HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY EVERYONE! MUSICA Good Morning! I’m thrilled to say there are twenty-seven hundred entries for our Spring Fling Giveaway, wow! That’s almost shocking! But don’t worry, you still have a much better chance of 
winning this than you do the lottery! Isn’t that comforting? I woke up this morning to another hundred and fifty new comments ~ so I don’t think we’re done! I thought I would give it one more day so everyone has a chance to enter and announce the winner TOMORROW, with a new post to show you how I’ve been decorating for spring. (Remember this is Smallville, don’t get your hopes up too high on the decorations!)
Wishing you the Luck of the Irish and a big pot o’ gold at the end of the rainbow. Don’t forget to wear something Green so you don’t get pinched!
One of our Blog Girlfriends (Lorene) mentioned something interesting in her comment that I thought you all should know: She said the reason they carve an “X” in the top of Irish Soda Bread is to let the fairies out.♥ Be sure to do that, Girlfriends! Let the fairies fly!♥
In the meantime I’ll be in my same old spot . . .
So, until tomorrow . . . an Irish Blessing and a wee bi’ o’ the sampling’ for ye . . . w’ love from Paddy McSue. ♥
Happy Saint Paddy’s Day Miss Susan <3 I'm Irish through n' through. Patti McCarty is my maiden name. My youngest is Connor, but we call him Connie…
Well haven't been too lucky with the lottery, here's to winning the Spring Give Away 🙂 Love you, <3
It’s time to take down Mr. Moose and bring up the bunnies! I love this time of year, it’s so “happy”. Our perennial garden is even waking up. Can’t believe it after the “winter of all things white and snowy”. Susan, you’re a great artist. Love your work. You never fail to make the day brighter. Here’s right back at ya. Carol from Long Island
“…my garden sweet”
Jack is so adorable! I have two cats also and they love watching the birds at the feeder. Happy St. Patrick’s Day to you and Joe. Can spring be far behind?
Happy St. Patrick’s Day from Chicago!
Hi Susan. I had written your Irish Coffee recipe down in my “The Perfect Cocktail” book —- MUCH better than the one in the book; anyway, we had a blustery March day here Sunday and served up your Irish Coffees as the grand finale of our Irish dinner. Much love to you!
May the luck of the Irish go with you throughout the remainder of the year!
I’m Patti from California, too! Maybe one of us should be “Patti from California 2”!
I too have all your printed Willard’s from days gone by before the Internet. I keep them in a small notebook shelved with all your books. I would always read them after kids were down for a nap, a pot of Irish
Here’s lookin’ at you kid! Bet you are all decked out in green! I am not Irish but know they are a very proud people and rightly so!! Now, hope it is warmer and that your snow is gone!! Linda, from Idaho where the weather is cloudy and high 50’s! I found some pansies blooming that reseeded out of a container and into my white rockery leading to the front door….they are all in a row and the brightest blue you ever did see!! What a surprise!
Two words… that’s all: So Beautiful! These are the words that come to mind, after reading your blog. Thank You to You, Joe, the Kiddies and all you share, to make the world a better place. So Beautiful!
Thank you for the extended time to enter for the Spring Fling Giveaway! Surely over 3000 entries now!! Many a lucky lads and lassies we are to know and love ya!!
Happy St. Patrick’s Day to you (although I guess St. Pat’s Day is already over on the East Coast. We still have another hour to “wear the green” here in California. Our St. Patrick’s Day began in a very special way. My husband and I attended “Grandparent and Special Someone Day” at our grandsons’ school in San Mateo. The celebration included a special Mass followed by a reception and a visit to our grandsons’ classes, kindergarten and second grade. In kindergarten we saw the much talked-about leprechaun traps made by the children. According to our grandson, none of the traps worked, but the students know a leprechaun was in the classroom because he made a “big mess”!! (So much fun for the little ones and their grandparents!!)
From Ginny’s Mom in California
A wee blessing to all the Irish, young and old!
Susan, we just saw “Cinderella”. It is perfect in every way, and I cannot even express how much I love it! And not only is Cinderella from Downtown Abbey, so is one of the stepsisters (Daisy)!! Love from Mary S. in Fresno, CA
The first review I’ve read, I’m so excited to hear that!
Beautiful! Thank you, and Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
My crocuses are peaking out of the ground, Spring begins on Friday & all the snow is melted in my neighborhood!
Good morning. I have commented before on this post, but I just want you to know since you posted the give away the book on Amazon is through the roof…..check it out. I am stunned. I love the October calendar page. Pink pumpkins! You are sweet . I know some asked for them. I am the chatty sort. More reading for you.
LOL thank you! I’m so sorry about those prices, that’s truly ridiculous. I didn’t know they were watching! Everyone should wait to buy one until this all blows over.
