“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!
Beautiful pictures, wonderful words, thank you for sharing with us. Wish I was there!
Congratulations to the winners!!!
What a lovely pictures of Stillmeadow and the surounding–I want to live there! So beautifull and quiet-I love it.
Thanks for your bookmark-it’s lovely.
A pity that some of the last pictures didn’t show up in my edition of your blog-perhaps its because I’m living overseas.
Have a wonderfull time with your friends.
greetings,Trudy from the Netherlands
Oh dear, I hope they are just slow in loading. It was a very long post, but the end is where I did the drawing.
Oh Susan, I understand your overflow of emotion with seeing the Tabor homestead. I feel close to that whenever I rad one of your books or your blog…true sensory overload….Sorry I did not win, but I guess your readers win everytime you post…Love you for your sharing your life with your readers….until next time.
Until next time Suzanne. xoxo
Thank you so much for posting pictures of Stillmeadow. Love that her granddaughter is keeping her spirit alive. Such a serene place and I could feel the love she had for this home.
I’ll confess. I wept at the first picture of Stillmeadow and sobbed by the end. I so adore Gladys’ writing and, so, to SEE where she lived, where she wrote, sat by the fire, walked her adorable pups, and dreamed… Swoon. It was exactly how I felt the first time I saw Orchard House or swam in Walden’s Pond… It is a connection to an ordinary person who was extra-ordinary in how she lived — quietly, contentedly, and joyfully — all qualities I feel I want to nourish more. Joy! Joy! Thanks for sharing sooooo much!
It’s just so wonderful to know it all happened, it did exist, and that magic is still there!
It is no wonder you like Gladys Taber! Your likes, interests, activities are akin though not the same: food prep., growing things, cats/dogs, bird feeders, writing, homemaking/decorating, collecting etc. Did you find her and notice the similarities or did you want to be like her? This is we followers. In many cases, as in mine, it’s “Hey, that’s me–me, too! JA
I have been a Gladys Taber fan since I was a girl reading her column in my mother’s magazine…Family Circle?….I have a small collection of her books which I reread often. I so enjoyed your tour of Still Meadow! It is so neat to see what I could only imagine. Didn’t know about the Christmas in Conn. movie tie in…..that movie is a Dec ritual at my house.
Congratulations to all three winners!!! I can only imagine the excitement you all feel! Enjoy your treasures!!! Donna (Idaho)
Thank you Susan as I am also verklempt. I burst out in tears seeing the pictures. I own the Stillmeadow Album but you pictures made me feel I was there. I live in a very old farmhouse and think of Gladys often when things go wrong as she made everyday happenings beautiful. I found the first book I ever read, Stillmeadow Road, in an old schoolhouse library with wood floors when I first moved to my little town 30 years ago. I now own most of her books. again thank you and now will dry my eyes and go water my tomato plants with my border collie at my side:)
I’ve been reading Gladys Taber since I was a young teenager and so I completely enjoyed these photographs. Seeing them truly moved me emotionally and it is exactly, I mean, exactly how I saw it in my mind. It was like coming home. There are certain authors, artists, and poets to whom my love has never wavered and Edna St. Vincent Millay, Miss Read and Gladys Taber are on the top of my list. I discovered Gladys in the public library 50 years ago and her books have brought me so much comfort throughout the years. If I need to escape…I go to Stillmeadow. Thank you for the wonderful trip through your eyes.
Oh, Miss Read, I had forgotten about those…I need to re-read them.
Yes! Miss Read is the best — my “comfort books” when life gets too icky or stressful.
Hi Susan! I attended the FOGT on Saturday and your talk was wonderful! Nobody could ever have guessed that you were scared. You are a natural, and it did help that you were among so many of your girlfriends. Thank you for posting these wonderful pictures (I see myself in one of the group photos!). Thank you for signing my GT book for me. You signed, “To Mary, Another friend of Gladys Taber. Another lover of New England.” We talked about people on both coasts thinking I’m crazy to move FROM California TO New England. You validated me by saying “They’re all crazy!”. 🙂 I love your spirit. Thank you! xoxo
Thanks for being there Mary!
I have the Christmas in CT DVD and love to watch it at Christmas. I didn’t know it was loosely based on Gladys Taber’s LHJ column.
I noticed in the picture featuring your fabrics that either Jack or Girl Kitty (I’m not sure who it is) has a heart-shaped white patch on the left side. It’s very cute!
Did you and Joe find some great books at the Hickory Stick Bookshop? I love browsing there.
Susan, Todays blog was like sweet vacation! A gift in itself!!
Have a wonderful day! Thank you for the ahhh moment in words
and pictures.
GoodAfternoon Susan,
The Ocean water looks so “refreshing” on this humid sultry summer day today. Your flowers are stunning! The photos of you at Stillmeadow are so nice. Thank you for sharing all the photos and the background on Gladys Taber…..how exciting and so happy for you with the Fantastic turnout for your Book! As always I love the Quotes you put in throughout and the Muscia….and now I just feel like TapDancing! Congratulations to all the lucky “Girlfriends” whom won all the beautiful gifts..! Have a Wonderful time with your Childhood Friends! Enjoy!:)
Hugs & Smiles
Barb :):)
Hi Susan… I loved your pictures of Gladys Taber’s home! Looked so lovely and cozy, and it’s so nice that it’s been passed down the generations and that they appreciate the jewel that they have been given! I absolutely love the movie “Christmas in Connecticut”! I own this movie and watch it several times during the holidays! Love that fireplace in the living room, with the roaring fire and the giant Christmas tree. The kitchen is great! The picture you posted of the kitchen reminds of when Uncle Felix raided Nora’s kitchen and turned her “Irish Stew” into “Goulash” by throwing in some Paprika! Funny! They don’t make them like they used to in my opinion! Thanks for sharing your trip with us, and congratulations to the lucky girlfriends who won those wonderful treats! Enjoy your reunion with your girlfriends!
Hi Susan ~
It was wonderful meeting you this past weekend… a dream come true! My sister, Mary, and I traveled from Michigan and had the time of our lives. Touring Stillmeadow was the best, and the people we met at the Gladys Taber Reunion were terrific. Also – your Joe is delightful, a ‘Keeper’ for sure!
Thank you for continuing to inspire us with your books and outlook on life. And lucky us to be your kindred spirits!
