operation to remove an enlarged fibroid tumor. Unfortunately, this procedure reactivated her lupus and she began to decline rapidly. The last time Flannery felt well enough to receive visitors was on July 25th when her friends Mary Jo Thompson and Fannie White of the Sanford House stopped by Andalusia with food from the restaurant. Flannery got up from her sick bed, dressed, and sat out on the porch in a rocking chair and visited for a short while. By the following week, Flannery O'Connor was extremely ill and was rushed to the hospital by ambulance on the morning of July 29th. The next Sunday, as her kidneys began to fail, she received the Eucharist and was administered last rites by Abbot Augustine Moore of Holy Spirit Monastery. Shortly after midnight, she slipped into a coma and never regained consciousness. She was pronounced dead at 12:40 a.m. on August 3rd at the age of thirty-nine. Her funeral mass was held at Sacred Heart Catholic Church the following day.

Last March we celebrated what would have been Flannery O'Connor's 85th birthday. We had a party at Andalusia in her honor complete with birthday cake and the mayor of Milledgeville came out to the farm to proclaim March 25th Flannery O'Connor Day. Today, August 3rd, we celebrate an event of a different order: Flannery O'Connor's heavenly birthday. Requiescat in pace.
- Mark

We did it!

Actually, you did it. Thanks to the many devoted followers of Flannery O'Connor who have visited Andalusia in the past year, last week we surpassed the previous record for visitations in a twelve month period. It is a considerable feat when you consider the sluggish economy and the scorching summer we're having. It is certainly a testament to the drawing power of Flannery O'Connor. With any luck we may reach 4,000 visitors before the fiscal year ends September 30th.

As alluded to above, this is one of the hottest summers in recent memory. Today and tomorrow we are under a heat advisory and are expecting to see temperatures over 100 degrees. If you are planning to visit us, please exercise some caution. While we would love for you to see as much of the property as you want to, we advise limiting the amount of time you spend outside. You are certainly welcome to linger in the main house which is air conditioned and where we have the refrigerator stocked with plenty of cold, bottled water. All this is to say, don't let a little hot weather deter you from visiting us.

- Mark

Who let the dogs out?

They say there are two kinds of persons in the world - cat people and dog people. Each of these types exhibits certain personality traits. What kind of person was Flannery O'Connor? Characteristically, neither. She was, instead, a bird person. From the time O'Connor was a little girl she raised ducks and chickens. She even sewed clothes for these birds and made up fanciful stories about them that she shared with her classmates at St. Vincent's Academy in Savannah. As she grew older, her flock became more diversified, most notably with the addition of peafowl that she started raising at Andalusia in 1953. Flannery was protective of her birds, too. In the summer of 1957 her friend Cecil Dawkins wanted to give her a dog. O'Connor wrote her back declining the kind offer: "You certainly are nice to want to give me that dog but I'll have to take the thought for the dog. I didn't tell you what I raise: I raise peacocks - and you can't keep dogs and peacocks on the same place. When people come to see us with a dog, we have to ask them to keep the dog in the car - else the peachickens will take to the trees and have nervous prostrations...So I adjust myself to their tastes, including being anti-dog." (Habit of Being p. 230)

Though the present day peafowl at Andalusia enjoy the safe confines of an aviary, we must be "anti-dog," too. Visitors are certainly welcome to bring their dogs out to the farm, but we ask that they keep them on a leash, not only for the protection of our guests, but for the animals' protection, too. If you bring a dog to Andalusia, we also ask that you don't leave your pet in the car, especially during these searing summer months. It's also not a good idea to leave your pet in the car with the motor running. There have been dogs left in idling cars here that have locked themselves in. Since we don't want a similar fate to happen to your pet, we ask that you observe our "leash law."
- Mark

Lilac of the South

One of the joys of living in middle Georgia is that no matter what season you're in something is always in bloom - even in winter when pansies and snap dragons provide much welcome color. In the summer, crape myrtles are bursting with white, raspberry, periwinkle, and pink blossoms. For those of you outside the deep south a crape myrtle is a multi-stemmed, large shrub that can grow as a tall as a tree. Indeed, the one in the front yard at Andalusia is about 25 ft. tall and is topped with frothy pink blossoms. Although no one knows whether our crape myrtle was around when Flannery lived at Andalusia, it is as refreshing to the eye on a hot summer day as a bowl of sherbet. Why not plan a trip to Andalusia this summer to see it? While you're here, check out some of the new (and not so new) titles that just arrived in the gift shop - Jean Cash's pioneering biography, Flannery O'Connor: A Life; Margaret Earley Whitt's study, Understanding Flannery O'Connor; Conversations with Flannery O'Connor, edited by Rosemary Magee; Hank Edmondson's Return to Good & Evil; and the travel book every bibliophile should have, Novel Destinations.
- Mark

Summer Scorcher

With today's high expected to reach 100, it's going to be another summer scorcher in the midstate. Yet no matter how hot it gets in Milledgeville, the majestic oaks here at Andalusia Farm keep things fairly comfortable. I must say that in the year that I've been working here, the heat has never been unbearable. Granted we have two window air conditioning units in the house - a luxury the O'Connors did not enjoy until near the end of Flannery's life when one was acquired to make the author's final days a bit more bearable. This modern convenience is much appreciated by our visitors - and staff - during these sizzling days of July.

For those of you who may be travelling this summer, check out some of the new titles in our gift shop. While it may not be exactly beach reading, the latest edition of Shenandoah arrived this week. This, the 60th anniversary issue of the venerable literary magazine out of Washington & Lee University, is devoted entirely to Flannery O'Connor. The magazine features critical essays, short stories, poetry, photography, and other art work in tribute to O'Connor. Supplies are limited. If you would like a copy, please visit out gift shop, or call 478-454-4029. The cost of the journal is $15.00 plus tax.
- Mark

Pictures in a Parlor

Visitors to Andalusia this summer are in for a real treat. In the back parlor we have a new display of some vintage photographs of the farm. These pictures are the generous gift of Frances Florencourt, first cousin of Flannery O'Connor. A number of them, dating from the late 1930s, feature Flannery and her Florencourt cousins on horseback. There are also photos from the same period of Flannery's uncle, Dr. Bernard Cline. Born in 1881, Dr. Cline was a renowned ear, nose, and throat doctor in Atlanta. He was a prominent member of society and served for some time as president of the Piedmont Driving Club. In the early 1930s Dr. Cline purchased the Andalusia property and used it as a weekend getaway as well as a place where he could raise horses and quail. He also entertained his friends with lavish barbecues and hosted special parties at the farm for his beloved nieces. Dr. Cline died unexpectedly in January, 1947. Though he was sorely missed by all who knew him, his legacy lives on at Andalusia. According to his niece, Frances, "the farm and all its land and buildings still speak of him and his love for us."
- Mark

Southern Sauna

It's the first week of summer and already daytime temperatures are in the mid-to upper -nineties. The humidity is just as high. With the steamy days we've been having, you'd think that it might keep our attendance down. Nothing could be further from the truth. Already in June - and believe me it's been hot - we've had 240 visitors. Not bad. O'Connor fans, as I've learned in the year I've been at Andalusia, are a pretty hearty bunch and they're not going to let a little atmospheric unpleasantness interfere with visiting the farm of their favorite writer. The hot weather has brought other visitors to the farm, ones not as welcome as the two-legged variety. Last Saturday afternoon, as I was getting ready to close the highway gate, a four foot timber rattlesnake slithered across the driveway and up the embankment. We've also noticed a red fox prowling around the premises behind the main house. Obviously, he has taken notice of the peafowl, who gladly remain beyond his reach in the safe and secure confines of the aviary. The presence of such critters is just a part of life on a farm and does not present a threat to our visitors provided they exercise a little caution. It is strongly encouraged that, when visiting Andalusia, you stay in the mown areas and do not venture off into the tall grass or woods (except when hiking the nature trail). Remember, the animals out here are timid and are more scared of you than you are of them. Still, a little precaution is in order.
- Mark

Farewell to an Old Friend

If you have not heard the news yet, you may be saddened to learn that Flossie, the beloved hinny at Andalusia, died last Friday. Since she lived to be nearly 40 years old, her passing was not totally unexpected. Still her absence leaves a palpable void. Personally, I will miss hearing her whinny when visitors came up the driveway, and her uncanny knack for figuring out ways to roam away from her pasture. Flossie had great affection for those who knew her well and would sometimes roll on the ground in delight if a friend would come up to the pasture gate with carrots or Cheerios, two of her favorite treats. Flossie enjoyed a long and happy life and was perhaps the most photographed critter that has ever lived out on the farm. While she may be gone, her memory lives on in the hearts of the Andalusia staff and the many visitors she charmed over the years.

