“Traveling is all very well if you can get home at night. I 
would be willing to go around the world if I could be back in time to light the candles and set the table for dinner.” ♥ Gladys Taber.
What a week! We had a wonderful time in Connecticut, but it is so nice to be home! Here we are on board the ferry heading back to Martha’s Vineyard the slow way. We’ll be home in time to light the candles and set the table for dinner.
There’s the lighthouse and some of the little cottages along the shore . . . Good clues for knowing we’re almost home.
There are a few wooden schooners like this that live permanently in the Vineyard Haven harbor. So beautiful, love catching glimpses of them under sail. Wind, sea, seagulls crying, more lovely hints that we are drawing nearer.
When we see the church spires, we know we’re there . . .
And now, here I am bright sunny Monday morning . . . Waking up to the quiet, to the going-nowhere-today, to birds singing and morning sun slanting through the maple trees . . .to a cup of tea and . . .
To the kitties, here’s Jack posing, Girl took off the moment I pulled out the camera. I checked to see what Vanna was doing, and found her bed empty. She’s not even home. The nerve of some peoples’ children. There was a note “Be back soon.” OK.
Then I thought, “Good. I have it all to myself.” First thing I did was walk out to see what grew while we were gone. We had a good drenching rain storm, so the mock orange (left) and the pink Beauty Bush are cascading over each other and smelling like exotic perfume.
Pink perfection “Linda Porter” (named for Cole Porter’s wife, he wrote the song you’re listening to) is blooming.
I picked strawberries for breakfast . . .
And washed one
Y U M !
I got the laundry going and started hanging it on the line. I really wanted to come in and update the Blog, and pick the winners, but would you look at this day! So, you may have noticed, I’m late.
I suppose one of these days we will have to cut the beauty bush back, we can barely get through it to get to the back garden, but probably we won’t be doing it today.
Hello to the Goldfinches . . .
So here’s what we’ve been up to since we last talked . . . We’ve been away ~ I was asked to speak and sign A FINE ROMANCE at the annual meeting of the Friends of Gladys Taber, in Danbury Connecticut. If you don’t know who Gladys Taber is, you can read more about her HERE. But she is an author that I have loved since I discovered her many years ago. So I was honored and thrilled when they invited me to tell the story of how I found one of my heroes ~ it’s just another odd and wonderful way to find out how connected we all are, even when it is least expected!
The day before I was to give the talk, Joe and I were invited to see Stillmeadow Farm, and the 1690 farmhouse in Southbury, CT that Gladys Taber called home ~ many of her books are centered on this house. Here I am arriving at Stillmeadow for the first time in my life. I am verklempt.
Because what does anyone do when they see a fabled place for the first time? They cry, tears pop out horizontally. I thought I was strong, but the moment I got out of the car, I was mincemeat. Gladys’ granddaughter Anne had come out that door to greet me and what did she find? Mincemeat. The moment I saw the house, my imagination jumped to the picture of Gladys and her best friend Eleanor seeing this adorable little place for the first time, and saying, “I’ll take it!”
The house is not a museum, it’s still family owned, and I don’t think anything has been changed or moved since Gladys lived here. For about two hours, Joe and I had the privilege of wandering around Stillmeadow taking pictures, visiting with Anne, hearing her stories, drinking her tea, eating her cake. In addition to writing books, Gladys raised thoroughbred cocker spaniels and this iron bootscraper on the windowsill is one of the little reminders you notice here and there around the house.
Gladys was born in 1899, she lived through two world wars and the great depression, and died on Cape Cod in 1980, but despite the turmoil in the world, she managed to carve out a “safe space” for herself, where peace and contentment reigned supreme ~ she stayed happy and grateful her whole life. She wrote fifty-nine books (all out of print now, but still available in used bookstores and flea markets if you are lucky ~ collecting them is part of the fun), about one a year for her whole writing career beginning around 1925. She also wrote homemaking columns such as her “Butternut Wisdom” for women’s magazines. She was a hard worker and very prolific, very wise and very funny.
Here I am standing in front of the famous fireplace where Gladys would simmer baked beans and other wonderful things during the wild snowstorms she described in her books. I was wishing it would start snowing. Snow us right in so we would have to spend the night! “Oh darn,” I would say!
See Gladys granddaughter, Anne, in the mirror? She is telling Joe how she’s working to upgrade and protect Stillmeadow and the surrounding countryside, and these days that’s not as easy as it sounds.
Speaking of sounds . . . Mas MUSICA? Something for Gladys.
There is a wonderful movie called “Christmas in Connecticut.” Have you seen it? Because if you haven’t, you have something to look forward to! Write it down and save it for this Christmas. You will love it! One of the most adorable movies ever, starring Barbara Stanwyck and lots of other wonderful actors. Supposedly this movie was loosely based on the Gladys Taber Ladies Home Journal Column called “The Diary of Domesticity,” started in 1945. As you can see from my photos, Gladys’ living room didn’t quite look like the one in the movie version ~ she lived the life she wrote about; simple, humble, and very real.
Here we are in her tiny kitchen where “the cheese melts, the butter sizzles and the cream sauce bubbles.”
You can see, as my sister would say, this is a one-butt kitchen.
Not like the kitchen in the movie . . .
There’s an old spinning wheel and the house is filled with old books. Stillmeadow is not open to the public. There is no support money arriving from anywhere. It is just as Gladys left it, not really so long ago.
We readers of Gladys Taber all know how much she loved milk glass, and here it is, in the corner cupboard, just as she described it.
Here are the stairs to the second floor, straight up, almost like a ladder, with a rope to hold onto.
Here are the stairs in the movie. I like them both.
Upstairs, three tiny bedrooms, still in use.
With quiet views of a quiet place. The same view people saw here three hundred years ago, when Stillmeadow was new.
I love all these old headboards and footboards, look how beautiful the wood is. Anne spent part of her childhood here.
This is Gladys’ bedroom . . . The daybed (on the right) is where her desk and typewriter were.
“I suppose I am a sparrow, a stay-at-home-bird.” ♥ Gladys Taber
Her desk was in front of the window on the left. The books are just as she left them.
I told Anne that the house reminded me of Beatrix Potter’s house, it was like an English house, and she said, “Well, it was an English house!” Yes, oh my, she’s right, because in 1690, when this house was born, this was Southbury, England!
Then Joe and I went outside to wander around ~ Anne and her husband David are doing lots of work on the house, working to put it into better shape, the way it was when her grandmother lived here.
These old houses are so “natural” they could be compost within a very short time!
This is a famous spot in Gladys’ books called the “Quiet Garden.” Over the years, the trees grew thick over it and growing things were shaded out, most of the garden has disappeared, but do you see the new posts? Anne and David did those just recently. They are bringing it back. The reason it’s called “Quiet” is because it was fenced in with a gate; it was one of the few places on the forty acres that the dogs were not allowed.
This is Gladys in her glory, and we can judge her heart to be the best.
Thyme used to grow between the stones, roses tumbled over the picket fence, and will do again someday; they are planning to thin the trees that grow around the Quiet Garden. Once the sun shines on it again, it will be fun to see just what comes back on its own!
Here’s the old well. This was the topic of conversation for Joe and I (our Morning Science episode) for our walk through the woods today. How was it, we asked ourselves, on a drizzly, icy, snowy afternoon, to pull up a bucket of chilled water from the 
well (because you had no running water in your house so this is what you had to do), fill a pail, carry it inside, then go out (brrrrr!) and get another, and another until you had enough, and then heat it over a fire, and start filling a tub for your bath. Then go bake the bread for dinner. And make a quilt. We are baby food compared to our ancestors. But they had something over us. They had quiet. Pure, clean, sparkling like stars (and lots of them), deep-breath quiet. Maybe a jingle of reins, maybe a clip-clop of the horses. Church bells. But that was it. No dishwasher noise, no TV, no radio, no cars, no beeping things or phone answering machines, no snow blowers or leaf blowers or lawn mowers or hair dryers, and no, “you’ve got mail.”
Deep breath . . . Mountain laurel runs rampant around Stillmeadow and the Connecticut countryside in general.
This is the new fence that David and Anne have been building.
