Started out simple, then got away from me...

 A quick trip to Asheville! I seldom take a photo of any of the architecture there, but this is the Basilica of St. Lawrence.

Not my photo shows the large dome, for which it's well known.

Inside you can see the dome made of ceramic bricks, one of the first and largest made in this manner. The architect was Rafael Gustaveno, who lived in Black Mountain while this church was being built. Honestly, I know very few Catholics in the area, but they have a Basilica here.

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But back to my trip to Asheville. I went to pick up a book I'd ordered at Malaprops Bookstore. A locally owned and rather popular bookstore! 

They have a little cafe also, but limited seating now. It used to have more little chairs and tables where you could sip a brew (coffee) while looking at a book your might or might not purchase! 

I picked up the book, and looked through the stacks, as did my friend who accompanied me. I found another book to purchase and then we went to the Pack Library where there's a used book room. She found two books there, and I almost purchased one. It was a big book of "All the stories of Uncle Remus." I thought, these have been pulled from all education purposes as being politically incorrect, but I do remember "Brer Rabbit" and others...all told from the voice of a slave. The book even had all the stories told in dialect. It would be historically worth having, but I passed. Just knowing it existed  was a pleasing memory.

I'd actually visited the birth-place of the author, where there was a museum in tiny Eatonton, Georgia. It must have showed up on a map in the 1980s. Incidentally I remember this visit because I was in Art School at the University of Florida taking a photography class, and took a lot of black and white photos of the site.  I wonder if the historical society even still keeps it up. So down the rabbit hole I went again at Duck Duck (alternative to Google)

Uncle Remus museum still grapples with race - a 2009 NBC broadcast. Story which updated my information...yes school groups still visit the home in Atlanta of the author, where a black story teller entertains them.

Author's home in Atlanta is also a museum.

Museum and log cabin where author was born.

Birthplace of the author, Joel Chandler Harris, (white), who told the slave stories to children. 

Note of trivia: Eatonton GA is also the birthplace of Alice Walker. 

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Today's quote:

The 1946 Disney film Song of the South is a frame story based on four Br'er Rabbit stories, "Br'er Rabbit Earns a Dollar a Minute", "The Laughing Place" and "The Tar Baby" plus its direct sequel "How Mr. Rabbit Was Too Sharp for Mr. Fox". The character of Br'er Rabbit was voiced by Johnny Lee in the film, and was portrayed as more of a "lovable trickster" than previous tales. Disney comics..." "...An Uncle Remus and His Tales of Br'er Rabbit newspaper strip ran from October 14, 1946, through December 31, 1972.

NOTE: I wonder how hard it would be to obtain a copy of  the movie, "The Song of the South" from Disney!

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Today's art:

Br'er Rabbit and the Tar-Baby, drawing by E. W. Kemble from "The Tar-Baby", by Joel Chandler Harris, 1904

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My family album for today:

Youngest son Tai, and myself in 2019, Monument Valley waiting for sunset in Utah! This area is close to the western Colorado state line as well as Arizona and New Mexico...yes, near Four Corners.

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My personal note, of little consequence to others:

I finally had the courage to block my 3 Republican cousins on my FaceBook site. They had finally begun publishing, and commenting to each other, some of their nonsense to support Trump and Musk. I could only take so much, and when they said those who don't understand how great they are must have a spiritual problem, that was it. We're talking about politics here, not our fundamental belief systems, and they obviously tune in to right-wing Christian nonsense. So I am trying to get used to not having them comment on my non-political blogs. It's a big change for me, so I think I'll go make more Blue Sky friends!