Hello Everyone! Rabbit-Rabbit! Happy October!🎃 It’s really Autumn! MUSICA for falling leaves . . .
I’m inspired by our daily walks through the sun-dappled woods to the sea, leaves are just beginning to turn, drifting from trees, smells of compost and salty air, gulls swooping and calling, woodsmoke on the wind, coming home to my own harvest kitchen . . .
Once again I have too much to tell you for one blog! There’s our trip to the Hudson River with Rachel and Paul who flew 
over from England, the Red Lion Inn, the Norman Rockwell Museum, the amazing studio of Daniel Chester French who designed the Lincoln Memorial, our adventures with FOOD, and so much more! Ray and I saw Downton! Each of these stories is a blog post all by itself! Plus Cookies! The fall garden! And, there’s FREE STUFF! (Done, click there for fall gifties!) I’m going to have to save some of this for next time. Just wanted you to know it’s lurking . . . First off, three 🎥 quickies:
We bravely went to see Quentin Tarantino newest movie, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood . . . turns out, it’s one of those movies you can’t quit thinking about! Changes history brilliantly. So fun to talk about afterward. Go if you can. (One girlfriend 
said Brad Pitt on the roof was worth the price of the movie! Yessss!) Peeking through fingers only required toward the end, it’s Tarantino after all, but you will know, and it’s all SO worth it. We also went to Lowely’s house last night 🍿 and watched Richard Curtis movie Yesterday. Pure Sweetness and Light. Has Lily James in it. Music makes you cry. Isn’t it nice, Yesterday, like Downty, HUGE financial successes without violence! Hope for the world!!! And another to come, Renee Zellweger staring as Judy Garland, in theaters now or soon! (See how I am ~ yak-yak ~ We’ll never get out of here.)
SO! Here we go! We picked up Ray and Paul in Boston ~ there they were, all smiles and hugs. We threw their bags into the car and off we went, four old friends, hill and dale, on back roads through the NEW England Countryside, talk-talk-talking, to our first stop…the Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, for lunch.
There’s our table . . . and if you love wallpaper like I love wallpaper, you are a happy camper at this moment. See the teapots on the shelf in the window lights? It’s what they do at the historical Red Lion Inn.
Paul and Joe are best friends. These talented boys can cook! Which they did for us in our rented house . . . they are ALL about the newspapers and food, maps and curiosity. What’s not to love.💘
The front porch of the Inn . . . we had wonderful weather! We ate here twice, on our way to, and on our way back.
You would recognize this town if you’re familiar with Norman Rockwell illustrations. For years his studio was on the second floor of a building right here in the middle of town. He thought Stockbridge was the prettiest small town in New England.
Spectacularly charming, could move right in.
So pretty, in the most old-fashioned way. I knew you would like this.
And of course, they have an Inn cat, aptly named “Norman” ~ probably the most spoiled cat in the history of the world as he gets petted about 3,000 times a day! Add me to the multitudes.
We rented a house in Hudson, New York . . (the one on the right! Just wanted you to see the leaves!). It’s owned by a Scottish woman named “Morag” ~ she showed us around, highlighting the “reason she bought the house,” a wonderful PANTRY, filled with dishes and every pot, pan, and cooking utensil known to man, a girl after own heart . . . her walls were covered with art, her bookcases spilled over with books about everything we love, Beatrix Potter, British cookery books, antiques, gardens, on and on.
She showed us where to put the veg peelings, egg shells and coffee grounds . . . this little notice was framed on the wall in the kitchen, we decided, yes for sure, she is PLU (People Like Us). We loved the house.
It had a porch perfect for sitting, being served by husbands, tea and toast, or dishes of cheese and biscuits, wine and nuts, and lots of newspapers.
Way too much to see in this part of the country for the one week we were there. We never even went north, despite the clear glories of doing so, but time restrictions kept us seeing as much as we could, going south and crossing back and forth over the Hudson River . . . The good news is, we didn’t come near to seeing everything. We’ll have to go back!
We mostly ate, but when we weren’t eating, we visited homes, gardens, and museums (and the gift shops) of local heroes . . . filling ourselves with beauty and history.
Here we are at Olana, home of Frederick Edwin Church, famous landscape artist of the Hudson Valley (look at his view! No wonder!) who I knew almost nothing about, except I’m related to him! (Ancestry.com strikes again!)
House was filled with art, but a bit dark ~ quite a nice gift shop . . . the outdoors was luv-lee. 
More quick pics . . . Joe and Ray in the kitchen!
Me in Rhinebeck.
Us, out and about.
Downtown Hudson.
Sweet photo of Paul and Ray . . .
Lunch on the porch of the historic Liberty Public House in Rhinebeck, New York. We had such a wonderful time.
Really and truly, all we did was eat . . . Delicious restaurants in Hudson, this was a place called “Swoon Kitchen Bar.” Which we definitely did swoon! We also loved La Perche. And P.S., excellent shopping and a GORGEOUS church in Hudson. Lots of antique stores too! (Paul’s eye was bothering him, so we got him a patch. He looked so cute in it, we thought he should keep it forever! Swashbuckling! We all started saying things like, Arrrgh, aye, and bucko.)
Here’s our boys making dinner . . . Mas Musica . . .(The voice of Martha’s Vineyard if it could sing) . . .🎶
. . . while grateful girls hang out on porch, toast the guys, read books, solve world problems, and do Twitter.
Fruits of their labors! Delicious, salmon, baked squash, scalloped potatoes, salad, and . . .
For dessert, Joe’s absolute FAVORITE, Friendly’s (he knows their whole history), “Forbidden Chocolate” and “Vienna Mocha Chunk.”
As you know . . .
If you’re going to this neck of the woods, be sure to save time for the antique stores. They’re everywhere!
Filled with lovely useful things, perfect for recyclers. . . just waiting for adoption.
Of course we stopped at farm stands ~ had to have Cider donuts! Covered in crunchy sugar!
Picked up our favorite local Honey Crisp apples, must be a cup of apple juice in these juicy things!🍎
Got these too, to put over our front door!
Took Ray to Wal-mart to get little things they can’t find in England . . . grape jelly and Pam Vegetable Spray! Paul got 
a new hat! There’s so much more to tell you ~ it was awful to say goodbye to them, we live so far apart, but I know you know that. It’s never over for us, there will always be a next time.🚢 So much to look forward to! There she is, at her house! But what I have to do now is go to Physical Therapy for my wrist in about an hour! I want to mail this out to you first, and I have MORE, so let’s change the subject to . . . Home Sweet Home and
I was making cookies … so I set the butter out to come to room temperature, then “helped” Joe put up the pumpkins . . . my job was taking pictures!
