We’ll be celebrating Thanksgiving tonight on board the Queen Mary 2, out here in the wild North Sea, feeling very grateful! It’s been really hard to get anything up here on the blog, but for some reason, Twitter seems to be okay! I’m sure you’re too busy today to care . . . but I wanted to send Thanksgiving blessings to one and all. SO excited, we arrive in New York …
On Saturday . . . then it’s home sweet home. Wishing you all a wonderful Turkey Day! Thank you for being you. 💖
XOXOXO
Had a lovely homecooked meal in the company of my 2 dear sons & my husband of 38 years. I’m very thankful for them, the roof over my head & you, sweet Susan. Happy Thanksgiving & God bless you & Joe.
Happy Thanksgiving to you Susan! Wishing you and joe safe trip home. I know the kitties will be happy to see you! My Bella met me at the door mad because I left here to join my family for Thanksgiving dinner!!! She is sitting in the chair across from me on top of a warm blanket that I put down for her. Soon she will find her way to my lap.
Thanks for sharing the potatoe chip cookie recipe a while back. Brought back memories of my Grandma making those very same cookies. Plan to make a batch this weekend. Holidays are here! My favorite time of year.
Blessings to you and yours,
Kathleen Kane ( Kandi)
P.s. Now you tell people you heard from a real Kandi Kane!!
Love it!
Hi Susan,
I made your cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving dinner. It was a hit.
So thankful for so many blessings.
Have a lovely day and safe journey home.
Happy Thanksgiving Susan. Made three loaves of your cranberry bread for family. Everyone loved it!! Don’t have to tell YOU to have fun!!
It’s late in the day here in Colorado, and you are seven hours ahead depending on where you are in the Atlantic, so you’ll be asleep now. I hope Thanksgiving Dinner on board the QM2 was all you’d hoped for. Exciting!
Happy Thanksgiving to you both, I can’t wait to enjoy your homecoming.
Happy Thanksgiving, Susan and Joe! What a wonderful place to enjoy this day. Thank you for posting so much during your trip. It was lovely! Safe travels on home.
Praying you and Joe had a wonderful Thanksgiving aboard the ship!!! Hugs🤗 Donna (Idaho)
You have shown us what ‘grace’ looks like– love the George Herbert blessing– hope you have a lovely trip home!
I was reading Psalmm147:4, and I thought of you. “He (God) counts the number of the stars, He calls all of them by name.” It must be awesome to see the stars at night aboard ship with no lights to distract their beauty. I hope your trip continues to be a smooth one.
So happy you are on your way home! Thankful for all your wonderful Twitter photos and videos!!:-) Hope you had an enjoyable Thanksgiving on the ship.
Happy Thanksgiving, Susan🍁🍗🍂. The table setting in the picture is wonderful! We had a terrific day with our kids and 9 granddarlings ages 7-20. I have had a Thanks Tree for several years and have tag cards stamped with a rainbow colored thankful saying on one side and ask them to write something they are thankful for on the other, sign and date. They enjoy that and I enjoy reading them. I will hang them on the tree with the older ones. It will be on display for them to read and reminisce at the next family dinner. Blessings, Gmapat
Oh, what a fabulous and loving idea, Gmapat. I’m sure that one will become a family tradition your granddarlings will want to keep and pass down.
Susan,
Happy Thanksgiving to you and Joe! Thank you for all you create and do to make this a better world. Many blessings to you. ❤️ Safe travels to home sweet home.
Oh Susan – Happy, happy Thanksgiving to you and Joe! I certainly hope you have a smooth entrance into New York. Warm hugs to you and blessings galore!!
I’m greatful for many things which includes you and the fact you’ve shared your life, your books , your art and your philosophy with us. Thank you Susan. And welcome home to you and Joe.
Welcome home on Saturday and a Happy Thanksgiving. I bet you are anxious to see your kitty and home too. What a wonderful trip you have had.
Glad you are having a beautiful Thanksgiving on your beautiful ship. You deserve it. Safe travels home to kitty and your snug home!
Love,Charlene
Dear Susan,
Thank you so much! I hope you can read this, but since you managed to post something, I think you might…..Just sending you and Joe all the love, peace, happiness in the world! Thank you for giving us so much!
Love from Holland
nicoline
xx
Nicoline! xoxo
Glad you have had a safe voyage across the “pond”. Welcome home and I know of two kitties that will be SO HAPPY to see you. Looking forward to reading about your trip and also the wonderful ways you get ready to celebrate Christmas.
You have Jackie boy, your wonderful house, and Christmas waiting for you. Enjoy every second. Was wondering, are you speaking with a bit of an English accent? Thanks for taking me with, it was really fun. And in fairy tale terms, you didn’t dream it, the troll really has taken over the kingdom. Can’t wait to see what you do with your house for the holidays.Debby
I can’t wait to start sparkling things up at home! We will be in our own beds tomorrow night!
