Wednesday, November 19, 2008
The Pace Publishing Company and the Wren’s Nest Publishing Company
Posted by: lain // Category: Baby Pictures, Birds of a feather, Historic Preservation, Marketing Tricks, Shameless Promotion, Storytelling, Wren's Nest Publishing Co. // 11:49 am
This morning I gave a talk at my high school about the Wren’s Nest Publishing Company.
I was a little nervous. I’ve never spoken in front of that big an audience before. Plus, they were way outside my usual target demographic (namely: Stately Dames, ages 72 - 86).
To make the Wren’s Nest a little more relevant to the students of Pace Academy, I brought out the big guns. My published works from the Pace Publishing Company, circa 1989, were included in the presentation.
I’ve included one of the better works below. Enjoy.
–
–
–
–
–
(The End)
If this does not inspire students to contribute to the Wren’s Nest Publishing Company, I do not know what will.
Comments: 1Life of Georgia Building Not So Lively, To Be Demolished
Posted by: Amelia // Category: Atlanta, Baby Pictures, Failed Attempts at Looking Reputable, Historic Preservation // 11:52 am
Today the AJC reports that yet another historic Atlanta building is in danger of being razed.
Let’s ignore, for a moment, the irony concerning the destruction of the “Life of Georgia” building. Really, Atlanta? Again? Can we just keep something? Please?
Jim Auchmutey (who is a very nice man) writes:
Emory Crawford Long Hospital plans to demolish the 78-year-old Life of Georgia building, at West Peachtree Street and Linden Avenue, to make way for a medical complex scheduled to open in 2013.
The Atlanta Preservation Center is already on the case, and you can sign their petition here, if you’re so inclined. And, by the way, you totally should be.
For one, the Life of Georgia building (also known as the Industrial Life and Health Insurance Co. building) is made of Indiana limestone. That stuff’s very pretty, in case you were wondering. Perhaps I am biased, having gone to a pretty college made of said pretty limestone.
For two, why do hospitals in Atlanta (or anywhere, really) have such spotty records when it comes to creating new facilities that so often detract from the environment around them?
I’m sure the insides are top o’ the line. But in terms of design, it’s like they’re trying to rend the urban fabric and kill any semblance of connectivity or pedestrian inclusion. Keeping this building would buck the trend, for sure.
So hey. We can do better than this. Preservation may be expensive now, but tearing down this building will be much more costly in the future.
h/t: Atlanta Intown’s In the Loop, from a while back
- Life of Georgia Photo Album on Flickr
- Life of Georgia Photos on Atlanta Time Machine
The Wren’s Nest Has Fans Who Can Almost Write
Posted by: Amelia // Category: Baby Pictures, Victorious!, 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: 4Baby Wrens Inside The Wren’s Nest!
Posted by: Amelia // Category: Baby Pictures, Birds of a feather // 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: 4More Fan Mail for Miss Nannie
Posted by: Amelia // Category: Baby Pictures, Victorious! // 12:42 pm
Children love Miss Nannie, and lucky for us, seem ready to display their affection through coloring.
We’ve recently gotten a new batch of fanmail for Miss Nannie, and it looks like the goal this time was to draw the Wren’s Nest. There were varying levels of success.
I mean, that’s clearly a house. And the border is totally in our colors. Save for the hovering M’s, this is spot on!
Judging from this picture, this student may have either enjoyed their time at the Nest or seen a ghost and lost the will to live/draw.
This one’s your pretty basic people-with-trees-living-in-them deal. Let’s cut to the chase: FROM ADONIS. Pressure!
There’s a lot going on here. Lain thinks it looks a person wearing a traditional African hat.
Maybe so. I think the hat looks like scribbled out initials. Perhaps it’s supposed to be embroidered.
Either way: why can’t this child come back?! S/he even wishes it. Be strong, little one.
I feel I can say, without bias, that this one is absolutely the best. Here’s why:
- Cursive. Duh.
- Two loves! That are color-accented! Beautiful!
- Look how much Callie loves Joel Chandler Ha. Ha!
Nice work, children! Nicer work, Nannie!
Comments: 3Critters at Lenox Square
Posted by: lain // Category: Baby Pictures // 9:33 am
As promised, here’s my mom and my aunt playing hooky to unveil the Brer Rabbit statue at Lenox–
Cool dresses. Where can I get one?
Left to right: Brer Fox, Linda Harris, Joel Chandler Harris Jr, Annette Harris, Brer Frog, Brer Bear.