Pumpkins above the door are a tradition for this old house . . .🎃
And one for the kitchen porch.
Then out to the garden I went to gather some flowers for my little vases. Our garden is showing signs of age …
But still filled with fall color . . . We planted lots of different kinds of lettuce and kale ~ the easy way, with a couple six-packs of starts. We’ll pick fresh leaves for salads until the first heavy frost!
Tiny vases on window sills cheer a person up.
Happiness is . . .
Our boy on the ironing board . . . My shadow . . .
My favorite dishes for Autumn needed a good washing . . . Having a birthday party for Martha next week, so I’ll use my Johnson Brothers “Windsorware” (Made in England, just down the block from where our cups are made!) because they make a beautiful table.
Into the dishwasher they go! Purple goes great with all fall colors!
And this doll.💋 Water’s boiling, tea for me, tea for Joe . . . and now . . . the butter is soft, ready for creaming with sugar to make . . .
Years ago I was at a party and someone served butter cookies that looked like candy corn. I thought they were darling. I’ve been meaning to try to figure out how it was done for years, and yesterday was the day!
And you do it with Home Cooking . . . and fall is the perfect time! Cooking, planting lettuce, and putting flowers in vases are very wonderful ways of reducing stress. A win-win every time!
They didn’t turn out quite perfect, shape-wise, but still cute, and they tasted delicious . . . I did learn how . . . so I’ll show you and you can do better!
I used my recipe for Butter Cookies (Annie Hall’s) in my Christmas Book on p. 82 (for you that have that book ~ but I’ll also put the recipe at the end of this post). First, with a hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together, then beat in the egg yolks and vanilla . . . so easy!
Sift the flour and salt together (you see my mother’s daughter here in the folded pieces of wax paper . . . she always used them at least twice, folded them up and saved them for the next time ~ so me too). Like our New England grandmothers said, “Make do, or do without.”
Then beat the flour into the butter . . .
You want to just bring the dough together (with your hands if necessary), because there’s extra mixing when you add the food coloring . . . But first divide the dough in half, then divide the other half into one-third and two-thirds pieces ~ so you have small, medium, and large chunks of dough. Set them aside.
I was so enthralled with this part I almost forgot to take pictures, but with a combination of mixer and kneading, you add the food coloring. You add more than you think because baking softens the color and you want it strong, keep putting drops of coloring in until you get it right (start with at least 8 drops of each color), mix dough only as much as you have to. The largest piece should be nice bright yellow. The two-thirds piece will be orange (as in photo above, mixture of red and yellow coloring), and the smallest will remain “white” or dough-colored.
You’re basically looking for this.
Once colored, lay out a piece of clean wax paper, roll the pieces between your hands into 10″ rolls, all three the same length. Put the yellow on the bottom, the orange on top of the yellow, the plain on top of that.
So it’s like this. You can gauge your colors from this photo . . . very bright when raw, but kinda perfect when cooked.
Then you mold your shape. Here’s where I would have made changes, while the dough was still nice and soft, I would have smoothed the seams a bit, and widened the bottom by pushing down on the top a little more.
It does NOT have to be perfect for cuteness, but afterwards, I drew the 
shape you should aim for . . . the cookies don’t change shape much while baking, so what you see is what you get. Once you get your rolls pushed into shape, wrap the dough in waxed paper and put it in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight. When ready, preheat oven to 350º and slice off the end of the roll for as many cookies as you wish to make. Place them on an UN-greased cookie sheet, bake 10-12 minutes, but do not brown the bottoms.
Mine, all chilled, and ready to go in. And because they are now so cold and firm, it’s not a good time to attempt changing the shape.
Here they are cooling on our kitchen table, and if I do say myself, DELICIOUS. Took them to movie night at Lowely and John’s last night and they loved them too.
But you can do a better job of shaping, and I will too, next time! Living and learning.😘
Now, here’s where it gets crazy, because I have to go! I’ll be back later and put the recipe right here at the bottom of this post, so if you want it, come on back and here it will be! Wrist got its morning exercise! Going to get it bent back into shape, just like the cookies! Love you girls, still More To Come for the PLU. That means YOU. 💞 P.S. Speaking in Edgartown, MA Oct. 26, read all about it here, just in cases you’ll be on Martha’s Vineyard ~ so much going on for the Food and Wine Festival! 😘 Okay, zee recipe ~ Here we go, I halved it, but if you make the whole thing you’ll get 6-7 dozen cookies.
CANDY CORN BUTTER COOKIES
2 c. butter, softened- 1 1/2 c. sugar
- 4 egg yolks
- 2 tsp. vanilla
- 4 1/2 c. flour
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- Yellow and red food coloring
2 c. butter, softened
With an electric mixer, cream together butter and sugar. Add egg yolks and vanilla and mix well. Sift flour and salt together and beat into butter mixture until mixed. Use your fingers to gather the dough into a ball. Divide dough in half, then divide one of the halves into 1/3 and 2/3 pieces. 
You’ll have 3 hunks of dough, small, medium, and large. Poke holes in the large piece, and put in drops of yellow food coloring, at least 8 drops to start. Break the dough up a bit in the bowl and use mixer to spread the strong color evenly. Make a ball. Do the same with the medium size piece ~ use yellow and red to make a good strong orange. Leave the smallest piece natural. Because I halved the recipe, I made each color of dough into a 10″ roll, but if you make the whole recipe, you’ll need to make two sets of 10″ rolls (otherwise they’ll be so long they won’t fit in the fridge). Put the orange roll on top of the yellow roll, the white on top of the yellow. Look at the 
drawing I did. You’ll see you need to mold the sides in so it’s wider on the bottom, narrower on the top, top should be rounded. You can do this! It’s fun! Wrap it up, put it in the fridge for 4 hours, or overnight. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350º … cut the dough into 1/2″ slices, put them on ungreased cookie sheet, about 1″ apart. Bake 10 min, but don’t brown them. Remove baked cookies from pan while still warm and cool, onto sheets of waxed paper. Ta daah! (And don’t forget, same recipe works for all your cookie cutter recipes!)You can sign up HERE to have this blog delivered to your email box! And one more thing! (Do I keep saying that?)
Remember this happiness from last Christmas?