Happy Thanksgiving and warm regards to you and Joe. I love your books and your wonderful art and your ever-present love for life. You remind me of Katherine Hepburn who seemed to have this inner-burning for all things in life. It makes me take a look at my life and I say “I wanna be like that!!” Welcome back my friend!!💜💜💜
So funny you should say that, was just thinking about one of her quotes (paraphrasing a bit): “You can’t make everyone happy ~ do what you want ~ at least then you make one person happy.” Happy Thanksgiving Karen!
I love this quotation, Susan. Thanks for sharing.
Actually, when we are happy, we are more apt to be kind to others and share that good feeling. I imagine you and Joe are back on the Vineyard and are so busy getting ready for Christmas. There are millions of people who feel as you do about the current situation of unease. Thanks for being brave and voicing your opinion and helping us to be brave and hopefully stand up for what is right. Hope the kitties are fine.
Blessings to you and Joe today!
It snowed in Minnesota this week and has really set the mood for the holidays. There is something sacred about the first snowfall – the glow and quiet it adds to the landscape brings such peace.
Thanks for writing! Home sweet home is waiting for you.
Love and a sprinkle of snowflakes*~*~*~*~*~*
Hi Susan, wow it’s been a long trip for you. I know you will be anxious to finally return to home sweet home. Happy Thanksigiving. We all have much to be thankful for.
Your blog, my dear Susan, has brightened many a day during this very trying year … my husband had three surgeries, four hospital stays, two 911s and lost his mother (our last parent) to list a few. During this time, I would often opened my email hoping to find one from you to whisk me away from this stress of this world and into yours. Thankfully, I often did. I don’t think you could possibly know what a blessing you are to so many of us that can only dream about having not only SB type adventures and life, but also wish for a smidgen of your many God given talents and gifts. I must say, by your inspiration, I have introduced the world of “teas” to my two granddaughters and have one on every visit. We all enjoy that time together so much. They say it’s must :-).
So on this Thanksgiving day, I just wanted you to know, I think you’re a treasure and even though we’ve never met and probably never will, you were remembered fondly and a prayer was said for your safe return to your magical island home.
Take care…
Elaine, what a way to wake up … thank you so much. Here’s to a magical Christmas and a much better 2017! xoxoxo
Beautifully said, from the heart ❤️
Welcome Home dear friend! I look forward to hearing from you on your blog as it is a highlight in my Inbox! Thank you for taking the time to bring us along on all your adventures!
Today is Mom’s 85th birthday and she just walked in, so I will cut this short. We both had the pleasure of seeing you in Wilmette last spring.
Love to you and Joe!
Give her a Happy Birthday Hug from us! xoxo
Happy Thanksgiving and many more filled with lots of blessings big and small to all!
Thank you for your greeting! I am quite sure you were royally treated for Thanksgiving,
yet I would imagine being home again is going to be the best!
I think this might have been one of our best Thanksgivings. We had some of our
family from out of town and friends. I decorated lavishly which everyone appreciated, and
the food with lots of donations from everyone plus our turkey with all the trimmings
(My husband cooked the turkey), and then everyone being loving and happy company
was the best! My son gave the meaning and history, and my niece a lovely prayer.
Serve the Lord with gladness. Come before his presence with Thanksgiving. We did,
As I know you did. June Fleckenstein Emmert
Dearest Susan! I am so THANKFUL! WE enjoyed a small family gathering; myself, my husband, daughter, my mom and my brother. We are a small group, but do the holiday BIG! So fantabulous to spend Thanksgiving on board ship! Praying you have a safe trip home. (So nice to be home!) Can’t wait for the new book!!
Blessings to you and Joe!
Hugs…..Linda from PA
Happy Thanksgiving blessings to you and Joe!! I hope your voyage home has been tolerable out there in the wild North Atlantic Ocean!! A huge welcome home this Saturday and I know you will be smothered in kitty love as soon as Jack sees you are back!! I look forward to hearing more about all the new and interesting places you were able to visit this past trip and what sorts of new things you learned. It feels like the world turned upside down since you left and we need to have you back here to give us that anchor for all of our Hearts and Homes!
Good Morning, Susan ~ What a joy to awaken and find a Thanksgiving Blog Post from you. I know your Thanksgiving Feast, aboard that floating city, must have been elegant and delicious. Hope you, Joe, and Petey enjoyed the bounty of the day. Will leave you with a Shaker saying perfect for this day ~
“O glorious morn! O happy day!
Thy precious light, thy piercing ray
Dispels the darkness all away,
All nature’s on the move.
– Anonymous
In Love and Light ~ Lois🐾🐾
Happy thanksgiving Susan ! I can’t wait to hear about your latest adventures
One of things I’m grateful for is YOU! Thanks for sharing your passion and inspiration with me. Hello from Minnesota!
Hi back to you Carol, and thank you!
Oh, Happy Thanksgiving, Susan and Joe! I didn’t even turn the computer on yesterday, so this is belated. I suspect that Thanksgiving on the QM II was an amazing event. I hope you will share some photos.
My “chef” prepared an amazing meal. We have family visiting from AZ and included some friends as well, so we were a group of seven around the table. Everyone left the table very satisfied, and the refrigerator is stuffed to the gills with leftovers.
Welcome home, dear one. You will no doubt hit the ground running. Happy Holidays ahead! I hope to pull out the Christmas decorations early next week after the house guests are on their return journey home.
Hugs from Austin ~ Sarah
SO looking forward to it ~ spending the afternoon packing! One last dinner tonight, and then under the Bridge we go in the morning, past the Statue of Liberty, and home! Your Thanksgiving sounds just right! Love those leftovers! xoxo
Oh, to see that view! I’ve cruised around the Statue of Liberty, but to sail in from across the pond with that welcoming view. It must be thrilling and very emotional. Home again! Love you, Susan Branch!
Made me cry! Was so beautiful, shining there in the dark, words just aren’t good enough.
To see that beautiful lady in the harbor is amazing! She makes us realize that America is a wonderful country and we will, with God’s help survive the next four years!
Welcome home.
Xoxo, Charlotte
Thank you Charlotte! xoxo
Awwww! Mrs. Brady passed! Florence Henderson always seemed to be such an upbeat and positive person. We need all those we can get! Seems we’ve been losing a lot of talented people lately.
You have had such a marvelous trip! I do hope to hear lots more about it.
Welcome home!
Very sad, she stayed vibrant and alive until the end!
Dear Susan, You have been a blessing in many people’s lives & I’m grateful to you 🙂 Much peace, joy & love to you & Joe. “Happy Thanksgiving” from Ro & Joe
Same to you Ro & Joe, from us! And thank you! xoxo
Dear Susan,
Happy Day after Thanksgiving! Much joy to you and Joe as you set your feet back on land. Thank you so very much for expressing my heart thoughts in the past couple of weeks. May you find rest and reassurance as your home awaits you!
Thank you Donna! Happy Holiday season to you and yours xoxoxox
On Thanksgiving I wanted to say… I am thankful for you. Thankful for all that you have given to me over the past 25 years (I came a little late to the party;)) that I have had you in my life. For making me happy and teaching me recipes and making me remember who I am when I became overwhelmed by health issues and most recently for showing me how to be brave and stand up for one’s beliefs and for the gift I got to express of loyalty and true friendship. For all of these things and more I am thankful that there is you. Happy Thanksgiving to you and Joe and can’t wait until you are home sweet home. xoxo
True Blue Charissa, that’s what I think when I think of you. xoxoxo Love having you here.
❤️❤️❤️❤️ Love being here
Dear Susan…It was a beautiful Thanksgiving here in our little home…and seeing your sweet post today made it last a little longer! I’m sure your dear Jack will be so tickled to have you and Joe home! Enjoy, snuggle in, there’s no place like home! ❤️
Thanks for sharing the love…
Welcome home tomorrow. I hope your time away has been refreshing and that Thanksgiving was a special time floating on the sea.
We had a lovely meal, finishing up with your recipe for Apple Crisp from the revised edition of Heart Of the Home which Noel made and to his dismay it was eagerly and almost entirely consumed at dinner, meaning he couldn’t have leftovers for a midnight snack. Poor boy! We are counting the hours till you get home…xoxoxo Lowely
Tomorrow!!! SO excited. Can’t wait to see you Lowely!
Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving yesterday. Welcome back tomorrow, you must be excited to finally be so close to home again. Calm sailing and will see you on here and twitter.
Good Barb, thank you!
Happy Thanksgiving, Susan. Glad you will coming home shortly. Jack will be so happy to see you! You had a beautiful vacation, but I think you might be looking forward to coming home. The first thing I do when I arrive home after a holiday, is to turn on a light in each room. It warms my heart to be where I belong. Of course, then reality sets in and I unpack and start laundry!
Welcome home, Susan.
I do just what you do. Kind of stare at everything!
Susan, thanks for the greetings! I’ve been ‘absent’ from the blog and was sad to hear about the country’s division during the election. I’m registered as ‘no party’ – I Vote and Pray – we will never know what the presidential term will encounter from within the country or from outside this country. This division too will pass, because this country is stronger!
Please note the new email, many thanks.
I’m registered as no party too, Independent! But even an Independent can be upset with what she sees going on around here! xoxo Thank you Salve!
Susan,
Thanks for all the updates on twitter and blog while you were away, and welcome back to the USA. Your voice is one of truth spoken in love which I appreciate much.
I’ll be thinking of you as you dock tomorrow and drive up to Mass., probably driving through Westchester County where I live.