This is the unpaved street in front of Stillmeadow. Much effort to conserve this area has been inspired by Gladys and taken up by many others who live nearby. In your heart, you look at it and you say, please never change.
Because it’s lovely to take a walk up this quiet road, see the beautiful old houses and red barns and smell the green things growing.
And listen to the water fall . . .
So now it’s time to go. There are almost 200 people coming for the Reunion . . . and thanks to Anne, they will all have a chance to tour Stillmeadow. A rare occurrence, so there’s lots of excitement in the air.
We get ourselves together, put our cameras away, and off we go . . . I have to practice my speech! Two Hundred People, Yikes! I was not born to get up in front of two hundred people. I will do it, for the cause, but I am wicked scared.
The big day has arrived. Here I am with Susan Turnley, the hard-working editor of the wonderful Gladys Taber Newsletter. 
(Saving the memory and legacy of Gladys Taber is not a money-making enterprise, no one is paid, everyone does what they do with the fervent wish that Gladys Taber books and wisdom will be around to help in any small way to guide the future. If you’d like to help, you can sign up HERE and receive your very own copies of the best Newsletter I’ve ever seen. Thank you Linda, Carol, Nancy, Vernon, Louella, Paul, and Teresa!) Susan is introducing me, and giving me a gift, which turns out to be this adorable little children’s book about lambs!
The perfect thing for me, because I am crazy about lambs!
Published in 1931 ~ Just my cup of tea.
“It’s not that I belong to the past, but the past belongs to me.” ♥ Mary Antin
So now it was time to face the MUSICA . . . these people made it easy . . .
I thought about putting some of my talk here, but the way I discovered Gladys Taber will be in my new book ~ my talk wasn’t short ~ I’ve already kept you waaaaay too long, and I’m not even done yet! We still have our drawing! I woke Vanna, she is stirring!
The best part about being here was this lovely group of kindred spirits. Can you see the little girl ↑ at the first table, she’s looking at her camera (I think) wearing a light pink top and has dark hair?
Here she is, you might remember this photo of her, her name is Kate ~ her grandmother sent this to show her reading A FINE ROMANCE. She was there, so you can see, I was among friends!
And then, too soon (Susan and I planned to do this a year ago, it’s been in the future for so long), it was over, and we were on our own again, doing what we do best, traveling the backroads in our rolling billboard toward home, stopping at antique stores and bookstores,
Doing our best to help support the country people by stopping at their darling nurseries and buying flowers for the front porch.
OK, Here we go, Girlfriends . . . the big moment has come!
OH VANNA? We are so ready honey, come on down! (Still groggy, feet clomping in pink satin slippers, sweeping down kitchen stairs now, she had a big day yesterday, I should start another blog called Life of Vanna.) She’s wearing one of those black satin eye-shaped masks that keep out the light, the ones with the eyes embroidered in pink thread ~ pushed up on her head. But she’s pulling out the names with her normal verve and style, she can do this in her sleep, despite the kajillion names on tiny pieces of paper, like confetti . . . between these last two posts, we had over 4,000 comments. Yes, dearest girlfriends, this is definitely a record around here!
OK, here we are, Winner #1, for the unbound proofs of my 2015 wall and mini calendars . . . the winner is . . .
Gwyn Whelband! A Girlfriend in Australia! Congratulations Gwyn!
And now . . . fingers crossed that YOU are the winner . . . behind door number Two, the signed HEARTS and FLOWER quilt made from my Martha’s Vineyard Fabrics goes to . . .
Roxanne (the Roxanne with a pie stand in her kitchen)
Congratulations Roxanne!!!
And, here we go, door number THREE, my Tea Party fabric 
collection, including a bolt of yellow bees, the Little Fat Quarters, and the baby fabric . . . (I hate to even announce this last winner, I would so like it to be all of you! But it must be done . . . and we do have small consolation prizes for everyone) HERE WE GO, the winner is . . . yikes, I’m even nervous saying it . . .
Linda from Idaho!!!
Congratulations Linda! And to all of you lucky winners!!! Look for an email in your boxes from me! Send me your addresses 
so we can get everything off to you! Thank you to everyone who put their name in . . . I’m determined to keep giving things away until everyone’s got something! It’s getting harder, but I’ll keep trying, so watch for the next Giveaway!
Now, the consolation prizes, and then you are free to go live your life, in the spirit of Gladys Taber: listening to the birds, enjoying the little things in life. Little things like this:
Don’t let summer go by without trying this amazing Lemonade, it’s like no other! It will cheer you right up!
And for you all, because your creative heart shone through in your wonderful comments (that I will never get over actually), a special BOOKMARK just for my Girlfriends ~ you can print it out on card stock . . . from me to you with love and gratitude.♥
And now, on to my next “project.” Four of my best high school girlfriends are coming from California on Friday for four days! . . .
Cathy, Marilyn, Lynn, and Karen ↑ (that’s Karen on left, me on right ~ yes, Karen’s the one I met the Beatles with!) I need to get out my old photo albums! Planning menu, island tour, fluffing bedrooms (throwing rubber bands for Jack, hugging Girl Kitty, my work is cut out for me). This is their first time on Martha’s Vineyard! Who’s more excited, me or them? Has to be me!
Bye for now Girls, Keep in touch! I hope you have a wonderful day! One more bit of brilliance to cheer your day . . . look at this! Fred and Eleanor and more Cole Porter. The end is positively spectacular!
Susan, thank you for posting your Stillmeadow photos! The group tours were not able to go upstairs to see the bedrooms (too much of a construction zone!) – so it was nice to see a couple of them. And my photos of downstairs didn’t all come out as well as yours (I was in too big of a hurry to see everything!). So it was lovely to see your shots! It was fun, wasn’t it….and your talk was great…I especially loved your story about the Beatles (as I would have died on the spot if in your shoes!!). Thank you for coming to FOGT….between you and Gladys it was a wonderful weekend….
It was such fun, I’m glad you enjoyed it too . . . Well we did almost die, but there was no way to go from there but up!
Good Morning Susan-
We must have ESP for I was just getting ready to start my day at work and wondered if there was a new blog post up….I opened Safari, clicked on 162.240.10.175/~susanbs3/susanbranch/ and whah-lah…there it was! Thank you for starting my day in such a peaceful and happy way! This weekend I am headed to the beach with my hubby to meet our son and and buddy of his who has just returned from Afghanistan. They are all fishing in a tournament…my toes will be fishing in the sand while I sit and read on the beach. My summer mantra?…A cooler, a Kindle and a chair! Thursday is my last day at work for a few weeks and I can hardly wait to go back and forth to the shore and also piddle in my house. I’m so happy that you had a fabulous time in Connecticut…..Thank you for allowing all of us to live vicariously through your travels! Happy Summer! 🙂
Happy piddling Martha Jean!
You know, piddling has a totally different meaning in the UK?! You do it in the house, but preferably in the bathroom!! Still giggling over that one. If you were here, Martha Jean, you’d be pottering….❤️ Xo
hahaha! Well, it has that meaning here too, only usually it’s what puppies do on the kitchen floor.
Please don’t tell that to “Savvy”, our new m. schnauzer puppy! LOL! 🙂
~ A new puppy Pat! ~ How wonderful!~
I will cherish this post forever. I have loved Gladys for such a long time. I looked forward to her articles in the magazine each month…wish I had cut them out and put them in a scrapbook. I have several of her books and yours share a shelf in my home. I have to go and re read this.
Have a wonderful time with your pals.
Balisha Hugs!
Love Blogland, where we can send photos this way . . . how lucky we are.
O, Susan! A Stunning Stillmeadow & its Splendid Serendipity! :)))
“Perhaps, after all, our best thoughts come when we are alone. It is good to listen, not to voices but to the wind blowing, to the brook running cool over polished stones, to bees drowsy with the weight of pollen. If we attend to the music of the earth, we reach serenity. And then, in some unexplained way, we share it with others.” ~ Gladys Taber
Happy Trails to You!