With love ~
Mandy T. xo
So nice to see you there Mandy!
Hello Susan! Welcome home and so glad you were able to visit Gladys Taber’s special home! Your passion for such a wonderful author shows in your photos and words seem to come straight from your heart Susan…..don’t you wish you could have met her in person….you both would have alot to talk about over a cup of tea. You and Gladys are very similar! Wish I could stumble across her books at used books stores, but never have. Now after reading your post and seeing her little cozy home, I really want to begin learning more about her and reading her books. Congratulations to Gwyn, Roxanne, and Linda, the three lucky ladies of the day!!!! Thank you Susan for the bookmark, so nice of you to think of us other Girlfriends, but, I think we are all winners, because we have YOU Susan Branch…..my favorite author/artist 🙂 !!!! (Maybe one day there will be a “Friends of Susan Branch Club” for centuries to come!!!!)
Keep your eye on the “Vintage” part of our store. Whenever I find one of Gladys books on my travels that isn’t too crazily expensive (saw one for $185 recently, crazy!), I get it and we put it in the store…
Ahhhh there truely is “no place like home”. Thanks for the wonderful blog about Gladys Tabers home. Will definitely have to keep an eye out for her books at the flea markets. Have a fantastic time with your girlfriends. We can’t wait to hear all about it.
Sue,
As an avid Gladys fan and reader, which of her books would you suggest one start with? I know she wrote in abundance but if it helps I adore the care and keeping of home and all the wonderful things that go with it, gardening especially!
Cheers!
Marian from Seattle
Anything with the word Stillmeadow in it would be perfect!
The Book of Stillmeadow. It was the first one I found and has always seemed perfect for the first read. 🙂
Thanks to you both for replying, I just found a copy online and can’t wait for it to arrive!
Susan, I love your writing. When your post came to an end, I felt like I wanted to turn the page to the next chapter to continue reading. The music, the photos and your walk through Gladys Tabor’s home…all perfect. I have several of her books, and your tour gave me a window into those readings. Congratulations to the winners, and thank you for another perfect post. Can’t wait to read the next post.
Karen
Thank you Karen, very nice xoxo
So wonderful to read of your adventures! Loved this quote: “I suppose I am a sparrow, a stay-at-home-bird.” ♥ Gladys Taber. I thinks she’s talking about me. Hugs, Laura
I’m having trouble getting the bookmark to download…is it just me?
Thanks!
Something was running oddly with the blog this afternoon, try again and let me know how it goes. Thanks Susan!
Lovely post. It’s been a rough week here…my beloved mom fell and then had a mini-stroke…she’s on the mend, but I can see her life becoming smaller and smaller…we cherish her. I’ve managed to find one Gladys Taber book so far, in the giveaway bin at the library (who would give her books away?!) but I’m glad they did. It’s called Conversations with Amber and it’s about her cat. I love it and I’m on the hunt for more of her books…and I wouldn’t have known about her if not for you, so thank you.
My pleasure. I hope your mom is better soon xoxo
My mother introduced me to Gladys Taber and Stillmeadow in the 1960s. She was visiting this weekend and I told her about you and that you would be the guest speaker for the Friends of Gladys Taber. We both remembered the “Louella’s Goop” recipe for hamburgers. Will have to send her the link to this post so she can see the lovely pictures. We have retired to the Cape and my husband was a dear to drive me by Gladys’ home, Stillcove, in Orleans a few years ago and I was able to get a few pictures from the outside. So glad to know that Stillmeadow remains in the family. You carry on the heart, warmth, and calm of Gladys in your blog, and it’s a treat!
Susan, loved your swingy top and the tour. I especially smiled at “If you’re happy and you know it” and the lamb book. I am a children’s librarian. Tell Vanna that she hasn’t picked me yet for anything. I am disappointed in her, but not in you. Keep the pictures, captions, beautiful books and drawings, coming!
This is good, now we have Vanna who can be the “bad” one, and I can be the “good” one! 🙂 I like it!
Oh Susan..first congratulations to all your winners and thank you for the gift of the bookmark! smile…. And getting to be at Stillmeadows…oh my…memories of Gladys’s writing just came flooding back. I remember the fireplace (to be snowed in!! Wonderful!) and those narrow stairs..lol Oh and her bedroom…just as I imagined! Thank you so much for the bookmark! You are such a giving person! smile…
Have fun with your friends, I know they will have an amazingly wonderful time!! No matter how nice it is to go back home…your friends just might want to stay at MV with you, Joe, Jack and Kitty…lol
Glad you’re home and enjoying your home!
Susan, thank you–it was so nice to see the pictures and share your experience at Stillmeadow! You are the best! 🙂
How wonderful to live vicariously through your travels! Loved the trip to Stillmeadow and the glorious photos! Congratulations to the lucky winners of your latest giveaway! One day, that will be me! I have just become a grandmother for the first time! My granddaughter’s name is Elanor Joanna and I hope to pass on my love for you and Gladys. I’ve always wondered, are you a fan of the Little House books? Love to you, and all the girlfriends!
Not the books, but I was crazy about the TV show. My sister and I used to hunker down with our tea under our blankets to watch that show. I love your granddaughter’s name.
Have you read the Little House on the Prairie set of books? They aren’t just for kids–really are interesting as offer a wonderful glimpse into life at that time…you just need to get the image of Michael Landon out of your head first! 🙂
No I haven’t read them, I’m kind of crazy about Little House on TV 🙂 — my sister and I would scream “Little House” when it was on, and RUN for the TV.
If you can find the set (6 or 7 of them), I highly recommend them as a good “summer read”…they read quickly but are not written necessarily at a child’s level of reading. Really make you think of how easy our lives are now…
You are the BEST BLOGGER EVER!!! I’ve been checking for a new blog post so frequently, my husband said I was becoming a stalker!! haha!! He is such a wise guy sometimes…Thanks so much for sharing your experiences with us. I feel like I went to Stillmeadow myself, thanks to you!! I’m so glad you had a wonderful time!! Congrats to all the winners!! Enjoy your new treasures! Susan, you are so thoughtful to send the rest of the girlfriends a lovely book mark. Thank you so much!!!! Can’t wait to see how much fun you have this weekend!!
