OMGoodness! Despite the wonderfulness of this quilt, it has nothing on YOU! ♥ I never imagined we’d hear so many interesting, creative, touching, evocative stories, did you? Was that fun or WHAT??? So, we do have a winner. Only one, making me almost sad before I get excited and tell the name! I need more quilts!!!
But . . . let the trumpets blare . . . (click here, you just have to :-)) Because one of you is the lucky recipient, and she is . . .
Well, not so fast . . . let’s think about this for a moment 🙂 . . . before I announce the person who is soon going to receive this beautiful vintage quilt, I want to show you the tiny stitches some unknown creative woman made in this quilt. ♥ I really wish she knew what’s happening with it today, what inspiration she has provided! Wouldn’t she be surprised? ♥
I think all the wonderful writings you girls did these last two days have osmosised themselves into this quilt now: one thought, one pumpkiny, windy, leafy, butternut thought for every stitch. ♣ Whoever gets this quilt, she gets to wrap herself in a Blanket of Love from us to her! This is the true Girlfriends Giveaway. Not just from me, but from all of us. So, without further adieu, as they say in the movies, the winner is ( . . . I have butterflies in my stomach, I really do!)
Wait for it . . . we’re shaking up the RDM, our “random drawing machine!”
La, la, la . . . la-lee la-lee la-lee daaa . . .
OK, here it comes….
Isn’t this EXCITING???? I CAN’T WAIT!!!
Shall we hear the trumpets blare again? No? OK, then, here we go . . . (Ahhh, the deliciousness of this moment . . . when anything is possible, it should last forever!)
The random drawing machine has GOT a WINNER!!! AND THE NAME IS . . . .
C I N D Y T U N I N G ! ! !
And I don’t know where she’s from yet, because I have to email her and tell her, but I hope she comes back and takes a big bow under our comments below. We gonna wrap her up in love. ♥ We gonna send her to the moon!
Because all of this would be nothing without Y♥U!
I wish I had a quilt for everyone, so there’s a mini consolation prize (and it comes with a Song), which will warm you almost as much as the quilt because you get to make it yourself! Your house will smell like heaven and your friends and family will make you feel every bit of the winner that you are when you make this Zucchini Nut Bread, all hot and moist from the oven, laced with cinnamon, studded with walnuts, one loaf for you, and one for your best friend? Did someone say something about that in our 1500 replies yesterday???? I’m sure they did! We covered everything!!!
And when I started this blog three months ago, I thought I might be writing out into the wind, to the empty sky, with no one there to listen! Have I told you lately that I love you? ♥
I see you, skipping through your windy neighborhood, popping over to your moms, or dropping a loaf of this tea bread on your girlfriend’s front porch . . . Oh! Did you need a recipe? I can do that!
Direct from my private recipe-box stash . . .
Delicious with tea, with breakfast, lunch, and of course, dinner; with an old movie, and after your walk. And while the baby naps.
And here’s the rest of the story, where your kitchen starts to smell really good!
And when you pull this from the oven, remember me, a person with good handwriting and bad handwriting, but with a really good recipe for Zucchini Nut Bread, the luckiest girl because, besides this to-die-for recipe, she has a LOT of wonderful, poetic, expressive, heart-in-hand girlfriends, YOU. Loving to learn, everyday, more and more, we are not alone!!! Happy October! Baby take a bow. ♥
Enjoy your beautiful quilt, Cindy! I love that Susan has magically infused it with the essence of everything the “blog girlfriends” find beautiful about the season. I love the connection 🙂
Congrats to Cindy! It’s been so much fun to come along weith you Susan. I’m so glad you started blogging.
Congrats to the winners!
Your zucchini bread recipe is just like mine, I think. I will have to take a look at mine to see. I LOVE the recipe that I use, it is SO GOOD! Makes me want to bake some again really soon. Yummmmm
Awesome Congrats Cindy.
Again a wonderful post, I love the way you write . Yummy recipe ,to me a cup of tea goes with just about anything, Papa and I are tea grannies lol could be the British up bringing in us hehehe ! I even collect tea pots ! Have a wonderful eve.