Bunny XO
Oh, Susan! I so loved the photos and all your words about Gladys! Seeing her yard made me feel ok about the fact that I don’t have perfect landscaping but rather grass blowing, trees shading, and flowers here and there. My cousin reunion was here last week and for our evening lemonade party, I put my quilts on the picket fence and told them I don’t have landscaping but I have quilts! It looked sweet anyway. So glad you were able to see her home inside and out! I have some of her books (that I was able to get from your shop!) on my desk. And my English cocker is sleeping with her head on my lap as I write this. Gladys would approve. Congrats to our winning Girlfriends! We are all winners because we have you and one another. 🙂
Gladys would approve!
Good morning, Susan, and thank you for such a beautiful post – those little pink parasols of mountain laurel really made me smile! I so wished I could have made it to the FOGT reunion, but this was definitely the next best thing. Her home – I guess I really am still a New England girl at heart ♥ I could move right in!
Have a wonderful day and enjoy your girlfriends!!! Congrats to all the winners!!!
I love that arriving home feeling! Thank you for all the photos of your trip. Hope you have a good time with your high school pals.
Hi Susan,
What a delightful post. Dreamy but real. I will have to start looking for Gladys Taber books at my flea market/thrift store quests. Thank you for bringing her to my attention. Have a wonderful day.
xoxo Pam
Thank you Susan for another wonderful, inspiring blog post. So glad you and Joe had such a memorable trip and thank you for sharing so many fabulous pictures that I could almost imagine I visited Stillmeadow Farm with you. If I signed up for the Gladys Taber Newsletter
I am wondering if they would ship to the UK? Must check it out.
With love from,
Ann in Thame xx
Hello Ann…I think you’ve visited me on the Farmer’s Market haven’t you? I remember some lovely comments in an email you sent me! Lovely to see you here…the newsletter sounds wonderful, I agree x
Itty bitty world xoxo
Oh, how I wish I could have been there at Stillmeadow! You gave me a lovely tour, though — loved the photos so much!
I know just what you mean about arriving at home. There’s a certain location when I’m driving back to the farm where I sigh and smile. Ahhhh. I’ll never get over the tremendous blessings of this place.
I’m going back to reading my copy of “Stillmeadow Daybook.” Now that I’ve “seen” the place in person, I need to re-read! (By the way, Henry Beston has a similar book about his beloved “Northern Farm.” Have you read it?! His “The Outermost House” is good, too!)
Hi, MA!! I couldn’t resist horning in here, when I saw your name, and realized we are both fans of Susan. This was a lovely post, yes? 🙂
Hey, M.K.! What a lovely surprise to see you here! Great minds think alike, you know!
I second that!
Thankyou Susan for such a wonderful treat, your visit to Stillmeadow and sharing it with us was wonderful. I would have been mincemeat too 🙂
Congratulations to the lucky winners, maybe one day.
I m going to reread and marvel at the pictures a while longer.
Best wishes,julie x
These pictures are all wonderful. I loved seeing all the rooms that Gladys told us about in her books. Could just picture her sitting there. Thank you for sharing.
My mom had the most wonderful time at your talk and visiting Stillmeadow!
I heard all about how marvelous and delightful you are and – JOE! ( No one is more charming than Joe! ❤) I wish I could have come but I was working a craft fair to sell my glass. Congratulations to the winners of your give-away – lucky girls!!
I have to tell you – I get some of my best garden ideas from you. I am looking up beauty bush right now! How I love fragrant flowers!
Thank you again for another wonderful post! There’s no place like home!
Congratulations and Well Done the three lucky winners!
Can’t pretend not to be disappointed my name didn’t come up, but so happy for them and we are all winners because we are Girlfriends, right?
Need more time than I have right now to read properly, for the garden beckons on a beautiful day that is like a bowl of Three Bear’s Porridge, Just Right 🙂 so I need to make the most of it again. Just had a quick skim, and I know this will be a lovely, friendly, and gentle evening read tonight, with a glass of wine I think.
I saw lots of lovely photos and a proper typewritter on the way down tho’ and I just love them. Have my Daddy’s one, still with it’s leather case. I type too fast for it though, keys jam as it can only take about 35 wpm and I do 60+ oh, well ~~~
Glad you are safely home, there is NO place like home, no matter how far we roam ~~~
Waving from Across the Pond in west Wales ~~~ Debs xoxo
Just a quick note, to say how happy you looked in your picture at Gladys Tabor’s home. Hope you make marvelous memories with your girlfriends from California.
This is absolutely beautiful. I must reread and revisit a few times but only after I make myself get off the computer and water the garden before the heat of the day sets in!
Just one more note—–just looking at milk glass picture in her “Stillmeadow Album” . What fun to see your photo also.
Had to go get my copy to look at . . . I don’t think anything has changed in that house!
Susan thank you for the many pictures of Gladys Tabers home, this is a wonderful post.
Susan, That is a wonderful place to visit. The little garden would be peaceful. I know you are happy to be home with the cats and your own lovely garden. I really enjoyed this post. Blessings, xoxo,Susie
Susan, THANK YOU…THANK YOU…THANK YOU…!!!! The whole blog was “SPECTACULAR” I know you have a life outside of Blogland…..But I could have stayed here another hour or so with everyone……JUST LIVING IN THE PAST….ENJOYING THE PRESENT…..AND DREAMING OF THE FUTURE…..It was all that I thought it should of been….the way I saw it in my mind and dreamt of it.
Gladys home, the quiet garden, the walk down the country road….Christmas in Connecticut (one of my favorites) did not know that it was based “loosely” on that article. With tears in my eyes also, all the way through and then you gave us Fred and Eleanor….WOW I can not tap dance but with her ‘MAGIC SHOES” I could be awesome!
Congratulations to Linda, Roxanne and Gwyn enjoy the gifts. Thanks again Susan for great start to a wonderful day here in California. Love, Susan P.
XOXO So happy you enjoyed it Susan — I think it had to be my longest post of all, which is saying something! 🙂 But it had to be, too much business to do! Yes, that’s all we need, a pair of those magic shoes!
My sister and I arrived home from the FOGT Reunion on Sunday. I thoroughly enjoyed your “talk”. You and Joe were so gracious to everyone and I will remember my visit to Connecticut fondly. Many years ago, my sister, daughter and I visited Stillmeadow. Gilly Moore had arranged for us to meet Anne Colby there and she was so kind to give us a private tour of Stillmeadow. This visit was no less exciting, I didn’t want to leave. There is indeed a peacefulness there that can’t be described and I hope it will always be so. I wish you and Joe the very best. You are indeed “kindred spirits” and the kind of people the world needs more of. Bless you.
Well said, “a peacefulness” — it really has that. Thank you so much Sandy. xoxo
✫*¨*.¸¸.Good~Morning Sweet Sue! Welcome HOME! Yay! 🙂 I Know The Kitties Are Happy To Have Mom & Dad HOME Jiggity~Jig! 🙂 Okay First…Thank~You For All The Wonderful Musica! My Wings Are All A Flutter! 🙂 & Oh My Goodness Each Photo Of Gladys Taber’s Home…..Magical I Can Feel Your Joy…. 🙂 I Love The Photos With You! You Look So Cute & Oh So Happy! 🙂 & What An Amazing Group Of “Kindred~Spirits” All There Together! It Is A Bit Scary Speaking in front of all Those People But You Are A Natural…..You Are Loved! 🙂 Congratz to All The Winners….Vanna is A Funny~Girl! 🙂 I Love Her! & You & Your Wonderful Friends on Your Island I Can Hear The Laughter Already! Wishing You & Them The Most Fun Summertime Four~Day Weekend! Yay! Thank~You Sweet Sue for Everything! xoxo Poof! ✫*¨*.¸¸.✶*¨`*.✫*¨*.¸¸.✶* P.S. Thank~You For The Bookmark! 🙂
xoxo Thank you Angie!