Within a half an hour yesterday, I witnessed howling winds, pelting rain, snow flurries and sheets of sleet. And then – the storm passed and a brilliant blue sky appeared, tufted with pink, billowy clouds. New England weather stirs all of my senses.
Hello Susan I enjoy reading your blogs & seeing all the pictures from your island Happy Spring to you.
Irish love , sweet parents anniversary , perfect day to celebrate!
I love reading your blogs, the pictures are enticing for a vacation; have all your books, just love everything Susan Branch!
some contests are worth entering! This would be wonderful! Happy Spring!
I made my first tasty corned beef yesterday. Hold the cabbage…I don’t like it boiled. Sautee it with butter and have it on the side. I bought my soda bread, but saw a great new recipe on TV for next year.
I wish I would have thought of the Irish Coffee…by the time I saw your cute cup it was bedtime. I may go to the pub that has the best cup I have ever had here. Spring is coming, and that means extra work! Gardening…mixed with power house cleaning!!
OX Margot
Is it spring yet? Such a long time coming for those of us living in the north.
Hope your St Pattys day was something that would have made me “green” with envy!! (that was suppose to be funny!) Good luck to everyone on your drawing this morning! Irish Blessings to you!
waiting for spring. Hoping to clean flower beds soon.Need to play in the dirt and wait for wonders to appear.happy spring too all!
Hi Susan, I am so happy for you that Spring is near. I love Winter but I don’t know if I could handle all that snow that you have had. I am always ready for Spring. You have been great to introduce us to great authors such as Gladys Tabor ….I am excited to possibly win the latest vintage find you are offering. Enjoy the sunshine and warmer weather…hoping the crocus will be popping up soon for you. Thank You!
And the top of the mornin’ to you too! Love your paintings and Jack is so adorable. My Snoopy looked just like him. She passed and you were so kind to write to me and help me get through it. We now have a new kitten , Misty. She’s half bengal and we rescued her from The Little Shelter in Huntington, Long Island. I love this time of the year because it’s so happy! Your blogs put the icing on the cake. I have the book you are talking about and it was expensive but, for me, worth it. Tasha Tudor is my favorite illustrator. Her work is kind of dreamy and reminds me of your beautiful paintings. Bring up the bunnies, it’s time to look at the garden! Carol from Long Island
I enjoy reading your blogs and looking forward to your interesting stories.
Love the photos and especially the water colors!
Thank you for this opportunity.
Lovely!
☆♡♫♬♪❀❀❀Happy Wednesday Sweet Sue! So How Was Your Saint~Patrick’s Day? Ours Was Truly~Scrumptious! I Made Corn~Beef & Cabbage With New Potatoes & I Even Baked an Irish~Soda Bread! & I Did Make The X & Oh Those Fairies Flew! 😉 Everything was So Yummy! Herbster Brought Home The Guinness Too! So Yep We Danced a Little Jiggity~Jig! 😉 ☆♡♫♬♪❀❀❀ Oh Vanna… Me “Irish” Wings Are Crossed! Almost SPRING Sweet Sue! Yay! Twirling! xoxo Poof! ☆♡♫♬♪❀❀❀ 🙂 P.S. We LOVE You Paddy McSue ♥
Me too!…love the pictures today, Susan, and I love a spring give away!!!
Dear Susan, Thank you for the sunshine you add to my life!
Love you Susan!
Happy Gardening from one Tasha Tudor fan to another.
Susan,
Please, please consider illustrating/writing a children’s picture book!
As I scrolled down reading your blog this morning, my heart stopped upon seeing the depth and detail of your artistry in depicting this little girl, so sweetly serious, brushing away with her own set of watercolor paints!!! Please do think of painting a story around her! You are SO talented in your medium of watercolor illustration! From people to animals (loved your ground hog last month), I feel a children’s picture book is ready to emerge from your
paintbrushes some day! I can already envision a children’s librarian, with a storytime of pre-K little ones at her feet, entralled with your exquisite illustrations! What a stunning contribution you would make to this genre of books, never mind to the lives of little ones learning to read!!!
Darling Jean, I didn’t paint the little girl, you probably didn’t notice it was signed by Maud Tousey Fangel? I would love to take credit for it, I love it too. xoxo
YOU are QUITE talented in YOUR portraits of children, adults, animals, and flora!!! I still stand by my suggestion to pursue illustrating children’s books! Your artistry would be such a gift to children’s literature!!! PLEASE consider it, especially since you can publish books yourself!!!