Sooo happy for the winners!!! I know they are excited and will enjoy tremendously!! Your give -aways are always so very nice and generous and God Bless you for this! Loved the pictures of Gladys Taber’s house -so cute! I am a huge fan of the movie ‘Christmas in Connecticut ‘with Barbara Stanwyck (thanks to my Mother who Loved old Christmas movies, just like me!) I like to watch old Christmas movies in the summertime too when it is about 90° out, then I turn the air-conditioner on about 65°,turn the oven on 400° and bake Christmas cookies! Love you Susan! I honestly thank God for you -you are very special!
XOXO thankyou Sharon!
Congratulations to the lucky three ladies! What a fun treat to receive a prize from you.
I had trouble seeing some of the pics during my lunch break at work, but figured the firewall was the reason. Don’t they know it’s break time? Everything loaded at home though and I agree with Stillmeadow looking English. Makes you want to stand in one place to take it all in.
Enjoy your friends!
Kay
I LOVED THIS POST! <3 Martha's Vineyard, a Stillmeadow… I so wish I could have gone to the reunion! I would have loved touring Glady's beautiful sanctuary. Maybe one day!
Thank you so much for taking us along to Stillmeadow! It’s mind-boggling, thinking about all that went into a day, back when that house was built. The quilting, the cooking, the gardens – and how beautifully they constructed it all, without benefit of running water, sewing machines, power tools, etc. How amazing were our ancestors?! Thank you for the lovely bookmark and congratulations to all the lucky winners!
Loved seeing your photos of Gladys’ home in Southbury and so glad the showers stopped just in time for the bus tours. I was not able to attend the on-site visits, but was so happy to hear you at the Gladys Taber reunion, in Danbury. I could feel the excitement in the room in anticipation of your presentation. I also met some charming women (and men) at my table, including the adorable Kate, who left the Cape at 4:00 a.m. to arrive in time and “armed” with her copy of A Fine Romance. Also snapped a photo of your photogenic van parked very near my car! A memorable weekend for all!
And for me! Thanks for being there Mary Lou!
Question 1. Who is Vanna?
Question 2. Can you explain why GT house was english???
Question 3. How do I get the consolation prize? Or is the bookmark the prize. sorry for being so dense.
I agree with Gladys, I like to be home. Loved your blog today. Is there a way to hear your speech? Huggs to the kitties. Thanks Susan, your friend, Debby
There is a tool in the backend of blogs that chooses random names for drawings — it’s called the Random Number Generator. Rather an unromantic name. So, I created “Vanna” (as in Vanna White, the game girl) to draw names for us. She’s not real but, for fun, I like to make her a little real.
Gladys Taber’s house was built in 1690, and since America was England until 1776, that means Stillmeadow was an English House for 86 years.
To get the bookmark, you click on the highlighted word BOOKMARK, it will come up, and you print it out. You’re not dense, I should do a better job of explaining things!
I didn’t record the speech. Thanks for Kitty Hugs!
Thanks for the explanations, you crack me up, I thought there really was a Vanna that lived in your house
Ha ha ha, she is much too spoiled to live here for very long 🙂
I positively LOVE, LOVE your posts! They just make the day better. Especially enjoyed the flowers and goldfinch photos. Most interesting is Gladys Tabor’s house and the stair case is amazing! People nowadays think they can not climb stairs but look what this lady maneuvered just to reach her bedroom! Thank you!!!
I am still laughing at “verklempt” and “horizontal tears”!!!!
Such great descriptions and ohhh sooo true!
And I gasped when I saw the author of your Lambie gift book…Heleln Fuller Orton! A flood of memories from childhood…reading her wonderful Mysteries!
Isn’t life grand??!!?
But definitely!
That first Welcome Home Picture of Girl in the Kitchen with all things familiar on the table…..ahhhh HOME!
I have always wondered…(and I’m sure you’ve shared before)…Where did you find those exquisite green glass candlesticks??? I have looked forever and found nothing close! What is their story????
I might cry horizontal tears if I ever found some like them!
xoxoBeth
I cried horizontal tears when I found them — good old antique stores. If you wander long enough, you’re sure to run into them.
There is something very magical about the picture of you standing by the large fireplace in Gladys Tabers home. You have a look of peaceful excitement, a knowing of her presence.
You are a cute-doll…a very generous cute-doll.
I love this post, great excitement, all of it.
Congratulations to the lucky winners.
Whenever I see something I’ve read about, like the Eiffel Tower or Big Ben or Gladys Taber’s fireplace, it’s always so exciting to realize it’s all real.
Oh thank you, thank you, thank you! You have given me an incredible gift. I so wanted to go to the reunion this year. Your pictures of the Gladys Taber house are beautiful and mean so much to me. I’ve been a member of the Friends of Gladys Taber for many years and have several photos but it is difficult to see the details. Now as I re read her books I can look at your pictures. I am reading The Book of Stillmeadow now and your pictures let me see it all even clearer.
It did the same for me, put it all into perspective. I was so surprised at the tiny kitchen! But easy to imagine her there cooking and canning up a storm.
I was thinking the same thing about the kitchen. In her books she talks about two kitchens. The middle kitchen and the back kitchen with the “old black range” I wonder if she did some of the canning there?
Probably — but it’s a big mud porch now, lots of “stuff” in there.
Thanks so much for posting the photos of Stillmeadow! I’ve read just a few of her books, but love them so much; I look forward to reading many more.
Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart and the tops of my toes for posting such wonderful pictures of Stillmeadow. Your color photos almost made ME cry so I can only imagine how you must have felt being there in person with everything so lush and green. What a present you have given me/us!
I’m so glad you have enjoyed it. I thought about you all the whole time I was there, trying to make sure I captured it as much as I could.
Thank you so much for the tour of Gladys Taber’s Stillmeadow. I still remember reading her columns in Woman’s Day when I was younger. Every chance I get I look for old magazines. It was when I was first in my late 20’s I started collecting her books. I have several and really love them. So glad you got to tour the house and take us with you.
Congratulations to the winners! I am a little envious of them but really love the bookmark. So Thank You for your generous spirit.
Susan, your Lake Arrowhead photo reminds me of Phoebe Cates’ character in the movie, Shag. I love it!
I had to look up Shag ~ I can’t believe a movie came out in 1989 that I have never heard of! I’ll have to look for it!