✫*¨*.¸¸.✶*¨`*.✫*¨*.¸¸.✶* 🙂 ✫*¨*.¸¸.✶*¨`*.✫*¨*.¸¸.✶*
Susan, I adored every minute of my FOGT/Susan Branch weekend. I looked forward to it for so long, and it seemed to pass in a flash! You were just lovely. My daughter and I shared a table with six other sweet women, and we all agreed that you are exactly as we imagined and hoped you would be…the real deal, without a shadow of a doubt. After your talk and question and answer session we waited patiently and chatted with other kindred spirits till it was our turn to meet you. I intended to tell you how much your Days book means to me, and I wanted to show you how “fat” it’s become, full of dried flowers and leaves and feathers and pictures and a year’s worth of memories. I wanted to show you my Susan charm braclelet and tell you how much I love it and the complements I get on it all the time. I wanted to tell you how fond my sweet mom is of your fairy tale tea. That was my intention. I think what I actually said was bwww bwww bwww. I think I may have even called you Gladys. But you were as charming and gracious as could be, and never once looked alarmed 🙂 And, you signed my precious Days and Autumn books as well as my tea tin. I know what you mean by crying horizontal tears upon first seeing Stillmeadow. My first visit there was four years ago when the FOGT reunion was held in Southbury, and my reaction on first seeing that dear house surprised me. You’ve spoken before about Martha’s Vineyard being a heart magnet for you. I think Stillmeadow may have been mine, but I did not realize how strong it was till I actually saw it. I truly consider Gladys Taber to be one of my blessings, and, dear Susan, so are you. She would be delighted by you. Congrats to the winners of the giveaway!!
LOL, you have me laughing Shannon. I don’t think you called me Gladys! 🙂 That’s so funny — those were my exact words to Paul McCartney all those years ago! Bwwww bwwww. I’m so glad you had a good time . . . me too, it was just wonderful! xoxo
I’m eternally grateful that you didn’t give Joe the secret sign to call security and remove this babbling woman from the room! Next time I meet you I’ll be better, I promise. After all, I didn’t cry horizontal tears at my second visit to Stillmeadow….they were just the regular old vertical kind 🙂 One other thing I wanted to tell you. In 1991 my then two year old grandson and I were shopping in the children’s section of our local bookstore. He picked up “The Fisherman’s Song” because he was drawn to the illustrations by your friend, Margot Datz. It quickly became a favorite of mine since I was already a Carly Simon fan. I loved Margot’s illustrations, and about two years later my husband and I made our first visit to the magical place known as Marthas Vineyard. Hugs to Margot, too!!
Ohhh, how nice! I have so many wonderful pictures of Margot and her house . . . I’m saving them to do a post about her. She is quite an amazing person I’m sure everyone would love to meet. You gave me an idea, I need to get a secret sign for Joe to call security! 🙂
Like Kathi, I am so glad that you shared pictures of the stairs and upstairs bedrooms as we weren’t able to see them. It was such a great day—your wonderful talk, the trip to Stillmeadow, my mind is still spinning! I think we all shared the same “I just can’t believe I’m standing right here in Stillmeadow” feeling. It’s something I will treasure always—thanks so much for being part of this wonderful experience. My only regret is that I forgot to ask where the garden was situated on the property, where Eleanor spent so much time bent over the peas or carrots or whatever! I did remember to ask where the barn had been, and of course I ran over to peer at the remains of the foundation. And I hope that you saw one of her daily diaries that was on display at the museum in South Britain–everyone was awestruck over it. I will cherish this experience always!
I think Anne said the vegetable garden was between the barn and the Quiet Garden.
Hello Susan… I have so been looking forward to this post!… thank you so much for sharing your day at Stillmeadow… and photos of you giving your speech… I was lucky enough to find a near mint condition copy of The Best of Stillmeadow on Ebay and I am so enjoying it… I believe you recommended it as your favorite at one time?… it’s my first one of hers, can you tell me which one I should look for next, what your next favorite one is?… like you, I cherish the past and everything that has to do with those simpler, gentler times… I am so happy to hear her home is still family owned… and is being restored, yet kept just how Gladys left it… that being said, did you sense her presence while you were there?… I am one who believes our loved ones who have passed away still “visit” the places they love… watching over them… protecting them… it comforts me to think so… would love to know if you felt she was there, I am certain she was, especially knowing how much you adore her and share her birthday as well… and have introduced to her so many new admirers, including me… I am going to sign up for her club and newsletter right now… congratulations to all of your winners!… such beautiful gifts they will receive… wishing you a beautiful week back home, and lots of fun when your girlfriends arrive… xoxo Julie Marie
What I was aware of feeling was that it really hadn’t been so very long since she’d been there, in the big picture scheme of things, it was quite recent. I definitely felt her presence, as though she’d just gone to the store. The kitchen especially seemed filled with her spirit. You’ll love the newsletter Julie Marie, it’s so well done.
Oh Susan!… I am so happy you felt as if Gladys had just run to the store!… that made me cry… and smile!… and of course it would be the kitchen, the “heart of the home” that you sensed her spirit the most… thank you for letting me know that… it gives me a calm, peaceful feeling… xoxo
Congratulations to the three winners! They must be feeling extremely lucky! Loved reading about your latest adventure. You have talked about Gladys Taber and I’m always intrigued so today is the day I’m going to sign up for the newsletter….you got me so excited to be a part of that world! I am a home-bird, too, and I love the message of simplicity for creating a cozy home. I’d love to hear your speech. Maybe you could make that the next post??? We just can’t get enough of what you have to say, Susan!
Thank you for letting your readers see Stillmeadow! I love Gladys Taber books as well and I am always on the lookout for a copy in used bookstores etc…so far no luck! Maybe granddaughter, Anne, should allow them to be released again to a new generation and the money could be used to help her keep her family heritage in good order!! How I wish she would. While you are off traveling, my DH and I will be traveling to Savannah, Ga for his 45th high school reunion. I am sure it will be fun!! Music from 1969 and lots of stories and memories to share!
Thank you, Susan, for the wonderful article on Gladys Tabor. My Mother loved her books & also the columns she wrote (I believe they were in Womans Day magazine) I believe I have most, if not all of Mrs. Tabor’s books & have read them many times. I have wanted to join her fan club but have always had trouble getting to where I needed to be on the computer to do it so was glad to see you had a link! BTW, I signed up!
I’m so glad you have your blog. I enjoy it like a letter from home!
Thanks for sharing Glady’s home with us! I know I’ll never get there in person, but you gave me the next best thing! I enjoyed the tour so much! Have a blast with your girlfriends Susan!
Oh Susan….first time to your site… And then to discover you have a love of all things Gladys Tabor….What a treat! I first read her books, oh, probably 40 years ago, in my early 20s….. I adored every book….and was always sorry when they came to the end… So lovely to see her home with interiors and gardens… It is so special and I am so glad that there is movement for preservation. Thank you for this lovely post and I will be visiting more often!
Welcome Val!
“Because what does anyone do when they see a fabled place for the first time? “
.
One sits, gazing out the car window, with a glazed look in her eyes… Mouth open with a silent “Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh”…. Tears threatening… It is like a miracle, to have found Stillmeadow…
.
And then, dear Connie and her little girls, come out the door. The girls are going to pick black berries. Connie sees the look on my face… And sweetly knowing, that this is an awe-struck lover of her mother, she invites us in. By then I am walking on air. To see the fireplace, which we know so, so, so well, from her books!!!!
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We didn’t get as detailed tour as you and Joe did, of course. But I can always say; “I was there!!!!” “I was in Stillmeadow!” Because of how kind Connie was.
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Congratulations to the winner!!!!
Gentle hugs,
Tessa~
How wonderful for you Tessa! Yes, the fireplace, amazing to see such a huge fireplace in such a small house. Wonderful!
Isn’t that just the best kind of house?…small with a huge fireplace. Cozy, just right for dreams and memories.
Susan, my parents phoned me on Saturday to tell me that your talk included a special shout-out to “Ginny’s parents from California.” They were SO surprised and delighted! (as was I!). Thank you — it was like the icing on the cake of their trip!
That was fun! Thank you for letting me know they were going to be there, I got to wish your dad a Happy Father’s Day from you!
Oh Susan, pure blogging bliss!! Thank you so much for sharing all of the wonderful moments at Stillmeadow. I’m so glad that you and Joe could spend some quiet time there with Anne. She and David are truly living in a ‘labor of love’ as they preserve their grandmother’s precious home and legacy.
