Welcome! How about some nice cool MUSICA? Oui! I imagine lots of you are just coming over from your 
It just started going out today (Wednesday), and it now takes about five days for it all to go … if you don’t 
already get it, sign up now and maybe you’ll be in time to find a letter in your box. It’s a fun one! It has announcements! I thought today, in celebration of the coming change of season ~ I’d make us Zucchini Bread for tea! But before I do that, a reminder about the new Fall Giveaway I mentioned in Willard! When you get to the bottom of this post, look for the tiny word “comments” ~ click there, leave a few words so you’ll automatically be entered in our drawing . . . for this . . .
Not one, not two, but three books ~ all of them signed to the winner (or if you’ll be giving them as a gift, to whomever you like!), Autumn, Heart of the Home, and Gratitude ~ in addition, for complete celebration, I’m including one of our new Autumn cups along with a bag of Gingerbread Cake Black Tea.👏 Just leave a comment, and keep your fingers crossed! It could be YOU! It really could! Much better odds than the lottery. And we ship, so no matter where you are, if you win, you win!
Speaking of fall … this is one of my favorite things, a harbinger of the changing season, the way the light dances on my kitchen walls as the wind blows through the leaves outside ~ it’s mesmerizing!
It actually shimmers all over the house . . . there is something very cozy about it . . .
I’ve been taking pictures of it for a long time. This was the porch of my first Island house, 
called Holly Oak, during my first fall on the Island (my first “real” fall, period). For those of you who don’t know ….I had moved to the Island from California and had only lived there for a few months, but I could feel the season changing, and I knew then I was falling in mad love with this place. It’s been the same every year since, watching the light and the way the colors change is magical. 🍂
Joe and I walk down this dirt road each morning, through the dappled woods, trees and thickets are still green, but we’re starting to see tiny pops of color (you can see some at top, over the road).
I even take pictures of other people’s shadows!
The solar eclipse was only partial up here in New England, but it made the shadows even more fun … you could see the moon in them. Making me realize for the first time, that when you see a splotch of sunlight through the trees, you are seeing the entire sun in that one bit of light. Because here, the moon is blocking part of it … and so you get these little scalloped moons dappled under all the trees. Isn’t that wild?
So much moon and sun, they almost made tulips!
This little one … the moon in the sun … quite an amazing bit of sweetness.
They even made it into the house… sparkled down the kitchen counters and across the floor. I wonder how many times this has happened in this house, and what the other people we’ve shared these old rooms with must have thought about it.
There’s Joe, my hero, outside washing the specks of spaghetti sauce and bacon grease off the windows and filling the bird feeders for me . . .
We visit through the windows while I set the oven temperature for 325° and find my recipe for Zucchini Bread. Ah yes . . .
I’ll show you how to make this delicious seasonal yumminess . . . and don’t worry, I’ll put the recipe at the bottom so you can print it out. First we need a couple of bowls and a loaf pan.
This recipe is as fast and easy as any packaged mix ~ I make it at least once a year. You get two big loaves from it, one for you and one to give away or freeze. In one of the bowls, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and baking powder. Set aside.
In the other bowl, whisk eggs, then add sugar and vegetable oil and whisk well.
whisking well.
The you grate zucchini . . .
and stir it into the egg mixture . . .
The birds keep me company while I work, always a good thing!
Stir well.
Add the dry ingredients,
along with the chopped walnuts,
and the vanilla . . .
And voila! Mix well and pour into buttered loaf pans. Bake 60 minutes until a knife in the center comes out clean.
While the cake was baking, I took Jack and we went into the wood room to put up our feet and watch a good old movie.
See? His feet are up.
Our movie starts out all nice and sweet … with Cary Grant and Joan Fontaine ~ Perfect! In this movie, she’s wealthy and shy and he’s a charming playboy without a penny to his name, but she doesn’t know that yet. She’s falling, hook, line, and sinker.
Boy meets Girl, it must be love . . . and I’m settled in, happy as a clam ….
“Have you ever been kissed in a car?” he asks her, and she says, “no” and he says, “would you like to be?” . . . and then they go on an amazing honeymoon and waltz all over Europe to this MUSICA … so delightful ~ they come home to their new house that I would like to own and he immediately puts on “their song” and they dance around their new living room from happiness!