- Mark

On this day in 1961...

Flannery O'Connor wrote a letter to her friend Betty Hester describing a terrible accident at Andalusia (see The Habit of Being p. 442). A few days earlier Willie "Shot" Manson, a hired farm hand, was sucked into a hay baler up to his elbows. A mechanic had to be summoned to extricate him from the machinery. When they finally got him out he was "pretty badly damaged." The baler "tore out some big gaps of flesh and gave him several third-degree belt burns." As severely injured as Manson was, Regina O'Connor managed to get him into her car and drive him to Baldwin County hospital where he stayed for some time. O'Connor reports that while minor crises were something of a common occurrence out on the farm, this particular incident was a major one.

Major or minor, many of the "crises" O'Connor describes in her letters involve Manson and/or Jack and Louise Hill, the couple he boarded with in the house on the other side of the driveway. It is, therefore, fitting that the next major project at Andalusia is the restoration of the Hill house. Not only did this house serve as an inspiration for some of O'Connor's most memorable stories (e.g. "The Displaced Person"), it is perhaps the oldest structure on the property. Since it is such a significant part of the farm complex at Andalusia, please consider making a designated gift to help us save the Hill house.

- Mark

My Andalusia Anniversary

As I drive to Milledgeville past the blooming mimosas, I am reminded that it was a year ago on June 8th, that my wife, Judy, and I made our first visit to Andalusia. That day will be forever etched in my memory. The day was clear and pleasantly warm. I can still recall turning onto the dirt driveway bordered by the front pasture and canopied in lush foliage. As the driveway bent gently to the right the farm house slowly came into view. When we got out of the car I was struck by the serenity of the place. So peaceful, so tranquil. At the front door we were greeted by Craig who welcomed us and graciously showed us around. Though we stayed for two hours I could have easily lingered there the rest of the day. Little did I realize then that this would be the first of nearly 200 (and still counting) trips to Andalusia. The memory of that first visit still resonates a year later when I come out here. If you've never been, I invite you to visit Andalusia during these lazy, hazy days of summer.
- Mark

School's out for Summer?

With most schools closed for the summer, where might one reasonably expect to find a group of college students on this, the beginning of the Memorial Day weekend? The pool or beach? Cruising around town with their friends? Nope. Try Andalusia. This morning we welcomed a group of 15 students and their teachers from the University of West Alambama. It is gratifying for us to see so many young people who are tuned into Flannery O'Connor and read her stories so enthusiastically. Talk about devotees! After arriving in Milledgeville last evening and taking in some of the other O'Connor sites, they headed out to Andalusia to tour the farm. After a picnic lunch under the shade of the oak trees, they will be on their way to Savannah to visit Flannery's childhood home tomorrow. With temperatures climbing into the low 90s the next two days, that's what I call real dedication. We wish them and you safe travels if you are going anywhere this holiday weekend. In observance of Memorial Day, Andalusia will be closed on Monday.

- Mark

Fecund Fowl

A heavy thunderstorm this morning has kept me from going outside to check on the peafowl. As noted last week, one of the hens has begun laying eggs and is now doing so at the rate of one every other day. She continues to drop them indiscriminately and remains clueless about what she's to do next. To encourage her, we put together a nesting box on Thursday and filled it with wheat straw. It's usually not a good idea to move eggs once they've been laid, but we moved one (the others were discarded) to the nesting box anyway. The hen seemed curious at first, but so far has not gone into the coop to set on her nest. Our visitors are excited by the prospect of little peachicks running around the aviary and so, apparently, is the peacock. To the delight of all, he now fans his tail feathers just about every time you turn around and cries out in jubilation Lee-yon lee-yon, Mee-yon, mee-yon! Eee-e-yoy, eee-e-yoy! Eee-e-yoy eee-e-yoy! Craig and I sometimes wonder what the noise level must have been like when the O'Connors were here with Flannery's flock of 40-50 peafowl. With that many birds running around the place surely she would know what to do to help us with this brooding dilemma.
- Mark

Barnyard Buzz

What a big surprise I had on Monday morning when I went out to feed the peafowl. One of the hens had laid an egg! Then yesterday, when Craig went out to the aviary, another egg was discovered on the ground. The hens seem clueless about what to do now and have largely ignored the eggs. Ironically, the male demonstrates more curiosity than they do. Since the eggs are sitting on the ground abandoned, they will have to be discarded. Hopefully, Mary Grace's and Joy-Hulga's maternal instincts will kick in soon. Not that we want to breed peafowl mind you - at least not yet. The aviary in its present dimensions can only accommodate the three birds we already have.

In other news, it seems that summer is fast approaching. The Chinaberry trees have lost their blooms as our daytime temperatures approach 90. It's warm enough that we've had to turn on the air conditioners in the house, yet it's still pleasant enough outside and the humidity remains comfortably low. All in all, a perfect time of year to visit this picturesque farm.

- Mark

GCSU Commencement

On Saturday morning, May 8th, the 2010 graduating class of Georgia College, accompanied by faculty in full academic regalia, will process across the front lawn of the school to receive their diplomas. Of course this is all dependent on the weather, which in recent years has been quite cooperative. When Flannery O'Connor graduated from the school in 1945 - then it was known as Georgia State College for Women - the commencement exercises were held indoors in Russell Auditorium. To get a feel of what graduation in Flannery's day might have been like, readers of this blog are encouraged to read one of her most underrated stories, "A Late Encounter with the Enemy." Georgia College is a beautiful campus and it's worth visiting the school simply to see it. However, of special interest to O'Connor fans, is the Flannery O'Connor Room, a permanent exhibit in the GCSU Museum. There one can see the author's desk and typewriter as well as a number of other artifacts (her christening gown, walnut bookcases, letters, etc.). Also at the college in the Special Collections of the Russell Library are O'Connor's manuscripts. Access to these is limited to scholars and others doing research on Georgia College's most famous alumna. For more information on Special Collections, call Josh Kitchens at 478-445-0982.

- Mark

Book Bonanza

In anticipation of the throng of visitors we normally get once school is out, we restocked the gift shop today with two of our most popular books - Brad Gooch's critically acclaimed biography, Flannery: A Life of Flannery O'Connor (now in paperback) and the venerable Library of America's collection of O'Connor's works. Both of these tomes are must haves for any serious O'Connor fan. Check out these and the many other titles we have in our gift shop, your one stop shop for all things O'Connor. Seriously, we have more books by and about O'Connor here than you're likely to find any other place. And, of course, we have the farm that inspired Flannery O'Connor. So why not come out to Andalusia and browse our gift shop. It couldn't be a better time to visit. April is so pretty in Georgia. As I write, the sky is bright blue, the birds are singing, and the day is warm and pleasant. If you can't come here in person, remember that all gift shop merchandise is available for purchase by calling 478-454-4029. We accept all major credit cards.

- Mark

When in Rome...

Yesterday we received an e-mail from a gentleman in Japan who is planning a trip to the United States for the sole purpose of visiting Andalusia. It always amazes us how far people come from to see the place where Flannery O'Connor penned virtually all of her fiction. She has a big following in Japan. In fact, the largest number of foreign subscribers to the Flannery O'Connor Review are Japanese. Though O'Connor never made it to Japan, her close friend, Maryat Lee, lived there for a short while in the 1950s. With her feigned country bumpkin voice when corresponding with Lee, O'Connor wrote on May 19, 1957: "Greetings from historic Milledgeville where the ladies and gents wash in separate tubs." Confessing a certain unwillingness to bathe in what she perceived to be communal tubs, O'Connor continued, "If I were in Japan, I would be pretty high by the time I left out of there as I wouldn't have washed durng the trip. My standard is: when in Rome, do as you done in Milledgeville." If you enjoyed this gem, check out the memorable selection of O'Connor letters in The Habit of Being, available for purchase in the Andalusia gift shop for $24.00.
- Mark

Young Visitors to Andalusia

On this beautiful spring morning we are expecting the arrival of a group of 113 first graders from Blandy Hills Elementary School. Children love visiting Andalusia. There is so much for them to see and experience here. When school groups come we tell the children a little bit about the place and why it is important. Many of the youngters, however, are more interested in hearing about the wildlife and exploring the barnyard than learning about the famous author who lived here. Nevertheless, we hope to create a memory for the children so that one day they might be inspired to read O'Connor's fiction. Welcoming children to Andalusia goes back a long way. Even when Flannery O'Connor was alive, teachers would sometimes bring their classes out here. Flannery and her mother would greet these young visitors and welcome them to the farm. Before the children left, "Miss Flannery" made sure each child received a peacock feather as a souvenir of his or her visit. Some of these folks have returned to Andalusia as adults and have shared with us their memories of Flannery O'Connor and what a gracious host she was. While we can't hand out feathers to each of our young visitors (we give them coloring sheets instead), we hope that everyone who visits the farm - young and old alike - will receive the same warm welcome.