Thank-you,thank-you,thank-you Susan!I honestly could not be happier if I had won the Lottery.THIS is my kind of lottery.I was so happy ..the neighbors heard me scream.For a minute I thought my husband had figured out a way to type in my name onto your Blog(he would do something like that).Then I realized…this is real!! What a perfect ending to the most perfect day.This will forever be my new favorite memory of Autumn.I can’t wait to curl up on the couch all cozy under this very special quilt watching “Miracle In The Rain” or “The Glenn Miller Story”,two of my favorites.Thank-you for all the notes from The Girlfriends.Bless you Susan.You are one in a million!!!
HOORAY, HERE YOU ARE! Everyone has been looking for the guest of honor! Now we’ve found you. Congratulations Cindy . . . as you can see, everyone is thrilled for you! I thought I heard a tiny little scream this morning, it must have been you! Everyone wants me to take another picture of the quilt, so I’ll do that when I get to the studio, and send it asap! Keep in touch. Congratulations again! ♥
Congrats to the winner! And thank you for the wonderful recipe! You knew just what we would need to feel good again! heehee! Hugs! ♥
Cindy, I am sooo happy for you! Love your neighbor, Michele
Enjoy your quilt Cindy! We are ALL winners because of this great blog and what Susan gives each of us.
Congratulations Cindy! You are one lucky girl.
I cant wait to make that recipe, it sounds yummy! Thank you for sharing it with us.
Congratulations, Cindy! Like everyone else has said, we are all winners because we have Susan Branch! Susan, you inspire us with the warmth and wonder of the domestic arts, the seasons, and just the joys of being a happy and content woman! Thank you for your art and your blog!
Thank you Debby! We’re a good group!
What fun I had reading all the comments….I enjoyed it so much I wasn’t even sad I didn’t win. Course fall is my favorite season and this just made it even better! Thanks Susan for the fun! 🙂
Congrats Cindy!
Cindy, what a wonderful surprise for you. We all know that when you wrap it around yourself, you will be wrapping us in it too.
Blessings
ps: And for you too, Susan, for sharing yourself and treasures with us.
Congratulations Cindy! Enjoy the times you use your quilt and think of all of us and the fun we had becoming involved in Susan’s blog, I so enjoyed it. Quilts tell stories about the people who made them…the homes they’ve lived in, the goings on in everyday life of the people who’ve owned them. Cuddle under your quilt and just dream of where your quilt might have been and what the woman the made it was like….maybe it was even made at a quilting bee…who knows! If so…think about all the stories being told as the quilt was spread out on the quilting frame and the women who worked on it sat around telling each other stories, shared recipes, supported each other in times of need. Yes, cuddle up and enjoy the story we all created behind the beautiful quilt. Think of the delight in the heart of the person who put the last stitch in it knowing they were finished. I wonder what either she or they would think to know how much that quilt was loved by so many women who don’t even know who made it…..yes….whoever she…or they are….they truly must be a kindered spirit! There’s no way they couldn’t be! So happy you won it “Girlfriend”! FOSB 4~Ever! ~ Doreen ~
I would have liked to write these words! Thank You Doreen!
Toutes mes félicitations Cindy
Congrats to Cindy — Susan, you blog is uplifting and inspiring. Keep it up for all of us gals out here in bloggy land.
xoxo Will do my best!
Congratulations Cindy! What a generous and thoughtful giveaway! Thanks for the recipe Susan. Can’t wait to give it a try.
Hugs,
Catherine
I have a question about the zucchini bread – about how many zucchinis does it take for 2 cups – small, med or lg – have never made before and didn’t know how many to buy. Thanks! (hope not too silly a question)
It really depends on their size, and they come in all sizes … About the equivalent size of two oranges probably.
I amazed myself by immediately taking action on your receipe as I knew I had two small zucchini in the fridge that needed to be used and I thought the wonderful aroma of baking would please my dear one when he came home. When making the receipe I thought I had gotten the amounts of soda and b.power wrong so went back to your site to check it but no it called for 2 t. soda…in my mind that seemed like a lot of soda but ladies the cake, I used a large oblong royal blue baking dish as I gave away all my loaf pans thinking I would not be baking as much but this drew out all the instincts of the kitchen where love is found in the food we serve to our dear ones, n’est ce-pas? Thanks! The taste is everything Susan told us it would be and it is a very light and tasty treat.