“Despite the turmoil in the world, she managed to carve out a “safe space” for herself, where peace and contentment reigned supreme ~ she stayed happy and grateful her whole life. ” ♡ Your description of Gladys sounds so much like another author we all know and love!!
Enjoy every moment, as you plan for you friends’ exciting visit!!
Happy hugs!
Dawn
♡♡
Sometimes I kind of put myself onto her I think, but that’s how it feels to me, and I figure if I could do it and she could do it, we can all do it.
Heartfelt hugs! You inspire all of us to try our best to do it! ♡
Thank you so much for sharing your experience and photos. I so wanted to join you for this event!
Thank you for all the pictures of Gladys Tabers’ enchanting house. They transported me back to my early childhood in Maine and the many visits with older relatives who lived in houses so similar to Stillmeadow. It’s amazing how the tiny details of a house such as door latches, window panes and doorknobs leave such strong and lasting impressions. So fortunate to have those vivid memories.
Congratulations to all the winners! I can’t complain too much that I didn’t win because I finally got to meet you, Susan, at the Reunion–I feel I hit the jackpot. I love seeing your photos of Gladys’ house even though I was there–I feel I’m seeing everything again through your eyes this time, and because you love her so much I love her, too!
It IS good to be home. I’ve been out in my garden weeding all morning after hanging laundry on the line. Had to get it out early because thunderstorms late in the day are predicted again. Your garden looks beautiful. There’s no place like Home!
Oh how I love your travels, Susan! Thanks, again, for taking us along!
When vintage souls collide, it’s like a symphony of sorts! However do we explain?
But no need to here because we are all one in the same and we all “get it”!
We get the excitement, the tears, the pure taking it all in and basking of it all! It’s all so wonderful! I am sure you did a fabulous job while there, too….you are shoulder to shoulder and rub elbows with so many of these greats you spotlight.
I know you humble yourself to the point of disbelief about that, but it is most true! And because of that, we are so lucky! And if modern tech is good for anything, it’s being able to communicate, share, and be a part of all this! LOL! 🙂
Oh Tina, your words are just perfect! ♡ “When vintage souls collide, it’s like a symphony of sorts! ” Kindred spirits just ‘understand’… and isn’t it wonderful that there are so many of us! I’m truly grateful that Susan brought us all together!
Dawn, Like I said, I guess we can’t “down” modern technology too much when we benefit in such ways as this! Can you imagine if Susan had this kind of access back in the day and was regularly able to communicate and share so regularly with all those she so adores?! Here lies the true definition of
“warms the cockles of our hearts!” 🙂
Susan, thank you for such a fantastic posting. Your pictures make all of us feel like we were there at Stillmeadow with you (we were in spirit). And your descriptions of the house and the property are just lovely. I’m so happy to hear that one of Glady’s granddaughters is restoring the place. Old houses require lots of maintenance. (I know as I live in an 1802 townhouse). Again, thanks for sharing your trip with us as so many of us wanted to be there but were not able to make it to Connecticut this past weekend. However, I did read Gladys’s book, “The Book of Stillmeadow” this weekend. It helped.
Love! Love! Love! this post. I will be rereading it for sure. Enjoy your time with your girlfriends. What fun!
I so enjoyed the Stillmeadow tour. You are a window to the world. Congratulations to the 3 winners! I feel like a winner every time I visit with the Girlfriends here. We are off to that other island next to you for our annual vacation next week. Maybe we will come visit for a day.
I loved every word and every picture! What a treat on a gray and very windy day here in the Midwest. Thanks so much for taking us along once again. Also, thanks for the link to the newsletter. Have fun with your friends. I am meeting up with two of mine from 35 years ago tonight for the first time—what a treat!
Was it fun?
Of all your blogs, each of which I hold near and dear, this is one that I could simply fall into like a dream. Which, I could envision dreaming about being inside Gladys’s house, much as she left it. I have the old Stillmeadow book from the early 70s, with grainy black and white pictures. But these? It’s the next best thing to being there. And I don’t blame you one bit for bursting into happy tears (which never leave one splotchy!), because I would have done the same. So happy you had this wonderful chance. Thank you so very much for sharing!
Susan, you introduced me to Gladys Taber! I’ve so enjoyed reading (and re-reading!) her books. So, thank you! The photos of Stillmeadow are lovely. About 30 (oh my!) years ago I briefly lived and worked in Southbury, but knew nothing about Gladys and her wonderful home.
Makes me happy to think people are finding her . . . there was a time when her memory was becoming endangered, but she’s coming back!
Congratulations to the lucky ladies….GWYN..ROXANNE..LINDA !….
and dear SUSAN..thank you for sharing Still Meadow with us…you and Gladys are indeed kindred spirits…I know she knew you were there..I wonder if you could feel her enjoying your visit..? THANK YOU for creating our very own QUIET GARDEN here on your blog..to come and take respite from the rest of the world.
Loved your new blog post…as usual…info and inspiration…I am lucky to have one copy of Gladys Taber’s “Stillmeadow Sampler”…and hunt for her books everywhere I go…it is a rainy day here in northern Michigan, but I am enjoying watching the fog and rain come and go on Little Traverse Bay…have just an absolutely mah-velous time with your friends…pictures and menu would be wonderful to see…xoxo…
Oh *sigh*…..thank you for the wonderful tour of Stillmeadow!! It is just as I imagined it to be. How wonderful, too, to see Anne! So happy that this precious place is still in the hands of family! Anne looks a bit like Gladys, I think. Congrats to the winners of your generous giveaway! Lucky girls! xo
Oh Susan……this will have to be read over and over again….and right now I am at work, taking a very short break! Gladys’ house is exactly as I thought it would be. I can’t wait to here from all the girlfriends that were at the reunion, it must have been so wonderful……I am maybe just a little green with envy. I so wanted to go!
Spring could not be lovelier in Connecticut and on MV. And congrats to the 3 lucky girlfriends!!
Back to work and enjoy you GF reunion!
Chris
I am so glad you went long! I am currently sick so it was nice to be able to do somthing! What a wonderful post! I want to live by the ocean somday. It’s so beautiful!I also want to meet you and see your house someday! I hope they both come true! Thanks for the beautiful post!
Feel better Faith Rose!
Sorry I did not win, but very happy for those that did. Your post was lovely, and it was worth the read just for the “one-butt kitchen”. I am calling my sister to let her know what they are called. I think I own one. 🙂
Madonna
MakeMineLemon
Hi Susan,
What a wonderful blog!!! It had everything I hoped to see. I only became acquainted with Gladys through your blog and immediately bought a book on Stillmeadow. After reading this blog, I signed up for the newsletter and I can’t wait to receive my first copy. Congrats to all the winners of you giveaway, I’m sure they are all thrilled! Is Anne her only living relative? I am on a mission now to acquire as many of her books as I can, I had no idea she wrote so many. Thank you as always for a wonderful blog!
Kathy from New Albany
Anne has an older sister named Alice and a daughter, Kate (Gladys’ great grandchild) who is six.
And Gladys’ daughter Connie (called Cicely in Gladys’ early Stillmeadow books) is still alive – she will be 91 in July – getting fragile according to Anne, but she sent her regards to the FOGT group!
Hi Susan…it was so wonderful to see you this past weekend in Danbury (I see my husband and myself in your picture!) How gracious you were to talk to every one of us getting our books signed! At Stillmeadow, I probably took over 100 pictures, but still enjoyed seeing yours….wasn’t it just wonderful! I’ve been reading (and re-reading) Gladys Taber for 25 years and never get tired of her books.
Dear Susan,
I loved seeing your photos of your visit to Stillmeadow. I happened upon The Best of Stillmeadow: A Treasury of Country Living in a thrift store–I see you have it in your picture behind the doggy on your bookshelf.
As I happened to be going to VT this weekend to tour Corgi Cottage-Tasha Tudor’s house (and her famous dollhouse) and gardens and also stopped in the museum, I was telling my girlfriend of your day at Stillmeadow on Saturday. Thank goodness the rain finally stopped for us all!