Godspeed to you and Joe and happy reunion with Jack,
Lois
We made it into Woodshole, on the boat now, just docking in Vineyard Haven! xoxoxo Thank you Lois!
Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving on board in the wild Atlantic! I just wanted you to know, Susan that never ever doubt your from the heart chat to us all in your previous two blogs. They were genious, well spoken and a great reminder to all of us how caring from the bottom of our hearts and seeing the truth in our countries situation socially and economically May be painful for some to see or admit, but you are right on for reminding us. Keep your head held high, and know you have a great following of kindred followers and readers of your blog writings. Safe ride home to dear olde Massachusetts to you both.
You’re a doll Heather. I never meant to hurt anyone, but seeing it all unfold from so far away, I had to work through it by writing about it, to my Girlfriends, most of whom, blew it all away with a breath of kindness! xoxo We’re almost home!
Oh, that table is so attractive & lovely! Would love to sit & have a meal there.
Happy Thanksgiving to you too! I’m new to your books – just finished Isle of Enchantment& liked it very much, so now I’m into A Fine Romance. Your creativity and perseverance are an inspiration.
Thank you Scotty! I’m glad you’re enjoying them!
Happy Thanksgiving, Susan!
Same to you Terry!
can’t wait to hear all about and see pics from your trip!
Thanks for bringing us along!!!
Thanks for coming along!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and Joe. Hope all was a good day for you.
Carol M
Thank you! We’re on the ferry right now!
Our 25-yr-old son requested apple crisp for Thanksgiving dessert; so I made your recipe. Yummy! Welcome home tomorrow!
Thank you, just about to drive off the ferry boat right now! xoxo
Happy you got a bit of reliable internet! Sounds too wonderful for words. Sending grateful wishes to you and thanks for the joy you bring.
Thank you Jeanie!
Sending Thanksgiving blessings to you and Joe. Glad you are spending a restful holiday weekend. Put your feet up and drink in the blessings of being on board the ship…all part of the journey. And just to think, you are arriving home to even more blessings, a beautiful kitty and home sweet home. We’ll all be glad to have you back, enjoying home, and hearing about all the wonderful memories you made.
I received great news recently. I had an appointment with one of my Drs. He gave me good results from one of my tests and then 3 times he said to me “you are healed.” Wonderful news. I could hardly believe my ears. I wondered if I would ever hear those words. Thank you for all you did to help me receive such a blessing. Sweet, wonderful you, your cheery blog, and all those prayers from the girlfriends were a huge part of making this possible. I can see it now as I reflect back on the journey. A miracle, truly a miracle. Mary Pat Clark, I will keep you in my prayers. God’s Word says you are healed, so live like it is true. I will pray for God to watch over each and every one of us that visit this blog. Safe travels Susan. Looking forward to having you back on this side of the pond again. Sending huge hugs and love to you and all the girlfriends.xxx
I am so thrilled to hear that Rhonda!!!! 🎉There should be fireworks!!! Thank you for telling us! 💟
Oh, but we do care, dear Susan! I know I speak for the girlfriends that we love hearing from you and care about what and how you are doing! Thank you for pushing through and succeeding in posting a blog from the QM2! I hope your Atlantic crossing has been pleasant. Did they put you in the schedule to speak this time across or could you completely relax?
We had a lovely and noisy and thankful time with seven of our eight children (all except our daughter & family in Bolovia) and their families and our new grandson-in-law, 51 in all, this Thanksgiving.
I will try to find time to check out the pictures you have posted twitter before too long!
Welcome home and much love to you! PaulaJ
I relaxed! Truly, just loved every moment of it. Thank you Paula!
To Joe & Susan, Hao’oli’la Pelehu, which is Happy Thanksgiving in Hawaiian. As I lay her at 2:00am our time, I realize you are probably going past the Statue of Liberty about now. We live in a turmoil county so much these days but that lady reminds us all to be so ever greatful for what we have. I recently found out my great grandparents came from Cromford-Derbyshire, England, & I can’t even know or feel what they must have felt passing her. I so enjoyed our meeting this past tour & wish you much love & blessings this Christmas Season. Thank you ever so much for all you give each of us. Welcome back to the good ol’ USA.
Hugs & Aloha,
Georgia
Aloha Georgia! I know how I felt! Happy, proud, grateful. The Statue of Liberty stands for every good thing that we try so hard to be. xoxo Love you!
Welcome home!!
North, south, east, or west,
Coming home is just the BEST!
Hugs!
Oui! Can’t wait, will walk through our kitchen door in about 40 min from now! Eeeek!
Hope you had a good Thanksgiving celebration onboard the big boat. We had a family celebration at my house, and I made that delicious pumpkin cheesecake, what a hit and definitely a keeper recipe.
Welcome home
Pat
Happy to hear it Pat, I agree, and need to go home and make one for us!
