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