You’ll have to get it so you can watch when your girlfriends come. It’s best watched with girlfriends.
I’m sure (say that in Valley Girl! 🙂 )
Thank you, thank you Susan for the wonderful pictures of Stillmeadow. How I wish I could have been there. What an adorable house. Just as I’ve always pictured it. Makes you want to move right in. I laughed out loud about the one butt kitchen. Thanks for always brightening my day. Congratulations to the very lucky winners. Anne
Oh thank you for posting all those pictures of Stillmeadow! I had no idea who Gladys Taber was until you mentioned her earlier this year. Now I am in love with her writings!!!! Every evening I have to read a little from whatever book I am in — fortunately, our library has quite a few, and I will get the rest via interlibrary loan. There is something so very soothing and peaceful about her writing. I can’t wait to collect all the books to be my very own….if I ever find them for sale. 🙂 Stillmeadow is smaller than I pictured from her books….but so lovely and cozy!! Can’t wait to crawl into bed and read a few more pages!
You’re lucky to have a library that has them!
Very lucky!!!
alibris.com has a lot of Gladys Taber books and many are not that expensive. That’s where I got a lot of them for my mom a number of years ago.
I adore Gladys Taber and I’m so glad you got to visit her home. It was hard to choke back the tears reading your blog today. I’ll have to choose a favorite and reread it. Oh to have been a mouse in your pocket!
Xxx/ooo’s Barbara in Lodi, CA
How wonderful to get to visit, Susan! It’s a real treat to go along, even if it is through your writings and photos. Once again, like when we all went to England with you we felt as though we were along for the adventure.
My longest-running friend ( better than saying my oldest friend, don’t you think?! ) and I stayed overnight on the Queen Mary last weekend and we both commented on the little lambs worked into the wood paneling in the nursery walls, by saying “…oh Susan would love that!”
We saw a little Petey doll and commented on him as well. 🙂
Congratulations to the winners!
I agree that seeing where Gladys wrote from is a bit like seeing some really wonderful icon that we have come to know but can hardly believe is real. So happy you will be including notes from your talk in the new book.
Glad you’re home safe and sound,
Love, Marsha
I did love the nursery! Wasn’t that adorable? And on a ship! Thank you Marsha!
Hello Susan, Thanks so much for the tour of Glady Taber home. I think I can see far into the future that someday we will all be getting that same tour of your home and get to see the lovely Martha’s Vineyard Island. I someday want to take that same walk to the ocean You and Joe take each and everyday. I can just imagine how beautiful that Island is. I want to come and do a full tour of the Island and come home with seashells. I collect them from everywhere. Love them. I want to smell your salty sea air also. It’s on my bucket list. Love the pic of you when you were younger. Boy were thoses the days. Love to both You and Joe. Hugs to kittys too. Keep up the great work. Thanks for another special blog. Goodnight.
You’re not too far away Linda, you could do all that one of these days. Try for either Spring or Fall when the island is quietest, or August (if you don’t mind crowds) when the most “things” are happening, such as the fireworks, the Fair, and Illumination Night.
Thank you for the tour of Stillmeadow. It looks so peaceful there. You always take us to the nicest places.
You deserve it. xoxo
What a treat viewing Gladys Tabor’s home with you!! I own the book “Stillmeadow Album”…. what fun to see pictures in color versus the book’s back and white. The book shows Anne as a toddler. I’m so glad she is there, keeping the house just like her grandmother left it. What is great idea to compare the rooms with the rooms in ” Christmas in Connecticut”! Do they have cocker spaniels now? Thanks again for sharing with us!!!
I don’t think anyone lives there year-round, so no doggies were about and I forgot to ask!
Dear Sweet Susan, Joe and Kitties,
Enjoyed all the Musica with Doris(love her music and have all her movies) , Tommy and his companions two songs (great), and Fred and Eleanors dance (there is no better). So happy that you two had a wonderful trip. I have so often had that feeling of enjoying the trip but happy to be back to my little “piece of heaven”. Loved the pictures from the ferry but especially the one of the schooner under sail (beautiful). Always enjoy the church spires and the churches that go with them in small towns and old downtown areas. Newer churches don’t seem to have that simple elegance. The best morning is always the one when you wake up in your own bed after coming home from a trip and you get up and go through your house appreciating you things in a new way.
It’s so fun to see the contrast in your Kitties purrsonalities. Love what a ham for pictures Jack is. That Vanna is something else, always doing her own thing.
The Mock Orange and the Pink Beauty bushes were beautiful. Wish you had smell-a-blog. There’s Miss Hollyhock looking over at Linda Porter Rose and saying “I enjoyed being in the Celebrate post, so I am going to try for another. Loved the Marian Page quote, so true . Your strawberries are perfection. Loved the harvest to tummy sequence shots. Iris Murdocks quote is right on. Nothing like the fresh smell of laundry dried on the clothesline. Your Beauty Bush is a beauty. Your goldfinches are so sweet enjoying their feed and shade.
This summer we are enjoying two kinds of Woodpeckers( large and small varieties) , Sparrows , Carolina Wrens, Doves, Cardinals, Goldfinches, Purplefinches, Chickadees, Mockingbirds and Robins. My daughter had a Robins nest with 3 babies and was so enjoying watching the whole process till Mr. Racoon came and got them in the middle of the night. We were all sad.
So glad you gave me the chance to enjoy Stillmeadow through you. I sold many a copy of Glady’s books but had no frame of reference, so didn’t connect. When you buy books by the hundreds you can’t connect to every one of them, besides God intended for you to make that connection for me. Isn’t that a girlfriend moment. I loved the way you made me feel with the pictures like you did with Hilltop about Stillmeadow. Beatrix is my hero and I know Gladys will be too when I track down her books and start my collection. I can tell from the things you have said about her and her lifestyle that we are kindred spirits already. Did not know that she was the inspiration for “Christmas In Connecticut”. I won’t wait till christmas, I’ll watch my copy again with new eyes. Such a cute movie. Your description of her kitchen was so nice. I love the expression “one butt kitchen”. I have never heard that one before. The Myrna Loy quote is exactly my feelings and the same with the Oliver Goldsmith quote. The milk glass corner cabinet was beautiful. The picture through the upstairs window brought back the memories of the process as a child when people would scrape the old paint off their wooden houses and windows by hand getting them ready to repaint. There would be many coats of old paint. The headboards and footboards on the beds was a memory too, but they are coming back.