It’s Saturday. You are arriving home today. Hope the last of your travels were carefree! Welcome home! Looking forward to your posts again. We missed you!
We’re on the ferry, almost home, thank you Bobbie!
Hello…
Wishing you and Joe a belated joyous Thanksgiving!
Hope you are having a good voyage back to us. Thanks for all your twitter chat…really
enjoyed it.
Just a question…I know you adore Louisa May Alcott ,but you omit her 11/29 birthday on your calendars each year…..I noticed this before…it is also my birthday… just thought I would let you know about this celebratory day!!! Will soon see you home again…
Kathie….from Limerick
I DO love her… I will have to remember to include her next time, thank you for the reminder, and Happy Birthday to YOU, Kathie!🎂
Welcome home and I hope some of the despair of the election has washed over you and you have put out of your mind the snarky people that didn’t agree with you. God bless them and let them go their way. I thank you so much for all the joy you bring to my eyes and heart. I can’t go to England anymore and I examine and enjoy every photo you and Joe take. They bring back so many memories. Last night we had your mac & cheese. So good, I was afraid the dry mustard would overwhelm the recipe but not to worry it was delicious.
Happy to hear that Rose! xoxoxo
Wishing you a wonderful, loving, snowy (just enough – not too much), happy, sparkly, and blessed holiday season between now and our Merry Christmas. I can hardly wait to hear the stories of your travels, see photos, relish in your drawings, and best of all, see JACK again!!
Thank you for all that you do for all of us. Please keep making YOU happy because that makes us Girlfriends happy, too!
You are a National Treasure, Susan.
Welcome Home♥♥♥
xoxoxo
♥Deb♥
You are so sweet Deb, thank you! Joe and I are on the ferry…we’ll be home in 45 minutes, and see Jack for the first time in 2 ½ months…preparing to be ignored! xoxo
Glad you are home. Home truly is best. Oliver, the corgi, and I had a wonderful quiet Thanksgiving. We are blessed and ever so thankful.
It’s the little things in life! 💖
I can’t comment on twitter, but I just had to write here to tell you that your photo of sugared fruit and holly did something to me That has to be my favorite picture of your table ever!!!! It reminded me of growing up Going to call mom now xoxo
LOL, you are so cute! xoxo
HOME SWEET HOME. Glad you are safely back to old friends and Jack. I’m looking forward to memories of the trip eventually. I like to think of you resting now and walking that lovely path to the beach.
First thing tomorrow, we go on a walk; putting the house back together, we can do over time… You should see Jack, sitting here right next to me!!!
Whew….so glad you’re back home safe & sound. Thank you so much for taking us all along, yet again. You are beyond generous in taking so much time to share as much as you do. You are truly a very special person. What a wonderful pair of special people….you and Joe. You both make a huge positive difference in this world! Thanks again, Susan, for another memorable journey!
Thank you Margaret, Love to have you along!
Welcome home, Susan and Joe! I am smiling thinking of you reunited with your kitty and tucked in your own bed, under your quilts and sturdy roof. Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and homecoming. I am grateful for you and all your words, creations, and such that make me tilt my little head, smile, and like Earth a little more. Love, Valerie
Love back to you Valerie, thank you! xoxo
Welcome Home Susan & Joe! Loved your trip and thanks for taking all of us along…but I just bet it is great to be home again. Enjoy!
All the best to you,
Kelly
Thank you Kelly, you’re right, it’s heaven to be home!
Welcome Home Susan! And thank you once again for taking time to allow us to travel along with you, even when the technology was so frustrating. I appreciate the gift. As with so many others, you bring real joy to my world and keep me in touch with my inner creative self and all that I hold dear and value. You paint all that over each page of your books and on each blog post. How could you know how much all you do would resonate with me? Well, it just goes to prove what you’ve been saying–that we all have so much in common. All your girlfriends may not agree upon how our precious country has gotten into such a pickle, but into a horrible pickle it has gotten, we all agree! Likewise, we may not all agree upon how to extricate ourselves from this mess, but we all agree we must try–and it is this that makes us great. Thanks for reminding us of how much we all have in common. Rest up, dear friend, so you can paint and write again soon. We love you!
PS, I don’t want to be known as Ginny Evans–The Texas newbie anymore, so from now on, I will just be good old Ginny Evans–the one who grew up like you, in California in the 50’s and 60’s too, okay? 😉
Two years of this divisive talk probably didn’t help us much … two years of running for a four year term, and in two years, do they start it all over again? Can we take it? Other countries have much shorter election seasons, only a few months, maybe we should look to that. OK, good ole Ginny Evans, love to see you here!