Guess what! I searched and searched, because we had so much fun with these colorful necklaces, I wanted to find them for you, and I DID! For as long as they last, first come, first serve. They made our dinner sparkle!
The Christmas tree garland too (hanging on the mirror), and doves! We just got a new supply, getting ready!
Okay, I think now I’m really done. Hope you all have a WONDERFUL day. Making home a wonderful place, deep breathing, stopping to smell the flowers, and remembering all the ways we’ve been blessed.💖 
This is for our girlfriend Nicoline . . . Rachel’s Lemon Butter Cookies in the darling Chinese version of A Fine Romance, coming your way soon, Nicoline!💖
Happy for your visit with dear friends, what makes life worth living.
Fall is made even better by your post, a “homing” time of year, which you and Joe do so well.
Look forward to the next addition in your diary of experience sharing.
So much goodness! Love the candy corn cookies and the travels and the food (and especially the guys cooking meals for you!). Happy fall!
Your trip with friends, the pumpkins, and those cookies! Let Fall begin! Our temps have dropped by almost 30 degrees and I love it….let the fun begin!
Susan,
Doesn’t everyone want to be in New England in the Fall? And what did you do? You took us right with you for all the Fall-ie stuff, from Apples,doughnuts, and pumpkins to historical buildings, exhibits and antique hunting. Not to mention yummy romantical meals here and there with your sweet kindred spirt friends from across the pond. Pure love and generosity! We are still, as of this week, rocking the 80 degree and up temps here in Western NC :(. Looks like some relief this weekend. I’m chomping at the bit for a cool rainy weekend to bake and make the nest a bit more autumnal. Fingers crossed.
Love you Susan!
We’ll give you hope, suddenly in the 50s and very cool today… hope it spreads outward to everyone. Been crazy in the south this week!
Thank you for sharing another adventure. Hope your wrist is getting better with the therapy. I loved your musica it was perfect. I collect quotes and I hope you don’t mind that I put a couple from your blog into my notebook. Thanks again for such an uplifting read.
I collect them too, so I understand!
Your Autumn blog made me feel so happy!
Thanks for the little quote on Sense of Beauty.
Thanks for bringing a smile to my morning.
P.S. I just received my box of Susan Branch notecards, as well as the little book with photo sleeves, and am delighted with them.
Happy to hear that Ann!
Ah! If only I could “get a little house , plant some roses and get a kitty”… unfortunately, it isn’t so simple for everyone….
Lovely trip. I live near Hudson and collect red dishes. Where, oh, where is the antique store you pictured with the red dishes? I feel I will need to make a trip down.
Oh, you need way more than a week together. The time goes so fast when happiness abounds. Love Rachel’s hair👍. Wonderful the boys did the cooking even though you like to cook and Rachel is a Queen baker💕. Hugs, judi
I LOVE your blogs – always can’t wait to read them. Just left the cool autumn 45 degrees of Anchorage for 96 degrees of TN. Family is more important than temperature :). Can’t wait for fall – my favorite time – the smells, the cooking – just ahhhhhhhh!
Susan,
Loved the post and how it heightened my anticipation for fall. I read it over the course of two days due to life’s demands. The first day it was close to 90 in MO and I was miserable. Today when I finished it the temps have dropped about 30 degrees and it’s much more conducive to all the wonderful things about fall that your post had me yearning for. I was most impressed with the music Ashokan Farewell as I was not familiar with that piece. I absolutely love it! Thanks for sharing the music, all your photos and stories about your visit with your friends, decorating with pumpkins and making the darling cookies. Each month you are an inspiration to me, and remind me to slow down, enjoy the little things in life, more and more each day! Blessings to you and Joe and your wonderful life on the island!
Oh Susan! As is tradition, I wait until I have plenty of quiet time to fix myself a cup of tea (this time it was spiced chai with lovely peppermint mocha creamer) and grab myself a few cookies before I sit and savor your latest post. This one did not disappoint. It is fun to live vicariously through your travels (and make plans for my own!) as well as inspiring me to keep bringing color and beauty into my home for my family. Thank You!
Hi Susan, Michael and I are in New England right now to celebrate our 30th anniversary! We honeymooned here because we have loved it for forever! We’re in Exeter, NH today and off to the mid-coast of Maine to spend the weekend with Michael’s brother and sister-in-law tomorrow. Then off to Ogunquit, ME, another beautiful NE seaside town. We started in NYC to see our youngest son for the weekend then rented a car and headed to NE. Stayed at the Griswold Inn in Essex, CT our first night out of the city. Then spent a couple of nights in Amherst, MA to see old friends. We’re ending our trip by stopping in Chicago to see our older son on the way back home. Killing 3 birds with one stone this trip!! We’ve had so much fun already! Every time I come back here I’m happy!
So happy you and Joe and Rachel and Paul had such fun on your Hudson Valley trip! Looks like a fabulous time.
We saw Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, too, and loved it. An excellent movie that made me laugh, cry and cringe. Yep, loved it!
Your candy corn cookies are now on my list of “Things to Bake This Autumn”🍁! They look delightful. I always enjoy a good butter cookie, maybe a little too much!,😉
Enjoy the beautiful fall here. I’m sure you will, as you always do!! Hello to Joe!❌❌⭕️⭕️
You didn’t make it to the Island? You will have to do that next time!!! I hope you had a wonderful time, it looks like a great trip. So happy to hear from you Carol! xoxoxo
We had a fantastic time back in NE. Hadn’t been in a while and needed my NE fix, badly!! Didn’t make it to the Island this time, but I’m sure we’ll be back there at some point. We love it there, too! We returned on the 12th and I’ve been busy ever since. Trying to get my living room and dining room redone before Christmas. Big job, as you know!
So happy to see that you’re back painting again. You are such a talent, Susan (in so many ways).
I want to wish you and Joe and you both a happy and special Thanksgiving, just in case I don’t get to before the holiday!
Stay happy, healthy and cozy over there! xoxo
Thank you so much Carol! Good luck with the redecorating, will make the holidays even more fun! Welcome home! xoxo
Thank you for a beautiful blog, full of Fall and friends:) I received the gift I give myself every year, your gorgeous desk blotter calendar! How does anyone throw the beautiful pages away?!! The good news from our happy home in CT is that our Anna (aka snow flake girl) has just gotten a job to be seasonal holiday help at the Paper Store near her college:) She is over the moon! That girl was born a Christmas Elf! Our son Ben just said that my cooking gets much better in the Fall!!! He cracks me up:) Good bye salads for supper! Hello baked ziti and your chicken nuggets with the potato chip coating:) Be well!!
Great update! I would love to copy your trip. I follow the Norman Rockwell museum on Instagram and I am sure it is a great area!
Your trip with friends sounds wonderful and fun! Agree that we never make enough time to see all there is in our travels! Your cookies are adorable, I will have to try my hand at them. I’ve done them with the icing in different colors but never the dough. I did once try to do pink and white swirled (marbleized) but they ended up mostly pink, because I overmixed the two colors together. Oh well, as you say, live and learn. We are off tomorrow to visit our daughter and family in Colorado. Almost had to postpone, as I had a heart attack on Sept. 5th. But I got two stents, and am well on the road to normal once again, with an interesting memory of my second ambulance ride. The first was when my husband had the same issue, and I was a passenger that time! Off I go to pack, hoping we get to see fall colors on the way and golden Aspens while there! Bye!
Loved reading about your autumn adventures! I am so excited to be coming to Martha’s Vineyard next week as part of a New England Fall Leaves Tour!! In case we only get to visit Oak Bluffs, are your lovely items available anywhere there, besides in Vineyard Haven?? (Not sure yet where all they will take us but strongly desire VH to be a stop!)
I plan on making the corn candy butter cookies when we return home to central California. (SLO is a favorite too, by the way!) Thank you for sharing your art, books and life with all of us <3
Thank you for; all.
Glad you did the drive about trip for yourselves and yours and thank you for taking us along.
PS) No “good bye,” here we say, “See you when I see you”…try it, might surprise you with the result.
Plus it’s pretty fun to yell out across the parking lot, or holler it as they drive away.
Your trip sounds ever so lovely! I love your blog posts they inspire me and make me happy every time. I discovered you and your books about 3 years ago. Have read them twice already! Thanks so much for writing such homey, cozy, curl-up-with-tea type of stories. I love them!!
Hello Susan..I discovered you and your books about 3 years ago. Have read them twice already! Thanks so much for writing such homey, cozy, curl-up-with-tea type of stories. I love them!! I tell my husband I can just relate to them! Your trip sounds ever so lovely. New England in the fall is on my bucket list!
It’s the theory of the kindred spirit! There are so many of them.💞 Welcome to the neighborhood! xoxoxo
Oh Susan!! I love your trips – you are a dear taking us all on your journeys!
Every post fills me with adventure, happiness and light! Sure hope your wrist gets much better!
As always, thank you thank you for sharing your joy, talent and kindness!
Big hugs from Ohio,
Christine
What a great trip, Susan! My husband and I just went to Stockbridge and Great Barrington for our 42nd wedding anniversary. Such a beautiful area, but especially in the fall! Every time I read your blog, I get that “homey” feeling that makes me put the tea kettle on and enjoy my little house all the more! Thank you!
Looking forward to your next blog!
Again, thank you for sharing. I love your posts. The flour sifter and wax paper. My mom did the same thing and, of course, I do too now.
The way it is. xoxo
I used to live in New England and now am on the west coast. Thank you for all the lovely pictures of all the things that I love about New England!! And thank you for the cookie idea!! I’ll be trying them this afternoon!
Oh my goodness gracious! That was one chocked full of fall friendship wonderfulness. I cherished each and every word and picture over and over. What fun you all had together and what a blessing it is to know you two found each other. Treasures. Speaking of treasures…I wanted to pop right into those antique shops and shop away. Antiques and food are two of my favorite past times. Making memories is what life is all about. Thank you for sharing. And thanks for Jack (hugs!!). Now I need one of those luscious donuts.
Oh look at all those pretty red transferware dishes in the antique store! What a fun week you had with your friends. Always enjoy reading your adventures! Notice my NEW last name – I got married over Labor Day weekend!
Hello Susan, and Hello to the Girlfriends!! what a lovely Autumn day we have here… blue skies with some gray clouds crossing overhead, Autumn winds blowing leaves around and nice cool temps to enjoy it all with. the acorns are really falling down and the squirrels are running around the yard to get them all gathered up for winter. from the looks of the squirrels’ fur its darker and thicker now so I figure we are in for a cold wet winter this year. the cats are having fun chasing birds from window to window and feeder to feeder, in addition to the all the mischief they seem to find and get into. I just love this time of the year, and now its time for me to add my Halloween things to the Fall decorations. I also love Halloween, one of my favorite holidays. today is also our first Friday event in town ( Grants Pass). its an art walk so to speak, you can visit the art galleries, and the local stores tonight and see what is new and get samples of food like cheese, breads and such, and hot chocolate when it gets colder and even samples of wine from the local vineyards. its good for the downtown businesses, and good for looking for ideas for holiday gifts and such. do they have anything like that on the Island??? well time for me to go check on the chickens, check and fill the feed containers and water containers and maybe toss out the scraps bucket to them.. we keep veggie peels and such for the birds and they love it so I have my own little scrap bucket to keep it in. then maybe enjoy the rest of the day and have some warm tea. I love the Fall, its definitely my time of the year. have a wonderful day everyone, and a great weekend. Autumn hugs…… 😀
A way to make the candy corn cookies perfect.
Use a loaf pan and line with wax paper. Layer in each color and press into the pan so the pieces are one block. Chill.
Turn out the “loaf” and using a sharp knife make cookie slices.
NOW! You have a rectangle with all three colors. Slice it into triangles AND Ta-dah! perfect candy corn cookies.
The lovely fall leaf 🍁 in your blog reminded me of your comforting Autumn cookbook. Highly recommend this cookbook, an eye and tummy feast for all the girlfriends! Reading under Cold and Flu season (pg. 112), you recommend Vick’s, a sock around your neck and cotton in your ears with kitty snuggles and the clicker…I understand Vick’s, kitty, clicker. Was wondering about sock? And cotton? What healing/helping do they provide? (Not familiar with doing these, but, still curious enough to try if I get sick!) And thanks for pouring yourself into this useful keepsake!
Loved this. My dad, Jack, was born in Hudson NY in 1923, and lived in. Village 10 miles away called Philmont. He left there for the Navy, and eventually settled on island. We have loved visiting this area of New York State. Had many family reunions there, and I still have a cousin who lives in Hudson. Love The Red Lion Inn too! My bestie of over 50 yrs now and I used to be able to do weekends away together, sightseeing and antiquing until life and children and careers etc made it much harder to coordinate. Still, a few summers ago, we stayed in Lee and went to lunch at the RLI. So worth it.