Wish I could have looked at every book in each of her bookcases. How wonderful that her grandaughter is so dedicated to the preserving of the legacy that she has been left. It will be a lifetime process for her. Loved her reminder to you that it was an english house. The Kant quote is right on the target. Your illustration below it reminded me of Ring of Bright Water. What an interesting thought provoking conversation you and Joe had about the well. Yes, we are soft. The Lamb book gift is a treasure. Books for children were so sweet and innocent back then. The Thoreau quote was great too. Your little fear before your talk was such a wonderful example of the beautiful victory we feel when we push through it and find that we were in that situation to give to others who never saw the fear. How perfect for Kate to enjoy your book on a quilt when quilts were your theme this month. Must make you proud to be a Beatrix Potter or Gladys Taber to Kate. So happy for Gwyn, Roxanne and Linda. They must be beside themselves with joy with their new treasures. Can’t bellieve Vanna is always acting so “put upon” when she only has to work one day a month.
Will print off my prize and enjoy. Will make some of your lemonade and savour your post multiple times. I can’t believe the Beatle girl fans are having a reunion within weeks of me seeing Ringo Starr. Have lots of fun spending time with your friends after you have had such a busy month, you deserve it . I love you for sharing your trip with us and starting me on my own Gladys Taber journey. The Gladys Taber Society reminded me of another of my heroes, Maude Hart Lovelace(author) and the Betsy-Tacy Society. If you want to read a lovely bit of americana, read the Betsy-Tacy series. It takes the friendship of two girls from six to adulthood in the early 1900s in Minnisota, so beautifully written. They make wonderful gifts for children and adults and are on the Ereaders too now. It is the history of the authors growing up and the characters are based on her real friends. Such fun and a beautiful period of time in our country.
My husband just called and shared that he watched a utube video called Look Up. It is so perfect after a visit to Gladys Taber’s Stillmeadow. It’s all about moderation and balance in technology. Thank you for your lovely post XOXOXO.
Me, too……I’m a sparrow. Travelling is wonderful, but oh, the joys of being home. My mother used to say, after we’d been out and about all day, as we drove down the lane toward our farm and pulled in the driveway….”this is the most beautiful place I’ve seen all day!” So, like the happy gene, I seem to have inherited the “home is best” gene as well.
I also love the reminder from Gladys to light candles for dinner. I do that for company but often forget to do it for plain ole dinner for my honey and me. This is our 50th year of marriage (officially later in Autumn) so we’ve been doing 50 Fun Things all year. When you decide to have fun it’s amazing how much fun there is to be had right in front of you! Our motto is “Until Further Notice Celebrate Everything!”
I love that you turned to mincemeat when you saw Stillmeadow. It shows how deep and special your dreams and connections have been all these years. It’s one of the things I love most about you, Susan…… when you love something or someone it’s deep in your loyal heart. You aren’t trendy…….I mean that in the best possible way!
Thanks for all the happiness today. As always, DonnaRay
PS That beauty bush is well named indeed!
I am definitely not trendy! 🙂 Train riding, hand-writing books and not owning a Kitchen Aid Mixer takes you out of the trendy category! 🙂
Thank you so much Susan for the most wonderful day on Saturday! It was such a pleasure to meet you! The entire day was truly a time to always remember. What an amazing, patient and caring person you are! You greeted each and every one of us, signed tons of books and posed for photos for hours…..all with a smile and graciousness. You are an inspiration to us all!
I had a wonderful time Janice, thank you!
Thank you, thank you, thank you for this beautiful post and photos about Gladys Taber. I have my own story about how I “discovered” her – and her house in Cape Cod, that I am writing in my own book. It was such a thrill to see her house. I was so disappointed not to go to hear you speak, so this is a marvelous treat!
loved stillmeadow you are awesome Susan. I’m sure you will have a wonderful time with your girlfriends. CONGRATS ! to the winners 🙂
Oh I Love the movie Christmas in Connecticut! I watch it every year at Christmas along with Holiday Inn and White Christmas. I love the Myrna Loy quote because I loved Myrna Loy. I love everything about Stillmeadow! I want to live there! I also want to grow some Mountain Laurels. I must print out this edition just so I can look at the pictures and read and re-read it. Can you tell I love everything about this Musica? I am smiling now, so smiles to everyone!
Hi Susan, it looks as if I failed to hit “save” earlier today. . . Thank you for introducing me to Gladys Taber. I’ve enjoyed reading her books. Some 30 (oh my!) years ago I briefly lived and worked in Southbury. I was so close to Stillmeadow and didn’t even know it!
Thanks for the lovely visit to Stillmeadow, and your lovely commentary. I can almost smell the pine needles warming in the sunshine. Have a most wonderful time with your girlfriends, Susan!
Congratulations to the lucky give-away winners! How exciting for them and generous of you. I absolutely loved this blog posting with all of the pictures of Stillmeadow. I so long for a simple, less complicated life as Gladys Taber described in her books. That would be heaven. My favorite scripture is Psalms 46:10 with the Lord telling us to be “still.”
what a wonderful description of your day at Gladys Taber’s home! I love her home. I hope her family can continue on and preserve her farm. I am so happy for all your winners – and thanks for the bookmark! xo t
I feel a poem coming on lol…but I couldn’t do justice to all the things you say, write and give to us all! I might have known you would leave no stone unturned Susan, and can imagine how you felt standing next to that fireplace, or in Glady’s bedroom, kitchen, looking through the windows, the garden and I’ll bet even the floorboards and weather boards of the old house. I was hoping for such photos and you delivered lol!!
Congratulations to all the winners, yay! xx
The floor was gorgeous! I forgot to talk about the wide boards and the age of them.
Oh what a delightful post and such ‘heart warming’ pictures of Gladys home and to view not only nature’s outdoor beauty but the beauty of a ‘home’ lived in and enjoyed and now another generation is going to keep this house a home. Bless you from all your girlfriends.
I put your kitchen as the background on my computer screen and will be there with you when you are up in the ‘wee’ hours of the morning but would you make mine a cup of tea.
