Dear Friends,

 

Happy New Year! What a wonderful holiday season I shared with my family. I was so fortunate to see a number of my grandkids this year. Now that everyone has grown and is starting careers, it has become more challenging to bring everyone together under one roof.

 

Christmas Day with five of my grandchildren. Do you recognize them? From L to R: Sarah, Picco, Kate, Sean, and Chiara.  My son-in-law Corrado prepared our Christmas feast.

 

I was happy to receive this picture of the New York branch of the family together for Christmas. Pictured here from L to R: my son Chris, granddaughters Kristina, Diana, and Amanda, and daughter-in-law Lisa.

 

My loving son John and his wife Maureen, worked throughout the holidays ensuring that others would have a good time.

 

Becky and Roberto, family and friends reunited in Italy and were treated to a fantastic dinner of truffles prepared by daughter Michi and her boyfriend Gennaro at his place, Villa Nobile, in Cortona. This charming 19th century villa was recently restored and offers a unique vacation opportunity in Tuscany. In addition to providing lodging and serving traditional cuisine of Tuscany, they also offer art classes as well as cooking classes. For information on Villa Nobile please visit:  https://www.villanobilecortona.it/

 

I even got to attend a VT Men’s basketball game with my “second shift” Christmas visitors, including 2 from Mathews. Pictured with me from L to R: John and Kim Clark, the Hokie Bird, Patty Moss, Mary Morgan from the Moss Foundation office, and Mary Donnelly.

 

My first show of the New Year will be February 8th and 9th at the Moss Gallery of Blacksburg. I am working on a number of paintings right now, one of which will be printed and released at this show.

For our new year, I’d like to share a quote from American writer Melody Beattie. She said, “Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”

 

Until next week,

 

Love,