As usual, your post brings heart warmed happiness. ❤️🌻🎃🏡🍁
I LOVE armchair traveling with you! Thank you for sharing! Blessings!
I am going back home to Texas next week after 6 months in Colorado. I love my Corgi Condo here, but reading your blog got me excited about going back to my pink house in Waco. Thanks for your inspiration!
Love the candy corn cookies! I love autumn and your post was what I needed as it’s still in the 90’s here in Dallas area. A cool down in coming, they say.
This post was so much fun! Love your Autumn dishes. Loved your Autumn adventures!!
Where can we (I) get that adorable Merry Christmas Platter? Suppose you don’t make it any more?
Susan,
Thanks for another wonderful post. I so enjoyed your photos, hearing about your trip with your friends, decorating for fall and the super cute cookies. And I loved the music Ashokan Farewell!! I was not familiar with that and it’s sooooo beautiful. Thanks for sharing and teaching me something new today. Blessings to you and Joe this lovely fall season and always!
Susan….what a wonderful visit you had with dear friends….keeping those connections across the pond, the most important thing…we all have each other!!
I love the autumn adventure you took together…..I just returned from a watercolor class in Trevi Italy, with my watercolor teacher, and 6 other wonderful people, some I knew, some I didn’t…..my friend from Ireland joined us and we had 8 days of the Italian sunshine, in a tiny Umbrian town, which opened its heart to us…..met other travelers from Denmark and Finland…and when questions starting happening about what happened to our wonderful America…questions, respectfully posed, about how our country used to be loved, and admired by others…..and how we felt the need to defend ourselves as good human beings……this has happened now on my past 3 European trips….one person at a time, we prove that Americans are respectful, warm, caring and loving people.
For escape from it all, in addition to TCM, on YouTube “Gardener’s World” is shown each week….UK gardeners visit allotments, church gardens, community gardens and show lessons from master UK pros…..you would so love it….it lowers the blood pressure!
So, much love to Susan….autumn is my favorite…..let us know about your next friend adventures…..
That conversation must have hurt Regina, it would hurt me. I know that’s what everyone is thinking, what happened? A very difficult question to answer. Our Statue of Liberty!!! I love you representing us . . . we need all of that we can get. Thank you for video recommendations! xoxoxo
Beautiful post and makes me so ready for fall! I can’t wait to hear what you have to say about Downton! A girlfriend and I went on opening day and, then, out to dinner! Was marvelous!!
I love autumn in New England!! Every time I turn around there is another place to add to my growing list of places to visit. Thank you as always for sharing!
LoveLoveLove your posts, sweet Susan Branch❤️ Thank you so much ❤️
Thank you for sharing your adventures, both at home and away! They are always such a breath of fresh air! I am curious as to what was the squash dish, as I love trying different varieties of autumn squash. Also, was it baked or roasted and just scooped out? Looks delicious!
Dear Susan… I love your blog and sharee with so many friends…do you have a
PO box where I can send the photo of you and Paul, Ray and Joe on a trail. I
was able to waterlogue it (make it into a watercolor and it is beautiful!)
I made a couple of prints so you could share with them…it’s truly lovely . Just let me know where I can send and it will be done…What great friends and such a special time together.
Yes, please send it to me at PO Box 2463 Vineyard Haven MA 02568 and THANK YOU!! I can’t wait to see it! XOXO
I often pass through both Hudson and Rhinebeck en route to my father’s house upstate. Maybe I should get off the train next time!
I would say definitely yes! Great shopping and food. And take a look at the magnificent CHURCH!!!
I simply love your blog posts. Thank you for being so you and bringing all of us glimpses of the beautiful fun you see.
I am going to make these cookies with my children this week. We need more memory moments and less checking the list to move to the next thing that we now can’t remember.
😘 Brilliant!
Hello Susan
Any news about a launch date for “Enchanted” ? Eagerly anticipating its debut! Much autumnal joy to you.
Debbi H.
With broken wrist, I’m a bit behind. Am going to *try* painting for the first time today!!! Wish me luck!
Hello Susan,
I’m so sorry that I’m only now posting a comment, but we just came home from a holiday. When you posted this, Gabri and I were…..3 guesses…?? In England, and this time in South Devon. We had lots of rain, so couldn’t take as many walks as we’d hoped, but still enjoyed the gorgeous countryside, high cliffs at the seaside, LOTS of picture postcard thatched cottages, tea and cake, DOWNTON ABBEY at the local cinema, cream tea, yummy pub food….
How do you do it I wonder?? Your lovely post has made me feel homesick for New England, and we’ve never been to the area where you were…Your trip sounds just wonderful, and spending that time with dear friends, well, life just doesn’t get much better does it!
Well, I don’t know what to say (concerning the Chinese version) …..THANK YOU to the both of you, Rachel too of course, just is not enough!!!! I know how much our friend enjoyed reading it, and it will make their day, when they are able to have their own copy!
Thank you darling, you are just a STAR!!!!
Lots of xxxx and ooooo from Holland
Nicoline
Oh, I knew you had to be somewhere! Happy to hear from you. I love it you love England as much as me! Book is still on my kitchen table, but going today or tomorrow, as you know, stuff happens! Take good care of your luv-lee little family. xoxoxoxo
I so wish we had a real autumn in San Diego – yes, some leaves are falling, but outside it’s still in the 70’s and low 80’s. So reading about your trip to the Hudson and walks in woods to the ocean made me smile! Thank you for your gift of joy.
Best place I ever found for “autumn” in California, not sure it will work that far south, was to drive through and past wineries. The grape leaves turn color!
Such beauty and fun in your post! I can imagine walking through the antique stores and discovering the most treasured wares. I can’t wait to make the cookies for my classroom full of 4th grade goblins! They will LOVE them!
You are the BEST teacher! They will love them!
The Red Lion Inn, such a grand old inn, have eaten there many moons ago…love the town. Must visit again, thanks for the reminder.
Love the little Christmas plate with the tree cookie…did I miss where to buy the plate or is it a peek for something coming?
Happy Autumn, Susan🍂🍁
We have that! Just go to “Shopping” icon at top of page and click “Dishes” in column on the left. (There’s a link on the blog post . . .)
Hi Susan,
I loved your post and was recently at The Red Lion Inn and loved it!! I am going to try the cookie recipe and invite the children next door over for a fall tea party!! I saw a posting in an old cook book that reads: Be sorry for people wherever they are, who live in a house with no cookie jar!! Happy Fall and we can hardly wait for your Thanksgiving and Christmas postings!