If you could have seen my face when I received your email announcing my win you would have had a good laugh!! I am an avid sewer (lucky enough to have my own large sewing room ) so my prize will be put to good use if I can bear to sew and not hoard the fabric!!!! Thank you again for your generosity…….I feel gifted every time I open one of your blogs and this one was no exception. You look so happy on your house tour! Thank you again for everything! Linda from Idaho where it turned very windy and cold today—high 50’s!
Congratulations Linda! That prize is perfect for an avid sewer! I received the email with your address and your fabric will be in the mail very soon — as soon as we find a bolt-shaped box! Must be one in the barn! 🙂
If you wish to remove from the bolt that would be just fine with me!!! Thanks again….I am still on cloud nine!!!!!!Linda from Idaho where it rained all night and till noon and now the sun is shining!
It’s in the mail!
Thanks SO MUCH for the vicarious vacation to your spot and Stillmeadow! Just came in from 7 hours of yard work with a shovel and my arthritic hands didn’t hurt a bit as I enjoyed your post!
The steps with the rope to hold onto reminded me of some VERY narrow ones in a house we visited when I was a child–quite scary to go up and more so coming down.
It’s time to snuggle up with one of my Stillmeadow books later this week when it is supposed to rain. That’s my favorite ‘cozy up with a good book’ weather.
Once again you have brought “magic” into my life! Between Gladys and Fred Astaire, Gladys’ wonderful house & garden and everything in between my life became a little brighter. It is just after midnight and I feel as though I am in a dream – such a treat! If there is any one thing I would thank you for, it would be introducing me to many wonderful things in the world that I hadn’t even thought about. The beauty of the flowers, the undying strength of old houses, the beauty of the sea, the laundry blowing on the line – OUTSTANDING TO THE SOUL!! You are a priceless treasure! I can never thank you enough! And I am proud to be your BFF!! XXXXOOOO Pat
Congrats to all of your lucky winners. I feel like a winner just reading this post and travelling with you to Stillmeadow Farm. I have two of Gladys Taber’s books, The Best of Stillmeadow and The Stillmeadow Cookbook. (no surprise there! as I love to cook) I treasure them. She had such a beautiful way of making the ordinary seem extraordinary. A gift not unlike your own. That is why all of your readers are winners I think. I can’t wait for your new calendars to be out. I am waiting with baited breath for the blotter one. I love your blotter calendars and was so excited to know you have one out for 2015. I am still using the last one on my work desk. I cannot bear to put it away, and I confess, I have scribbled on it in a few places. Sacrilege I know! Thanks for all that you share.
HUGE SIGH HERE — Well – I didn’t acquire the thrill of receiving that lovely fabric – BUT – I did have a wonderful time reading this blog and just reveling in your journey to Gladys Tabor’s beautiful home.
I vaguely remember my grandmother having one or two of the Still Meadow books (oh where are they now!?!?) but I think I got to benefit from her philosophy and recipes at a young age and didn’t realize it – or maybe I’m reminded of it now because so many of her ‘teachings’ are a part of my life.
I once worked for a person, who after every meeting or seminar we attended would ask “What is your ‘take away’ from this?” I think my reply after reading this blog in particular would be – peacefulness, happiness – joy – serenity, and maybe being somewhat punch drunk on the beauty of the world.
Congratulations to the winners!
Again this post is so much fun to read Susan,
love to go to those places, but unfortunately I’m a little bit afraid of flying in a plane.., sending lots of love from the Netherlands to you dear Susan!
Love Willemien
I’m not good at it either Willemien, so I understand.
Susan, when I read this quote by Joe Stowell in the little booklet I read each morning I immediately thought of you: “Smiles are also a hint of the image of God in us.” At the GT Reunion while I was in the book-signing line you looked up from signing someone’s book and smiled at me. It was then that I realized what is so special about you–your smile always reaches your eyes–the window of your soul. I would wholeheartedly agree that when you smile we are getting a hint of the image of God in you. ☺♡
OH my Cathy, what a sweet thing to say. It was probably your face that provided the inspiration. xoxo
Well, I was feeling a great deal of empathy for you because at that point you’d been signing for an hour and I’d been standing for an hour–so I was amazed you could still be smiling! I suspect that I wasn’t smiling (I was hungry, too), so you were probably offering me one of yours. ☺ That’s why I didn’t ask for a photo with you (not because I didn’t want one) because I didn’t want to keep you any longer than necessary–there was still quite a line behind me.
It’s always like that. The way I think about it is that people like to spend a little time, whether at the front of the line or at the back. Most bookstores want to push people through and perhaps people do like that — I’m never sure. But I figure if someone wants to tell me something they should be able to. Usually the people in line have so much fun with each other I wish I was THERE!
Congratulations to all the winners!! Susan, this blog post about Gladys Taber was wonderful! You introduced me to Gladys through your artwork and I always loved her quotes. Last year, I found Stillmeadow on Ebay and purchased it. What a wonderful read and a summary of her life. Now, with this tour, I feel so much more connected to what she was writing. Her home was and still remains a beautiful and inspirational place and I am so happy that her granddaughter is preserving it. Thank-you so much for all of your photos and comments about your visit. It inspired me to look for more of Gladys’ books and writings. Have you ever seen copies of “Butternut Wisdom”? I would love to read those columns!
I haven’t, although they reprint them sometimes in the Newsletter.
Oh, I am bummed I didn’t win, but today’s post was like a win. I think this is my favorite blog post yet, I adored the trip to Gladys home and seeing the home place of her beloved books and stories.
Enjoy being home!
I’m so happy you enjoyed it Gayle!
Loved our visit to Stillmeadow. I was so lucky to find the little blue/white Royal Crownford Ironstone plate that you had for sale in a new antique/consignment shop we discovered on our meanderings on Sunday. When I saw it in your shop I fell in love with it but I must save my pennies for your calendars and new book so you can imagine how thrilled I was to find it. The little verse makes me think this is how Gladys thought about Stillmeadow:
In every house
Where love abides
And friendship is a guest
Than that is surely
Home Sweet Home
And there the heart can rest.
Makes me think of your house too, Susan. Have fun with your girlfriends. I’m sure you and Joe will spoil them, not to mention Girl and Jack. I just read Linda’s comment. She is so excited about winning your fabric. So glad it found a new home with a quilter. Congratulations to Roxanne and Gwyn, too.
Oh I love those little plates! Good for you Elaine!
