Pat exhibited his award winning needlework and also told what each needlework project meant to him.  Both he and his wife, Barbara Lynn, have enjoyed the years in which they have been involved with needlework and many of their finished projects have been entered in the Los Angeles County Fair.  They have both won ribbons and awards for their beautiful displays.

Pat started off his talk by saying “I needle her too much”.  Which of course, got a laugh from our club members and guests. Pat named his talk “Twist in Memories”.  He numbered his memory and needlework in the following manner:

1. “Memories of Arcadia”   Peacocks were the focal point.  Pat moved to Arcadia in 1979.  His father told him to visit the service clubs in the city, mainly Kiwanis, as his Dad belonged to that club and really wanted Pat to join also. Well, Pat came to the Arcadia Rotary Club (not invited) and came for six months without anyone saying anything.  The nominating committee asked Pat to accept an office for the following year and his reply was “I am not even a member yet”.  Well, Pat had been eating free for six months and of course became a member, accepted the offer of being on the board and eventually was Arcadia Rotary Club President 1991-92. So, picture #1 represented Rotary and his gift to weekly speakers, a clock “Take time for Rotary” and to this day, Pat says ” the clock has remained on time.”  His lovely wife, Barbara Lynn, was Club secretary which she remained, until 2011 when she retired.

2. “Last Supper”  Pat was raised a Catholic and his family resided in South Pasadena. His brothers are John and JIm and three of them went to parochial schools. At that time, the nuns were the teachers and they wore black regalia. Pat recalled that the nun was called Sister Alexander and wondered why the nuns had boy’s names. He had a good education and he recalled that January 11, 1949, there was a snowstorm and played hookie from school so that he could play in the snow. The worst of this story is that he upon return, threw and snowball which hit Mother Superior in the head.  During his 1st Holy Communion he bent over to pick up a book and the nun walked by and her skirt went over his head.  Confession for this sin as his head was under her dress was to take place on the following Saturday and he kept saying to himself “Don’t let me die before Saturday.”   When he went to Confession the priest said he did not commit sin since he did not see anything.

3. “Gentler Quieter Time”  South Pasadena in 1888 had quite a claim to fame. The Ostrich Farm rasied ostriches for their feathers. The rich people came out to Pasadena during the cold eastern winters.  Because of this influx of visitors the famous Raymond Hotel was built and sadly, later burned down.  Orange trees were easily raised throughout the San Gabriel Valley and enticed easterners to move here. In 1907 Benjamin Hayman arrived and built a Craftsman House. His trade was to build horse carriages.  He had an arbor over his driveway with pink flowers. He road his carriage back and forth to Los Angeles on dirt roads.  Pat’s family bought this home in 1948.  The hay loft was a highlight of this home and the three boys enjoyed playing there.  Later, the carriage house became the place for dances and parties for the Pat Barnes family.

4. “College”  Pat graduated from UCLA in 1961 and his son graduated in 1994.  Pat’s mother had gone to college and graduated in 1930. That school, in 1930, moved to Westwood and it became UCLA. The actual  newspaper that Pat brought to show,  reported that March 27, 1930 UCLA had moved to Westwood. Three generations of Pat’s family have graduated from UCLA.

5. “Most important”  Pat was a senior at UCLA when he met Barbara Lynn, a freshman.  Pat had become a food service person and also washed dishes every night at her sorority.  February, 1961, was their first date. It happened to be at a dance at his parents house in South Pasadena.  This house was very picturesque and many movie studios wanted to film there, but his dad always said “no”.  His parents lived in this house until 2002. Pat said that later he was watching Hallmark Hall of Fame on television and his home in South Pasadena was featured in this program.

5. “Christmas”   This is an exciting time for their family as Pat and Barbara have made needlework stockings for their children and grandchildren to be hung for Santa to fill on Christmas Eve.  It has become a true family evening with thoughts of what Santa may leave in their stockings, that is, once they are asleep.

6. “Charles Wysocki”   A painter of New England homes and a style of pastoral landscapes all his own. Charles Wysocki lived in Cedar Glen, just a stone’s throw from Pat’s family vacation home. Charles went to art school in Pasadena and had an art gallery in Lake Arrowhead.   Pat has needleworked some of Wysock’s paintings, as Pat says “it is much cheaper.”  A Wysocki painting can range in the area of $35,000.  Pat has Wysocki’s autograph on one of his needwork paintings. The fire of 2004 burned down the family vacation home of Pat’s.  The Wysocki residence was saved due to the water system that Charles had installed prior to his death two years earlier.

7. “Motorhome 1978”  The family motorhomed to the east coast and visited Monticello, (Thomas Jefferson’s Virginia home), Sturbridge Village and the light houses of Maine. The family also rv’d to the top of Washington.  Great family times in visiting our beautiful country.

8. “Trip to Ireland”  Pat’s heritage is, of course, Irish. His grandfather was named Patrick McGovern and was raised in Michigan. Pat and Barbara Lynn spent two weeks driving throughout the beauty of the ” land of green and leprechauns.

9. Barbara Lynn has had lots of ribbons for her Latchhook Rug needlework and she said she can be called a “hooker”.

She showed us her Latch Hook pictures of a Bald Eage, and Peacocks. She has a 1st Place picture that is absolutely beautiful. Also, she has a Latch Hook of their grandson.  She also showed us a latch hook of a Harvest Cornucopia.

All of these works are beautifully done by both Pat and Barbara Lynn.  It should be noted that both sides (front and back) are meticulously completed.

Currently the Barnes’ project is of the Civil War at Gettysburg.

Our club was treated to a program filled with memories of years past.  The time went so very quickly and it was time to leave our club luncheon.

Thank you Pat and Barbara Lynn for sharing with us your talent and precious memories.

Phyllis Corliss