Basic life lesson in that little ditty! xoxo
Your fall letter was the breath of fresh fall crisp air I really needed. The opening “Ashwokan Farewell” reduced me to tears, but the kind that are such a welcome release. Each and everything you share warms the heart and feels like the best back rub you can get! Loved your escape to the Hudson River Valley. It brought back memories of our enchanting September visit there years ago. Thanks for sharing it with us. Now I’m going to crack open your book “Autumn” and celebrate the season!
Happy to hear it Diana, thank you for coming by and saying hello. Lots more back rubs to come I hope!
Dear Susan,
A BELATED “Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit” to you!… by now those rabbits have really multiplied!!! I have read your warm and fuzzy blog and studied it since it popped up on my iPad a week ago…….and I have enjoyed it so! Thank you for sharing your delightful friends Ray and Paul with everyone! The four of you are just Way Too Cute and always give me the best case of “Happies”when you share your visits with them!! In the Blog before this one you brought tears to my eyes when you described dropping them off and saying goodbye… I couldn’t swallow for a couple of minutes after that one!! ….and then, in this last post, that sweet Norman-Cat…. gosh, he reminded me of Girl Kitty so much! Fall is my favorite season but it tends to make me “weepier” than the other seasons do…..( O GOSH I AM SO GLAD THAT I PROOF READ THIS…BECAUSE AUTO CORRECT TYPED W E N I E R INSTEAD OF WEEPIER!!!!!!….I don’t know if “weepier” is even a word…but it HAS to be, because that’s what I am in the Fall!!! anyway…… I just put Acorn Squash on my grocery list…it looked so good in your picture so now I have to buy one! If I could find “Friendly” ice cream in Terre Haute, In…I surely would buy that too! Susan, have a wonderful October!!! p.s…I hope that you and Joe got your flu shots!! Stay well!!!xoxo
LOL, wenier! That auto correct is a maniac! Thank you Kathiellen!
I used to make the candy corn butter cookies for my kids every year- I still do sometimes and ship them to them! Too cute, and so yummy!
Thanks for sharing this and your fun travels, Susan!
I cannot believe Christmas is just around the corner. We try to leave hot AZ every September, and when we come back it is usually cooling down. Same this year- mornings are great! Of course, my fall and Halloween decor went up in early August!
My children’s favorite is candy corn butter cookies. I sometimes put some cocoa in the “white” layer for chocolate candy corn. Here are the directions for how I make them which is easier than trying to form into a triangle.
Place white dough on the bottom of 9X5 loaf pan, press down. Top with orange dough, then yellow pressing down. Chill for 2 hours. Turn dough onto a work surface, cut slices 3/8″ think from dough, cut each slice into 6 triangles. Super easy.
I have sent these off across the country for Halloween.
Sounds brilliant! When you cut that 3/8″ slice, is it the long way, or at the end, the short way? Does that mean sometimes the white is at the top of a triangle and sometimes it’s at the bottom?
Lovely blog as always! Here in Colorado we are going from Sunshine and high 70’s today…to snow and freezing temperatures tomorrow! It’s currently 7.44 pm and the wind has started blowing the tree branches against the house. I need to program the thermostats from air con to heat and throw an extra blanket on the bed tonight…especially as my darling husband has had to leave unexpectedly for a family emergency…I shall freeze without my own personal man-furnace! I’ve stocked up with food so that I don’t have to venture outside tomorrow and can just spend the day working on Inktober drawings, but first off for a bubble bath and then to cosy up in bed with a book 🙂 I am feeling the Fall baking urge too, but my diet has been destroyed by ‘inconsiderate’ English friends of ours opening a British Fish & Chip shop here in Colorado Springs…and I’ve eaten there 5 times in one week! Once as ‘tasters’ to get the batter recipe right, once as guests at the soft opening, then three times as fully paying customers. I think I’ve eaten the equivalent of an entire sack of potatoes, but the food is SO good and it was completely worth it! Such a wonderful taste of home! But now I want more…I want the blackberry and apple pies served with hot custard that my grandmother used to make, and rhubarb crumble and bacon and eggs for breakfast, Oh well, at least it’s baggy sweater and flannel shirt weather right? ❤️
Oh, Susan, what fun, and what an adventure! Perfect time of year for friends to visit. And, yes, autumn is upon us with all the beautiful colors on the trees. Here in Minnesota, we are in the midst of it, all so exciting! As always, thanks for sharing, I always so love your enthusiasm! BTW, was wondering if you were tempted to purchase some of those beautiful dishes in the shop? (A smile on my face.)
Thanks for the great pictures!! Your boy on the ironing board and the other boys in the kitchen cooking were two of my fav. I love the pumpkins 🎃 on top on the door also…so cozy
Hi Susan
Thanks for your lovely post, I enjoy them so much! I am really looking forward to your new book, I know you are a little behind from your wrist injury. I hope you are getting stonger everyday! I was back in England again this past summer for a family wedding in Torparley, at Peckforton Castle in Cheshire, another gorgeous place in England. I am still researching family history and my Dad’s immigration from Liverpool to America after World War 2 on the Queen Mary. I love your books and am waiting for your Girl friends Forever book to be delivered to my house any day now. Take care friend!!
BeUtiful Fall color now. I heard from a friend that the storm blew lots of leaves off in southern New England. So sorry. Now, if we can just get through Fall and all the lovely leaves leaving before we have a heavy, wet snow. That happened a few years ago, and it was a mess. Bet many of your remember. We had no power for about a week, if I remember correctly. That storm prompted the Lovely Tom to buy a bigger generator and do some changes to the junction box in the basement to allow him to wire it directly into the well pump, water heater, fridge. ( Generator always stays outside!!) You don’t really “Need” lights, but it is nice. We have oil lanterns, plus a few battery powered ones. I have a gazillion canning jars of all sizes, so I put those El Cheapo tea candles in the bottoms of the little ones. Just right for lots of jobs. We have propane for the stove top, and I have cooked on the wood stove, just click a lighter. Even put a big cast iron pot of stew inside on the coals. While that is fun for about a week, we do crave a hot shower, so the LT flips something or other so the on-demand water heater comes on. If you heat with gas and need a new water heater, those are The Best. You recoup your investment in just a few years, and you Never run out of hot water. Energy saver big time.