- Mark

Puddles of Pollen

Until yesterday's rain, Andalusia was blanketed in a haze of pine pollen. Even the bright red roof of the main house was covered with the yellow powder. For those of us who have lived in middle Georgia for a while, the arrival of the pine pollen signals the beginning of long, mild spring days and, for some, sniffles and sneezes. Maybe it has something to do with the wet, cold winter we had, but most locals can't remember the pollen being this heavy. Fortunately, yesterday's rain cleaned the air, slaked parched gardens, and created puddles of yellow pollen on the ground. Today the lines at the local car washes will be pretty long as midstaters rinse the pollen off their vehicles that the rain didn't. After you get your car washed, why not consider decorating it with one of our brand new bumper stickers? These one of a kind items are only $4 each and are available for purchase in the Andalusia gift shop or by phone order.

Mark

Last Chance to Name the Peafowl

Just a reminder that there are only a few more days left in our contest to name the peafowl at Andalusia. We have three birds - two females and one male - whose names will be decided by vote. Please send us your ideas. Remember...the names must be characters out of O'Connor's stories. The names garnering the most votes win. The contest ends on Sunday. We will announce the winning entries next week.

It is a gorgeous day here in middle Georgia - sunny and warm - and the Easter week-end promises more of the same. Craig joins me in wishing you and those you love a happy Easter.

Mark

Happy Birthday, Flannery!

As readers of this blog may know, today would have been Flannery O'Connor's 85th birthday. To mark the occasion the mayor of Milledgeville, Richard Bentley, came out to Andalusia this morning to read a proclamation declaring March 25th Flannery O'Connor Day in Milledgeville. Also on hand were members of the Flannery O'Connor-Andalusia Board of Directors, dignitaries, and other selected guests. Following the mayoral proclamation, there was a small reception in the O'Connors' kitchen where guests enjoyed a special peacock birthday cake. If you're in the area, come on by and have a piece of cake with us to celebrate the birth of one of the truly great authors of all time. ...Mark

Strike Up the Band

Many visitors to Andalusia ask about the record player in Flannery O'Connor's room. We're asked, too, what kind of music Flannery liked. Though the writer often claimed to have a tin ear and had a terrible time learning how to play the piano when she was younger, she nevertheless had fairly sophisticated musical tastes. Her album collection includes recordings of Haydn, Beethoven, Schubert, and Stravinsky that were given to her by Thomas Stritch. Everything outside the classical repertoire, she claimed, sounded like the Beatles. Apparently her birds had similar tastes. Flannery claimed that when she was listening to music the peafowl outside her bedroom window would sometimes join the chorus. The phonograph was a gift to her from the sisters at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Free Cancer Home in Atlanta. According to a letter to Stritch (Habit of Being p. 562), someone had apparently given the nuns a new record player for Christmas and so they decided to send their old one to Flannery. O'Connor enjoyed a close relationship with the sisters at the cancer home. From the time she helped them get their book, A Memoir of Mary Ann, published they expressed their love and gratitude by occasionally sending Flannery gifts. Among these is an inscribed crucifix presently hanging on the wall above Flannery's bedside table.

Big doings at Andalusia next week. Next Thursday, on what would have been O'Connor's 85th birthday, the mayor of Milledgeville and other dignitaries will be on hand to proclaim March 25th "Flannery O'Connor Day." If you're in the area come on out and help us celebrate the birth of our favorite writer. We'll even have peacock birthday cake to mark the occasion!

Mark

The Twentieth Century's Blake

Many visitors to Andalusia are surprised to learn that in addition to raising exotic birds, Flannery O'Connor also enjoyed painting. During the time that the O'Connor's lived here, many of Flannery's paintings adorned the walls. We all know what a great literary talent Flannery O'Connor possessed, but she was also a gifted visual artist. Like a twentieth-century William Blake, O'Connor's creativity could not be contained by only one medium. The natural beauty of Andalusia ignited her artistic imagination. In a letter from fifty years ago to her friend Maryat Lee, O'Connor describes the frustration of being sick in bed and not being able to get up to do a painting of the gently falling snow outside her window. "Today it is snowing here & were I not confined to my bed taking two-toned pills I would be painting a snow scene. This would be appropriate as I have this large tube of white and snow is white. On this truth, I will leave you." (Habit of Being p. 378)

March in Georgia can be a mixed bag. While it may have been snowing on that Friday half a century ago, today it is warm enough to be in shirtsleeves. Rain is expected in the afternoon, however, so I must close and feed the peafowl before it pours.

Mark

Signs of Spring

Though nights are still chilly, signs of spring are appearing everywhere on the farm. The days are sunny, the daffodils are blooming, and many trees on the property are haloed with pink buds. Another sure sign of spring is the uptick in visitors to Andalusia. Last week more than 200 people came through the house and the calendar is quickly filling up with church groups, book clubs, and schools planning tours of the home of one of America's greatest writers. Spring is an especially pretty time of year at Andalusia and, with the 85th anniversary of Flannery O'Connor's birth coming up on March 25th, it would be a perfect time to visit the farm. Another inducement to get you out here is the appearance of acclaimed writer and naturalist, Jack Nesbit, who will offer a guided nature walk on Lower Tobler Creek Trail on Tuesday, March 30th, at 4:oo. This event is free and open to the public.

Mark

The Milk-Processing Shed -- Restored

The latest restoration completion at Andalusia is the milk-processing shed, located just in front of the cow barn. The shed dates back to the 1940s or earlier. During the 1950s when Regina Cline O'Connor operated Andalusia as a dairy farm, the actual processing or pasteurization of the milk was performed off site at the cooperative, located fifteen miles north of Andalusia, in Eatonton. The essential function of the milk-processing shed at Andalusia was to keep the milk cool until it could be transported to the cooperative. The shed was equipped with large, refrigerated tanks filled with water for cooling and storing the cans of milk. Hot water, supplied by the tank in a small, separate compartment, was used to sterilize the empty cans and milking equipment before they were placed on drying racks to be used again. The importance of making sure that milk was carefully processed before drinking it is clearly illustrated in O'Connor's story "The Enduring Chill."

The restoration of the milk-processing shed was completed in 2009 and was primarily funded by the Watson-Brown Junior Board of Milledgeville. Additional support for this project came from generous donations from Friends of Andalusia and donations given in memory of Robert W. Mann and Catherine Florencourt Firth.

Craig

What a Difference a Week Makes

It's hard to believe that the picture you see on the right was taken just six days ago. Today it's sunny and pleasantly mild (for a change!) out here on the farm. It's been dry for a while too, which makes it unnecessary to put on boots when going outside to tend to chores such as feeding the peafowl. Another welcome change! All the same, last week's snow turned Andalusia into a winter wonderland. Craig took this and several other photos when he came into work last Saturday morning. They were all so good, it was hard to select one for this blog. If you've never experienced the breathtaking beauty of Andalusia in person, perhaps this photo will inspire you to come out and visit us.

Mark

Battening Down the Hatches

With a major winter storm on the way and most of the schools in the area closed, we have been busy getting ready for whatever mother nature dishes up. This morning we gave the peafowl some extra feed and several fistfulls of cracked corn, one of their favorite treats. Craig also spread wheat straw in the coop to make the birds' shelter as snug as possible. One of the hens immediately began investigating her new digs (perhaps checking out a place to lay her eggs in the spring). In spite of the winter dreariness, all three birds appear happy and healthy. Though they are not taking food from our hands yet, as they did with Flannery, the peafowl are much more comfortable having us around and are used to our presence in the aviary. Flossie, the hinny, has been around here so long that nothing phases her. She simply retreats to the warm and secure confines of her barn. If we do get some snow, a rarity in middle Georgia, Craig and I have our digital cameras ready. A picture of the farm covered in white would make a lovely Christmas card this year.

