Dennis Dixon is heading West!: 2022 Fall Trip - Day 36/37

Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022 - Exploring Museums in Pennsylvania today (plus AN EXTRA):

My first stop is the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley, which is just 5 miles down the road:

I visited here in February 2015 because they have 2 pictures by Jasper Cropsey and 1 by John Kensett. Unfortunately, in 2015, I did not call ahead, and the only thing-I-like-on-display was a map from 1861. You'ld think I had "learned something", but when it comes to planning the homeward-bound part of these trips/adventures, I basically draw a straight line from wherever I cross The Mississippi River. So no, I didn't call ahead, and sure enough, the only thing-I-like-on-display was a map from 1861 by Jedediah Hotchkiss:

I know the rest of the day will work out better. I crossed into Maryland at 11:

and 15 minutes later I was at Washington County Museum of Fine Arts, Hagerstown, MD:

Thomas Moran - "Lower Manhattan from Communipaw, New Jersey", 1880 oil. This is one of his very-few "industrial pictures":

Jasper Cropsey - "Autumn Landscape with View of River", 1870 oil:

John Kensett -"A Mountain Pool", 1863 oil:

Frederic Church - "Scene on the Catskill Creek", 1847 oil:

And it is great seeing the quote, leaving The Museum:

I hit the Pennsylvania line at 11:45 (which is also the Mason-Dixon Line):

I reached Dickinson College/The Trout Gallery at 12:30

They had an exhibit of bronzes, with nice pieces by Henry Moore ("Reclining Nude", 1950) and Auguste Rodin ("Saint John the Baptist Preaching", c. 1878-1880):

But don't worry - that Museum wasn't the "tail-wagging-today's-dog" - I have TWO BIG DESTINATIONS COMING UP!!

So, after I got back to my car at 12:45 I looked at my schedule: my next museum is Phillips Museum of Art at Franklin & Marshall College, where I have a 3 PM to see their collection of Thomas Moran drawings/art. But Franklin & Marshall is only 1 hour down the road. An almost-empty UTZ Potato Chip bag was on the floor calling to me - I bet I could drive down to the UTZ Factory Tour in Hanover, PA, and still make my 3 PM appointment:

So let's hit the road through the Pennsylvania countryside:

I got to the door at 1:39

Unfortunately the woman said "Sorry, no refills."

WOW - WHAT A COOL PLACE:

I walked from one end of the balcony to the other. When I walked back, I waved to the people down below and they all smiled and waved back up at me!

Left there, and drove through some more Pennsylvania beauty:

I walked up to the Museum right at 3:

I had previously exchanged emails with Lindsay Marino, Director of the Phillips Museum of Art, and she agreed to meet me and show me the Morans:

They are beautiful:

It is wonderful to see the original drawings/art because I have the original published pieces:

After that, I drove 30 miles east to the Reading Public Museum in Reading, PA:

Much of the museum is in chaos (or non-existent):

Art that I like include Hermann Herzog - "El Capitan, Yosemite (Sentinel Rock)", 1876 oil:

Frederick Judd Waugh - "Maine Coast", c. 1910 oil:

Paul Jenkins - "Phenomena Up Jenkins", 1965 acrylic:

I reached East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania right before 7 PM, just as the sun was going down. 293 miles today - Good to get that day under my belt!

Thank You GOD for having everything work out so wonderfully!

Music for today:

Dan Gibson/Michael Maxwell - Emerald Forest ～ A Celtic Sanctuary, 2013:

nice acoustic music, BUT WITH BIRD CALLS - DELETE

Death Cab For Cutie - Thank You For Today, 2018:

Because I crossed over the Mason-Dixon Line - Mark Knopfler - Sailing To Philadelphia, 2000 second solo album:

James Taylor - October Road [Bonus Disc], 2002:

Included on the second disc of the "limited edition" two-disc version:

"Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight" – 4:43 won the Best Male Pop Vocal Performance at the 44th Grammy Awards in 2002.
"Benjamin" (J. Taylor, composed in 1976 or 1977 as a tribute/lullaby to his new-coming or -born son. First released by David Sanborn on Promise Me the Moon in December 1977) – 3:30
"Sailing to Philadelphia" (Mark Knopfler) – 5:28

Maeve - Mothers Of Grace Club, 2007: