HOMEMADE THANKSGIVING MAGIC

We’re talking Homemade Magic today.💖 Do come along, won’t you? MUSICA!

Thought I would talk about the magic of this season . . . We’re all going to be making some this next week (and month)!

We’re cooking up some magic at home and taking it to a friend’s house for Thanksgiving this year! I’m making my heavenly Pumpkin Cheesecake (you can make this gluten free by making one change in the recipe, use gluten-free ginger snaps for the crust, and voila!)I’m also making my Sweet Potato Casserole ⬆️ a wonderful recipe which I sometimes serve in mini pumpkins . . . 

But this time I’m just baking it in a casserole dish so it’s easier for travel. (Like my apron? Quite the garment! No mistaking the holiday!)🎃

I’m also providing the cranberry sauce which I almost force them to let me do because I love this simple recipe so much, to me it sparkles ~ plus I’ll make extra for my must-have-for-the-holidays, Christmas Jam. Both recipes are below:I get to jump over it this year, because they are making the turkey!
And we’ll taste someone else’s “idea” of stuffing 😱 but we’ll be brave, it’s good for us, makes us better people. But Joe has gathered the ingredients to add some extra gravy to the general good.

I’m not making Rainbow Jell-O this year because we’ll be all adults (and one new baby!) but if you’re having kids at your table, this is a wonderful recipe for them to put in their forever memory banks. It’s kid food, and they know it and I believe, feel grateful for it. But trust me, big kids like it too! 

This was our dinner last year, the leftovers looked almost as good as when we put the dinner on the table! We tried to make enough for every one to have leftovers to-go!

I thought you might like a few photos of Holidays-passed, of some of my decorated table ideas . . .

This was a casual dinner we had at the kitchen table using my old mix-and-match pottery collection, and the antique black-iron candlesticks I found somewhere along the way. (No marks on the bottom of these, I’m sorry to say, would love to tell you where they come from!)

Candlelight makes everything look better! More romantic, prettier colors, softer light, the food even tastes better in candlelight! And a little poem or a prayer written on a menu stand helps to set the tone. Because Thanksgiving is so wonderfully about gratitude and memory.

Cookbooks, wooden spoons, and recipe boxes (with mom and grandma’s handwriting on recipe cards) make evocative Thanksgiving table decorations. I love using stuff I have around the house. A table with lots of little framed photos works too. Makes for lots of happy conversation. Also, you can make placemats out of old photos (enlarge on copier), that’s fun too ~ you can even use them as place cards, “find your photo and that’s where you sit”. (I’ve forgotten to take pictures of my table settings in the past, I try not to let that happen anymore!)

Pile together a few of your favorite things, collections, or family memories, interesting things to look at that relate to you and yours . . . the little shoes, remember from my book? I wrote how I found them in the attic at Holly Oak, left behind by Agnes, my secret guardian angel. Now there she is, on our Thanksgiving table.

More found objects . . . Leaves and pinecones make perfect place cards!

Small low vases of flowers are good too, you can see over them! See the candlestick with the star bobeche? I found those bobeche years ago and LOVE them, I bring them out any time I need a starry night!🕯

I always use them for the holidays, but in the summer too, under the stars . . .

I looked for them for years to put in our web store, but never found them. Off and on, I’ve managed to get people to make them for us, but they’ve been very hard to get. See how you set the bobeche on top of the candle stick?⬆️

And then the candle slips through the hole and into the stick ~ 🕯 

Voila! Anyway, I finally found a new manufacturer! And this time I had them made from lightweight acrylic, just like the ones I found so many years ago. In case you need some starry light on your holiday tables!🕯

Bobeche! Here’s how they look without the candles. And, something special, to celebrate this wonderful season . . .For YOU! YES, leave a comment at the end of this post, and we’ll have a drawing, and see who is going to be the winner of this pair of starry bobeche!

I love it when they play Little Women on TV on Thanksgiving. It’s such perfect background “music.” Reminds me of simpler days and the things that really matter. The smell of dinner cooking is enough to set the entire mood of the day. And isn’t it wonderful, it’s not about gifts?! Only the little ones that really count. Like home. And P.S. Something special for PLU (people like us) . . . LOOK what’s coming this Christmas

Because magic can come in very small packages. It doesn’t have to be fancy. All this decorating is nice, if you have the time, and are in the mood, but there are no rules. Just one little pumpkin on a porch or a kitchen table is lovely and festive and says it all. That, a roasted chicken, a baked apple, a little candle, and a prayer is all we need.And the day after Thanksgiving, while filled to overflowing with gratitude and contentment and pumpkin pie, and blessed by everything we have, feed your soul in nature on Green Friday. I fear we are teaching our children greed by celebrating consumerism the day after Thanksgiving. Instead, teach magic, take your spirit and your kids to the sky . . .

Because God made the dirt roads, the woods, and the critters and gave them to us has His gift. And it’s our job to take care of them for Him. Honor them for Him.

Quiet places with wind and bird sounds fill your heart with thanks and wash the stress away. (Would you like to read my Love Letter to Martha’s Vineyard? In your spare time!)

A wonderful gift from the sea, free! And we didn’t have to stand in line under klieg lights to get it!

The pause that refreshes. The sound of snowfall is good for you!The gift that keeps on giving. Other things to do besides hugging trees that cause magic: have a turkey-sandwich, pumpkin-pie picnic outside, or surprise the lady down the street and have your whole family go to her house and plant bulbs. (I’ll give you my address!) Bring someone who’s stuck inside OUT, and take them to nature. Adopt a new petty pet! 💖 Or,

Cuddle in front of a fire . . .

Dreaming of a better tomorrow? Let it show in everything you do.💞 We are so lucky!

Here’s a Thanksgiving Prayer bookmark, for you to print out, just click there. I’ve memorialized the childhood prayer Joe “sang” to me when we first met. (Suzy, Nosey, Inky, and so on, were his family’s pets!❤️)

And don’t forget to leave a comment for the starry bobeches. Blessings on you and yours darling friends! Have the MOST wonderful Thanksgiving.🎃 

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1,522 Responses to HOMEMADE THANKSGIVING MAGIC

  1. tracey robinson says:

    Thank you for sharing your home and Martha’s Vineyard. I am terribly homesick for four seasons and your photos always cheer me up! This year we may actually have a rainy Thanksgiving here in the desert southwest which I am very excited about! Happy Thanksgiving!

  2. marianne rennie says:

    Lovely post, full of inspiration and love! Thank you Susan!

  3. Karen Howell Burton says:

    So very much to be thankful for…and none of it revolves around gifts!! It’s all about love.. each other, nature, harvest, our four legged friends …a peaceful heart ❤️ happy thanksgiving to you all!💕🦃💕

  4. Geri Goggin says:

    Always look forward to reading Susan Branch!, thanks for coming into our lives!

  5. Inez Schlueter says:

    I wish you and Joe, and everyone a Thank-ful Thanksgiving.

    I wish you and Joe a wonderful Thanksgiving. And hope this holiday, we all think of all creatures, and humans, with kindness and caring.

    Happy Turkey Day

  6. Pam Wilson says:

    Hi Susan! I have been inspired by your wonderful Thanksgiving meal and table ideas! Love the photo place card thoughts. Also loved seeing your bobeches–
    I just unwrapped my holly candlesticks and…low and behold…the bobeches were
    wrapped up with them so that they’d all end up in the right place at the right time! Life is full of surprises! I hope that you, Joe and all your friends and family enjoy a joyous Thanksgiving day.

  7. Dear Susan,
    I was so excited to read your latest blog! It brings me so much comfort and joy! I was excited to see that you enjoy bringing cranberries to the Thanksgiving dinner! My parents have been growing cranberries for 55 years in Washington state near the Pacific Ocean. There were a few times when we would have a bad storm with a power outage and my mother would cook the entire Thanksgiving dinner on my Great Grandmother’s wood cookstove. Thank you for brightening my day!