Hi Sue,
I did think of you this Thanksgiving, because here we are in Seal Beach for the holiday weekend, the same place you celebrated Thanksgiving 2 years ago! Sally and Charles hosted our family this year for the holiday. It was a very nice day, and I had both of my boys there, the first time for one of them to be with us in 2 years! So happy for me to have my whole family together again! Hope you had a great time on board for the celebration. I’m sure you had the time of your life in GB, but it’s always so nice to be home once again. Welcome home! xxoo
Oh, and I forgot tell you, I agreed with both of your past 2 posts. By the way, this is your blog and you have every right to say anything you want to on it, and I don’t think that anyone has the right to tell you otherwise. You are a wonderful, caring person and there are so many people who love you out here in cyberland! Don’t let the negative responses get you down! Remember, you can’t please all of the people all of the time!! Love ya, Girlfriend!! xoxo
I admit, I was a little surprised, but then I guess I asked for it, so there you go. Maybe it helped that everyone had an airing. Now we just wait and see, and pray. Thank you Carol!
Oh Carol, how wonderful! I can picture it perfectly. Lovely you were all together! xoxo
Welcome home!
Glad to be here!!!!
Happy Thanksgiving Susan and Joe! Just got home today too. Happy kitty?! Love.
I was afraid he might ignore me, but he actually, for a cat anyway, almost showed glee. Slept next to me last night, which is all I could really hope for! I guess I’m forgiven!
Happy late Thanks giving Susan… With love Janice
💓
Much love to you, Joe and Jack!!
Thank you Ginette!
Welcome Home Susan and Joe! We spent Thanksgiving Day in NYC this year because my husband’s mother passed away last year and he just couldn’t bear to have it at home. We had a wonderful time! I am glad that you and Joe did, too! But of course, to me, there’s no place like home! Hugs!
Have to agree with you Sharon, waking up at home our first morning, feeling so happy and grateful for such an amazing experience, but extra glad to be here. xoxo
Glad to see that you are home safe. 2016 sure has been a year of travel for you. I can see why you thought about writing a book about home. I had a couple ideas (okay, hopes). Have you ever thought of doing a coloring book or jigsaw puzzles? Just putting that out there…
Yes, they are both on my never ending, always expanding, TO DO List!
My computer screen is just glowing with happiness. It just can’t help itself, and I’m lovin’ it for that. Onward to Christmas!!! Oh, that Jack!! We’ve missed your posts of his exploits. How about a children’s book about Jack….in all your spare time after Christmas????
Happy, happy everything,
Debbie
LOL, you never know!
Welcome home! Thank you for blessing us with taking us along on you trip with you! Loved every minute of it. Your tweets were the first thing I checked every morning, so fun.
I hope you both had a lovely Thanksgiving aboard the ship. My son and I had a nice one and I visited my daughter with my granddaughters just before. Please take some time to rest and relax. We all love you. Blessings, Amie Stewart from New Orleans
Thank you Amie! Went for a long walk in the woods this morning, it’s very good to be home!
Wonderful! Looking forward to more fun with you Joe and your kitty!
Welcome home! So glad you’re back & I’m sure Jack feels the same. My husband and 2 boys have never liked cranberry sauce until I made your recipe with orange marmalade. Everybody loves it. Thanks for taking all of us on your wonderful adventure.
Yay! Thank you for telling me Anne! xoxo
Happy Thanksgiving Susan! Your blog is such a joy and I really appreciate it 🙂
Thank you Jaclyn!
Susan, I want to get a subscription for Nicoline and myself of the magazine for which you are going to be the resident author. She and I have both looked for it on your blog, but no luck. Welcome HOME!! It must be wonderful to sleep in your own bed….and make tea on your own stove…and snuggle with Mr. Jack! Love, Rachel
Oh, that should be Victoria, if we are still on, I haven’t spoken to them yet! I’ll let you know when I know!!!! Snuggling Constantly, xoxoxo Rachel
Welcome home! Thank you for taking us along on your most amazing journey! I am glad you are home safely, in your beloved home, with your beloved Jack! I followed your tweets daily. Take time now for yourself–to relax (I know that word in NOT in your lexicon), adjust after a long sea voyage and trip abroad, and settle into the new season before us. Thankful for YOU!
I did some pretty good relaxing on the ship! SO happy to be home, thank you Jackie!
Oh, you’re home, you’re HOME! Glad to know you’re safe and sound. The walk in the woods, the beach, Jack; you must feel so good. Welcome back! Thanks for letting us know.
Has the Vineyard even had any snow yet? Maybe you haven’t missed a thing!
