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Greetings from the Mediterranean!
I’m sorry I don’t have pictures to share yet, as we have a problem sending them via e-mail from the ship. We are able to send out messages on blackberries, and that’s how I’ve sent the information for this week’s newsletter, via my daughter Becky.
Everyone here is fine. Some arrived without luggage but are doing well, with a bonafide excuse to buy new clothes. We are very happy that the P. Buckley Moss Society members from the Atlanta area made it on board, although they missed the first day in Livorno.
At the hotel in Rome, the lobby seemed like a big meet-and-greet for Moss Society and Moss family, with my daughter Becky and her family, my daughter Ginny and her two children, my daughter Mary and her family, and my son Chris and his family. Ginny’s husband Corrado Gabellieri didn’t join us as he is very busy getting ready for our Open House and Barn Show at the P. Buckley Moss Museum the weekend of July 10-12. Yes, I will be back in time!
The Park features Gypsy Hill Park in Staunton, Va., and will be released during the July 10-12 Barn Show and Museum Open House in Waynesboro, Va. For more information, please contact the P. Buckley Moss Museum at 1-800-343-8643 or 1-540-949-6473.
In Rome, I was so excited to finally get to the Villa Borghese Museum, which was built as the Pope’s pleasure palace and houses beautiful sculptures by Bernini and paintings by Caravaggio, among other treasures. It is situated in the middle of a huge park that belonged to the Borgia family. We also went to see one of my favorite sites to date, the Castel Sant’Angelo. This place has the best view in Rome. It’s right on the river, and you can see the covered passageway that runs from the Castel to the Vatican. It was built for Emperor Hadrian and then was converted into a fortress where the Pope could retreat if the Vatican were attacked. We felt like we were walking along in the movie set for Angels and Demons but got a dose of real life when we ran into the catering crew at the Castel that was setting up for a real Roman wedding reception as we were leaving. All we could think of was how did all those old Italian women in spiked heels make it up to the top of the winding medieval staircase? Whew! They take their weddings seriously!
Our second day was spent in Monte Carlo, from which we went on an excursion to the Cities of Nice and Eze, which we jokingly called “nice” and “easy”! Eze dates back to before the Romans and is situated on the top of a mountain near Nice. It was beautiful, although quite a climb to the top. Nice was also beautiful, and we all walked across the pebble beach down to the water’s edge to dip our toes in the water. There is no sand in Nice.
The food has been excellent, and I’m having to work hard walking around the ship to keep the weight off. Today (Wednesday, July 1) we are at sea, enjoying sleeping late and hanging out with family on my balcony as we watch the Spanish or Catalan coastline go by. Tomorrow (Thursday, July 2) is Barcelona, where we hope to see the architecture of Gaudi and the Picasso Museum and, of course, sample the local food—tapas and wine.
Ciao for now!
Love,
Pat
Following up on last week’s newsletter, we would like to share a story about a little girl who participated in the P. Buckley Moss Foundation for Children’s Education’s annual Summer Art Enrichment Program for children aged four- to five-years-old. The program was held at the P. Buckley Moss Museum in Waynesboro, Virginia, June 15-26. The program included a tour of the Museum’s main floor, and Grace was so inspired by it that she wanted to bring her parents and give them the tour herself. She did a fantastic job and may very well be a Moss Museum docent one day.
Lesley (left) and Tom (right) Hardiman enjoyed a tour of the Museum’s main floor, given by their daughter Grace (center).
If you’re in the Waynesboro area, please take a little time to visit our friends at Barren Ridge Vineyards, which is located not far from the Moss Museum. Earlier this year, owners John and Shelby Higgs released a 2008 white wine called “Tinkling Spring”, named after the historic locale, which is also nearby. Pat has featured Tinkling Spring Church in several of her prints. The wine label features Pat’s image Winter’s Fellowship, and a portion of the proceeds from the sale of this wine will benefit the P. Buckley Moss Foundation for Children’s Education.
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74 Poplar Grove Lane
Mathews, VA 23109
(800) 430-1320
©P. Buckley Moss 2009