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Dear Friends:
I was very sad to learn of the passing of John Siskind last week. John was the Vice President of the P. Buckley Moss Foundation for Children's Education's Board of Directors, and his contributions to the Board and to the world of education for learning different children will be greatly missed. My thoughts and prayers are with his family.
I want everyone I love to see the glorious Christmas tree at my Barn in Waynesboro, Virginia. My dear friends Mary Jo Hopkins and Dot Hiter have been decorating the Barn for me for so many years, and this is absolutely the most beautiful tree ever! A picture can’t even tell you how beautiful it is. It just thrilled and excited me when I saw it Thanksgiving. This year Mary Jo and Dot were helped by their brother Wilson Chiles and his wife Diane, along with Dot's husband Jimmy. So, come to this weekend’s Barn Show and Museum Open House and visit the tree. You have to also see how the fireplace was decorated by Dot. She is a master at decorating the fireplace! I’m incapable of doing any of this, and I’m ever so grateful for the talents and the joy that these friends bring into my life!
This picture doesn't even do the tree justice. It goes all the way to the vaulted ceiling of The Barn—two full stories! It took my breath away when I first saw it.Our family Thanksgiving was wonderful, and the only members missing were my daughter Becky and her family who live in Italy. So, in addition to me, there were my daughter Mary and her husband Kerry Donnelly and their three children Kate, Sarah, and Sean; my daughter Patty; my son John and his wife Maureen; my daughter Ginny and her husband Corrado Gabellieri and their two children Picco and Chiara; and my son Chris and his wife Lisa and their three children Kristina, Diana, and Amanda. Chris and his family traveled the longest distance, all the way from New York. I was also delighted that my children’s father Jack Moss and his wife Malone were able to be with us. I mustn’t forget the family dogs! They all came, too!
My son Chris and his family posed with me in front of our magnificent Christmas tree. Standing, L. to R.: Chris, me, and Lisa. Kneeling, L. to R.: Kristina, Amanda, and Diana.The day after Thanksgiving, Patty and I drove up to Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, for a show with 2nd Floor Gallery and Gallerie 13, which are owned by Jeff Van Boskirk and Tamara Gillis. We stayed at the Orris House Inn, which is a beautifully and historically restored Second Empire mansion built in 1887. It was originally the private home of wheelwright Adam Orris and is a registered National Historic Landmark. The owners Kevin and Barbara Shane Jackson are gracious and delightful hosts. Patty and I were so appreciative of the lovely music that greeted us when we walked in the front door, everything from Sinatra to classical music.
Treasures from 1979! These two, framed, little original watercolors were recently purchased at an estate sale, and their new owner came to the show to share her find with me.Both galleries are lovely and full of very exciting things, from fine art prints and originals to jewelry to pottery to hand-blown glass. What a temptation for me! When I found a spare minute to look around, I ended up buying a beautiful, hand-blown, yellow glass vase.
Just a few of the friends, old and new, who came to see me at Gallerie 13.
Members of the Lee family from the Harrisburg, PA area played such lovely music during Friday evening's reception.Friday evening there was a tree lighting ceremony in the park across from Gallerie 13. After officiating at the tree lighting ceremony, Mayor Jack Ritter came over to the gallery in his tuxedo and top hat. He is very fun loving and playful, and we had great laughs together. He even made me wear his hat!
I presented Mayor Jack Ritter with one of the limited edition prints of Pennsylvania Capitol Building; a Capitol of Uncommon Wealth on behalf of the Mechanicsburg Chamber of Commerce, and he let me wear his top hat. L. to R.: John Anthony, President of the Mechanicsburg Chamber of Commerce; Jack Ritter, Mayor of Mechanicsburg; me; and DarrellWestby, Secretary of the Mechanicsburg Chamber of Commerce.Gallery owners Jeff and Tamara sold raffle tickets for a “Breakfast with Pat,” which benefited the United Methodist Home for Children. The breakfast was held at the Orris House Inn, and it was so nice. The table was set with such elegance, and the food was divine. The people who won a place at the breakfast were such fun; and, though I had never met any of them before, I felt like we were all old friends by the time we finished. Everyone came over to the gallery for the show after breakfast, too, and it was a perfect day; cold but beautiful and sunny. The Lord kept the snow from our door once more…two more weeks, please! I need to catch a plane to St. Louis.
What an elegantly laid table!
Jeff Van Boskirk presented a check to Kathy Eppley (seated on my left), the development director for the United Methodist Home for Children. Proceeds from the sale of raffle tickets for the Breakfast with Pat amounted to $400.00, all of which was donated to the children's home. Incidentally, the Orris House was the very first location of the United Methodist Home for Children.Patty and I headed back to Mathews, Virginia, after the show ended Saturday afternoon, and we seemed to stay just ahead of the return Thanksgiving traffic. We made it home in five hours. An Andrew Lloyd Weber CD took us home again, and I also bought a book on tape to teach me how to speak more conversational Italian. That kept us entertained on the way home, too. It says a phrase in English and then twice in Italian, giving the listener time to repeat the Italian. I’m learning very important phrases like “Where is the coffee?” and “Where is the ladies’ room?”
The end of a very successful show! Just look at the empty spaces on the wall behind Jeff and me.I have a very busy couple of weeks ahead of me. This weekend I’ll be in Waynesboro, Virginia, for my Barn Show and Museum Open House. Tuesday, December 4, I’ll be in Kingsport, Tennessee, for a show with Up Against the Wall. Thursday, December 6, I fly to St. Louis, for a show with The Art Loft in Collinsville, Illinois, December 7-8.
The Caroling Season will be released at my Barn Show and Museum Open House November 30-December 2. For more information, contact the Museum at 540-949-6473 or 1-800-343-8643.I hope to see you soon!
Love,
Pat
The Moss
Portfolio
74 Poplar Grove Lane
Mathews, VA 23109
(800) 430-1320
©P. Buckley Moss 2005