And she is now Mrs. John Aysgarth … sooo happy. But, I forgot to mention, this is an Alfred Hitchcock movie, so it comes with a twist. ⚡️
. . . Which I’ll show you in a moment (not giving anything away, even though I’m pretty sure you’ve seen this movie ~ it came out in 1941, but just in cases) ~ this film has everything I love . . . it’s set in Sussex, England, so there’s already plenty of unspoken history and gravitas, there are darling cottages, and cute cars ~ they have tea, there are quirky characters, and a wonderful scene on a train…
. . . plus it’s mostly British actors, Dames and Sirs, and there are things like riding to the hounds . . . (… just about now, that cake in the oven was starting to smell so good, all cinnamon and sugar!)
. . . and little village churches. Alfred Hitchcock was English so he knew about these things.
The hair, the clothes, the architecture, are all perfection. Everything I love. Love the little bow ~ a bit of 1941 Diane Keaton.
Wonderful romantic curtains, and look, leafy shadows on her windows!
The buzzer just went off, my zucchini bread is done! YUM! Out it comes to cool . . . back I go to the movie . . .
SO, yes, Alfred Hitchcock, which means that besides the charm in every scene and especially the charm of the wonderful actors, there was another character in this “romantic psychological thriller” that got no billing at all . . . Bwaaaaaah! It’s the shadows! Look at them! They aren’t mentioned in the credits, but they are a definite presence in this movie and tell you everything you need to know. I don’t think the shadows in my house are sinister at all, but here, they definitely are! First thing I would do if I was her is get a dog. She actually has a dog but I would get another one with bigger teeth.
Because this movie is called Suspicion, and you don’t have to say it twice, it’s in every scene. Look at those shadows . . . I feel suspicious right now.
For example, what fresh hell is HE up to, lurking around the bar . . . we don’t know, but we know it’s something!
Oh, Alfred, you are so good! Slashed with a shadow! They don’t make ’em like they used to!
Even here, she goes into this office (in the adorable little English town that’s actually probably some place in Hollywood) and look what he’s done with the light ~ I have no doubt that he controlled every corner of this movie.
Cake’s cool, time for tea! No problem, I can watch TV while I make tea! My biggest problem? Which cup shall I use? I take turns.
My shadow’s right with me … lotta shadows in this blog! But this one is the best. Back to our chair we go . . .
Uh-oh — Cary and Joanie play Scrabble with Beaky (Nigel Bruce, naive friend), and we get another rather huge clue . . .
And as time goes by, it becomes more obvious that this lighthearted movie isn’t as lighthearted as we thought (or is it?). Here comes Cary with the poison milk! We know it’s poison milk because it’s all lit up! And we are very suspicious, because of the sinister shadows from the moonlight through the conservatory roof. We can see that milk coming up the stairs a mile away! Bang with the shadows! 💥
OMG, he’s in the bedroom, don’t drink it Joanie!!! (Love the satin pillow on the left. And whatever is behind it. Love everything in this house.) I better stop. I’m going to give the whole thing away. You are just going to have to watch it yourself! Make a loaf of Zucchini Bread first, it’s moist and nutty, and all chewy on the edges ~ it adds a lot to the ambience.
XOXO
Joe’s feeders are emptying fast but the windows look so much better! The birds outside our kitchen windows are constant entertainment ~ they bring their babies, fight for footholds, and sing their hearts out. We keep a bird book nearby, to identify possible strangers.
In my next blog post, besides announcing the winner of the drawing, I’m going to write: “How to Travel: the Tricks of the Trade.” We are getting to be experts. Only thing we haven’t figured out yet, how to take only one suitcase! Getting us ready for our virtual and real trip to the other side of the pond. So excited … love all these months in front of us for planning and “looking forward!”
One more shadow . . . we were downtown over the weekend, walking home after dinner, and looked up to see one of my favorite sights, a kitty in the window!
Today I get to plan the menu for the winners of the Possible Dreams Auction that was held 
here on the Island a couple of weeks ago ~ they’re coming on Friday! You might remember, I mentioned the auction in one of my recent posts, and just in case anyone is interested, here’s the update: I’ll be making lunch and spending the afternoon with the highest bidder and three of her friends (I heard it went for $4,000, which all goes to our local Community Services so it was a wonderful thing for someone to do 💗). What shall I make, what SHALL I make . . . going to get out the books. I’m thinking we should eat outside under the arbor … I want this to be GOOD.
We went to the nursery yesterday, where everything is on sale, it’s end of season! We wanted to freshen the garden, get some fall color . . . and look how pretty, that’s our cart!
It’s a good time of year to get plants. They’re less expensive, you can see how big they are and know for sure what color the flowers will be. And then next year? Oooh, la wee!
Love you Girls, I’m still singing Dancing Queen from the Willard, 🎶 You can dance, you can jive, havin’ the time of your life … 🎵 See that girl, watch that scene, digging’ the Dancing’ Queen . . .🎶 … Have a wonderful day! Don’t forget to leave a comment to win our Giveaway! XOXO
Z U C C H I N I B R E A D
Preheat oven to 325° Makes two 8″ x 4″ loaves
- 2 c. flour (unsifted, lighten by stirring with fork, then measure)
2 tsp. baking soda- 2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. baking powder
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 2 c. sugar
- 1 c. vegetable oil
- 2 c. grated, raw, unpeeled zucchini
- 1 c. chopped walnuts
- 2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. baking sodaPreheat oven to 325°. In a lg. bowl, whisk together first five ingredients and set aside. In another lg. bowl, beat eggs, add sugar and oil and beat well. Stir in zucchini; then add the dry ingredients along with the walnuts and the vanilla and mix well. Pour into two buttered loaf pans. Bake one hour until knife in center comes out clean. Cool completely before turning onto serving dish. 💖
I am looking for shadows here in mountains of NC – – love the yellow light time too. I loved seeing Joan Fontaine in your post – – I don’t think she is celebrated enough…….. “Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again” – – isn’t that a great way to start a book – – and a movie!! Looking forward to Willard, and I see a green garden squash that is asking to star in a batch of your recipe!
Awesome blog!! Love hearing about your day. Definitely going to make your zucchini bread recipe!!
Oh, What a delightful give away. Pick me, pick me!
I do love and look forward to your posts they are all so cozy.
Thank you
Yes please I am ready for some fall weather but living in So. Ca. That just means somewhat cooler weather! But I will take it! Along with another of your wonderful drawings!
Mmmm, can’t wait to try this recipe. Love old movies!
As always, I enjoyed your post! Your shadow photos are fabulous!!! We saw quite a show with a total eclipse on Monday. Certainly something to remember! I am curious now, I have to watch that movie. Thanks for the chance to win this awesome autumn giveaway!!
Such a sweet blog….love the light changes too …..and movie highlights were great too!!!
Thank You Susan ☀️🌷☀️🌷☀️🌷☀️🌷☀️🌷☀️🌷
What joy it would be to win one of your contests! Congrats to the lucky winner of your Possible Dream auction. Always wanted to write to you to say that people would PAY to have an opportunity to spend a day with you. I guess you made that possible:) Oh, to dream……
Love that you can have your windows open. The 105 degree heat index here in Virginia is wearing thin! I like your plant selection from the nursery. Too hot here to think about planting, but will hit the sales in another week or so. I am crossing every part of my body that can cross to win the fabulous giveaway!
What a wonderful post, Susan! We were able to see the totality of the eclipse out on the prairie in Nebraska. No crowds and no traffic. The solitude of the prairie and miles of sun flowers dancing in the breezes. And then the magic happened! Speaking of dancing, I love your reference to “Dancing Queen” from Mamma Mia! Never stop dancing as I said to you on Twitter last week! 🙂 I also am reminded of “Shadow Dancing” from the Bee Gees with all of your shadow dancing photos. Here in Colorado, the aspen leaves have a tinge of yellow on their edges, the golden yarrow in the garden is drying and going to seed, and mums are in full bloom. Autumn is less than a month away on the calendar, but Nature has her own timing, yes?
I know you hear this a lot but I consider you a friend! I know if I saw you I would hug you and we would sit down for a nice long chat!
I love the Vineyard!!! Lived there for 2 years due to my husband’s job, but I have loved it since my first trip there in the early 70’s when we were first married now retired I love it even more!
Love the lovely road where you walk each day. I enjoy your blogs and seeing how that road changes with each season.
Ahhhh, warm zucchini bread out of the oven with a cup of tea…….what could be better…..being chosen maybe!! Thanks for another wonderful reading.
I always love your newsletters and look forward to reading the latest Willard. Thank you for entering me in your drawing. I would love to win!
By the way, I love the moon-shaped shadows. I guess I was too busy looking at the partial eclipse in the sky that I failed to look down at the shadows. I didn’t even realize it would be reflected in the shadows. Kudoos to you for noticing and recording it for the rest of us!
Yay! Always such a special treat to find one of your willards’ in my inbox.
Your zucchini bread recipe came just in time for me to use the beautiful zucchinis from my friends garden. Thank you for sharing. No signs of fall here in San Jose, California but, I am ready to pull out those sweaters and boots!
It was wonderful “connecting” with you today through your blog. What a delightful way to let go of the stress from the job and escape. You painted a picture for me and I’m going to step into it and live.
We California girls love fall because we didn’t have any to love in CA. And we love old movies too
Love the eclipse shadows and absolutely adore Suspicion portrayed by the shadows……way cool! Thank you😊
I am making zucchini bread first thing in the morning now that I have a good recipe! 😋
I just love those old black & white movies. They are just the best. Hubby says I don’t need a color TV because all I watch are B&W movies anyway. He’s right but I do need color to watch the Weather Channel and PBS. LOL What a cute picture of Joe looking in the kitchen window. BTW Autumn is my FAV season……
Well, I haven’t received Willard yet but that “Dancin Queen” teaser is just that…a great teaser! Just a few weeks ago my husband and I went to an Abba tribute concert. That was the finale! And what a finale! We were all on our feet, dancing of course. Can’t wait to read Willard and see why you wrote about it. After sixteen years of marriage I learned something new. My husband loves Abba. Who knew!
We must be on the same wave length. I baked a delicious zucchini blueberry streusel bread just last week. Love zucchini. Such a funny, blah vegetable and it makes such delightful treats.
And finally, Suspicion, absolutely love it! Must watch it for the millionth time to take note of all your observations.
Happy end of the summer and beginning of fall!
Such a delight to read your blog. I feel I am there in your house visiting with you. Thank YOU!
Whenever I get a Willard from you, I drop everything and spend a few moments with you. I can hear the birds, smell the bread and flowers, and feel how soft Jack is. Thank you for sharing yourself with us. 💕💕
Oh, how I love finding a kindred spirit! Just last week I introduced my daughter to
Mr. Hitchcock with a viewing of “Rear Window”, whilst eating lemon drizzle cake! I have been a fan of your career for many moons, and I make sure to purchase your calendar every year and I have a number of your books. Though, I do not have any that you’re offering in your give away, so I thought I would hopefully befriend Lady Luck, and enter. Thank you for your love of home, and sharing your life, you have inspired me, and taught me how to be cozy and content with a lovely simple life.
I have made the zucchini bread before and it is WONDERFUL!! Love the moon shawdows. Very cool. I would treasure the books, tea and Autumn cup. Pick me, pick me!! Can’t wait to read the new Willard. Love to you and yours dear Susan.
Love Suspicion. It just came on recently!!dd
Will make the bread and enjoy java in my beautiful Vineyard cup. It makes me feel happy to see it after reading your books.
I love Alfred Hitchcock films. My fave is “Rear Window”. Thelma Ritter was most excellent!
Thank you!
I’m so excited for Fall! A good old fashioned Pennsylvanian Autumn.It’s what I need! Fresh apples, cider, pumpkins, and hay rides!
I love fall❤️ Please enter me 😊
Have read all your books. Would love one of you meeting Joe and your wonderful life together.
Oh yes please to Fall! I live in Colorado where I wait endlessly all summer for the aspens to start their shimmying color change. I, too, take pictures of shadows. My favorite book as a child was Robert Louis Stevenson’s A Childs Garden of Verses. He talks about shadows a lot, and I remember so clearly “I have a little shadow who goes in and out with me” 💗 Thank you for always bringing joy to my life!
Donna, I love that book too. Whenever I see one for sale, I buy it and now I have seven or eight copies all with different illustrations. I love looking at them and know a lot of the poems by heart. One of my favourites is “How do you Like to go Up in a Swing” .Hugs, Elaine
Such lovely little treats for the drawing. This would be a wonderful way to welcome the beginning of autumn.
We got to see quite a bit of the eclipse here in Kansas. But sad to report a huge cloud blocked it out at the fullest point. It was still a beautiful experience!
I love autumn!! Your zucchini bread would be a perfect welcome for the changing
season.
Jack also looks like a shadow. Inhale….ahhhh….the smell of fresh bread! Yummy!
What a joy reading your blog, Susan. Oh, it would be wonderful to smell zucchini bread baking right now…perhaps another afternoon. I’m eagerly awaiting my Williard. I must be on the slow-boat email list!
It’s always so calm to come to your website! Something might be baking, a cup of tea is always a good idea, a kitty is always being really cute, you tell us movies to watch and we get a look at your charming house. And now it has all those great shadows! Even here, way far South from you, the shadows are doing their thing. I love the mugs, but especially the Autumn one, because Autumn is one of my favorite Susan Branch books. What a delight to win all those treasures! Enjoy these last days of summer! And thank you for a breath of fresh air with your writings!
Ginny Gaines Tennessee
Your posts make my life so rich in color, drawings and happiness. God bless you.
What a treat it is when I see that there’s a new Willard from Susan. Thank you for your sunny observations and cool photos. What a delight you are!
So – the last time I watched Suspicion on TMC, the host told us that the movie had originally had a different ending, but the preview audience didn’t like it. So they changed it! (Sometimes opinions matter. 🙂
Love you Susan! Enjoy your fall, and as usual, … share a little of it with those of us in the desert!
Greetings Susan,
Awesome images of eclipse through the leaves photos! My party drove 41/2 hours to witness it. We were in the 100% totality zone, it was so fascinating to see. All the animals, birds still and quiet. Then they gathered on roof of The Mill restaurant afterwards, was as if they were in shock. What to do is it day or knight?
I just baked two pans of banana nut bread. Yummo! Then I sat down and enjoyed a piece or two with my new favorite mug. I bought Martha’s Vinyard “Isle of Dreams”. I love it❤️
So enjoyed this post and you as always. Add me to drawing. TIA
Toot a loo
Girlfriend from Kentucky😘
Love your post today! Here in the So Cal Mountains, fall is not so much in the air quite yet, but the acorns are large and falling now, so we are hoping for a big, wet winter. We are leaving on our vacation next week for the coast of New England and looking forward to seeing Martha’s Vineyard for the first time as well as enjoying LOBSTER! I received the 4 latest cups in your series and love the feel of them as well as the art work, of course! Looking forward to Willard. Have a wonderful FALL!
Do the birds ever fly into your kitchen?
The bread/cake looks so yummy!
Love the shadows with the moon shapes, very special that you noticed that! My zucchini bread recipe has a small can of crushed pineapple in it, very moist.
I really look forward to your blogs! thank you for putting a smile on my face. <3
If only during a short page, I feel I’m there, in your home at peace, relaxed, welcomed, and joyful. All of my senses are at full alert. I can HEAR the sound of the old movie playing in the background, as the SMELL of your zucchini bread wafts through the air and my mouth starts watering as I TASTE the bread melt in my mouth. As Jack walks past me, I feel his furry little coat as it TOUCHES my leg. But most of all I can SEE all of the magic that happens on this beautiful little island you call home. Thank you Susan for the “at home” journeys you take us on!
Hi Susan! I recently watched some Cary Grant movies–Alfred Hitchcock was excellent at getting the best range of expressions out of his actors. And Cary, doing flips! comedy, drama, romance, good guy, bad guy–what a talent! I have noticed the light changing here on the Olympic Peninsula already, too,,,,but I love summer so much and don’t want it to leave. At 67, having lived all over California and various and sundry other places, this has been the best summer weather-wise of my life (thank you Global Warming!). charmed, Sandy 🙂
Wonderful post – The Cary Grant day on TCM was fantastic ♥ Agree with another Richmond VA girlfriend on here…hot and humid, but I see the light begin to change, especially in the early morning…love it! Hard to believe that it’s the end of August already. What a super prize for a lucky ducky somebody…hope it’s me! Thanks – you always make us smile! 🙂 ♥
Just love reading your news and always think what a wonderful neighbor you would make! (Especially if I could live where you do!) You are a breath of fresh air – thanks for always reminding me of all the beauty there is if only we take time to look!
Unfortunately, here in northern CA we will be hitting 100 degrees again! Fall is slow to start it seems, but oh, how I am looking forward to it. I will dig out my “vintage” Autumn book and dream….
We love the change of seasons here on cape cod
I love fall! I can’t wait for the cooler weather and the changing leaves. The cicadas are singing here in Indiana so it won’t be too much longer. 🙂
Really loved your Willard. Dappled shadow photos from the eclipse were wonderful. Zucchini bread is in my family’s very near future. Yum ! Thanks for your blogs that take us to happy places . Connie
What I love about your blogs is that you truly make us feel like we’re right there with you – I could almost smell your zucchini bread baking as I was reading your blog! Just this last weekend I made some loaves of Chocolate Banana Zucchini bread – yum. Unfortunately where I live, we barely noticed the eclipse due to the cloudy, rainy skies, so I loved seeing the pictures you posted. It is hard to believe fall is just around the corner – I can feel it in the air. Summer has gone by way too fast, but I’m looking forward to the pretty fall colors and cool, crisp air.
Loved your pictures of the shadows‼️ I was in Carbondale ,IL ( the place of the longest totality! ) watching in great awe of it all. Love your blog‼️
Wish I’d thought to view the eclipse shadows like you did.
Always enjoy your blogs. When I see it in my e-mail, it brings a smile to my face. I, too, enjoy the play of shadows and how they change with the seasons. You certainly saw some neat shadows during the eclipse! We traveled Charleston, SC to view the eclipse, but only saw a bit of it as the sky turned cloudy and then rained during totality. 🙁
Can’t wait to make the zucchini bread. And I loved the little moons from the eclipse. Here in CO they were all over our patio ..!
Hi Susan! Love Willard! Cannot wait for Fall! My favorite time of the year and this year in October we will be on the Vineyard!! I love the change of seasons. Will love having tea in my Autumn mug! And I do make Zucchini Bread!! I make a bit and freeze it too! (Also Strawberry Bread) The moon shapes were just divine! Thanks again and have a wonderful night!!!
Love the new mugs and would feel so privileged to have one, and the books too. I have enjoyed your books and always look forward to your wonderful blogs. We also had moon shapes on our patio from the eclipse and it was so amazing ! Why not make a hummingbird cake for your guests that are coming on Friday, I have my moms recipe and it is delicious! hope you have a sunny and breezy day for the tea !!!!
So glad that your auction donation went over so well!!! What lucky bidders, they are certainly in for a treat. Loved the Gratitude book. I keep on my nightstand for a quick glance before bed. A nice reminder to be grateful at the end of the day.
I always enjoy your blogs and look forward to them. How is it possible we have so much in common? Thank you for sharing your life with me! Your friend in Indiana!
Thank you. I have always loved it when the light changes! It is so beautiful! My favorite season is coming up again. So lucky to be alive!
Thank you, as always, for the light and love your blog posts bring. Always a bright spot in a world that needs a lot more bright spots! xx
The shadows in your home look inviting. I was just upstairs shooing away shadows away for my 6 yr old. Remember being that age when imaginations run wild? Shadows can be anything…poor little guy. I Love old movies and this was looks good! I am actually not a huge Alfred Hitchcock fan after I saw birds lol…but that movie looks pretty scrumptious. And speaking of scrumptious, i need to make that bread this weekend. The humidity is too much right now but the recipe looks so yummy!
I am such a Fall girl if I were to pick items out of your store…those books and that cup would be it. I can honestly say this is the contest im most excited about so far. And if someone else wins I’ll be thankful for them. ❤
I’m off to read Willard. I waited until the kids were tucked in, poured that lemonade and relished a moment listening to the rain pound outside.
Cheers and have a beautiful week.
Samantha
It’s feeling a teeny tiny bit like fall here in SoCal. There’s a different look to the light and the shadows are getting long. Cooler temps today–only 77 degrees after weeks in the high 80s—I’m tempted to get out my sweaters…But now I see the weather girl, and it’s going to be in the high 90s next week! I think I live in the wrong part of the world!