Mark

Flannery's Super Bowl Pick

Though there is no evidence to suggest that Flannery O'Connor ever saw a game of football in her life, I suspect that this Sunday she would be sitting in front of her little black and white tv set (a gift from the sisters at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Free Cancer Home in Atlanta) to watch the contest between the Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints. Why would she be interested in this year's Super Bowl, you ask, and which team would she be pulling for? With apologies to our friends in the Hoosier State, there is little doubt that Flannery would be rooting for the Saints. Having visited New Orleans in 1962 where she gave a lecture at Loyola University (and met Walker Percy), Flannery had a great affection for the city. In a letter to John Hawkes she declared, "If I had to live in a city I think I would prefer New Orleans to any other - both Southern and Catholic and with indications that the Devil's existence is freely recognized." (Habit of Being, p. 500) This colorful city, populated by characters that could have walked off the pages of an O'Connor story, chose for the name of its football team the Saints. Flannery would have loved that.

Out here at Andalusia on Sunday we will be hosting the first of our 2010 February lectures. Don Rooney, curator of Urban History at the Atlanta History Center, will be discussing the operations and programs at the Margaret Mitchell House and Museum. The lecture begins at 3:00 and there will be refreshments served afterwards. Come join us. You'll get home in plenty of time to catch the Super Bowl.

Mark

Fifty Years Ago

I have spent some time this morning reading through O'Connor's letters in The Habit of Being from early 1960, when her second novel hit the shelves. The first review of The Violent Bear It Away that O'Connor reported seeing was in Library Journal, and it was not very favorable. O'Connor expressed suspicion to her good friend Elizabeth Hester (identified as "A" in the letters) that she expected to see more negative responses in the days ahead. Some commentaries were indeed less than flattering and illustrated a misunderstanding of the writer's intentions with the novel; however, O'Connor had managed to command notable respect since the publication of Wise Blood eight years earlier from reviewers at newspapers such as the New York Times, one of whom described her talent as a writer to be "almost overwhelming." More troubling to O'Connor than the reactions to the novel was an article published in Time magazine on February 29 where the reviewer included a couple of sentences about her struggles with lupus. She made it very clear to Maryat Lee and other friends that she did not want her medical condition to be a subject of public discussion, especially with regard to her work. While it is impossible to ignore the effects that living with lupus certainly had on Flannery O'Connor's life, attempting to interpret her fiction in light of the disease is as treacherous now as it was in 1960. I am satisfied to appreciate O'Connor's stories, recognizing that her unusual vision came not necessarily from her personal suffering, but from a greater understanding of the human condition.

Craig

Good Reading for a Foggy Friday

The rains have finally let up here at Andalusia, but the mud, dampness, and chill remain. Our hinny, Flossie, seeks refuge from the dreariness in her barn, while the peafowl retreat to their perches in the covered, back part of the aviary. How do we humans escape the gloom of a day such as this? With a good book and a cup of tea! If you are in the mood to curl up with a good read by the fireplace, let me call your attention to two books we have recently added to the Andalusia gift shop. Writers of the American South is a handsome volume by Hugh Howard that combines literary criticism, biography, and magnificent photography. It also contains some humorous anecdotes about the literary luminaries from Dixie. The other book, American Writers at Home by J.D. McClatchy, is a beautiful coffee table book that reveals through word and photograph how the physical space where an author lived influenced his or her writing. Of course, both of these books pay appropriate attention to our favorite author and the dairy farm in middle Georgia where she penned some of the greatest stories in American literature. Visit Andalusia and check out these two books. You can also buy them and any other items in our gift shop by telephone (478-454-4029). Your purchases support our efforts to preserve this major literary landmark.

Mark

A Winter Wonderland

Well not exactly today as Old Man Winter has temporarily relinquished his grip and we're enjoying almost springlike temperatures at Andalusia. Earlier in the week, however, while it was still quite chilly a good friend from Paris visited the farm and took this lovely picture of the pond covered with a thin sheet of ice. As he said when he returned from his wintry walk, Andalusia is "magical."

Mark

Brrrrr...

Is it ever cold here at Andalusia. So cold in fact that there is a thin layer of ice on the pond. In spite of the freezing weather, we are able to maintain a level of comfort in the house that O'Connor and her mother did not always enjoy. In a letter to Betty Hester from 1960, O'Connor talks about the inconveniences of farm life in the dead of winter: "During this last spell of weather, we had no water or lights and the peacocks came down from the tree in the morning with their tails frozen stiff and went limping about until the middle of the day looking very miserable." (Habit of Being - p. 379). When it got this cold, O'Connor's fingers would get so numb that typing became difficult. Nevertheless, she perservered in her craft and maintained a practice of writing at least two hours every morning.

Andalusia is breathtaking any time of the year, but in the winter it takes on an austere beauty that must be experienced. Put on your warm woolen mittens and come visit us!

Mark

Cheers!

As we turn the calendar to begin a new year and a new decade, we thank all of you for your support during 2009 and look forward to your continued patronage. 2010 marks a milestone in O'Connor literary history. It is the 50th anniversary of the publication of O'Connor's second novel, The Violent Bear it Away, the 55th of the short story collection, A Good Man is Hard to Find, and the 45th of the posthumous collection, Everything that Rises Must Converge. On top of that, Flannery herself would have turned 85 years old this year. To celebrate this landmark year, why not visit Andalusia this year to see the place where O'Connor penned virtually all her published fiction. You can get here by bus or buzzard.

We at Andalusia wish all of you a healthy and prosperous new year and raise a glass to toast the new decade as Flannery O'Connor surely would have. Cheers!

Mark

A Holiday Treat

If you're still trying to figure out what to serve your guests tomorrow, have we got a great idea for you...the famous salad dressing from the Sanford House, Flannery O'Connor's favorite restaurant. Though the establishment no longer exists, it left an indelible imprint on the culinary memories of many midstaters. The cookbook from which this recipe was taken is available for purchase in our gift shop for $19.95.

Sanford House Dressing

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. celery seed

1 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. dry mustard

1 tsp. fresh onion juice

1 cup Wesson oil

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup vinegar (tarragon preferred)

Mix dry ingredients. Add oil and vinegar alternately, beating well after each addition. Use an electric mixer. Do not rush. Add onion juice last.

According to the cookbook authors, this is a versatile item that can be used on congealed or fresh fruit salads, as well as tossed fresh vegetable salads. It is also an excellent sauce for cold lamb. Enjoy!

Last, but certainly not least, all of us here at Andalusia wish you and those you love a very merry Christmas.

Mark

Andalusia: A Bird Sanctuary

During and since the time Flannery O'Connor lived here, Andalusia has been a haven for birds of all kinds, both domesticated and wild. It is well known that O'Connor bred peafowl at the farm. However, she raised other birds as well - ducks, geese, swans, guinea hens, and quail. There is the tender scene recalled in a letter to Brainard Cheney where O'Connor describes sitting awkwardly at her typewriter, trying to write, while two orphaned baby quail lay chirping in a box beneath her feet. The author admitted that this was somewhat of an inconvenience as "it is interfering with my powers of communication." (The Correspondence of Flannery O'Connor and the Brainard Cheneys, ed. C Ralph Stephens - Jackson: University Press of Mississipi: 1986, p. 36)

O'Connor's birds survived her by a good many years. The last of her peafowl were still roaming the property in the late 1980s. They obviously found that the farm was a safe haven for birds. The same is true today. Dozens of species of birds continue to enjoy the friendly confines of Andalusia, and the farm attracts bird watchers from all over. This morning a flock of seven wild turkeys was spotted foraging peacefully on the front yard. Since hunting is strictly forbidden on the farm's 544 acres, birds and other wildlife enjoy the protection of a wildlife sanctuary.

Our peafowl continue to thrive in spite of the cold, rainy weather. Yesterday morning the male fanned his magnificent tail feathers to the amazement of on-lookers and the obvious delight of the two hens. It was a memorable moment. One can only imagine what this spectacle will be like next spring when he is in full plumage.

Mark

Cosmetic Work for the Main House

If you visit Andalusia in the coming weeks, there is a good chance that the main house will look somewhat disastrous. The last major work performed on the main house was ten years ago, before the Foundation acquired Andalusia. Thanks to generous gifts from individual donors and a fundraising campaign through the Flannery O'Connor Society, the main house is receiving some much-needed attention from local contractors. Specifically, portions of the exterior wood surfaces are being repaired or replaced as necessary and gutters are being repaired and additional downspouts installed. The whole exterior of the house will then be cleaned and repainted, including the front porch and the roof. Once the work is complete, we fully expect the main house to look better than ever. For more information about the work on the main house and how you can help with the fundraising campaign, check out the News & Events article on the Foundation's website. We would really appreciate your help.