Congradulations to the winner of your quilt giveaway as a quilt is for the bedroom what a good receipe is to the kitchen.
With gratitude,
Sylvia Faye
So happy it turned out … I never baked it as a cake, but why the heck not?? xoxo
Warm fuzzies, that what this is……
I think I heard you scream when you found out you won, too, Cindy! We are all so excited and happy for you! I think that quilt brought us together even more than we were before – You’ll to have to call it the “Girlfriends Quilt” and think of all of us when you use it! And Susan thank you so much for the zucchini bread recipe, it looks scrumptious!–I love how you took the picture of the recipe card —it’s almost like we knocked on your door and said “Sue can I borrow that zucchini bread recipe?” and you hand it over to us – “Sure, hon, here you go!” See– we ARE all best friends. xxoo
By the time we’re done, we will truly, I think, know each other . . . isn’t that wonderful! How amazing!
I couldn’t agree more! It is so nice knowing that “we” are all out there. : – )
It’s great! We’re making friends from all over the world without even having to leave our livingrooms! Thanks to you Miss Sue! Cynthia and I were chatting on FB and said we should have a Susan Branch convention. It would be wonderful!!!!!! If we all had enough advance notice we could start saving our pennies now and getting our families ready for our departure for a weekend and just get together and have a ball. I told Cynthia, I thought having it in Disney World resort would be wonderful because we could use the theme. “Chasing Your Dreams” and Susan can speak on how she kept her spirit in high gear to accomplish all she has in her life so far. I think it would be a blast to be able to meet each other face to face. I bet it would be the “bestest” convention they’ll ever see at that resort! Love ya “Girlfriends” FOSB 4~Ever! ~ Doreen ~
How fun! One time I thought of having a girlfriends weekend, taking over an entire hotel, like maybe the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island (The hotel in Somewhere in Time) — I could just see us, a giant PJ party in front of the fireplace.
Why not….let’s plan it! What do ya say “Girlfriends” ? I think we could really have a blast. I loved the visual I got with us all in our jammies in front of the fireplace. If my log cabin was big enough I’d say let’s have it there but we need someplace “BIG” cause you knows we’s got a lots of “Girlfriends” !!!!!! LOL !
The Grand Hotel! I’ve never been there but I’ve seen pictures. What a great place for everyone to meet. Do you think there are enough rooms to accommodate everyone? Count me in!
It’s huge, it’s beautiful, it has history, I’ve never been there either, thought this would be a good reason to go!
Mackinac Island is a gorgeous place! No cars….only bikes and people walking and horses pulling wagons and buggies. Stepping back in time! And the Grand Hotel is a vision to behold up on the hill! Sounds like a perfectly WONDERFUL idea to me! Count me in!
OK I think that’s three of us so far! Already fun!
Three people a party makes!…..or a planning committee!? 🙂
Congratulations to Cindy, your lucky winner. But I do have to say that all of us who get to enjoy your words and pictures, your special thoughts, your recipes and all the other little pieces of your heart that you share with us each time. we are all winners! That’s what blogging is . . . sharing little pieces of your heart daily with those who stumble onto your page. It’s something I’ve been doing now for about 10 years in one form or another and God willing, will do for at least another 10 years. Thank you Susan for all that you share with us!
Congratulations to lucky Cindy! What a fun gathering that was – the themed conversation…it really felt like a virtual tea party or coffee klatch (as I read this blog in the early hours and it;s all about the java!)! Can’t wait to do it again!
Won’t be long — you should have seen me this morning Tamsen, just waking up, quiet time, thinking, how about this, no, how about this, oh, i know, how about THIS!!? Have a wonderful day up there in beautiful Vermont!
Tamsen, I’ll be up in your neck of the woods (as they say in New England) by the middle of next week. I am soooooooo looking forward to getting to our log cabin and enjoying the cool nights and the color and the woodfire smell…….oh…..you know…..everything that everyone talked about during our last blog conversation!!!!! I can’t wait to leave the window open to let the cool night air in (and of course I have to leave at least my foot sticking out from under the covers to feel it). Oh…..I’m getting excited just talking about it!!!!! FOSB 4~Ever! <3 ~ Doreen ~
Oh Doreen! The color should just be beautiful there! Have fun!!!!