I’m not a fan of zucchini but your recipe sounds awesome. I am a fan of Fall, even though it only last a short while here in Texas!
We also had a partial eclipse. I am not sure anyone saw it because we had big clouds blocking the view. However, we could see the sky in between the clouds. It has turned purple!
I love your shadow photos. I never thought about taking pictures of just shadows, but these are lovely. It takes an artist to see such beauty in ‘common’ things. And no two shadows are ever the same, not even for a minute! Thank you for sharing the joy. Love your new giveaway. I still have your “Heart of the Home” cookbook on my wishlist and must add the others as well.
Enjoy this lovely fall weather preview this weekend!
I have the zucchini grated and, obviously, was just waiting to try your recipe this time! I’m hoping to get a Willard. Like a couple others, I was sure I’d signed up before… Some things are just worth waiting for! So glad to see the list so I can read all the Willards I’ve missed ! Thank you!!
Thank you for another lovely blog post! I’m looking forward to receiving my Willard! I will definitely check out Suspicion…sounds perfect. Btw, have you watched the BBC PRODUCT, Land Girls? There are 3 season available on Netflix. It’s a about members of the women land army(farmers) stationed on a English manor farm during WW11. It’s wonderful! You will love it!
Hi Susan! I’m ready for Fall myself, but here in south Texas that won’t happen for another month or so. You know how hot it is here! My sister & I saw you and Joe at the book signing in Austin last summer. We loved meeting you & Joe! Was the highlight of our summer! Hope you do other book signings close to south Texas again, but come in the Spring! or Fall! Love your blog posts!
Thank you, Susan, for another lovely post. I have a question -in the beginning of your blog you show a chair with shadows and on the chair is a beautiful (needlepoint?) cherries pillow. It’s lovely – did you make it? I have seen it before in past blogs, and looked for a pattern, to no avail. Also, I sure would love to win your books and mug. 😊
I have almost all of your books Susan, and love seeing pictures of your home, and your travels. I live in Glendale, Arizona, so don’t get to see the changing of seasons, but grew up in South Eastern Idaho, and lived an hour between West Yellowstone, Mt. and Jackson Hole, Wyoming. We could see the Tetons from our kitchen windows!
Fall is my favorite time of year and I hope to make your Zucchini Bread recipe soon. ( Your Polish Pottery Loaf pan is beautiful by the way.)
Have a marvelous fall!
your zucchini bread recipe looks VERY yummy — I’m going to make it this weekend.
P.S. I hope/wish to win your Fall Gift (books, tea and cup) please.
Thanks for bringing shadows to our attention and thanks for the recipe!
Everyone should have a “Susan Branch” in their life!! I’m telling you, you make me smile, reminisce, appreciate, count my blessings and enjoy life more in general!! You have a gift and I love that you share it with all of us! Especially in these times of America-stress, you light a spark in my heart! Thank you, Susan! Sending you my love today!!
So blessed to read your blogs when they come out. In So. Calif. we are not
quite to a Fall season. But I did see a few yellow leaves coming on my apricot tree. One of your books would be a lovely addition to the books that I have of yours.
I love your pictures of the cute eclipse shadows, I wish I had been that observant and noticed them here, they do look like tulips! I’m sad to see summer end, but I also look forward to autumn, baking and curling up with a good movie. Now I need to watch Suspicion to see how it ends! Hard to watch Cary Grant as a “bad guy”, but I need to find out what happens!
Your blog just draws me in as if I’m in the kitchen with you. Oh, and I live zucchini bread!
That would be love, darn autocorrect.
I absolutely love ALL of your books! And calendars and everything else! I started reading your books a couple years ago and now own many and always check every library or used book store I can find! They give me inspiration, hope, and love and I look up to you in so many ways! All my family knows how much I love you so I am often lucky enough to get Susan Branch things for every birthday and holiday! Thank you for all your beautiful work <3
I did see that movie, but for the life of me, I can’t remember a thing about it. This getting older business is getting rough!
I enjoy so very much your blog when it arrives by e-mail. I have family who live in England in the Cotswalds, so I love reading about your trips across the pond. I was just there in July.
My son, daughter-in-law and 3 grandchildren live in the lovely village called Ascott-under-Wichwood.