Craig

Expanded Hours at Andalusia

Thanks to our new staff member, Mark Jurgensen, the Foundation will soon be able to expand the hours of operation at Andalusia. Beginning in January 2010, Andalusia will be open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. When it first opened for regular tours in 2004, Andalusia was only open on Tuesdays and Saturdays. There were approximately 2,500 visitors to the farm that year. The next year we began opening on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Saturdays and seven days a week by advanced appointment, primarily to accommodate group tours. Our visitation has increased every year, and the demand for more open days has become apparent. In 2009, our number of visitors will most likely top 3,700. This year Andalusia has welcomed 25 school classes, 23 college groups, and 17 organizational tour groups including civic clubs, book clubs, and churches. We look forward to welcoming even more visitors to Andalusia in 2010, and we hope that YOU will be among them.

Craig

And the Winner Is . . .

And the winner is...Flannery O'Connor. On Wednesday night the National Book Foundation announced that The Complete Stories, published in 1971, had been named Best of the National Book Award winners. Beating out such stiff competition as Faulkner, Welty, Ellison, and Cheever, O'Connor was the clear choice of the more than ten thousand readers that participated in the poll. To all those who voted for O'Connor, we say thank you. If you do not already own this splendid collection of short stories, we have copies for sale at the Andalusia gift shop. With Christmas just around the corner, wouldn't The Complete Stories make a great present for the reader on your gift list?

- Mark

Creative Writing at Andalusia

It is quite fortunate for all concerned that Andalusia is located in the town that is also the home of Georgia's public liberal arts university, Georgia College & State University (GCSU). It is also the institution, earlier called Georgia State College for Women, where Flannery O'Connor earned her undergraduate degree in June 1945. This university of 6,500 students offers several programs that provide wonderful opportunities for collaboration between Andalusia and GCSU. The most obvious of these is the Creative Writing Program, where graduate students are instructed in the craft of writing and are encouraged to publish in their respective genres. Professors who teach in that program routinely hold classes at Andalusia and bring visiting writers for tours. The students visit Andalusia to tour the house, to volunteer, to walk the nature trail, or to find a place simply to read and write. No one can deny that Andalusia is an ideal place to inspire writers. Students in the Environmental Sciences department use the property for algae sample studies and ecosystem monitoring. GCSU also offers an alternative to traditional middle school education through a program called Early College, which prepares students to complete high school, gives them an opportunity to earn up to 60 hours of college credit, and assists them in meeting requirements to earn the Georgia HOPE Scholarship. The Early College students take field trips to Andalusia and are given topic prompts to write creative papers, some of which will be posted on Andalusia's website. The Foundation partners with GCSU on a variety of programs including the February lecture series, The Big Read, the Southern Literary Trail, and more. Andalusia has the potential to expand this partnership with GCSU and other colleges, universities, and institutions as we seek to increase the appreciation and understanding of the life and work of Flannery O'Connor.

Craig

A Message From Our Newest Employee

As the recently hired Visitor Services Manager of the Flannery O'Connor-Andalusia Foundation I have been asked to write a short entry on this blog to introduce myself. To begin with let me say that it is indeed an honor and a privilege to work at Andalusia. While I cannot claim to be a long-time admirer of O'Connor - indeed I read her for the first time this spring - my discovery of her powerful fiction at the age of 52 consititutes the great literary find of my life. It is sometimes hard to believe that one of the giants of twentieth-century literature lived right here in middle Georgia and that I have the good fortune to be working at the place where she penned her novels and stories. How did this all happen?

On a bright day in early June, my wife, Judy, and I visited Andalusia for the first time. As we turned into the driveway off Highway 441 we left behind the strip malls, fast food restaurants, and chain motels cluttering the landscape and entered the cloistered serentity of another time. Crossing the peaceful fields and pasture land, the main house slowly came into view. I could almost picture Flannery standing on the front porch waiting to greet us. I will never forget walking through the front door and peering into Flannery's room. Athough I have been to the homes of a number of writers, never had I felt so close to an author as I did at that moment. Andalusia exerted almost a magnetic pull and it was very hard to leave, even after spending two hours at the farm. Not surprisingly, Judy and I returned the following week for another visit. I don't know what motivated me, but during that visit I asked Craig out of the blue if he could use any volunteers. To my delight, he said he could.

Little did I imagine when I started volunteering on July 6th that my work at Andalusia would turn into a job that is such a labor of love. It is a pleasure to work for Craig, and I want to thank him and the members of the Andalusia board for this opportunity. I look forward to sharing my enthusiasm for Flannery O'Connor with our visitors and to promoting an increased appreciation and understanding of her great literary achievements.

- Mark Jurgensen

Andalusia's Website Activity

If you are reading this blog you are probably already aware of the Foundation's website, which may have brought you here in the first place. You may be interested to know that our website is getting over a million hits a year, with the number of unique visitors (individual visits to the website) reaching over 32,000 over the last twelve months. A search on Google using either the term "Andalusia" or the name "Flannery O'Connor" consistently brings up the Foundation's website in the top five hits. The top five countries of origin for the website's visitors outside the U.S. this year make quite an intriguing list: Russian Federation, Canada, China, Romania, and Great Britain. In addition to biographical details on O'Connor and the history of Andalusia, the website offers information about the Foundation, the gift shop, related news, events, environmental education, and teaching resources. There are plenty of photographs too. If you haven't explored the website, please make a point to do so at www.andalusiafarm.org.

Craig

Latest Addition to O'Connor's Bedroom

Regina O'Connor left a good portion of the furniture and furnishings of her daughter's bedroom/study in place after Flannery O'Connor died in 1964. Mrs. O'Connor returned to the Cline family home in downtown Milledgeville to live the rest of her life, dying in 1995 at the age of 99. Visitors to Andalusia are informed that O'Connor's desk, chair, and typewriter on display in the room are not original because her mother donated those, along with a few other pieces from the house, to Georgia College back in the early 1970s. Some family members and friends received original artifacts as gifts from Mrs. O'Connor after her daughter's death, and some of those generous individuals have given these objects to the Foundation to be placed back in Flannery O'Connor's bedroom. The latest of these gifts is a bronze crucifix, engraved on one side as follows: "FLANNERY FROM THE SISTERS CHRISTMAS 1962" and on the other side: "PER IPSUM ET CUM IPSO ET IN IPSO" (translated: Through Him, and with Him, and in Him). We assume it was a gift from the sisters of Our Lady of Perpetual Care hospice center in Atlanta, for whom O'Connor wrote the introduction to A Memoir of Mary Ann (1961). We are very grateful for this valuable artifact, along with the others that have found their way back to Andalusia, thanks to the generosity of our Friends.

Craig

Vote for O'Connor for best NBA winner

No, Flannery O'Connor did not play professional basketball. In this case, NBA stands for National Book Award, and she did win one of those. The Complete Stories by O'Connor and edited by Robert Giroux won the NBA for fiction in 1972, the first time that particular award had been given to a deceased writer. Now, the National Book Foundation is sponsoring a contest on its website to decide who wrote the Best of the National Book Awards Fiction. The six finalists are O'Connor, Faulkner, Welty, Ellison, Cheever, and Pynchon. I am proud to report that, last time I checked, O'Connor had a substantial lead. Please visit the National Book Foundation's website and cast your vote for O'Connor.

http://www.nationalbook.org/nbafictionpoll.html


Craig

Student Workday at Andalusia

Andalusia is very fortunate to be located in a town with a university that stresses the importance of community involvement to its students. Today, Andalusia is seeing direct benefits from these fine young scholars. Professor Gregg Kaufman brought more than twenty students today from Georgia College & State University to do some landscaping work on the front lawn of the main house. They hauled soil, developed beds, and planted shrubs. Some of the students worked on the nature trail also. We have had the pleasure of working with student volunteers for over six years, and I believe the experience has been great for Andalusia and the students. Are you interested in volunteering at Andalusia? We'd be happy to have your help.