Oh no, hit wrong key lost my words..can’t wait…trying again, Don sleeping he’s worn out as he’s right hand man 4 more weeks, arm in sling. argghh but I get to read a lot :). I’m doing hunt & peck & these keys keep moving! Congrats winners! Love that we all got our chance thx so much!!!! Great tour of Stillmeadow really enjoyed your visit..many thx! Back to reread blog so much easier dear Susan & people!!! Love x & 1 arm hugs (would that be a c instead of a o?) Joanie
One arm hug back to you, won’t be long now Joan (sorta).
~Good Morning~ So many favorite things in this post!~ Thank ~ You , Joe , Anne and David for sharing your visit to Stillmeadow~ just beautiful!~ Congrats to the winners too! ~
Lynn
Wonderful as always! I can just say ditto to all the wonderful comments that came before mine. I do have a question though. In looking at the lemonade recipe, I don’t see where it calls for any lemons?!? I see limes??? Or am I seeing things?
It’s just limes, but it’s called lemonade anyway!
Well that just explains everything! :o)
🙂
How nice —then I guess it’s OK to call Potato Salad , Limeade ….?
Yes.
Hi Susan, Congrats to all the winners……….lucky girls for sure! Loved this blog and touring through Gladys Taber’s home with you. Loved every minute. You captured it so beautifully. Yes, I have read many of her books. I’m so glad her granddaughter and husband are trying to fix the home and gardens back to there original state. I have also seen Christmas in Connecticut and love all the old movies.
Although I am very active and busy here in Fl, I really am a homebody and love just being at home sweet home! You sure had a jam packed room for your talk. You must have been nervous but I bet once you started talking, the nervousness went away.
Thank you for sharing so much with all of us. This was grand! Hugs, Gail xo
Hi Susan – I always enjoy reading your posts….. But today’s was extra meaningful to me. Since retiring from teaching I have been working with Big Brothers Big Sisters and I have learned and experienced so much about mentors/heroes…..being a mentor and having a mentor. I see everyday how that relationship, whether it’s day to day, every few weeks or just a check in by email, shapes a child, gives them courage to be who they want to be, brings joy to their life! Let’s them know they are not alone. You had quite a mentor/ hero in Gladys Tabor! Thank you soooo much for sharing with us!
You are so true. I had lots of mentors, sometimes when I had to do something difficult, I would pretend I was one of them.
Oh happy, happy, happy day! I was so hoping you would tell us a bit about your visit to Stillmeadow, & we got sooooo much more than I would ever had hoped! Oh my goodness! I have been gradually finding & buying Gladys Taber books over the last several months & I just love her! Just simple books about life. The good life @ Stillmeadow with “Jill”, their families & dogs & the matters in life that concerned her for the world in which she lived. If anyone knows where I can get my hands on Harvest @ Stillmeadow ( without paying $300.00+), I would love to know!
Her granddaughter in the pictures. Is that “Muffin”?
Finally, do you & Joe have someone to check on things when you are away? It sounds as though Vanna’s gets a little wild when you are gone!
Congratulations to all the other winners! I felt like the rest of us won just with all the fabulous pictures of Stillmeadow you showed!
We would never leave Vanna alone here! OMG. Yes, you are so right. We left Martha’s daughter here when we went away, to take care of the cats and make sure Vanna doesn’t get crazy! Muffin? The only “granddaughter” I showed was Kate (no relation to Gladys, if that’s what you meant?) Thank you Jane! Hope you find those books. Check the Vintage section of my web store, when I find extra copies of Gladys’ books I put them there.
I’m adding my thanks along with all the girlfriends for the introduction to Gladys and the interesting/beautiful tour of her home. I enjoyed it so much. I also loved the pics of your ferry ride home. I love that ferry ride and hope to take it again soon. Your garden looks like an oasis. My organza heart ribbon (just gorgeous!) and summer banner (festive and cute!) arrived yesterday. Sherri and Kellee do such a wonderful job each time I order things or have a question. The bookmark worked today and I’ve already printed several copies (to share with my friends too) on card stock. Lovely! Thank you for the consolation prize-we’re winners! And thanks again for sharing the very grand tour of Gladys’ home. Inspiring.
I LOVE that ribbon. I use it for everything . . . It says it all 🙂 Thank you for all those nice compliments on Kellee and Sheri, you are so right, they are wonderful!
Dear Susan, Gladys Taber inspires you the way you inspire me. I love the way you see the world. Thank you, thank you, thank you, for all you do and share.
That is very sweet Leslie, thank you.
Thanks for the pictures and story…and the bookmark. I sent the Moon bookmark home with my granddaughter. Hopefully every month she will be looking at the moon with me waaayyy up in SD.
Have a beautiful summer.
Susan, thank you for posting all those photos! I am also a FOGT but I couldn’t make it to Connecticut for the meeting. I have a small collection of Gladys’ books, about 15, but I am always looking for a new one. I remember reading her column in the ladies’ magazines that my Mom would bring home from the grocery store. Even though I lived in Chicago, I wanted to live in Stillmeadow every time I read about it! It looks just like I imagined….
I encourage everyone who has not experienced her writing to find one of the Stillmeadow books and give it a read. “Stillmeadow Seasons” is one of my favorites. Of course, the Cape Cod books are just as wonderful. In the days after 9/11 when all of us were in shock and mourning, I couldn’t focus my attention on anything that required a bit of thought. The only thing I could read was Gladys – I think that I read right through all of my books in the weeks that followed. They were comforting, lifted my spirits and strengthened my faith. I, too, would have been “mincemeat” if I had the opportunity to walk through her front door and meet a member of her family.
Thanks again,
Janet
p.s. Happy Paul McCartney’s birthday to you!!
Thank you! Me too, after 9/11, it was Gladys Taber and Shirley Temple movies. Like a giant Goofy bandaid.
It is quite a legacy for Gladys and Shirley to comfort someone after the 911 tragedy and so many others throughout their lives. What grace they continue to give to others. I’m glad one of the girlfriends mentioned she read some of Gladys’ books in the library. That is a great option so many folks forget about. I know I forget about borrowing as I have a quite a tendency to buy books like that to keep.
Oh and thanks for the Eleanor and Fred’s dance spectacular. Wow!
Isn’t that so fun? The end when they are like sparks, my favorite.