The main reason I am posting is to ask if anyone has seen Keys to the Castle? It’s a wonderful documentary done with the BBC. The owners are an absolutely lovely elderly couple who had lived there for 40 or more years, after restoring it to the way it had been with a few modern touches. It records the last few months they live there before selling and moving to a nearby bungalow. I won’t say too much, but Susan, I know you would love it. I believe it won lots of awards.
The second BBC program I recently watched is Project Restoration. Fabulous young woman is our guide on some recent, amazing restorations in England. Just astounding the grit and determination these homeowners!!
Just watched The Big House, about Castle Stewart, as well as Prince Charles’s restoration project, Dumfries House, in SW Scotland. Fabulous. We were so very near there on our last trip to Scotland.
Reason for all this watching on my tablet alone upstairs is…..it’s play off season in the Sports world, especially baseball. Tom sticks to golf until this time of year. That’s OK, as I have lots of wonderful British things to watch, plus so many books waiting that I fear the stack toppling over and killing us both. Ahh, that would be my choice of ways to go…..when it’s time.
Happy Fall and Mucho Love,
Debbie in Maine for 2 more lovely weeks
🍂🍁🎃🍂🍁 Love to you Debbie!
Dear Lady,
So nice to see you with that tiny brush in your right hand. We know you do your exercises, because you are you.
We and our good friend are off to do a foliage drive, with a lunch stop, on some Down East roads we love. Color, the mountains of Acadia National Park across the water.
Mucho Love,
Debbie, With Departure Deadline Looming
Hi Susan,
I just wanted to tell you about a lovely little coincidence that made me incredibly happy, which I thought you would enjoy. I was recently at a library with my husband and daughter. While they were reading books together, I was browsing around a bit in their used book sale. I was so excited to find a copy of Girlfriends Forever and pounced on it. I was just thinking that some people have no sense, when I saw a copy of another ridiculous book to donate – it was a book called Baking with Julia, which is a collaboration between Julia Child and Dorie Greenspan. I immediately bought both books and brought them home. Later that night, when I was flipping through my new books, I realized that Baking with Julia had been SIGNED BY JULIA CHILD!!!!! (Of course, I don’t have any documentation to show it’s authentic, but the signature looks just like images on the internet, and I’m choosing to believe it’s real.) It just felt like such a charmed night – books by my heroes! I felt like a “fairy tale girl” myself. I know Julia Child is a hero of yours too, so I thought you’d enjoy the story, and the mental image of your book hanging out with Julia/Dorie’s on my kitchen shelf. Thank you for all that you do – I’m already looking forward to your next post!
What a wonderful post. I always enjoy reading about your adventures and the pictures are so nice.
Here’s hoping you don’t lose any of your beautiful old trees in the storm. Tom has the new generator all ready to go. I’m working on a big pot of shrimp gumbo for tomorrow night. Made the roux yesterday, as a good, dark, rich one takes time.
Unfortunately, we have to drive up to Bangor in the morning for me to get another shot in the right hand. Fingers crossed ( if I Could cross them!!) we don’t get blown off the road. But this sucker hurts so much, I’m willing to chance…and Tom is as well, because he is tired of hearing me whine. It needs another surgery. Grrrr.
Take care,
Debbie in Maine
How could you miss The National Shrine of The Divine Mercy in Stockbridge
on Eden Hill !!
History of the Shrine
God must have looked on Eden Hill with special love.
The National Shrine of The Divine Mercy is a ministry of the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the authentic promoters of the message of The Divine Mercy. Located in the heart of the Berkshire Hills in western Massachusetts, the Shrine sits on 350 acres, known as Eden Hill.
In the fall of 1943, Fr. Joseph Luniewski, superior of the Marian House in Washington, D.C., sent a young priest, Fr. Walter Pelczynski, MIC, a native of Adams, Massachusetts, to find a residence suitable for a novitiate or home for those preparing for the religious life. With the help of the pastor of St. Stanislaus Kostka Church in Adams, and with the assistance of family members and friends, the Marians purchased Eden Hill on November 24, 1943.
Prior to the Marians’ arrival, this Hill had a rich history in the town of Stockbridge. Originally, the land had been the home of an early Christian mission to the Stockbridge Indians by Rev. John Sergeant. His home, known as the Mission House, can now be visited on Main Street in Stockbridge, where it was moved in 1927. The property known as Eden Park was originally purchased in 1855 by David Dudley Field, Jr. In 1906, S.W. Woodward, a successful businessman (Woodward & Lothrop) of Washington, D.C., purchased the property and built the current house, then known as Eden Hall. It replaced the Field residence which was either demolished or moved. Over the years Eden Hall was owned by several families, and by 1938 it had become St. Edmund’s School — an Episcopalian preparatory school for boys.
Before the Marians moved in, many families of the Berkshires donated furniture and funds to make the first years unfold successfully. A community chapel was established in the new home with a “side altar” dedicated to The Divine Mercy. As the number of pilgrims to Eden Hill increased, a larger community chapel was needed.
In 1950, the construction of the Shrine of The Divine Mercy was entrusted to Antonio Guerrieri, a 74-year-old resident of Stockbridge. He had just completed the restoration of St. Joseph’s Church in Stockbridge when the Marians called him to build their new Shrine. Guerrieri was a well respected master furniture maker and wood carver — crafts for which he had been trained in his native Italy. He had also established a reputation as a restorer, designer, and builder — all skills which he had taught himself.
Guerrieri’s first task was to assemble a work crew. In addition to this assembled crew, many friends of the Eden Hill community helped. Marian novices labored throughout their novitiate year on the construction as did seminarians who came for the summers to help maintain the property. Many “displaced persons” (World War II refugees) were engaged in the construction as well. Stone was brought in from the old Westinghouse estate in Lenox and the Williston Academy of Easthampton, Massachusetts.
It is interesting to note that there were no architectural plans or blueprints used in the building of the Shrine. Guerrieri had them all in his head and assigned work and plans to the crew as needed.
In 1960, ten years after the Marians first broke ground, the Shrine to The Divine Mercy was dedicated — debt free — by Bishop Christopher Weldon, bishop of Springfield, Massachusetts.
In addition to Guerrieri’s extensive woodwork, it is the Shrine’s 36 stained glass windows and two mosaics that give it light and character. Created by artist Fred Leuchs, the various glass and mosaics portray the mercy of God through Scripture. The fourteen Stations of the Cross were imported from Spain. The altar is made of Vermont marble and is accented by the emblem of the Sacred Heart. It holds the tabernacle for reserving the Eucharist. Above the altar stands the Image of Jesus The Divine Mercy surrounded by His Apostles. The Apostles figures were hand carved by Ferdinando Perathones of Northern Italy. (He also carved the bas relief of St. Faustina in the side chapel dedicated to her.)