Craig

Recording Visits to Andalusia

Andalusia has been open to the public since 2003, and through the years, some of the guests have documented their visits on the web using personal websites, blogs, Facebook, photo galleries, and YouTube. It is obvious that coming to see the place where O'Connor wrote her stories has a profound impact on some of these individuals. Having so much of the original furniture and furnishings in the main house provides visitors with an authentic experience, perhaps making it seem as if Flannery O'Connor just left Andalusia for the last time. Some visitors ask us the inevitable question, "Do you ever sense O'Connor's spirit in the house?" Sometimes they aren't so direct and will ask if O'Connor died in the house. In fact, she did not. She died in the Baldwin County hospital in Milledgeville. I have never experienced any paranormal activity at Andalusia. I don't believe O'Connor, or any other former occupant, haunts the halls of Andalusia. However, the spirit of her personality and creativity are very much present at this place, and I believe it is that atmosphere that compells some of our visitors to document their pilgrimage in hopes of capturing and offering the experience to others.

Craig

Decatur Book Festival

If you happen to be in the Atlanta area this Saturday or Sunday over Labor Day weekend, don't miss the AJC Decatur Book Festival in downtown Decatur, Georgia (just east of Atlanta). Andalusia will be sharing a booth with the Flannery O'Connor Review. If you do make it to the festival, please visit us at booth #524 on East Ponce de Leon Avenue. We will be selling books, journals, posters, and other O'Connor-related souvenirs from the Andalusia gift shop and Special Collections at the GCSU Library. This is an incredible festival that features an impressive line-up of writers along with booksellers, rare-book dealers, entertainers, storytellers, and literary landmarks like Andalusia. Best of all, virtually every session and event is free and open to the public. Check out the website at www.decaturbookfestival.com for all the details. We hope to see you there!

Craig

Novel Destinations

If visiting literary landmarks like Andalusia is your idea of rounding out a great vacation, then you may be interested in a book called Novel Destinations: Literary Landmarks from Jane Austen's Bath to Ernest Hemingway's Key West. This 2008 publication from the National Geographic Society is now available in paperback (in our gift shop - $13.95). Shannon McKenna and Joni Rendon give summaries and highlights of the homes and haunts of famous writers at over 500 locations, with in depth reviews of ten locations in the U.S. and abroad. Andalusia hasn't made it to this book's top ten list just yet; however, Flannery O'Connor gets three pages featuring the Childhood Home in Savannah, the O'Connor Collection at Georgia College in Milledgeville, and Andalusia. The book also lists literary festivals, tours, libraries, lodging, and other related places to visit. The Denver Post hails Novel Destinations as "a dream come true for reading enthusiasts who also travel." It is a fine guide book and companion to larger, and more photographic works such as American Writers at Home by J. D. McClatchy and Erica Lennard and Writers of the American South by Hugh Howard and Roger Straus III, both of which feature Andalusia. Of course, for O'Connor enthusiasts, the best guide book available is Sarah Gordon's The Literary Guide to Flannery O'Connor's Georgia published by UGA Press in 2008.

Craig

New presence on Facebook

Andalusia now has a new "address" in the Facebook neighborhood. If you aren't familiar with Facebook, it is probably the fastest growing online community in the country. It provides its users with an easy way to post interests, photos, events, discussions, and other information, which they can share with a limited audience of "friends" or with anybody who logs on to the site. Facebook almost serves as a personal website generator for individuals, organizations, and businesses. We started out with a MySpace Page a few years back, then migrated to a Facebook profile last year. Due to restrictions of Facebook, Andalusia had to change from a "profile" to a "page." Please visit Andalusia on Facebook and consider becoming one of our fans. Here's the link:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/Milledgeville-GA/Andalusia-Home-of-Flannery-OConnor/155972759656?ref=nf

Craig

Tokens at Flannery O'Connor's grave

A good portion of O'Connor fans who visit Andalusia also take the time to see other sites in Milledgeville associated with the writer, including Georgia College, Sacred Heart Catholic Church, and Memory Hill Cemetery, where O'Connor is buried. As is the case with the graves of famous people all over the world, visitors often leave behind something on or around O'Connor's tombstone. The most common objects are coins, usually pennies. The motivations behind this gesture are varied, from demonstrating affection and respect for the deceased to paying for one's passage to the afterlife. There are even voodoo practices associated with leaving coins at grave sites! In addition to the traditional flowers, some visitors to O'Connor's grave leave behind other tokens such as peacock feathers, pebbles, stones, poems, small books, and figurines. I once found a small plastic gorilla figure at the foot of her tombstone (a big fan of Wise Blood, obviously). On a recent visit, a Frenchman named Jacques Colin took some photographs of the tombstone adorned with several tokens. He was amazed that, over the course of just three days, the collection of the items on the tombstone expanded and was rearranged several different times. We encourage all our visitors to see Memory Hill Cemetery and the grave site. O'Connor's deep convictions and her fixed gaze on the eternal make such a pilgrimage most appropriate.

Craig

Andalooshya

Because Flannery O'Connor has such a wide following, both here in the U.S. and around the world, we often welcome visitors to Andalusia who are venturing through the South for the first time. Some of these individuals are familiar with the region in southern Spain, the place the property was apparently named after by some of the nineteenth-century owners. In fact, a few years back we welcomed several professors to the farm who were teaching in that specific region. If our visitors are well acquainted with that Spanish community, they may assume that O'Connor and her family pronounced the farm's name as the Spanish would, Andalucia (sounds like AndalooSEEya). However, as well-established American Southerners by the twentieth century, the Clines and O'Connors spelled the name with an "s" instead of a "c" and pronounced it, AndaLOOshya. We still hear several different pronunciations of the name, from AndaLOOsa to AndaLOOseea. Frankly, it makes no difference to me how you pronounce the name as long as you make sure to come see it for yourself. I think you will agree, Andalusia es muy bonito!

How Many Acres Are There?

The 1947 entry in Sally Fitzgerald's chronology in the Library of America volume, Flannery O'Connor Collected Works, explains that upon his death, Dr. Bernard Cline left the Andalusia property to his sister, Regina Cline O'Connor (Flannery's mother), and another brother, Louis Cline. The text states that the Andalusia Farm included "500 acres of fields and 1,000 acres of woods." That particular description is not exactly accurate. Bernard Cline actually acquired two tracts of land equaling 550-acres in the early 1930s that were the core of a 1700-acre plantation in the 19th century. It is out of this original property that Dr. Cline and his immediate heirs carved a farm complex, hayfields, and livestock ponds. It was some time after this initial purchase that Dr. Cline began to acquire wooded sections north of the farm, totalling 1,000 acres in size, which remained undeveloped during his lifetime and were never part of the Andalusia Farm. This section was later divided and tracts were distributed to some of Dr. Cline's relatives. Developers eventually purchased some of these tracts and created the Northwoods subdivision, which includes O'Connor Drive and Regina Drive. Today, Andalusia is 544 acres in size (six acres were lost to the highway expansion several decades ago), and the Flannery O'Connor - Andalusia Foundation owns approximately 524 of those acres, including the main house, the outbuildings, pastures, hayfields, several ponds, and forests. In two separate transactions in 2003, the Foundation acquired this property from Mrs. O'Connor's Estate and from the private owners of the twenty-acre farm complex . The remaining twenty-acre tract is located just north of the farm complex and is held by the Executor of Mrs. O'Connor's Estate.

Craig

The King of the Birds Returns to Andalusia

Almost twenty years have passed since the screams of peafowl pierced the solitude of Andalusia. Thanks to the generosity of some close friends to the Foundation, the King of the Birds will soon return. A few peafowl (not the dozens that O'Connor once raised) will take up residence at the farm in August, settling into a very impressive aviary built by local contractor Billy Allen and his fine crew of craftsmen. And, just for the record, the term "peafowl" refers to the two species of the Pavo genus of pheasants. Only the males, with the very beautiful tail feathers, are called peacocks; the females are called peahens. In other words, technically there is no such thing as a female peacock. Building an aviary adequate to house such large birds is quite an undertaking and was not included in this year's budget. We could really use your help! If you would like to make a donation to help us "bring back the peafowl" to Andalusia, please give us a call at 478-454-4029. Thank you.

Craig

New Souvenirs in the Andalusia Gift Shop

Some of the visitors to Andalusia arrive prepared to spend a week's wages on the interesting assortment of merchandise in our gift shop. They walk away with a bag full of books, note cards, a Stan Strickland print, and a few other treasures. However, some of our visitors may not have so much money to spend, especially in this challenging economy, but they still want to take something home that will remind them of their experience at O'Connor's home. We have recently added yet another line of inexpensive souvenirs to fit just about any budget -- full-color Lucite refrigerator magnets! Now wait, before you groan, please understand that these are VERY attractive magnets with four different photo styles: the main house, the pond, a peacock, and a single peacock feather. They are reasonably priced at $4 each. Call and order your magnet(s) today at 478-454-4029.