It would be wonderful to be chosen the winner of your give-away.
When I read Willard, I feel like I am right next to you Susan, in your beautiful, lovely home! I own all of your wonderful cookbooks, and so look forward to your calendar every year. I lost my daughter, Melissa, three years ago, to pancreatic cancer. Miss her every moment of everyday….she so loved your books, your fabulous art-work, and every year I got her your wall-calendar for one of her Christmas gifts. You are to me, a piece of my daughter.
Oh my goodness, I’m so touched. Tears, Patricia, and hugs, and thanking God for memories.
Dear Susan…I will definitely being trying the zucchini bread–looks delicious! And I love that you love old movies. My mom loved old movies and we used to watch them together!!
One more thing…don’t you just love the picture of your sweet husband at the window…he looks so happy!
Blessings!
I’ve collected several sets of your wonderful cookbooks for my granddaughters (3). None are complete sets and I hope to keep searching for the missing books.
I love to read your posts and, of course, Willard. Thank you for your positive attitude towards all things.
p.s. I’m going to search for Suspicion.
Love to read Willard and all your posts in the evening after a long day at work? This evening I read Willard with the sounds of summer’s end coming through the open windows. Crickets, neighbors taking their pooches on the last walk of the day and the gentle breeze rustling the leaves. So calming. Thank you Susan. (Love the moon shadows)
Hi Susan!!!! I have made your zucchini bread many times and have always gotten rave reviews….so yummy and it’s the perfect time of year for it…an abundance of zucchini !! You can tell that autumn is just around the corner… even here in Florida. Dusk is arriving earlier… so much cooler as the sun goes down…even saw some leaf drop this morning while riding my bike!!! Don’t get me wrong… it is still hot as all get out here… but it’s better…. love your pictures of the dancing lights… my house has similar light shows late in the day..the fairies paying us a visit…😊
Looks like all is well on MV…love this time of year with autumn peeking around the corner… “hello” to the “hero”….
btw…looking forward to the travel post… I need all the help I can get!!! xoxo❤️
love,
cindy
I get giggly and oh so excited when Willard arrives. After a long day of teaching, it is such a treat to hunker down, breathe, and dream. ❤️ Thank you Susan!
Love your blogs. Especially when you mention the beautiful England. My granddaughter and I spent two weeks in June of this year in Kent visiting dear friends.
My dear friend Pat from Charing surprised me with afternoon tea at the Ritz in London to celebrate my 77th birthday. What a delightful experience.
I love you books, my favorite being A Fine Romance.
Thank you!
Gayle
Love your blogs. Especially when you mention the beautiful England. My granddaughter and I spent two weeks in June of this year in Kent visiting dear friends.
My dear friend Pat from Charing surprised me with afternoon tea at the Ritz in London to celebrate my 77th birthday. What a delightful experience.
I love you books,
Thank you!
Gayle
Thanks so much for the zucchini bread (I envy your restraint in letting it cool), and the coming Fall. I have some crystal prisms in my southern windows and the sun is coming around again to shine rainbows on the walls, the floors and me. The morning light and the rainbows cheer me up. 🙂
I love your blog. I have all your books. I consider this miraculous due to a major move/ downsizing, with so many people helping me and being forced to discard and donate a sizable portion of my library three years ago. I have your trilogy and am re reading them. When I was reading Isle of Dreams, I only allowed myself to read a small section at a time to savor the pleasure of the experience. I have been to Martha’s Vineyard. I felt as though I was back there again. Thank you for sharing so much with all of us.
Thank you, Susan, for bringing beauty to life through your words and photos. I love reading everything you write….
I so love seeing an email from you with a new blog entry. It makes my day! I love hearing from you about you and yours – your cats, your Joe, your cottage. It’s like a lovely letter from a best friend. Thank you!
The zucchini bread recipe was perfect timing! Here in California we will still be harvesting zucchini till Thanksgiving. Thanks for getting me ready for Autumn, my favorite season. In fact, I have a beautiful new cup to help me celebrate!
I have mad your zucchini bread. It is delicious! Thanks
Ruthie
Dear Susan, I would love to win this drawing so please enter my name.
By the way, I just loved this Willard. Thank you.
Janet XOXO
Please enter me in the drawing….Jack.is adorable.