Just above the Image of Jesus The Divine Mercy is a white carrara marble statue of Mary, the Immaculate Conception. The mural above the statue of the Immaculate Conception depicts Our Lady being crowned by the Holy Trinity as Queen of heaven and earth.
In 1960 the Shrine of The Divine Mercy was dedicated by Bishop Christopher Weldon, bishop of Springfield, Massachusetts. And in 1996, the Shrine, built in honor of The Divine Mercy and Mary Immaculate, was honored with the title of National Shrine of The Divine Mercy.
This Shrine offers many opportunities for inspiration and devotion. Pilgrims find refreshment of soul at Mass, confession, the 3 o’clock Chaplet of The Divine Mercy, and personal adoration of the Eucharist. We invite you to stroll throughout our beautiful grounds. Visit the many statues and candle shrines like the Lourdes Candle Grotto and Holy Family Shrine. The groves of St. Therese and St. Francis’ each offer an oasis for silent prayer and contemplation. Several sites on Eden Hill, including the Mother of Mercy Outdoor Shrine and the Shrine of the Holy Innocents, devoted to deceased children, offer unique memorial and devotional opportunities. The Shrine is also the geographic and spiritual home of the Association of Marian Helpers and is open to visitors on weekdays.
In 2000, St. Maria Faustina Kowalska, the secretary of Divine Mercy, was canonized on Divine Mercy Sunday and the Feast of Divine Mercy officially proclaimed by Pope John Paul II at St. Peter’s in Rome. The Shrine is the site for the largest celebration in the Northeast of the Feast of The Divine Mercy, which is held each year on the Sunday after Easter. The event traditionally is televised on Eternal World Television Network (EWTN).
Thousand of pilgrims visit the National Shrine each year either on personal retreat or to join in the celebration of holy, ethnic or specialized days and is open to the public, daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. In addition, the Divine Mercy Bookstore and Gift Shop offers an extensive selection of Catholic products to encourage you on your walk of faith. The Shrine and the Gift Shop are handicap accessible.
Whether you encounter the message of The Divine Mercy on this web site or by visiting the National Shrine in person, our prayer is that you personally encounter God’s great love and mercy. As Pope John Paul II said, “There is nothing the world needs more than Divine Mercy.” (Shrine of The Divine Mercy, Lagiewniki, Poland, June 7, 1997)
I believe when your father had passed I gave you a Mass card of Divine Mercy, 5 masses in his remembrance.
Check out the website – It is so beautiful to walk the grounds, especially in the fall and then we head out to the pub (Lions Inn) downstairs for hot lamb stew and homemade bread. Did they have the fire places lit? What did you think of the Art?
So happy to know you enjoyed yourselves.
I want to share a quote by Kurt Vonnegut, “Notice when you are happy, and exclaims or murmur of think at some point,’if this isn’t nice, I don’t know what is. ‘” Makes me think of you and your happy genes. Glad you had a nice visit with your friends and a shared adventure.
Well, I can say of your words, if this isn’t nice, I don’t know what is! xoxo
Susan! New England in the FALL! Is there anything better? I think NOT! 🙂
Hugs!!!!!
Linda in PA
Oh you lucky girl!! I have been craving cider donuts rolled in cinnamon and sugar, farm markets and fall in general. (We moved to Texas from the east coast a few years ago :-/ But ever since, you have helped me feel like I am there. Thanks, Susan!!
Loved seeing your photos of the beautiful Hudson Valley area. Can’t wait to read the next post right now!
Thanks for sharing! Loved it!
Hi, My mouth will not stop watering!! Nothing beats homemade donuts, thanks.
Speaking of waxed paper, have you ever collected colorful leaves and ironed them between sheets of waxed paper cut into fun shapes? Put a ribbon through the top and hang in a window. Did this with my 3 year old granddaughter and she loved it!
I did it in the Girl Scouts, what a great reminder, Cindy!
Just got done reading the October 18th blog. I always enjoy reading it. Today I have the fireplace going and the wind is blowing outside, and the leaves just happen to be blowing past my windows! I loved the idea about using a pan for baking donuts instead of frying them in oil. I like fried donuts, but I dont fry much at all and if I do fry anything at all, I have all that oil to contend with. Just wasteful.. the only thing I use oil for is popping popcorn on the stove, which is getting to be a lost art in the age of microwave popcorn. keep up the good work, Susan Branch!
Funny, I just made popcorn in a pan with oil last night! YUM!
Happy Birthday darling Rachel!! many, happy, healthy more years.Xo love, kathleen in The oldest city in the United States.
Such wonderful fun and delicious food!
Apple cider donuts are my absolute favorite and No One makes them in Tennessee. I guess it’s out lack of apple orchards. 🙁 I have only ever had them while visiting family in Illinois. Thank you Susan for always adding joy to my email!
Would love to have a set of donut tins. I will try my first batch of donuts with your wonderful recipe.
Susan!!! You have done it again! Love your monthly posts!
Linda from PA
October has brought heatwaves to Malibu! Waiting for the weather to change with the seasons! But I think your Apple Cider Donuts will bring “Autumn” to my home! ❤️
Oh I want to make those cute cookies! Thanks so much for your writing it warms my heart and I remember what is really important
This post is staying in my retirement chronicles file, where I keep all the gems I find that I want to discover over & over again. What a wonderful read about hearth and home and autumn travels – all of my favorite things.
Thank you for touching my heart for so many years.
Sending healing thoughts to you –
Reading your blog always makes me feel good.
My Mother’s maiden name is Stockbridge. For many years we had family reunions and a couple came from Stockbridge, Massachusetts. With the name of Stockbridge. So some way we are related. It is a lovely town. Enjoyed your blog as always. Looking forward to next one. Betty Welton
I bet you’d love doing some ancestry work and discovering your connections!
Dear Susan, My daughter was going to London with a friend to see another friend in Sept. I mailed her my copy of A Fine Romance, so she would know what to do and look for. They were there for all of Sept. Oh of all the places they went. Had a GREAT time. She said she could live in Glossop and be very happy. They liked London and loved the Peak district and the best time was had in Glossop, Hadfield and Padfield. Thank you so much for writing A Fine Romance.
Well, I’m writing all that down! For our next trip! I’m so happy they enjoyed themselves! My pleasure Gail!