Craig

New Bibliographic Work on O'Connor

Cambridge University Press has just published Volume 16 in the American Critical Archives Series, and the title is Flannery O'Connor: The Contemporary Reviews. The editors are R. Neil Scott from Middle Tennessee State University and Irwin H. Streigh from the Royal Military College of Canada. The title is a bit misleading, as the editors admit, because the reviews are not limited to those published only during O'Connor's lifetime. In their words, "Given the remarkable posthumous acclaim for O'Connor's art and thought, and the special honor accorded her in the seven years following her death in 1964, in selecting and editing reviews for this volume we have taken what we feel are legitimate liberties within the rubric of contemporary critical responses to American authors with which the series is concerned." And, it should be noted that O'Connor is in very good company in this series with writers such as Emerson, Thoreau, Hawthorne, Faulkner, Twain, T. S. Eliot, and Eudora Welty. This volume offers critical book reviews on O'Connor's published fiction and essays, including more than 400 reviews from more than 200 publications. With a total of 482 pages, including a strong introduction and a respectable index, this monograph will be a valuable addition to O'Connor scholarship.

Craig

Restoring the Milk-Processing Shed

A grant from the Milledgeville chapter of the Watson-Brown Junior Board made it possible for the Foundation to begin work last week on restoring the milk-processing shed at Andalusia. Funding for the project also came from gifts given in memory of Robert W. Mann (former Chair of the Board) and his sister-in-law, Catherine Florencourt Firth. The general contractor for the project is Allen Contruction Company of Milledgeville, the same firm that completed the restoration of the pump house in 2008. The milk-processing shed is located in front of the main cow barn a few hundred feet behind the main house. It is a one-story structure with two small interior rooms and is constructed of structural clay tile and covered with a wood-frame hipped roof and tin roofing. The north room is accessible by doors from the west and north and houses an existing pump along with cooling and storage equipment. The south room has a built-in "basin" constructed of concrete on the east wall. There is a small addition on the south side of the building with its own entrance, and this room houses an electric water heater. The old chimney above this addition is still in place, implying that the heat source at one time was wood or coal. As was the case with the restoration of the water tower and pump house, we hope to recreate the semblance of an operational farm for the purposes of education and historic preservation. Although these structures are no longer functional on the property, they are predominant pieces of the agricultural landscape at Andalusia and represent significant artifacts of twentieth-century farm life in central Georgia. They are also integral elements of the setting which provided inspiration for so many of Flannery O'Connor's stories. An interesting sidenote about the milk-processing shed: it was slightly modified during the summer of 1976 for the filming at Andalusia of O'Connor's short story, "The Displaced Person." Wood siding was placed over the tile of the shed to make it look like the tenant shack for the Polish immigrant family in the story. The siding was removed after filming was complete. The PBS production of "The Displaced Person" is now on DVD and available in the gift shop at Andalusia.

Craig

Wise Blood on DVD

The Criterion Collection has issued John Huston's Wise Blood on DVD, which was just released in May, 2009. The movie originally appeared in theaters in 1979 and stars Brad Dourif as Hazel Motes. This special edition DVD features interviews with Brad Dourif, writer Benedict Fitzgerald, and writer-producer Michael Fitzgerald. There is a 26-minute episode of the television program Creativity with Bill Moyers from 1982, featuring director John Huston discussing his life and work. But the real treasured addition to the DVD is a rare archival audio recording of Flannery O'Connor reading her short story, "A Good Man Is Hard to Find." This DVD is an absolute must-have for O'Connor fans and literary collectors. The cost of the DVD is $39.95. You can order your copy from the Andalusia gift shop at 478-454-4029.

Craig

The Habit of Being -- Happy 30th!

I am always interested when visitors to Andalusia tell me that they enjoy reading O'Connor's letters in The Habit of Being even more than her fiction. Perhaps she would be horrified to know that some readers find her personal correspondence even more entertaining and/or meaningful than her novels and short stories. I am reminded of a wonderful line from one of our volunteers, a close friend of both Flannery and Regina O'Connor, who said "Flannery couldn't write a dull sentence if she had to." I agree with that assessment completely. Controversial and politically incorrect as they are, and perhaps insensitive to a degree, O'Connor's letters are still a fascinating treasure-trove of theological insight, literary commentary, and laugh-out-loud humor. I think the letters also demonstrate how O'Connor assumed various personae for different correspondents, which is most evidential in the letters to her closest friends, such as "A" (Betty Hester), Maryat Lee, Cecil Dawkins, and the Fitzgeralds. Reading the letters following a visit to Andalusia is a great way to extend the experience of immersing oneself in the setting that inspired one of the greatest writers in American literature. I highly recommend The Habit of Being, especially for 2009, the thirtieth anniversary of its publication.

Craig

Annual appeal from the Foundation

Each year the Foundation sends out an appeal letter to donors or potential donors for support of our efforts at Andalusia to restore and preserve this treasured landmark. While we completely understand that charitable giving may be the last thing on the minds of so many who have felt the pain of the current recession, we hope that you will keep the Foundation on your list of recipients for tax-deductible gifts this year. As a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, we depend on donations for our day-to-day operations, including keeping Andalusia open for visitors all year long. Please visit our website at www.andalusiafarm.org and click on "Donations" to become a Friend of Andalusia. Thank you.

Craig

O'Connor in pop culture

By now the news has traveled around the globe that this year's season finale of the ABC series "Lost" included as a prop O'Connor's second short story collection, Everything That Rises Must Converge. Some folks may remember that the season finale of the TNT series "The Closer" a couple of years ago included a conversation about O'Connor's famous quote, "When in Rome, do as you done in Milledgeville." In fact, O'Connor's name or the title of her works is showing up more frequently in television, movies, theater, and music. Several household names in the entertainment industry have openly admitted their admiration of O'Connor's work, including Bruce Springsteen, Tommy Lee Jones, Conan O'Brien, Holly Hunter, the Cohen brothers, and John Waters. Folk musician Lucinda Williams chased peacocks as a child while visiting Andalusia with her father, the acclaimed poet Miller Williams. What I find truly striking is how prevalent O'Connor's themes are finding their way into pop culture. For those who flocked to the theaters to see the last Batman movie, "Dark Knight," just recall the compelling words the Joker offered to Batman and later to the detective in the interrogation room (the scene is available on YouTube). His message could have easily come out of the mouth of the Misfit in "A Good Man Is Hard to Find." After fifty years or more, it appears to me that Flannery O'Connor has found a generation of readers that is no longer repelled by the grotesque and violence -- instead, those are the elements that attract them the most. Perhaps, with a little guidance from criticism, commentary, and a few good teachers, that attraction will lead those readers more immediately to the deeper truths of O'Connor's work. These are exciting times to be an O'Connor fan.

Craig

Dateline: Rome, Italy

I am writing this entry on the third and final day of the O'Connor conference held at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome, Italy. As expected, the primary papers have focused on O'Connor's Catholicism or her theological vision; however, even within that framework, there has been considerable variety. The other papers have truly been all over the board, from the influence of Dante on O'Connor's craft to a comparison of the grotesque in her fiction and the television cartoon series, The Simpsons! I have attended O'Connor conferences in the U.S. that attracted several people from foreign countries, but nothing on this scale. It is amazing to see so many different ethnic and even religious groups represented in one place at one time, all interested in if not devoted to the work of Flannery O'Connor. I was honored to participate on a small level and appreciated the opportunity to provide information about the Foundation's work at Andalusia.

Craig

Another O'Connor website

The Foundation's website at www.andalusiafarm.org is primarily designed to inform visitors about our Foundation and its efforts to restore and preserve Andalusia. Of course, it includes some details of O'Connor's life, the history of the farm, information about visiting the property, teaching resources, and the news and events associated with Andalusia. Visitors can even make donations through the website using a credit card. There are other sites of interest such as the O'Connor Collection at the GCSU Museum in Milledgeville and O'Connor's Childhood Home in Savannah. There is another site devoted to all things O'Connor that gets an incredible amount of web traffic. The site is called "Comforts of Home" and bills itself as a Flannery O'Connor Repository, which you will find is an accurate description. Brian Collier, the site administrator, is quite diligent in keeping the site up-to-date with information about O'Connor along with bibliographies, essays, links to other sites, and O'Connor-related news. Make a point to visit this resourceful site at www.mediaspecialist.org.

