Friday, July 18, 2008
Brer Rabbit Molasses: Sweet Sassy Molassy!
Posted by: lain // Category: Brer Rabbit, Burritos and Other Fine Foods, Kirk // 11:11 am
Yesterday the staff of the Wren’s Nest received a bottle of Brer Rabbit Molasses in the mail.
Who knew characters in Joel Chandler Harris stories had such a corner on the pancake market?
Miss Nannie, one of our docents, got all excited when she saw our new acquisition. She explained that her family used molasses all the time when she was growing up in the red hills of Alabama.
Her family was too poor to afford butter, so they’d mix the molasses with bacon grease and spread it on biscuits.
Now the only sweetening Nannie needs is a few tablespoons of sugar per ounce of beer. Delicious.
But most importantly, thank you, Kirk, frequent blog commenter and member of the Wren’s Nest, for sending it over! We’re going to make Brer Rabbit Molasses Ginger Bread Cookies for the Family Reunion tomorrow.
Comments: 1The Wren’s Nest Has Fans Who Can Almost Write
Posted by: Amelia // Category: Victorious!, Baby Pictures, When Babies Ramble // 1:46 pm
Fan mail time!
As usual, we’re here to highlight the best and the bravest of our latest batch of fan mail. Or, more accurately, Nannie and Josie’s fan mail. No one appreciates the people behind the desks. Sigh.
Onwards!
I’ve been saying the Wren’s Nest is totally awesome for a while, but foxes with smiley faced tees really drive the point home.
Garrett played it cool for a while there, but then BAM! We like you too, Garrett.
I wish everyone would finish their letters to us this way. You’re welcome, friend, you’re so very very welcome.
This one is my favorite and, unfortunately, the hardest to read. Here’s what it says:
The STROYIS funny. Thank you. Baer Fox. Tar Baby. Brer Rabbit. Brer Baer. Brer Turtle. 100 Years. Uncle Remes. Mr. Harris. Josie. Dear Red nest. Nannie.
An abstract poem? Many short and important statements? A total disregard for punctuation? I don’t know! But I love it!
Comments: 3The Wren’s Nest Staff Screwed Up Big Time
Posted by: Amelia // Category: Whoops!, Very Serious Posts With No Funny Business // 9:21 am
The problem that bites us hardest here at the Nest is the fact that with such a small staff, we have no safety net. If Lain or I forget something, it is forgotten, period.
Unfortunately, this is exactly what happened Monday.
I was returning from a trip and Lain was doing what we like to call “running all over town” which meant that, unlike most days, we were not sitting in front of our computers all day. Plus, since it was a Monday (technically our day off, but Lain and I can usually be found in the office), neither of us were in a commitments-mindset.
Which is why we forgot about a tour that was set up months ago, and that we had agreed (happily) to bend our schedules for, considering the group.
Their reaction probably went a little something like this–
In short, this stinks. Growing pains are inevitable, but man, they are not fun at all.
Related in an embarrassing vein–
Comments: 31932 Coca-Cola Uncle Remus Cutout That Sparked Copyright Lawsuit
Posted by: lain // Category: Brer Rabbit, Uncle Remus, Marketing Tricks, Shameless Promotion, Ridiculous Demands, Failed Attempts at Looking Reputable // 9:33 am
Last week we discovered that Esther LaRose Harris, widow of Joel Chandler Harris, sued the Coca-Cola Company for copyright infringement in 1931.
Phil Mooney from Coca-Cola Conversations, a Coca-Cola history and archives blog, shed some light on the lawsuit and provided the advertisement in question.
(Download the full size .jpg.)
According to Phil,
In 1932, the Coca-Cola Company issued a children’s cutout based on the Uncle Remus stories. The Company had negotiated rights with the publisher, Appleton, to use the Arthur Frost illustrations on the advertising. Mrs. Harris sued for copyright infringement.
Ultimately, the courts ruled in favor of the Company. While Mrs. Harris had the rights to the stories, the illustrations belonged to the publisher.
Very cool. Thanks, Phil!
Comments: 1West End Fire Station #7 Set to Close Today
Posted by: lain // Category: Cruel Games, This is awkward, Ridiculous Demands, Whoops! // 8:58 am
As a result of a many million dollar budget shortfall and bickering between the mayor and city council, West End’s fire station #7 is set to close today …or later this week. That part isn’t terribly clear.
Folks around here are not happy.
(More pictures, along with the AJC article, here.)
You’d figure that with the city of Atlanta adding 20,000 citizens in the past year things like–oh I don’t know–fire stations would find their way in the budget. Ours is the longest-running fire station in the city, established in 1910. For continuity’s sake you figure they could’ve picked another station out of the hat.
#7 is easily the closest fire station to the Wren’s Nest. They served us just last month when they provided us a truck for Wren’s Nest Fest.
I think they actually hired that kid. Too bad he’s going to get laid off now.
There’s a protest planned for today at 11:30 am. I’d expect television cameras and reporters there, so if you ever wanted to be on tv, now’s your chance. You might could even help save our fire station, too.
If I’m not there it’s because I have a meeting until 12 and then another at 1. Hopefully I’ll be able to wriggle out of ‘em.
Comments: 3Huey Partners Design Wren’s Nest Advertisements
Posted by: lain // Category: Storytelling, Marketing Tricks, Joel Chandler Harris // 10:45 am
For longer than I’ve been alive Joel Chandler Harris has had terrible marketing.
Once one of the most popular authors in the country, his name is largely forgotten. And if it’s not forgotten, it’s derided. And if it’s not derided, well, only then is it revered.
It’s a different story now than, say, in 1908 when Harris’s obituary referred to him as “the most beloved man in America.” Surprisingly enough (to us), few disagreed.
The good news is we have a great story to tell. Huey Partners, the ad firm responsible for our logo and brochure, has developed some advertisements to help us get the word out.
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What do you think?
Comments: 6Midtown’s Crum and Forster Building: Demolition Update
Posted by: lain // Category: Historic Preservation, Atlanta, Really? // 9:07 am
Today’s Atlanta Journal-Constitution has an extensive roundup of the controversy surrounding the proposed demolition of the Crum and Forster building in Midtown Atlanta.
The bad news is that the demolition permit has not been revoked.
The good news is that the Georgia Tech Foundation, they of the demolition permit and the “interest” in “serving” the “community”, has actually taken a step toward exploring alternatives other than demolishing the Crum and Forster building.
The Foundation has enlisted Surber, Barber, Choate, and Hertlein, a prominent architecture firm with a solid record in historic preservation. I’m no architect, but I can attest that they’ve helped us out plenty here at the Wren’s Nest.
Hopefully the good folks at SBCH can convince the Georgia Tech Foundation that tearing down this building is a stupid idea. No doubt the Foundation mostly cares about the bottom line; the irony is that keeping this building will make their development much more valuable in the long run.
If you’re interested in signing the petition to save the Crum and Forster building, go here. If you’re looking to write a letter to the powers that be (probably the most effective route), go here.
Related:
- Community Urges Tech to Save Building (Maria Saporta @ the AJC)
- Crum and Forster: the Appearance of Progress (Terminal Station)
- Dear Atlanta, Please Don’t Tear Down Four Historic Buildings. Love, The Wren’s Nest
Baby Wrens Inside The Wren’s Nest!
Posted by: Amelia // Category: Birds of a feather, Baby Pictures // 5:24 pm
As documented last week and 120 years ago, wrens have made a nest in our mailbox. Well folks, their eggs somehow magically turned into babies.
There are about three very hungry baby birds in there, being small and opening their mouths.
Between my mysterious baby-bird-proximity-induced whispers and Lain’s overwhelming fear that the mama bird would disown the babies if we looked at them too long, we only got one quick snapshot.
Previously:
Comments: 3Atlanta Cyclorama Is Now Online
Posted by: lain // Category: Historic Preservation, Atlanta, Technological Advances // 8:54 am
Just 122 years after its completion, Atlanta’s Cyclorama now has its very own web site.
The Cyclorama is my favorite attraction in Atlanta. For those of you who haven’t been, it’s an enormous painting / diorama that depicts the Battle of Atlanta.
Now, I know it may not sound too exciting, but it’s like the biggest painting in the world, and it’s totally bizarre. The combination of history, kitsch, and awesomeness (the Old Testament kind) make it an absolute must-see. I think the web site does it justice, too.
I still think we should team up with the Cyclorama along with Oakland Cemetery, the Herndon Home, the Margaret Mitchell House and the King Center to create a “Civil War to Civil Rights” trail. Now we could even make outlandish statements like, “See website for details”!
Comments: 2Survey Says: The Wren’s Nest is Completely Awesome
Posted by: Amelia // Category: Good Questions, Big Money No Whammies, Nonprofit Management // 1:34 pm
Several months ago, in an effort to enact “legitimate” and “professional” nonprofit practices, we began asking our visitors to fill out a brief survey at the end of their tour.
Basic stuff to be sure, but we hoped that it would allow us to improve our visitors’ experiences and then totally benefit us when we’re asking for money. You know who loves assessment? Foundations, that’s who.
So a great idea, right?
Well, kinda.
Plenty of people have filled out our survey… and so far we have received zero negative comments. Not only has no one said anything negative, but NO ONE has chosen anything other than the most positive options.
For example, here are a few direct quotes in response to the question, “Is there any way we could have improved your visit to The Wren’s Nest?”:
- “It was delightful just as it was!”
- “It was perfect!”
- “Don’t change a thing!”
In fact, the closest thing we’ve received to a criticism is a request that we put in more lighting. You know, to a historically preserved home. Nothing like a few renovations to make the place more modern!
Anyhow, this puts us in an odd position. We have an assessment tool, but it is producing nothing but reasons to pat ourselves on the back.
All survey evidence to the contrary, we know we’re not perfect. But how can we know what to fix if everyone who visits is delighted?! Man, it is SO hard to be us.
Wren’s Nest Visitor Survey (.pdf)
Comments: 12