I must check out Maud Tousey Fangel but kindly ask you to check out Jane Breskin Zalben. Her children’s books helped this mom explain and enrich the Jewish holidays in our Judeo-Christian interfaith family so! Beni’s Chanukah and Pearl’s Passover quickly come to mind! ( I’ve yet to purchase her FAMILY cookbook!!! ) Please think about it! So many women who have attended your bookstore appearances and are readers of your delightful blog are mothers and grandmothers! They would surely purchase books for the little ones in their lives.
I will keep that in mind Jean, thank you for the encouragement. I’ve always felt I kind of write children’s books for big people anyway! I’ll check out Jane Zalben.
Come on spring! I think we are all ready! Thank-you Susan for your blog!
Happy St. Patrick’s Day and blessings in the spring!
Dear Susan,
I am home sick and have lost my voice. After “talking” to one of my darling daughters, I checked my e-mail on my phone because I didn’t feel like going upstairs to the computer. Of course I opened your blog and loved all the beautiful drawings and shots of your precious home! (I taught art and I adore watercolor and old book illustrations!) Was going to e-mail you &; tell you I have the story of the dolls coming to life in a Better Homes & Garden children’s book!! Got down to the end and thought, ”Why is my name in the blog?!!” (medicine slows you down….) Then I screamed with no sound, “Oh my God I WON!!!!” over & over. I had to go upstairs and check on the big computer to make sure it was real!!!!!
Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!!!!!!! You have made my day!!!! Wretched several days and none of it matters! And I loved your watercolor at the end!!!
My friend, Julie, gave me your fantastic book about visiting England and she also told me about your blog. We will read this book together and send you baked goodies!
Kathy
SO happy for you Kathy! Surprises are such nice things! I got your email with your address and I’ll send the book soon. Say hello to Julie for me. Congratulations . . . I hope you feel better soon! xoxo
xoxoxo Hugs and Smooches from me! :o*
I’m dreaming about this beautiful book!!
Duh, finally found where to write comments. I don’t have time to get on the internet a lot, and then I forget what to press! Always love your blog! And, I have ordered from you some Emma Bridgewater, and I have all of your books, and calendars. Looking foreward to your next book. Warmest wishes, Marcia
Love to see you here Marcia!
Oh, Paddy McSue, I am in Heaven! I have never had an Irish coffee to match your recipe. Sooooo good. Thanks for sharing.
Yay!
I just love everything you do, your neat ideas that you share with us. Thank you
Susan, thank you for this delightful day brightener. My daughter, Lizzy Miller, (she will always be Elizabeth to me) writes this from the road on the National Tour of Camelot….”Don’t you LOVE Susan Branch’s spread for March, on her calendar? My favorite so far, “Conscious Creativity takes courage- read books about your heroes. If they can do it YOU CAN TOO!” I love this and all of her creativity advice,” writes my earnest and ambitious girl. To which I can only add, AMEN! and Artists Unite! Wanted you to know that you are inspiring my 24 year old and countless others. Blessings! Anne
Elizabeth will love the book I’m writing . . . it’s all about creativity, and more or less how I discovered it in myself. I love her tour! Amen, Anne!
SPRING TRIFECTA FRIDAY 3 20 2015
Before Spring arrives
Lay a fire
I’m sitting in the last hour of winter
Solar Eclipse Super Moon Equinox
washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/wp/2015/03/20/vernal-equinox-2015-solar-eclipse-supermoon-kick-off-spring-in-the-northern-hemisphere/
AARON COPLAND
APPALACHIAN SPRING
youtube.com/watch?v=t4E1JYP5Tgc
I really enjoy your blog. It’s the first one I’ve ever followed. I have decided I need more “whimsy” in my life, and you seem to be an expert at that! So today I will get all the egg and bunny things out of storage and get this house looking whimsical! I may even buy flowers! Thank you for the inspiration!
Love to hear it, whimsy is a good thing!
BTW, I just can’t get excited about the boring calendar I now have, so I’m going to order yours right now!
I hope you found one! Amazon in Canada is still showing them “in stock.”
My boyfriend bought me a copy of Kitchen Gardens from Amazon about 6 months ago for $35. Last month we were at an antiques/thrift store about 45 minutes from home, and I happened across another copied buried among about a dozen books. Oh, and it was….wait for it…$4!!!!!!!! Yes that is $4.00!!!! I snatched it up as fast as I could. I think I shall keep both these copies VERY safe on the bookshelves next to my drafting table. 🙂
That’s what I mean . . . the prices really are all over the place!
Happy Easter, happy spring
Happy happy everything!
I saw this book and thought my, that looks so familiar and I am happy to say that I have this!! Sans cover, but it is one of my treasured books that I have had for many years.. thanks for sharing the picture
Yes, mine had no cover either, and no binding, but enough of the story was there for me to fall in love.