Craig

Headed to Rome

I will be attending "Reason, Faith and Fiction: An International Flannery O'Connor Conference," hosted by the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, in Rome, Italy, April 20-22. This is the fourth conference of Poetics & Christianity, an international forum for studying the intersection of artistic culture and expressions of religious faith, with a special emphasis on narrative and dramatic arts. I am presenting a paper titled "A View from the Woods: Preserving the Fortune of Andalusia." The paper will illustrate the similarities between the circumstances in O’Connor’s short story, “A View of the Woods”, and the developments that were taking place in the Milledgeville, Georgia area where O’Connor was living when she wrote the story. O’Connor presents Mr. Fortune as an ambitious landowner, driven by pride and domination, whose hunger for progress and personal acclaim blinds him to the pure beauty of the natural world. He believes his vision of the future is shared and validated by his granddaughter, Mary Fortune Pitts. Mr. Fortune’s canvas of the future is painted with deception, revenge, and even violence. I hope to demonstrate how the story pairs reckless commercial progress with greed and avarice, contrasting the irresponsible destruction of natural resources to the stewardship of preserving the rural landscape. Using this theme as an analogy, I will chart the rapid commercial and residential development surrounding Andalusia. Finally, the paper will briefly outline the steps that the Flannery O’Connor – Andalusia Foundation is taking to preserve the 524 acres in its stewardship and what effects, both good and bad, the encroaching development has and will have on Andalusia.

Craig

The Southern Literary Trail is blazin'

The TRAILFEST09 programs in Milledgeville for the Southern Literary Trail hosted by the Foundation and the Flannery O'Connor Review were a tremendous success. We have received reports from locations in all three states of Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi of the terrific response to all the activities. The readings, lectures, and film screenings in Milledgeville attracted approximately 330 people. I would like to thank the Georgia Humanities Council and the Knight Fund for Milledgeville along with Arts Unlimited, the Office of Diversity & Multicultural Affairs, and the Creative Writing Program at Georgia College for their gracious sponsorship of these events. Bruce Gentry, editor of the Flannery O'Connor Review, was responsible for so much of the planning and coordination of the programs, for which I am extremely grateful. Lastly, I would like to thank the students, faculty, and community members who attended the programs and made TRAILFEST09 such a memorable occasion. Check out the details at www.southernliterarytrail.org

Craig

Thank you, Dave Perkins

Dave Perkins is a very talented musician, a record producer, an academic administrator, a good soul, and a friend of Andalusia. Over the last few decades, he has played and recorded with some of the biggest names in the music industry, including Ray Charles and Willie Nelson. He recently organized a benefit concert for Andalusia at a club called Mercy Lounge in Nashville. He assembled some of the most talented singers, songwriters, musicians, and actors you will find anywhere for a magical night of music and a round table discussion the next day at Vanderbilt University where Dave is the Director of the Religion in the Arts and Contemporary Culture Program at the Divinity School. The performers were Old Black Kettle, Minton Sparks, Mary Gauthier, Over the Rhine, and Denice Hicks. Because of Dave's dedication to our efforts at Andalusia and through the generosity of these incredible performers and all the folks who came out to hear them, this event raised over $1,400 for the Foundation. It was tremendously inspiring for me to be in a room of several hundred people who have read O'Connor and really get it. I will never forget those two days in Nashville and will be forever in your debt, Dave Perkins. Thank you.

Craig

Thanks to Karin Slaughter

Our Foundation hosted an evening with Karin Slaughter last Monday night at the Milledgeville public library. The weather was horrible with plenty of mist and fog, but we still had a respectable group of over twenty people, some of whom are really big fans of Slaughter's work. It was actually a very intimate setting in the Special Collections Room of the library, with folks sitting around the large conference table, with Karin at the head of the table. She read from one of her short stories, which was quite a departure from her suspense novels. She fielded questions after her reading and talked about growing up in the Atlanta area and how it affected her writing. She was absolutely charming, very approachable, and obviously quite relaxed. I am grateful to the library for providing the venue and to Waldenbooks in Milledgeville for having books on hand for the guests to purchase and have signed by the author. Most of all, I am very thankful to Karin for her willingness to donate her time in coming down from Atlanta for this special event and wish her all kinds of success with her upcoming books.

Craig

Andalusia on Facebook

Okay, so I know Flannery O'Connor would be appalled by all the ways our Foundation is promoting her life and work, especially through the Internet. But I can't think of a better way to get younger readers interested in O'Connor, her literature, and Andalusia than through the electronic sources that dictate communication among the younger generation. The Foundation has had a very effective website up and running for about six years, which is a standard information medium for all ages now. We developed a MySpace page a few years ago, but of course, that is SO 2005 (as my youngest son made clear to me). In an effort to stay relevant, we have now created a Facebook account, thanks to one of our fine Georgia College student volunteers, Ali Duckworth. Check out our profile, Andalusia-Flannery O'Connor, and let us know what you think. We will use the account to inform all our "Facebook Friends" of the Foundation's upcoming events and activities, just as we have been doing with the website, direct emails, our Friends newsletter, and this blog. More than anything else, we hope to see you here at Andalusia, but if you can't get here (or until you can), visit us virtually anytime!

Craig

Georgia Humanities Council Grant

I am overjoyed to report that the Foundation and the Flannery O'Connor Review at Georgia College, teaming with the Lillian Smith Center and other literary sites in Georgia, received a grant from the Georgia Humanities Council to offer a series of public programs in March 2009 as part of the Southern Literary Trail (see earlier blog entry). This grant will add to the funds already secured by the Foundation and the Review from the Knight Fund of Milledgeville, GCSU Arts Unlimited, and GCSU Office of Diversity and Multicutural Affairs for these Trailfest '09 events. Check out the News & Events Page of the Foundation's website (www.andalusiafarm.org) for the complete schedule of these and many other events offered through March 2009 in Milledgeville.

Craig

Karin Slaughter is coming to Milledgeville

Karin Slaughter is an internationally bestselling crime novelist with over eight books to her credit, including the Grant County series, and the new Atlanta series. The latest book in the new series is Fractured, published by Delacorte Press in 2008. Slaughter will be at the Mary Vinson Memorial (public) Library in downtown Milledgeville on Monday, January 26, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Her presentation will be followed by a signing reception in the library with books available for sale. Slaughter is a long-time resident of Atlanta, and the books in her new series are set in the city. Her titles have reached the top of bestseller lists in the U.S., the United Kingdom, Germany, and the Netherlands. I read Fractured a few months ago and could not help drawing the parallels with television programs such as CSI, Law & Order, and Criminal Minds. The main characters in this novel are GBI Special Agent Will Trent and Atlanta Police Department detective Faith Mitchell, who team up to solve the savage murder of a teenage girl in one of Atlanta's wealthiest communities. The story offers some interesting twists along with high tension and suspense with a kidnapping case thrown into the mix.

Craig

Lord willing and the creek don't rise . . .

The southern states got more than their fair share of rain this week (not that we're complaining since we are in the middle of a terrible multi-year drought). More than four inches fell in less than twenty-four hours, which turned Tobler Creek into a raging river and placed a good portion of the Lower Tobler Creek Trail under water. I am happy to report, however, that both of the new bridges held up marvelously, along with their approaches. We have to close down the trail temporarily when we get flooding rains, but these occurences are quite rare. If nothing else, the rains filled the pond back to full pool again, which will make the fish very happy.

Craig

Eagle Scouts at Andalusia

We are very fortunate at Andalusia to be the site for several Eagle Scout projects, primarily focusing on the nature trail. Local scouts have constructed foot bridges and installed picnic tables and benches. Other upcoming projects will include birdhouses on the trail, landscaping around the trail signs, and more picnic tables near the main house. Andalusia is an ideal location for volunteer projects, and in fact, so much of what we have accomplished at the farm would have been impossible without our dedicated corp of volunteers. Cheers to our volunteers!

Craig

A group of Altamont School students from Birmingham, Alabama, enjoyed a literary tour of Georgia during fall break in October. The tour was organized and conducted by Altamont teacher Juliet Hemingway. The students are devotees of Flannery O'Connor, so Andalusia Farm in Milledgeville was a primary destination. They also visited The Wren's Nest in Atlanta (home of Joel Chandler Harris) and the Childhood Home of O'Connor in Savannah. The students agreed to provide photos and their impressions for a page on the Southern Literary Trail website upon their return. They did a wonderful job!

The web page created by the Altamont students can be accessed at southernliterarytrail.org/paths_to_andalusia.html

These students obviously had a great trip, and our Trail's "sense of place" theme made an impact on them.

Special thanks goes to Juliet Hemingway and William Gantt for making this addition to the Southern Literary Trail website posible.

Craig