I truly treasure Tasha Tudor and her artwork and love of corgis since my childhood, only coming to know the works of Gladys Taber in recent years—I introduce my girlfriends and anyone I meet to Susan Branch and your lovely artwork, quotes, photography, recipes, kitties, etc.
Thank you for sharing your weekend in CT—have fun prepping for the HS girlfriends coming–sounds like fun! xoxo
Good Morning,
My sister Amanda and I are still talking about the wonderful weekend we shared in CT. You were everything and more we were hoping for. Your message rang true to all of us and it is one we will continue to follow. You were real, lovely and genuine. Thanks to you and Joe for giving us a memory to cherish. Truly good people!
ps – My husband Rick said “Hi to Susie”……Can’t wait to visit Bibury Court next May. Your wonderful book will travel with us.
It’s so cute he calls me Susie. Some people do, but not many and I always like it. Yes, you in Bibury, what fun! Long wonderful walks all around that town.
Susan, thanks so much for sharing your trip to Stillmeadow. I loved the Stillmeadow books so much when I was growing up. My Mom and Grandma both read them, and I read whatever they did! The picture in my head of New England was exactly as she discribed, and oh I wanted to be there so badly. I am glad you had such a good trip.
And congratulations to the girlfriend winners!!!
Hi Susan & Joe
Glad you had such a great time!
Thank you so much for the beautiful photos! Stillmeadow is almost as I imagined it!
I’m going to see if the Gladys Taber Society accept overseas members!
Love Jane (Manchester, UK)
I think they would love to have you Jane!
Have a great time with your Arrowhead friends. . . My In-Laws have a cabin on Lake Arrowhead, next time you come to So Cal you should stop on by ! : )
We were there on Spring break and Runaround Sue was the song we sang. (thank you for that invitation!)
Thank you for another great bookmark. I feel like I won! And I love the post about Gladys Taber. I am sure I have read some of her things in “Ideals” magazines. I will keep an eye out for her books.
Tana
Now, Susan. Don’t you start thinking you don’t GIVE enough to us girlies out here. Every post you do, every recipe you share, every lovely piece of music that cheers the heart — all of it is a gift, and all of it brings joy. And the tour of Gladys’s house! That was such fun! When the milk glass photo came up, I was excited to see it — one does feel one gets to know a writer like Gladys when reading her. She is so present in her voice, in her books. I probably won’t make it back to N.E. again, but your blog brings it alive. Thank you.
Very much enjoyed reading about Gladys Taber’s home. Sounded like my idea of heaven! The steep stairs were just like the ones in my daughter’s first home. They took some navigating!!!
Congratulations to the winners of the giveaways, lucky ladies, and thank you for the recipe and bookmark.
What a treat to visit Gladys Taber’s home! It reminded me of the time we visited Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Rocky Ridge Farm. I saw one of Gladys’ books at an estate sale this past year and didn’t buy it, much to my regret now. What was I thinking???!!! Which of her books would you recommend as the first one to read? (I know, hard question, but TRY!!!)
You’re right, it’s a hard question. I’d be inclined to go with anything that has Stillmeadow in the title. But Especially Father is Anne’s favorite — I loved that one too. Conversations with Amber (that’s her cat) is another good one.
YES, YES YES!!! All of it was wonderful! You should not have been nervous, because you are a very good public speaker: just a chat with nearly 200 of your closest friends, right? That many people giving you a standing “O” can’t be wrong! Thanks to Joe, for his graciousness and patience. And DO NOT send a “thank you” for the tea book (I’m remembering what you said about your frustration in trying to get in thank you notes for gifts), you already said “thanks” and that is sufficient! THANK YOU for your patience and kindness while signing all those books.
Your girlfriends are coming at just the right time to see all the beautiful blooms; have a blast, y’all.
Congrats to the winners of the give-aways, and just want to say again what a wonderful job Susan Turnley and the others did, in planning and executing the whole Reunion.
Happy Summer to all. . .
Since you introduced me to Gladys Taber a few years ago I have been on a quest to find copies of her books! I now have 11 but still look! What fun for you and me to be able to actually see inside Stillmeadow!! what an exciting time! Congratulations to your winners! treasures abound!
Eleven! Good for you Christine!
Don’t EVER think that you are taking up too much of our time! We LOVE your stories.
I like that Christmas movie, the pink Beauty Bush, “Linda Porter” roses, the Mountain Laurel (which I have never seen before), and the Thoreau quote. I keep looking for the Cape Cod book and a cookbook of Gladys Taber’s. Last year I found two old, yet like new, books by Thoreau. I never knew “Walden” was part of a trilogy.
I think your girlfriends would be sooo excited about going to the Island, especially with this week’s heat!
Take time to BE Girlfriends…
Margot
Congratulations to the lucky winners!!! And thank you, Susan, for once again sharing your world with us who can not travel to all these wonderful places but wish we could!!! I have loved Gladys Taber longer than I can remember and was incomplete awe of her lovely home. I have a couple of her books and am constantly on the lookout for more while at antique shops, bookstores and auctions. Enjoy your quiet home time and reflect on that beautiful experience.
PS The older I get the more I agree with Glady’s theory on travel. It is nice to be in one’s own bed. Ahhhhhh…
I am just now home after my first trip to Connecticut and The Reunion (severe storms in the Midwest caused plane cancellations and delays). Were you and Joe were as happy to be with us as we were to be with you? When you were speaking, you said that your first little house on Martha’s Vineyard was a house filled with gifts you didn’t even know you needed. I love that word picture! A special gift I received when I toured Stillmeadow on Saturday afternoon is that a house doesn’t have to be perfect to be a loving home, welcoming and full of sweet memories. When I left I could hear Stillmeadow whispering, “I’m glad you came to visit me. Now, take some of my peace with you to your own home.”
You are so right Milanya.
Hi Susan!
Thank you for sharing the beautiful photographs from Stillmeadow. It truly is a lovely place.
Several months ago, you posted information about Gladys and it intrigued me, so I went to my local antique shop and was able to purchase two of her books “The Book of Stillmeadow” and “Stillmeadow Album.” Lovely books they are and your photos “brought Stillmeadow to life for me!”
Thank you so much,
Debbie
Congrats to all the winners! Your posts are such a treat, so we all “win” in that respect don’t we? Every time I receive my email that there is a new blog post, it feels as though I’ve won something. 🙂 I’m inspired yet again by you Susan and will be subscribing to the newsletter. I had no idea of the connection to “Christmas in Connecticut” which happens to be one of my favorite holiday movies. In fact, this year with my in-laws here, we set up the folding table in front of our television so we could watch it as we had dinner together. (My mother-in-law makes the most amazing French Onion Soup) We enjoyed a very cozy evening and it was just a blast. I can’t wait to learn more about Gladys.
Lovely post! Thanks for all the photos; only wish I could have been there.
Congratulations to Gwyn, Roxanne, and Linda!!:-)
Susan,
Thank-you so much for the photos of Stillmeadow, it’s just as charming as I thought it would be! Some of my “best” times are the times I spend with Gladys and her books. Thanks again!
What a lovely post–the tour of Stillmeadow stole my imagination! I will be thinking of long-gone-wild-once-cultivated things popping up happily anticipated in patches of fresh sunshine for the rest of the day, meanwhile I may go paint the sign for my garden gate–the “Quiet Garden” makes me so happy! My picket fence built with hubby-love keeps the chickens out–and they would certainly wreak havoc in there. This was beautiful. Thank you, Susan!
~april
I had tears, too. Seems to me the fireplace is bigger than I pictured it in my mind. The road Joe was walking on was different…don’t know why I thought it to be uphill. It’s truly lush and beautiful. Ann has done a wonderful job of preservation. Had to smile a little remembering the condition it was in when Gladys and Jill found it that wintry day with the kids and cockers. Such a thrill for you and I know you must have enjoyed Ann. Thank you for sharing with us. Congratulations to the girlfriends….love that one is going to Australia.
Thanks for sharing photos of Gladys Taber’s home. I have read about those rooms, and I took a long time on each one just remembering some of what I had read. I have contacted and plan to join Friends of Gladys Taber group.
That’s so nice to hear, the more the merrier!