  8. LuAnn Eknoian says:

    Thank you for your beautiful blog. You have a warm, wonderful way of making me feel that life doesn’t always have to be so hectic and that I should find some time each day and just enjoy the simple and uncomplicated treasures that are overlooked or often taken for granted. A nice warm cup of tea in one of your beautiful cups is a wonderful place to start!!!
    Happy Thanksgiving to you and Joe and, of course, beautiful little Jack.

  9. Margot in Sister Bay says:

    We had an early Thanksgiving. 🦃. Good thing bad weather coming. Heading to Mississippi with Arnie this week. He has to get back to the ship!
    Love to set a table too! Recipes look great! Happy Thanksgiving to you and Joe! Thanks for Green Friday ideas… 🥮🍂🍁
    Margot
    OXOX

  10. Joyce Heffner says:

    Dear Sue:

    Thank you for keeping us all grounded to this earth. For reminding us that we have lots to be grateful for. One of them is you !!!! Love everything you write, all the pictures you share with us, your adoring fans, and you just being you. You are our north star. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving with the ones you love!!

    Joyce H from Northern CA

  11. Lonnie - south of Seattle says:

    Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. I too love Thanksgiving as my birthday sometimes falls on the same day, although I am already blessed as I was born on my sweet mothers birthday. So we are doubly blessed.

  12. Joan Kotvas says:

    Happy Thanksgiving to you and Joe. It will be a sad Thanksgiving for me because my sister passed away in Sept. iam the only surviving sister. Very sad. Terrible feeling.

    • sbranch says:

      Oh Joan, I’m so sorry to hear that. I lost my closest brother about 3 years ago, and it’s not something that goes away. It gets softer, but it doesn’t go away. Sending love xoxoxoxo

  13. Sharon from SoCal says:

    Hi, love the bobeches and all things sparkly. They look magical. We’re hauling all the fixings for a complete dinner and heading to AZ for Thanksgiving to be with 91- yr old mother-in-law. Also my sister-in-law and niece and nephew and their families will be joining us as well this year. Should be a fun time re-connecting and reminiscing. And NO Friday shopping. That can wait.
    Hope everyone has a nice Thanksgiving Day whatever your plans.

  14. Eurika says:

    O, I’m so excited about the season of magic! Love reading your blog Susan. <3

  15. Barbara from Wolverine Lake MI says:

    Beautiful post Sue. I know you have literally thousands of comments, here are a few more. 1) bobeches!! a friend went to the White House, met the Pres & 1st Lady (a few presidents back) then showed me the photo and all I could say was WOW look at those fabulous bobeches on the mantel !! 2) this past Saturday I went to a friend’s bday potluck party and was asked to make a salad – while looking through some of your many books I stumbled upon your Pine Nut Salad recipe. it said: if you have to bring a salad bring this one! so I did and thanks – It was luvlee. Rule of thumb – ALWAYS trust a SB recipe. 3) the Settlement Cookbook. it was my mom’s right-hand cooking resource and now it’s mine. Grew up in Milwaukee so everyone knows it locally but it’s a fabulous no-nonsense cookbook.

  16. kimberley says:

    Anyone who can spare a thought for my dog today having her op so puppies are out of the question, please do so! Slightly neurotic over it, so this blog was like a salve.

  17. Raquel Silies says:

    Oh, how beautiful! I have a single bobeche with tiny crystal danglies that I bought at a second hand store years ago. I keep it on our drum table along with my MIL’s crystal lamp. So pretty.

  18. Fran says:

    What a fun word, bobeche! They are so festive for all year. A very blessed thanksgiving to you and joe. Love your blog all year long!

  19. Linda Firth says:

    You are such an inspiration to all of us.
    Thank you for sharing your great and beautiful talents and especially for the love you show to others.
    May you and Joe and Jack be blessed.

  20. Elaine Erhart from MO says:

    Loved your comment about Green Friday. What is it with all the shopping? No one just stops to be thankful. Apparently don’t think they have enough to be grateful for and that’s why they are out shopping to get more! Thanks for reminding us what is really is all about. Thank you God for everything. Amen.

  21. Julie V from Springfield, MO says:

    Susan,
    I am going to add your sweet potato casserole to my menu this year. Thank you for a lovely post and I wish you and Joe a Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving.

  22. Linda H. says:

    I always get so excited when I see an email from you. I know it will be filled with inspiration, great advice and just pure joy.
    Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving, Susan, and a magical holiday season.

  23. Lisa Hay says:

    Love all your ideas as always! This year Thanksgiving will be outside – praying for no rain! Too many people coming to fit in the house. It will be green Thursday and Friday for us! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving! I’m thankful for you and girlfriends near & far! xoxo Lisa Hay

    • sbranch says:

      I had Thanksgiving outside one year in California … was just wonderful. . . out behind the Studio, next to a creek, we put a table, we dug a hole nearby and had a bonfire too! My sister’s horse was there, behind the fence, making it even more beautiful! Happy Thanksgiving Lisa!

  24. Larissa Lee says:

    Your blog posts (with recipes, warm memories, water color, sounds/sites/smells of the seasons) make me so very happy! May you be blessed this holiday season!

  25. Sharon Trucker says:

    Love your posts – so cozy and warm. Thanks for sharing.
    Love the stars.

  26. Sandy KN says:

    Annette put it perfectly! I too, always treasure a visit to your very special world. It makes me feel lighter somehow, and much more hopeful! Thank you for sharing the magic, Susan!

  27. Sharon Smith says:

    I started today stressing about Thanksgiving dinner but after reading your blog, my shoulders loosened & I relaxed a bit, remembering it’s not how perfect it all has to be, it’s about the people around the table!! Thanks for the reminder! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

  28. Darylene from South Dakota says:

    Your beautiful traditions and words softly spun around and wrapped me in a comforting cocoon of holiday love. I wasn’t really feeling it this year, but now, I’m better. I think that all of us feel you are our very own special friend. Susan, I am always, but especially today, thankful for you.

  29. Lee Bowers says:

    Happy Holidays….would love to win the sparkling stars. I dine under candlelight
    frequently…Mostly oil lamps.

  30. Sonya Morris says:

    I love reading about your adventures and home. It makes me want to replicate. I love my family as well and love to do special things for them. You are a blessing!

  31. Treese Hellstrom says:

    Happy Thanksgiving to one and all!
    Treese/Colorado Cowgirl

  32. Cecilia Lemmon says:

    This is my favorite out of all of your blogs…I love Thanksgiving!!!!!

  33. Susan Stollard says:

    Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!
    I’ve been making your cranberry recipe for years now, and the meal would not be complete without it. I always add the orange marmalade before serving it….my grandkids know it as “Sugarplum Sauce”!

  34. Grace says:

    I loooooove Little Women, especially the older black and white versions! Thanks for the reminder to try your Sweet Potato Casserole recipe. It sounds scrumptious! Have a blessed and wonderful Thanksgiving.

  35. Mary Ann in Southbury says:

    Happy Thanksgiving, Susan and Joe and to everyone! Would absolutely love to win the Bobeche!

  36. sharon smith says:

    Your blog really put me in the Thanksgiving spirit. Friends are the best blessing of all. Your friend, Sharon

  37. Laura S. says:

    I’m sure I’ve said this a hundred times, but I admire you so much and want to be you when I grow up. I love how you see the world and prepare for holidays. We’re hosting Friendsgiving on Thursday and I was unsure about a pumpkin dessert. I clicked on the blog today, and I’m SO EXCITED to make this pumpkin cheesecake! It’s absolutely perfect.

  38. Dawn says:

    I would love those for my candles at the holidays!

  39. Candace Atwood says:

    I am already looking on eBay for “bobeche”. Thanks for the reminder! I’d love to own yours, too. I think the thing you own that I love the most is the ghost that oversees your Halloween festivities.

  40. Dona Jean says:

    I make your cranberry sauce every year! My husband and I think it’s the best!(and the jelly too). Candlelight too!

  41. Sharon says:

    Thankyou for your blog. A little bit of fun is always welcome.

  42. Paula Kretsch says:

    Happy Thanksgiving Susan, Joe, and Jack! I always admire your holiday table decorations. They are not overdone and you don’t have to spend a lot of money or have a stockpile of all kinds of fancy dishes. You use the same ones every time, but you mix it up with other things you have around the house or things from nature. Thank you for the inspiration!

  43. Ellen from New Hampshire says:

    Happy Thanksgiving, Susan! The sparkly bobeches are so pretty and I love all of your decorating idea! Thanks.

  44. Cheryl says:

    Beautiful post! I enjoyed your photos of table settings of holidays past and I love the starry bobeche. Thanks for your uplifting words and for sharing your recipes. Happy Thanksgiving to you and Joe and, of course, sweet Jack!

  45. Rene Marie Foust says:

    You are my inspiration when I am setting my table for any special occasion. I always look forward to seeing your table settings and they never disappoint. Happy Thanksgiving.

    Rene

  46. Debbie Boerger says:

    Holy Guacamole, Girlfriends! 1,154 Responses…I’ll read them all, as I do enjoy knowing there are kindred souls out there, especially at this time in our Nation’s history.

    For Sue….I make a sweet potato dish that is similar to your yummy casserole. I put in little bits of navel orange juice, then plop the potato mixture into scooped out orange halves and bake in those. Have to make the bottoms slightly flat. Some of us like marshmallows on top and toasted, others not. Once when there were just adults up in Maine, I added just the teeniest bit of Grand Marnier….Ohhhh La La!

    Thank you for the heart warming pictures of your Thanksgivings Past. And for me….Every time I see your wonderful painting of that Bright and Beautiful maple leaf, my heart just sings 🙂

    Mucho Love to you, Joe and Jack,
    Debbie in Tampa, which is just lovely today

    • sbranch says:

      I’ve read them all too, aren’t they wonderful, Debbie? Best Girlfriends ever! Your orange sweet potatoes sound wonderful! Happy Thanksgiving! xoxo

  47. Kelly says:

    Lovely post. Happy Thanksgiving to you and Joe!

  48. Lee Gordon says:

    Thank you, Susan for the feeling and sentiment of Thanksgiving. With all the moving, things aren’t so decorative here this year. But your post filled my heart and I thank you for a little dose of the hominess of the holiday. I’m just grateful two of my three sons and my grandson will be here for dinner. That will make it special! Happiness and blessings to you and Joe and all you will celebrate with on the day!

  49. Sher says:

    We’re making your sweet potato casserole this year and your gravy. 💕. Happy Thanksgiving!

  50. Thank you, Susan, for such an inspiring and enchanting Thanksgiving letter! I always look forward to reading your posts. I love the photos of the table setting ideas and the Bobeche are just magical. Wishing you & Joe a blessed & joyous Thanksgiving! ox

  51. Sher in Idaho says:

    We’re making your sweet potato casserole and gravy this year. Have a Happy Thanksgiving, Susan!

  52. Lois Hecksel says:

    I love these bobeches with the stars hanging down. I can see the twinkles in my mind! Happy Thanksgiving!

  53. Megan says:

    Oh, I just love the idea of turning Black Friday into Green Friday! No kids in my life, but I’ll pass this on to friends and do it myself. Thank You.

  54. Donna Hamilton says:

    Happy Thanksgiving! This has become my favorite holiday because of the closeness of family and friends without all the fuss of gathering gifts at a frantic pace. I am embracing a simpler life and your blog reminds me to stop and just be. I do not engage in the Black Friday Frenzy and would rather spend a quiet day either outside raking leaves or inside with a good book.

  55. Lori Culver says:

    I love Thankgsiving – it’s not just a Holiday – it’s a way of life! It’s Thanks-living! Wishing you and Joe a wonderful one!

