The Gathering

I think that the adage, "build it and they will come" applies to this day (Saturday the 13th) and this place.

Peter (and I) built it (with a little help from friends), and Jessie, Amanda, and I just offered an invitation  to gather and remember Peter.  

You came.  The weather was perfect, and all day I felt more happy than sad because I knew Peter would be so thrilled with the crowds and the music and the conversations and the food (Thank you Lynden, Mary Ann, Ori, Geoff, and all the others who helped and brought food and played music).

We have 170 names of guests collected so far but I keep remembering faces and people I spoke with and then realizing that these names weren't in the guest book.  So, if you were here but didn't sign the guest register, please let me know!  Even if we spoke that day, please remind me that you were here.

Along with the guest book, we had a beautiful Memory Tree created by our dear friend Holli Crawford Patillo.  If you didn't get a chance to write a note, feel free to send one to the address given below, and I'll get it on the tree.  This might just serve as my Christmas Tree this year. 

My only regret was not being able to be in two places at once....both in the music barn, and out among the friends who were here.  Jessie, Amanda, and I are all so blessed to have you in our lives.

The music that I did hear was spectacular, and people kept coming up to me wide-eyed over the quality of what music was coming out of the barn.

Here are a few pictures from Saturday, December 13th:  

We plan to keep the music going through the Down Yonder Fund, started to honor and continue Peter's legacy of generosity and hospitality.  

Among the creative things that have happened out here are album recordings.  Hiss Golden Messenger's Lateness of Dancers is topping the charts.  They played on Letterman on 11/18 and just toured all over Europe (http://www.mergerecords.com/hiss-golden-messenger).  

Yep, that album was recorded right here along with Alice Gerrard's Follow The Music, which has been nominated for a grammy.

So far close to $5,000 has been donated to the Down Yonder Fund.  Peter had the opportunity to add his voice to this vision.  We have a draft of a mission statement going and it will be along the lines of:

Following the example of generosity and hospitality exhibited through the life of Peter Kramer, the Down Yonder Fund for the Arts will utilize space and resources of Down Yonder Farm to foster the development of artists of all genres through:

·         Retreats, recording sessions, classes, and performances

·         Opportunities for collaboration and

·         The sharing of art forms that bring joy and healing to people

The “Down Yonder Fund” (the official title) will enable us to keep three buildings here on the farm in use for artists – The Music Building with its “Green Room” that many of you have enjoyed in different ways, The Writer’s Cabin, where some great writers have completed their books already, and new to the list is a tiny one-person cabin for overnight stays.  In addition to providing these spaces for use, the Down Yonder Fund will enable the necessary upfitting of these spaces with adequate restroom/cooking facilities and automobile access and parking. 

We will be working on fuller descriptions of these dreams and a budget in the new year, and many of you will be involved in the visioning.  But we are accepting donations and appreciate the Shared Visions Foundation for hosting the fund for us.

We have an online giving mechanism in place that you will see to the right of this post.  You can further Peter’s Musical legacy by sending checks made out to “Shared Visions Foundation”  with “Down Yonder Fund for Peter Kramer” in the memo line.  The mailing address is Susan Gladin, P.O. Box 985, Hillsborough, NC   27278. 

I don't know how this blog will be used in the future except to give you updates on the upcoming memorial service (date to be determined after the holidays) and news about events here on the farm.  There is a newspaper article coming out about Peter, so watch for that soon.

Thank you all again,

Susan