A MARVELOUS, JUST MARVELOUS, DAY, DAHLINGS, here in sunny, but not too hot, (yet), CA. You’ve sparked my creativity this morning, Susan, as you always do. I’m going to paint a small sign with the little garden poem you put in your blog, the one that says, “all the flowers of all the tomorrows are in the seeds of today.” After the sign dries, I’ll stake it in my garden. Love the words you bring to us.
Your love of animals sparked another idea to my soul. I have a year old cat that I rescued, that is bringing much joy to our home. Her name is Sheba. She’s such a stately cat, that I had to give her a stately name. Jack, my Wired Hair Fox Terrior, loves her as well. She’s exploring things around my feet right now. I’m wondering if she’s going to unhook one of the important wires under my desk. No, she’s now up on a bookshelf, positioning her body between books, thinking (I think) that “this” is a pretty neat spot to watch me. No, she’s down, out of the bookcase, into the hall to see what Jack’s up to. She’s in her morning motion, here & there inspecting her world. You’re absolutely right Susan, a house isn’t a home until a cat lives within.
And, the wonderful, wonderful footage of Fred Astaire with his many partners. I’m saving that for this afternoon, after I’ve completed my Tues. chores, with my cup of tea.
I know how much your were looking forward to your time at Gladys Tabor’s home. I’m so happy for you & Joe. I’ve walked a lot of peaceful country roads in my time. I’m from western PA, where country roads wind through small villages, deer peek out at you as you walk, & the sounds of birds prevail. I moved away from PA some fifty years ago, but part of that country will always remain with me. I was visiting my folks who still lived in PA, when I decided to take a walk. Fluffy clouds were in the sky, with pale blue in between. The temperature was perfect for a walk. As I was walking along, cows & horses came over to a fence to see what I was up to. Off in the distance, a couple of hills away from me, this big truck was bearing down on my peaceful scene. Right here, in all the quiet PA meadows, came this huge truck. And, to top it all off, the truck stopped right beside me. We greeted one another, then he asked me for directions to a bowling alley where he was supposed to deliver beer. My friends & family are always teasing me about people asking me for directions. Here I was, out in the wild, with this beer truck driver asking me for directions. If you’re wondering about the existence of a bowling alley around the area I was in…….I’ve never heard of a bowling alley around those parts.
And, then you talked about your nervousness in speaking before two hundred people. As a retired teacher, I can tell you that there were many times when I had butterflies in my stomach when I had to speak in front of a crowd of people. Someone once told me that butterflies were the energy you stored to put your speech across. Then when the speech was over, how good I felt knowing I had done a good job. You’ve discovered that just being yourself is the only way to go. I’ve seen you present a speech, & I know you come across as a genuine person, who has a great love of life & all it contains. Happy times, happy days to all of you. (Sandy from Chihuahua Flats)
Lovely post Sandy! You sound so happy!
Loved your photos and your beautiful artwork. Your little corner of the world is gorgeous – we loved visiting it last year. This year we went west – to that great empty vastness of the plains in Nebraska and Wyoming. It humbles you – makes you realize just how small you are. I feel so lucky to have seen all that I have in my lifetime, and your photos make me want to keep on seeing and exploring, even as I enter my 70th year. Thanks you, Susan, for your realization of all things beautiful, and for sharing it with us.
Ohhhhhhhhhh, at last I really get the “feel” of Stillmeadow, your photos are wonderful. I have strained my eyes trying to grasp the essence of Stillmeadow from Stillmeadow Album, but they are not the best pictures……………………yours are just wonderful, I get it, the road, the quiet garden and the tiny rooms, they are so small, and yet so full of lives well lived.
The main thing I have absorbed from Gladys’ books is her courage, her joy in the midst of such difficult trials in her life…………………..my words are so inadequate but she has been integrated into my life along with my other heroes, she is one of the biggies. For those who do not know her, oh please get her books and you will be stronger, braver, funnier and a better cook!!! Who can resist such wonderfulness??? Who would not be mincemeat, I minced up just reading about it. Oh thank you and Joe for finally being able to comprehend the real Stillmeadow. Sighhhhhhhhhhhh.
LOL, “minced up!”
What a treat! Loved the Gladys Taber tour…oh I wish I could have come! But…you make it special for all of us who couldn’t be there. She really was so special…been hooked on her books forever. Glad they are trying to keep up the house and property. Would be awful if such as that would disappear. People such as you and Gladys bring such joy to so many. One cannot be “down” while being lifted by treasures such as both of you. Loved the CHRISTMAS IN CT….references…one of my favorites also. Enjoy your visiting girlfriends!
What a magical tour you’ve taken us on! I watched Christmas in Connecticut last Christmas and just loved it. It’s such a cute movie, I had no idea it was inspired by a real lady! You always teach me something new 🙂
So much to learn in this wonderful world of ours!
Welcome Home, Sue~
You really have been quite the traveler the past year, huh?! Such a wonderful feeling to come back home, isn’t it?
Something that jumped out at me from this post were the similarities in Stillmeadow and your home…the New England white, the picket fences, the unpaved road/driveway, the bookshelves loaded to the top, the windows with the wide sills, the cozy bedrooms tucked under the eaves…maybe it’s just the overall feeling I get …you and Gladys…kindred spirits for sure! Of course you have so much more room….I bet you could fit at least 10 butts in YOUR kitchen! LOL!!!
Thanks for sharing your trip with us and for bringing our attention to Gladys Taber. I love her (and your) approach to finding happiness in the simple, beautiful surroundings, wherever we may be.
Congrats to the winners! Lucky girls!!!
xoDebbie
Probably more like my first little house, tho’ that one was only one bedroom, but it had the coziness.
Ohh, I’m so jealous that you had the chance to tour Stillmeadow. I discovered Gladys years ago and have slowly tried to collect her books; I have a few including the hard-to-find Stillmeadow Cookbook…what a treasure. I’m firmly convinced that silence is the ultimate luxury of the 21st century….so hard to find! Here we take trips to the top of our Mt. Baker Highway and hike the paths until all we can hear is the wind! Bliss.
Worth the effort!
Hi Susan, I attended the FOGT Reunion, heard your wonderful, wonderful talk and enjoyed every minute of it. Touring Stillmeadow was a dream come true for me. Thank you for the photos of the upper floor of Stillmeadow. That was such a treat – completed the weekend!
Thank you for sharing Gladys Taber’s home with us. You have a way of showing things that makes me feel I am there. I have found several of her books but have not yet read them. I think I am in for a treat.
Your blog entry today was so relaxing and enjoyable.
It sure makes up for not being one of the winners – but wait – I am a winner for getting to read about all your travels & discoveries.
Thank you!
I’m happy for all the winners of the giveaway — Yes I am. But I hope you left some fabric in the studio shop so I can go buy myself another yard and be even happier :-). Loved seeing Gladys Taber’s Stillmeadow house. You look so happy and thrilled standing by the giant fireplace. What a summer you are having. We are all so lucky that you share it with us. Thank you Susan. Have a wonderful time with your girlfriends. Can’t wait to hear all about it. 🙂 🙂 🙂
OOOps! Thank you for the bookmark, love the threaded needle and the tulip :-).
Susan, what a lovely blog! It’s just so wonderful to see, for the first time, color photos of Stillmeadow! I am going to go right back and look at them all again! You have kept us far too long, you say ? Never , never! Now a question – of the two remaining bedrooms, do you know which one was Eleanor’s? ( I cannot get used to calling her that! She will forever be Jill to me!) Is the home actually located on Jeremy Swamp Road? Such a nice turnout for your talk. And no matter how large the group, it’s just the Girlfriends gathering!
I’m not sure who had which rooms upstairs. There was another one they were using for storage. Anne called her Jill too! I had to laugh. It’s on Sanford Road, renamed for Eleanor.
Jill’s name was really Eleanor Sanford??? My maiden name is Sanford! I wonder of we could be distantly related!! Wouldn’t That be Something! (Although, there must millions of Sanford’s out there!) I don’t recall anything in any of Gladys’s books that I’ve read, that refer to Jill as Eleanor! Just wondering, Did you find that out from the newsletters?
Yes, I did . . .