Comments: 3Margaret Mitchell and the Wren’s Nest
Posted by: lain // Category: Baby Pictures, Birds of a feather, Celebrity Requests, Stuff I Find In the Attic // 7:10 pm
361 days ago, I was rummaging around in the attic and found some cool old books.
This evening I was clearing out old and inherited files on this here computer and found some pictures of the very same books. Well, one of them, anyway.
This is the Wren’s Nest’s copy.
If I understand correctly (and I probably don’t!), the author did not usually autograph copies of the book after the first run.
She may have made an exception for us, though perhaps someone from the Margaret Mitchell House could enlighten us.
Text: For the library of the Uncle Remus Memorial Association with the compliments of the author.
Margaret Mitchell
Atlanta, Ga.
August 26, 1936.
What I don’t have a picture of is the letter that has been inserted in the book. In it, Ms. Mitchell explains that her eyes are way too tired, and she can hardly see anything. She promised to sign the Wren’s Nest’s copy eventually, and looks like she made good on it.
Gone with the Wind was initially published in June of that same year. They really burned through those printings, huh?
Comments: 01984: A Good Year for the Wren’s Nest, Saddle Oxfords, and Baby Fat
Posted by: Amelia // Category: Atlanta, Baby Pictures, Historical Quagmires, Ladies Night, Trickery // 8:02 am
Last week, Lain and I attended Ed Negri and Bill Balzer’s presentation for Georgia Center for the Book, a quality organization that has nevertheless asked Lain to be a member of its advisory board. Go figure.
Mr. Balzer showed his documentary about Herren’s, the restaurant Mr. Negri owned and managed for over 40 years.
The restaurant had a profound influence on Atlanta history (See: Herren’s was the first restaurant to integrate in Atlanta in 1963. Yikes!). Negri even wrote a book about his experience, Herren’s: An Atlanta Landmark, which includes such fun details as the fact that he had no restaurant training and was in fact duped by his family into running the place.
Sounds like an Executive Director I know.
If you click on the link above you’ll see that we’ve covered Mr. Negri before, but I think it’s worth repeating–
In 1984, 21 years after integrating Atlanta’s restaurants, Ed Negri helped integrate Atlanta’s oldest house museum.
If you’re shocked that the Wren’s Nest wasn’t integrated until 1984, consider yourself in good company.
While Ed Negri may have been up to some rather well documented business in 1984, it’s not exactly like Lain and I were slacking off. We too were very busy. Exactly what were we up to?
Oh, right–looking chubby!
Believe you me, it takes real commitment to sport cheeks that fat.
And look at Lain go! Those cars weren’t going to roll themselves!
Fast forward to last week, 2007–Lain, Amelia, and Ed Negri finally meet. It had been a long day, and Mr. Negri said just about all he had to say, including that his cell phone was the one we had heard cock-a-doodle-doing during the documentary.
There was only one thing to do–hand him the inaugural “Protect the Nest” t-shirt. I think he earned it. Sensing the importance of the moment, Mr. Negri put it right on.
Comments: 11
Centennial Celebration
Posted by: lain // Category: Baby Pictures, Good Questions, Historical Quagmires, What Would JCH Do? // 1:18 pm
Next year, 2008, is the centennial of Joel Chandler Harris’ death.
(Harris’ grave is in Westview Cemetery, beautiful and not far from the Wren’s Nest)
Here’s my responsibility–come up with something awesome to do.
Ideally a commemoration would be meaningful, fun, profitable, visible, and chock-full of celebrities.
Take, for example, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference celebrating its 50th anniversary held this weekend in Atlanta.
(photo courtesy of M.K. Harris, AJC)
They’re unveiling a new building, celebrating Civil Rights stuff around town, and drawing big-time politicos and celebrities, like Bill Clinton and Barak Obama (on his birthday, no less). That’s big time.
Here’s what I’ve come up with so far for the Wren’s Nest in 2008–_________.
Yikes.
100 year anniversaries don’t come around that often! It seems like such a tall order! And it’s not like we’re lacking tall orders around these here parts.
Here’s what we did for the 90 year celebration–
(That’s me alright, being cool …like I am.)
A humble dedication at Joel Chandler Harris’ grave.
I’m no expert, but I think our 100 year celebration should be nestled somewhere between our 90 year dedication and the huge event the SCLC has going on this weekend.
Bright ideas are greatly appreciated.
Comments: 2