Hurray for Cindy!!!
Congratulations, Cindy. You already have sweet plans for the quilt. I know you will enjoy using it and telling its story.
That quilt probably had a story before us, long lost now, but look at the one we all just gave it! Love that!
Congratulations to Cindy. Know you’ll love this stunning quilt. Congratulations to all of us who have the ability to invite Susan into our homes each day for a visit, tea, a tip, pure creativity. That’s the best prize.
Thanks for the zucchini bread recipe. Been thinking about making some, and yours sounds really yummy. Can’t wait for the aroma of the baking bread and cooler weather headed to us here in Florida.
I totally agree Patsy, Susan is our prize. She’s the big comfy quilt who wraps us with her love every day!
How could I not approve this message 🙂 so sweet Sharon and Patsy … makes me think, what i’m thinking, is working! xoxo
Susan
Thank you for all the love and friendship and caring you put into your blog . I love your site it is so encouraging and it makes my day. THANKS!!!!
You are so welcome, I’m just glad you like it!
CONGRATS CINDY!!!! Everytime you wrap yourself in your new quilt think of all the “Sisters” giving you a great big hug…..Susan, thank you for giving all of us a sense of belonging to your family, we all need to feel secure and that we are a part of your blogging family. The bread sounds delicious and I have some shredded zucchini in the freezer to make it and I will share a loaf with my dear friend across the street. I love this blog/website; it takes me back to my childhood and being around my Grandparents who had the same old fashioned feeling in their home.
Love it Deborah! xoxo
Thanks Deborah, love that…xo
Ohhhhh Cindy! you lucky girl- congratulations! so happy for you! And Susan thank you for the recipe. I will be going to the Farmer’s Market tomorrow to get me the perfect zucchini to make the perfect bread! tee hee Thanks again and how much fun this has been reading all the comments and knowing we all are enjoying the fall! Have a happy day!
Congratulations Cindy!!! That quilt will keep you warm on many a cool fall evenings!!! Thanks Susan for hosting!!! It was fun!!
Oh, that really was so much fun. I love reading everyone’s comments, and Susan, you make me feel like I’m a long-time, cherished friend!
Blessings!
xoxo
Congrats to Cindy; enjoy in good health and happiness always!
Oh man, that was so much fun! (I just love when you throw music in!) Congrats to Cindy! I would have screamed too! Susan, I can’t thank you enough for all you share with us! We all seem to feel the same way, everything you do seems to wrap us up in a warm cozy feeling, just like a quilt. No matter what life brings me, I know whenever I come here I will feel better, inspired and more creative. That is truly a gift you are blessed with. And I think we all created a little magic with our collective thoughts, because after all the heat and humidity here in the North East, we are finally getting cooler weather this weekend!! Yeah!! Thanks Girlfriends!!! Happy Fall!
That’s exactly it, Magic! Thank you!
Congratulations to Cindy . . . I know you will treasure your quilt!
To Susan . . thank you for the recipe . . I’ve just harvested what promises to be the last of the courgettes (zucchini) from my small vegetable plot and this could be the perfect end to the growing season! Hot tea, slices of thickly buttered zuchinni bread, sitting in the warm, Autumn sunshine, scrolling the pages of your blog . . Heaven on Earth . . .
p.s. you have inspired me to make the effort to return to my abandoned blog of photographs and prose from (usually) wild, wet, and windy west Wales . .
Good for you! xo
Congrats Cindy! I feel like we all won. I loved reading all the comments. Thank you Susan for such a beautiful blog!
Oh how I love quilts! They have so many memories.
My Mom is ill now and she’s wrapped up snuggly in one of her quilts. I know that this quilt will be her last, and I also know it will stay with me wherever I go.
So glad you have a blog, it lifts me up.
Sending love xoxo to you and your mom.
Thank you, Susan, for such a heartfelt kindness in the fall giveaway and the peace offering of such a great recipe. We are all winners, especiallly because you have created this ability to connect with like-minded souls. A big congratulations to Cindy , I am excited happy for you ! Fall Blessings Abound! Judy
Hurray for Cindy! We all won on this one. Susan, you are the best!