Hi Susan,
I adored the tour so much of Gladys Taber’s home. It took me back to simpler times. She was born a few years after my Grandmother, who passed in the year 2000 at the age of 106. I loved hearing my Grandmothers stories of “back in the day.”
You look amazing in the pictures ~ have you lost weight? (Not that it was needed.) My, you look so young (not that your NOT!) Your purple blouse is lovely on you. A true delight.
Have a great evening!
Mardell in NY
No, faraway pictures are the best! 🙂
One of my favorite movies is ‘C in C’. I seem to love movies for the neat houses in them….like ‘Holiday’. That’s my house by the way…or my ‘dream’ house. (Kate’s).
I’m so excited for you that your friends are coming. Nothing like a ‘visit’ to tidy things up. Except your house always looks tidy!!! Have the best time Susan…
That’s why I take closeups 🙂 keeping the untidiness on the edges!
~ One of my favorite quotes is
” A Perfectly Kept House Is The Sign Of A Misspent Life”
I have four children and six grandchildren so this was and is my mantra!
It’s a good one!
two words……
THANK YOU.
Another special blog, thank you Susan! I loved seeing Stillmeadow and the TLC given to keep up with maintaining it the way Gladys loved it. I also really relate to your comments about the Quiet. I seem to be passionate about it these days and craving it more an more in this noisy world.
Congratulations to the winners, I know they must be thrilled and thank you for being such a giving, sharing person. Joe shares you with us too, what a good man!
YAY!!! to all the winners!!! Such fun prizes!! I wish fabric manufactures wouldn’t let fabric go out of print….much like book publishers, hmmmm.
Thanks for sharing your adventures at Stillwater! I found a few books online and can’t wait to receive them. While I’m waiting I am reading Outlander. The perfect summer read. It is hard to leave Jamie and Claire in Scotland and come back to 2014 Ohio.
xoxo Happy Day!!
I so agree. Tide soap is here forever, but fabric lasts about 6 months and it’s gone! Oh yes, Jaime Boy! I know just how you feel!
Thank you!
Thus far it’s been rather busy and stressful week work-wise. Along with the intense Southwest summer heat, one easily finds themselves getting a bit drained. Last night I decided to take a break from the reality outside my door; made a cup of tea in a favourite Cath Kidston mug, put on a Johnny Mathis Christmas CD (might at least help one think cooler & is always cheeriness defined), and sat back to read your Gladys Taber post….It was just what the doctor (should have) ordered!
Thank you again for refreshing my sanity…or what is left of it! (smiley face)
p.s. I had not heard of Gladys Taber & love “Christmas in Connecticut” – I knew it was loosely based on a real person. You piqued my Stillmeadow interest; I am now on a quest for my first Gladys Taber book.
‘One Butt Kitchen’…I’m still giggling!
Thank you for the wonderful blog about Stillmeadow. As a “sister fan” of Gladys Taber, I cherished each picture and word. She is one of my heroines, and so are you. Have a great time with your girlfriends.
Thanks so much for letting us visit with you. What a gorgeous place. May it remain as it is.
Congratulations to all the winners.
Loved watching Fred and Eleanor. One of our granddaughters sent me an internet quiz, “What Decade are You”. I was not surprised to see the 40’s for me. That might just be yours too, dear kindred spirit.
I have no doubt, the movies, the music, all my favorites are there.
Congratulations to all who won prizes but I think we all won, we got to see your pictures of Stillmeadow and hear all about Gladys Taber! Have fun with your girl friends. Judy from Kentucky
Good morning Susan and welcome home, Hello girlfriends and congratulations to the winners. I love Christmas in Connecticut, its one of my favorite holiday movies, its not Christmas until I watch that movie along with several others like Holiday Inn, White Christmas and of course the Peanuts’ special and the holiday specials like Rudolph and Frosty. sorry I haven’t been around too much, been busy with the new babies, all six ducklings have hatched and all are doing fine. they are so adorable and funny to watch. won’t be long and they will ready for swimming in the pool. life is good around here, busy barnyard and happy hens for now, babies and more babies… I got what I wanted a busy barnyard. well off to look after the flock, get them fresh water and fedd them and then more housework. I love her milk china, and I love her fireplace. so homey and cozy. what a wonderful place to visit at Stillmeadow. have a great day everyone, enjoy and have some fun. hugs… 🙂
Always fun to hear about your barnyard Pat!
Ahhh…life is grand. Thank you for this journey.
I’ve been to Stillmeadow twice for FOGT reunions and wish I could have attended this year. My friend who went told me you and Joe were VERY gracious. I’m glad you had a chance to visit Stillmeadow. Thanks for the photos of your beautiful yard, birds, and flowers – and the yummy looking strawberry!
Thank you bunny bunches sweet and inspiring Susan, with her trusty side-kick Joe. No one could ever choose their favorite photo or story, at least this someone could not. But to look back at the hutch was a joy to notice all the different styles and knowing how much Gladys enjoyed each and every one.
Our ac has been out, and just what I needed, a nudge to watch Christmas in Connecticut. One of my favorites for so many reasons and you have added to them by adding a little history I did not know.
Rest well, hug those kitties and enjoy the things on the line. So lovely.
Much love and bunny hugs to you all.
Shirley
Oh naughty me, so very happy for the winners.
Stillmeadow is so lovely. Just what I pictured from her writing. Thanks for taking those of us along who couldn’t attend. 🙂
I love “Christmas in Connecticut” and watch it over and over since I bought the DVD. It’s a quite charming film.
You have been expanding your courage through public speaking- what a brave of you thing to do. I would shake down to my core and pass out at the sight of so many people before me. Brave, brave, bravo!
Congratulations to the girlfriends on the receiving end of those prizes- lucky!
Of course I feel lucky just to get a glimpse into your every-days!
xoxo
Gabi
The first time I did it, I had no notes (did not occur to me), got up and just started talking and when I was done, I remembered nothing of what I said. I have no idea. I’ll probably never get over the fear, but at least now I remember being there! 🙂
Hello,
Thank you for the wonderful post. It was so very nice to hear all about your trip.
And your photos are so amazing.
I love all your beautiful flower photos.
Thank you for all you do,
Carla
Dear Susan, just wanted to say thank you so very much for this post, I am now a piece of mincemeat too. xoxoxo