Memories for a Lifetime

by Kathy Kelsey Foley, director

This isn’t the first time that my turn to write a blog post coincides with a family event of great importance. I love the serendipity and randomness that allow me – as well as other weekly Woodson Wanderings contributors – to write not only from a personal perspective, but also about my life outside the Woodson Art Museum.

When we launched Woodson Wanderings in September 2008, our goal was to create a “mixed voice” blog, one that would be both institutional and personal while revolving around our lives at the Museum. Over five and a half years, we haven’t missed a week and I believe we consistently have met – and exceeded – our goal. I hope readers agree.

My happy family news revolves around a BIG birthday celebration. My mom, whom we affectionately call “G” – marked her eighty-fifth birthday on Monday, February 3. To celebrate, my siblings, our spouses minus one, and most of our children, i.e., G’s beloved grandchildren, gathered in Miami Beach and made memories for a lifetime.

Admittedly, traveling to Miami Beach in late January when you live in north-central Wisconsin is not exactly a hardship. It was minus 19 degrees when we left and, alas, not a lot warmer when we returned. But a few days of warm sunshine, family, and lots of laughter sure do chase winter blues away.

G gatherings always involve excellent food and that was certainly true of the birthday celebration. A brunch at Yardbird, known for its southern cooking and hospitality – think fried chicken, biscuits, and waffles – brought the family together with G’s Miami Beach friends. A great time was had by all!

Poems have marked many of our family’s celebrations and for G’s milestone birthday, we outdid ourselves. From rhyming patterns based on “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas,” limericks, and couplets, every family member had heartfelt words for G. We laughed and we cried . . . tears of joy, to be sure.

No surprise, my visit with Mom wouldn’t be complete without a museum experience. I remained a few days after others returned home, so I had to check out the recently opened Pérez Art Museum Miami. Located in the new Museum Park in downtown Miami – PAMM will eventually be complemented by a science museum under construction – the dramatic building is the work of Herzog & deMeuron. Our time at PAMM included a tour of the galleries to gain a sense of the impressive spaces and a look at multiple exhibitions. Lunch was part of our plan and Verde served up delicious food and a spectacular view of Biscayne Bay.

Museum memories and family memories . . . what possibly could be better!