Today was simple. We had one goal and would not be denied. The target of our Oddasee lust is one of the most famous outsider art sites in the U.S. - The Ave Maria Grotto in Cullman, Alabama.
We left Starkville, MS and in what could not be called a straight line, we meandered our way to Rodney's first and Susan's second visit to Alabama. Along the way, our quest for good down home authentic food took us into Jasper. In what could only be a psychic move, we managed to bump into Danny's BBQ - at last a full on gluttony meat festival for Rodney..... Mmmm-mmm good! Susan had some great homemade soup while the carnivore waded into the realm of heart-clogging but wonderful ribs. The half slab was huge and literally fell off the bone directly into pig-boy's gullet. R practically needed a shower after the feast but he was a very happy oinker.
Then we continued to what really is one of the "Holy Grails" of outsider art lovers. We pulled into St. Bernard Abbey in Cullman. We gladly forked over our fourteen bucks and made our way into the stunningly beautifully landscaped hillside that holds the 125 small stone structures of Brother Joseph Zoetl. This creative craftsman constructed these renditions by looking at photos and drawings because he had only visited six of the structures in person. He began in 1912 at the age of 34 and continued on to his death in 1961. Keep in mind, he made all of these in his spare time. Amazing!
Let's just let the photos speak for themselves. Once again you are getting only a tiny taste of the proverbial iceberg. The buildings and environments were fantastic. The grounds were gorgeous and we dwelled among the trees for hours.
It truly was AWESOME! Our vocabulary just cannot describe what we saw and felt.
Love and Monk Envy,
Rodney and Susan
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