No snow yet!!!! Looking forward to it, cleaning house today, tomorrow having a Birthday Party for dear friend! xoxo
Welcome HOME Sweet~Sue & Joe!!! Happy Joyful Thanksgiving!!! How Was Your Thanksgiving~Feast On The Queen~Mary~2 ??? 🙂 I Made Your Corn~Pudding For Our~Thanksgiving & Herbster Said It Was The~Best So Far Oh So Yummy! 🙂 I Know You & Your Jack Have Lots Of Kitty~Cuddling To Do Kitty~Kisses From Me To Jack & Lots Of Welcome~Home Hugzzz From Me To You Sweet~Sue xoxo Purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr & A Poof! 🙂 P.S. Home~Again~HomeAgain~Jiggity~Jig Yay! 🙂 😉
Hi Honey, SO wonderful to be home! Love hearing from you! xoxo
Sweet~Sue Have Ya Checked Your “Real~Mail” ? Did You Get #TheHalloweenCard Yay! xoxo Never Too Late To Say “Tricks~Or~Treats” Boooooooo! 😉 🙂
Still unpacking, in fact, barely made a mark it in yet, and mail is about up to my knees! I’ll look for it! Happy Halloween darling Angie Think!
Wow That Is A Lot Of Mail!!! lol 🙂 Yikes! Just Breathe…..One Day At A Time….I’m Doing The Pumpkin~Jiggity~Jig My~Sweet~Elf~Sue We Shall Be Merry & Bright! xoxo Poof! 😉 P.S. & Always Kitty~Kisses! 🙂
Hope you had a great Thanksgiving on Board! X
It was wonderful!
Hello Dear Susan,
I’m just now catching up with your blog and agree with your comments in regards to the election and I’m sorry that you received such negativity. I have been a fan of yours since the 80’s when a dear friend gave me your Christmas cookbook. Things have certainly changed and I hope and pray that we all can work through this. Your blog is inspiring in so many ways and I very much look forward to taking a break and spending time with “girlfriends”. I hope that you can enjoy the rest of the trip and I wish you safe trip home.
So much more of it was positive, I honestly came out of it feeling about a hundred times better just for having had the conversation! Some silly people “unfriended” me, but they are just the perfect example of how divided we’ve let ourselves become. Nothing’s quite worth such harsh reaction, at least not to me. People can disagree, so what, it’s the First Amendment. Thank you Christine! We are home and happy as clams!
Dearest Susan, this greeting will be late as my I -Pad has been down for a week. But you will find it upon arrival somewhere. May you be blessed ten fold, for you deserve every blessing imaginable. You fill my life with such Joy!!! Love to you and THE MAN🤗, always Gayle Hall
Thank you so much Gayle, and welcome back to the world! xoxo
May I say that you are one of my heroes? Grace, poise, manners and talent in such a charming persona! I am thankful for you and all you share, all you remind us of, all you urge, nudge and drive us to do. You inspire me to create and to share and to be active in my community, just for the doing of it.
While I did not make any of your recipes this year, I did spend some time putting my recipes in one of your cookbook binders for my eldest, my daughter, for her Christmas – so you were with me for the holiday.
God bless you and yours, near and far, footed or furred.
She’s going to love that! My grandma’s recipes are priceless to me, thank you so much Peggy, Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the election. My friends and I have been having a terrible time. You put into words so eloquently what I have been feeling.
He could have chosen any group, I think if we heard him say register all Baptists, or Catholics, and watch while he slams a whole religion/culture for what a few have done, we could relate better, and see how devastating this would be to the millions of legal immigrants he was speaking of. Now we have over 3 million good Muslim people living in the US (and 122 million
RapistsMexicans living here), trying for a better life, just as the Irish, Germans, Eastern Europeans have done for the last centuries. They hear the President-elect declare open season on them, what will they do? Will they lean in to America, will their children feel safe in school? Would they want to help with terrorism? Or would they be more inclined to hide somewhere so as not to get involved? “. . . But love and I had the wit to win, we drew a circle that took him in.” It was not smart what Donald did. Demonizing any group is never a good thing.Que Lastima y increible. Sobre eso, muchas lagrimas aqui!
Yo también, Sylvia. 😢
…and yet the Native Americans are still fighting for land and water and the culture that previous administrations made outlaw. The flavor-of-the-month is this religion, this nationality, this philosophy. Those whose ancestors watched the current majority’s ancestors get off the boat and declare the land their own still do not have the very things we are hopping up and down about. The fault lies not in our stars, but in our selves. I was shocked on Election day and I railed at the heavens. I wept. I was full of fear. Then I thought about my Dad, who fought in WWII just so that I would be able to vote and so would my neighbor. I’m not happy about who won, but I am not ready to hide for the next 4 years either. If we do not run toward the fire and fight it, we will have no one to blame but ourselves when our house burns down.
Thanks for listening, I am even more hopeful that America will survive in a world where all our voices can have their say.
Welcome home, Susan and Joe!
Don’t even get me started on the Native Americans! Toward the fire my dear. Sending love. xoxo
Hi Susan –
I am so glad that you and Joe made it home safely. Looking forward to new blog entries and fun pictures of your world in the Vineyard. God bless!