Hi Susan from Ohio and Susan B.,
I spoke to a lady who had stayed at Stillmeadow. She told me that Jill/ Eleanor’s (she will always be Jill to me also) room was downstairs. Off the living room/parlor, there was a door that led to the stairs. She opened the door just to show me the stairs. Off of that stair landing was another closed door, which she said was Eleanor/Jill’s. That door was not open, so I didn’t get to see the room.
My favorite photo is the view from the upstairs bedroom – I keep thinking about how many people have looked out of that window over the last 300 years – it’s pleasant daydreaming.
Lastly, thank you for explaining the name of Sanford Road. I was confused when it wasn’t Jeremy Swamp Road. Reading the blog and the comments has been so much fun – sharing about Stillmeadow and the trip.
That makes perfect sense. Because three bedrooms upstairs for the children, then the two adults downstairs. Gladys’ bedroom is downstairs off the living room. But I knew there was another door by the staircase, I just didn’t ask to have it opened (not that forward, just getting to go upstairs was a gift enough!). It’s “off Jeremy Swamp Road.”
Congratulations to the winners! All of us are winners! We got another most perfect blog to start the week with AND a bookmark!
Susan,
Thank you so much for sharing the tour of Gladys’ home with us! I have been a big fan of her books for many years and think it is a crime that they are no longer in print! Gladys and you both give us the opportunity to share in your seemingly idyllic lives (though I know you both have not been spared the hard times in life that we all must face). Christmas in Connecticut is one of my favorite movies — it is a tradition to watch it every December. I love the movie not only for the story & acting, but for the wonderful house also. I think my sense of design was formed mainly by houses in the 1940’s movies! Just this morning I was thinking about our foremothers & the hardships they faced. My grandmother came to the plains of Kansas in a covered wagon when she was three years old, and I can’t imagine the life her mother lived in this inhospitable environment. A couple of days ago my blow dryer broke and it was such an inconvenience!! You are right, we are such baby food compared to them! Thank you for a wonderful post!
winnie*
>^..^< p.s. Happy Birthday to Me!
a day late, but Happy Birthday Miss Winnie!
Oh, Thank-you SO Much for sharing the photos of Stillmeadow!! How Awesome that you got to meet Ann and got a private tour of the house! What Fun! I discovered a Gladys Taber book in a used bookstore just before you featured her on your blog a few years back! So then I began collecting her books and found a bunch at a bookstore north of me! What luck! Love reading her books sitting on our back deck on quiet summer evenings….so relaxing.
Enjoyed your photos of you returning to your own home, too. It’s fun to travel, but it’s Always nice to come back home!
A bit disappointed I didn’t win one of the drawings, but Love the bookmark! You are such a Dear! You think of all of us!
Hugs and Blessings,
Laura
Hi Susan, I so enjoyed today’s post. You introduced me to Gladys Taber when I first found your blog…and for that I thank you. I have found several of her books on dusty book shelves and was able to take them home with me for safe keeping. Rereading them gives me great pleasure. Also, a cross stitch designer in Italy has published (epattern) several Beatrix Potter designs. She, like you, is a huge Beatrix Potter fan. I was not going to mention it but then you referenced Ms. Potter today and I said what the heck, it’s a sign. Isobel’s patterns can be found on Etsy in her shop ThePrimitiveHare and her blog can be found at theprimitivehare.blogspot.com. I have no affiliation with Isobel other than I am purchasing a couple of her epatterns this afternoon. And, oh yes, one of them may be “Hilltop”! Thanks again Susan for introducing me to Gladys Taber!
Lovely cross-stitch patterns!
So many years after reading and retreading her books I am finally able
to view and enjoy your pictures of her home! Thank you so much for
all your wonderful pictures and descriptions!!! One quick question: what
is on the stairs? Carpet? Very unusual. Is there any plan for the future to
be able to raise funds for the care of Stillmeadow?Oops that was 2 questions
: )
Yes, it’s carpet. I think they are working on that . . . we talked a bit about how the National Trust works in England ~ it seemed like they were interested in making something more of Stillmeadow, although I don’t think there is yet a fully formulated plan.
Dear Susan,
I just loved this post! I always enjoy reading all of them, but this one was so special! Thankyou for sharing!!
Sherrill in Connecticut
Congratulations to all the winners. I felt like a winner too. Just looking at all the beautiful pictures of Stillmeadow Farm. You could almost here the sound of the water, the birds singing and the coolness as you walked the road by her home. Isn’t wonderful to see that her grand-daughter is fixing her home and what a peaceful place to live. Thanks for taking those of us who couldn’t attend. Also, your yard looks beautiful and I am going to have to look into one of the beauty bushes too. It looks like it would be a nice addition to our yard. Thanks for the wonderful blog. Enjoy your day. It so nice to see summer has finally arrived.
Oh my gosh, I loved this post today! So many beautiful pictures, thank you so much for sharing. I am inspired now to learn about Gladys Taber, she was a lover of cocker spaniels, like me! I grew up with a beloved cocker and chose the same for my own children to grow up with – it’s been about 7 years now that our Sandy has been gone and we still miss her every day.
How wonderful that you were able to visit a place you had so longed dreamed about, I think I would have been a little “verklempt”, too!
This was the BEST blog – it transported me! It seems that I remember “Butternut Wisdom”, that name sticks in my mind.
I’m kind of sorry that I didn’t win 🙁 but congratulations to those who did! 🙂
Hi Susan…oh, thank you for the sweet blog post. It seems to hit my box around my lunch time, so I love having my cup of tea, toast, yogurt (favorite lunch!) while reading about your wonderful life! I am anxious to see of Mock Oranges grow in Zone 5…crossing my fingers. I miss the smell or orange blossoms from our short California days…
The Still Meadow post was incredible…and thank you for putting words to that emotion of “fabled dreams” — and “horizontal tears.” I have had those experiences before too, nice to know we are not alone!
Thank you again for your blog – it brings happiness to my day and life.
Hugs from Iowa
Donna
Such a wonderful post for all us Gladys fans! I looked for Blackberry in the pictures and the Irish. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for the beautiful photos of Stillmeadow! I believe Gladys speaks through you–your voices are so similar!
What a nice thought. xoxo
Susan, thank you so much for sharing……..you! I had such fun Saturday and your talk was not boring or too long…..I could have stayed and listened all day! I was a little apprehensive about driving 2 1/2 hours by myself, not knowing anyone else who was going, but it didn’t take one minute to meet and love all of the “girlfriends” at my table! It was a great day and, for me, will be one to remember always! You must have signed over 250 books and “things”……and yet, smiled the whole time as you greeted, sat through pictures with and listened to all of your “girlfriends”……you are amazing. You made each and every one of them feel special because you are special! xoxo
I had a wonderful time and felt just like you, looking out over the crowd, I felt right at home. Thank you for being there!
Thank you for another lovely post. Even though I couldn’t be there, you let me have the experience through your words and photos.
I could have lived in a house like Gladys’ in the past. Actually, I live in one now although some crazy person modernized it in the 1980s. So it has out of place oak cabinets and cheap hollow core doors. Sigh…When I walk in my woods with my little dog, I think of Gladys gamboling with her spaniels. It’s ever so nice to watch how much fun my dog has and imagine hers running and exploring.
I know the quiet of which you speak. After moving to this island, I don’t want to leave. The only noise, which occasionally breaks the ‘pure, clean, sparkling like stars, deep-breath’ quiet here, is the sound of air planes. It doesn’t happen all the time. It is so confusing until we realize and say, ‘Oh, it’s a plane.’ I love the quiet of the country. Thank you again for the descriptive essay of your journey.
Congratulations to Gwyn, Roxanne and Linda, three very lucky gals. Just loved those Stillmeadow pictures. Isn’t it just grand when old houses are preserved so we can take a peek into the past……NJ hugs……
Oh, speaking of one-butt kitchens. Mine is a one and a half butt kitchen but I’m OK with that because I have the one butt and Ray lost his somewhere between I Do and Yes, Dear……
LOL, Our kitchen is fairly big, but the work space is tiny … we call it a two-butt kitchen, but have to do the kitchen dance to make it work, do-si-do-ing to get around each other to the fridge and the stove.