Can you smell it??? Inhale reeeeaaaallyy deep….it’s the fragrance of Susan Branch’s zucchini bread wafting across the U-nited States of America…from the mountains…to the valleys…to the oceans…white with foam! From New England, down to Tennessee and on over to California…it is magnificent! I think we are making this world a happier place, indeed:)
Does anyone need anymore zucchini?? I have enough to make 10 more loaves! This was one gigantic squash!!
We made the bread today for our “baking day”. When the little ladies came in from playing outside on this super nippy gorgeous fall day, the kitchen smelled divine. It was so good! They kept telling me how beautiful it was! I added about a 1/2 c. of pumpkin in with 1 1/2 c. of zucchini and used 3/4 c. applesauce and 1/4 c. coconut oil instead of the 1 c. vegetable oil. (Because this was what I had and nothing was stopping me today!) Oh, and only 1 c. of sugar. We are loving it!
Congratulations, Cindy!!
Susan, I can’t wait to try this recipe! Thanks for sharing!
Congrats to Cindy! And…why oh why oh why did I let my posts pile up??? I missed your giveaway, and I ALWAYS read and love your interesting posts. I was 12 posts behind!!! Oh no….and I LOVE QUILTS!!!!! I hope Cindy enjoys such a beautiful prize!
Next time!
bummer – But Congrats to Cindy – I know she will treasure that quilt forever. I love your blog Susan and check it every day. I feel like we visit as old friends visiting over a really big internet fence :)..
Love the big internet fence!
I am so happy for you Cindy… you are the lucky lady! Hoorah!
The wind is pickin up in nh tonite so I’ll just keep on transcribing this most excellent zoo -kye-nye bread recipe…oops…long work week….am I silly…..time for another cup of skullcap tea…and then a blissful rest for blissful me..hee hee..love your blog Susan…
You are magnificent!
Way to go, Cindy! Lucky girl, I’ll picture you cuddled up in the quilt this winter. As I said in my contest post, we are all winners because of Susan’s generosity and her sweet spirit attracts like minded girlfriends. It’s a treasure just getting to know all of you through this blog. Thanks again Susan!
Susan, a visit to your blog
is always like being wrapped
in a beautiful vintage quilt
while comforting aromas fill
the air and a fire dances in
the fireplace! Thanks for all
of the coziness and congrats
to the lucky winner!
xx Suzanne
Congratulations Cindy! but I’m a winner too as I’ve got a courgette (you call them Zuccinni or something) in the fridge and the evening to myself – hooray for Cindy, Susan and the Nut Bread!!
Congratulations Cindy!! What a beautiful gift you’ll have to treasure always!! So much inspiration wrapped within that quilt!! Hope it will warm you always!!
Congratulations, Cindy! I’m so happy for you…you will have to bring your quilt in to Quilter’s Choice and show it off; hopefully, I will be there to see it.
This could not have happened to a nicer person!
The Grand Hotel on Mackninac Island would be the perfect venue for a meet and greet! If anyone would like information, I could get it as I live in MI. It would be a glorious fall getaway – as long as the ferries keep running!
Congratulations to Cindy! What a beautiful quilt.
I just want to say I have Susan’s recipe box that I purchased a few years ago. It is full of wonderful recipes and now I am adding this one for Zucchini Bread.
I can’t post a photo of it here on this blog, but I will post it on FOSB. I hope it’s still available for anyone who wants one. Try Amazon.com if everything else fails.
Happy Fall Y’all!!
My dad is very funny, at least to me; he wrote this in an email to me tonight about the zucchini bread (I have no idea if this is true or not, but I suspect he made the whole thing up):
Didn`t have enough walnuts, sub`d with hazelnuts ;
Not enough Veg Oil, sub`d with olive oil ;
Only two Chicken eggs , sub`d/w two quail eggs ;
Found out that surplus grated Zucchini goes good, mixed in prepared cole slaw — and that that little left over stump end of the zucchini tastes really good with a touch of salt. . .
Bread pans are in the oven — if they taste ok I`m callin` these “Arizona Cowboy Campfire Grab-it and bake-it Zukini Nut Bread …..” and givin one to Joe & Jan ……smells good now ! Dad
Cute!