Lisa
Oh, Susan, I stayed in that old hotel/inn in Stow, many years ago. I am at this moment revising our plans for our next visit to Jolly Olde. We’ll spend the entire month in the Cotswolds, using your recent explorations as a rough guide, along with The actual Rough Guide to the Cotswolds. We were to go this coming Spring to the South West, but Life had different plans. Anyway, Tom, like Joe adored gong where he can ramble through closely packed villages. Reading the first of the Lorne Lee trilogy, Cider With Rosie. It’s wonderful. But first…we must get through my Lovely Tom’s open heart surgery, my shoulder replacement, more fiddling with my spine. Reading your Twitters and Blogs is so very good for both of us. Thank You, Dear.
Debbie
Good luck and get well very soon with your fix-ups!!! You’ll be off to celebrate before you know it!!
A very Thankful Thanksgiving for all of our blessings!
Happy Belated Thanksgiving to Susan, Joe and Jack!
Wishing you a wonderful start to your holiday season on Martha’s Vineyard!
I pulled The Fairy Tale Girl off the bookshelf and am reading it again. I’m going to read your trilogy of books over the holidays. 🙂 That will be a nice relief from all the Christmas busyness. A nice cuppa tea and a good book. Nothing better in this whole world. 🙂
oxo
A Southwest Missouri Girlfriend who adores and loves Susan Branch – always and forever.
Thank you Deb, xoxo Happy Belated Thanksgiving to you too!
Happy Thanksgiving a few days late. We have all been sick here ! I’m behind, and have to catch up with your blog. Bet little Jack was thrilled to have you home ! Feeling blessed, and looking forward to Christmastime ! Xoxo
Hope you are feeling better Mary!
thank you…you’re so sweet !
I didn’t know if I would be feeling very grateful on this Thanksgiving after this dreadful election, but your eloquence and integrity helped bring me back to the land of the living. Thank you for that, Susan.
You spoke for all that is just and good and right. You planted many a seed even though it may have landed on hard ground, people who have always admired and respected you but chose to alienate you will think about your words and hopefully that ground will soften and a little flowers of empathy, compassion and true patriotism will bloom. If not, that’s not your responsibility and at times it’s important to weed our own garden. What is your responsibility is to use your platform to speak out when you see true injustice. You did that and for all of us without much influence, you were our voice and for that we will always be grateful.
Sending many wishes for peace to you and your beloved! (and fur baby too!)xo
What a beautiful metaphor! Thank you Donna! I do love all my girlfriends, right left center under and over too! It was never about that. Thank you for your lovely words. xoxo
Welcome home and a belated Happy Thanksgiving to you and Joe. Thanks so much for your thoughtful, sensible blog regarding the presidential election. Well done, you! Your remarks were spot-on, and the few readers you may lose — who just don’t or won’t “get it” — aren’t likely to make a dent in your sales or your brilliant career. Dunno who said this but i think it’s appropriate: “Never give up on something you can’t go a day without thinking about.” You’re the best. Cheers!
That’s wonderful Vicki! Thank you so much!
Dear Sue, True friends love us unconditionally and we can respectively disagree with one another about things like politics and religion. Please don’t feel badly about any hurtful or negative comments from people, as they are not ” true friends “. The rest of us love you for the wonderful giving person that you are and nothing will ever change that. Love, your forever friend from Minnesota, Crystal Burns
I don’t really. I still feel like I’m trying to help. Thank you Crystal, my forever friend! xoxo
Susan, there are some comments on a Fox web post which sound remarkably like your vernacular. The screen name is AtlantictoPacific. Interesting coincidence given you have history in both places. In one comment, AtlantictoPacific tells someone their behavior isn’t very Christian. The gist of the posts by AtlantictoPacific are the same as yours here–the media dividing us while the very rich are taking all our money. There are also decidedly anti-Trump posts. It’s amazing the similarity in the sentence structure and the content.
Hmmm. I couldn’t find it. But I like the sound of this! I don’t think I’m the only one to figure this out!
I just saw you run across the street doing your Cameo appearance in Sabrina! Oh look, there she is! 🙂 xoxo
Oh! Did you see it? LOL, I wish! But we were there, just out of the picture, skirting the area!
Sabrina with Harrison Ford and Julia Ormond? That is among my all time favorite movies. Which scene?
They were downtown in Vineyard Haven shooting Sabrina, just as my girlfriends and I were on our way to lunch, walking through town… but we are NOT in it! Mostly tiptoeing!
Welcome home!!!
I feel like we celebrate each season together! You make my day with each post that I read from top to bottom, listen to all the wonderful Musica and bask in the nostalgia.
Welcome Home!
XO
Thank you Sandy!
I just read the December Willard and LOL’d at your grandfather Willard putting pork chop gravy on his chocolate cake. My husband likes to dip chocolate chip cookies in beef gravy!
Too funny.
Perfect! Never to be forgotten! 😀