  56. Debi Hutchinson says:

    Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

  57. LAURETTA PERRY says:

    Happy Happy Thanksgiving! I could almost smell the goodies in this post. Yummo!

  58. Stephanie says:

    Susan,
    To make a life-long story short, this year my Thanksgiving blessing will be that I discovered you. And I love your choice of MUSICA this blog!

  59. Becky A says:

    Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

  60. Mary-Agnes from Long Island says:

    Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays. Many thanks to YOU for suggesting the wonderful alternative to Black Friday. I make it a point to go nowhere near a store on that day, and don’t patronize stores that make their employees work on Thanksgiving to get a head start on Black Fridays. A happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

  61. Martha Rainville says:

    A happy, magical Thanksgiving to you and yours! I love the bobeches; the ones I have a plain and dull. Would love to win a pair!

  62. Heidi Henkelman says:

    I’m one of the large contingent of women with mysterious auto-immune diseases. One of the things that makes the pain and accompanying isolation better is candles! In every shape and permutation…scented, unscented, tealights or pillars! The “little fires” (my just 3 year old grand-daughter’s made up label) are great company and spirit lifters!….imagine what stars would do!

    • chris Consentino says:

      dear Heidi, I,too, have a mysterious auto-immune disorder. mine is Behcet’s Syndrome. no reason why. no distinct test for it. I just had ALL the diagnostic symptoms to show that I was afflicted…which was back in 1989….sooo, I am grateful to have done as well as I have for 30 years. it is a scary thing…due to what CAN happen, but I try to just take 1 day @ a time. I reply to you because I was very touched by your message….and, I think, it always helps to know there’s someone “out there” who can understand what you’re dealing with day by day. I hope you & your family had a lovely Thanksgiving with many blessings to count. do take care & keep as well as possibly possible! faithfully, chris c.

  63. jan lane says:

    Have a very blessed and Happy Thanksgiving. Thanks for sharing a little corner of your fairy tale world with us. It just seems so lovely and tranquil.
    We are due for a storm on Wed. and Thurs, and as it is only the two of us this year (One being a Brit), we will probably only celebrate an ordinary day. Still, I wish for all a day of joy, love, and contentment. By the way, I totally agree with not biting into the extreme consumerism which is practiced the day after Thanksgiving. It seems so empty and ungrateful.
    Be safe and stay warm, and I hope that every dish you eat made by someone else will bless and nourish you and taste super delicious. xoxo

  64. Chris says:

    I just lit some candles as I’m beginning to prepare for our family’s Thanksgiving gathering. Bobeches certainly add quite a bit of charm to a candleholder! Thanks for sharing your recipes. It’s getting me into a cozy mode for the holidays.

  65. Susanne says:

    Thanks for highlighting thankfulness this season. I think it gets passed by way too easily.
    Those little bobeche are so adorable! I’ve never seen something like that before. I so enjoy candlelight!

  66. CINDY BROSH says:

    Thank you Susan for everything you do!

  67. Carolyn w McMurray says:

    Your blog is so fun to read especially at the holiday times. Thank you for all your hard work.

  68. Christine Norris says:

    Wishing you & Joe a Very Happy Thanksgiving!!

  69. Judi B. says:

    Thank you, Susan, for another inspiring and uplifting post. I’m going to try your cranberry sauce recipe. Would love the bobeches, so fun!!! Thanks for the chance.

  70. Marilyn says:

    Have a most wonderful Thanksgiving! Add me to the list for the drawing. I look forward to your posts. Thanks!

  71. Sandra Kellogg says:

    It amazes me how you can make all holidays so joyful and full of beauty. I love your idea of taking informal family heirlooms and making them be part of centerpieces. Thank you for always sharing your creativity. Happy Thanksgiving!

  72. Sue from Denver says:

    I love starry bobeches!!! 🙂
    Thank you!

  73. Carol Kennedy says:

    Happy Thanksgiving to you and Joe and Jack!!! Thanks so much for all the wonderful ideas!!!

  74. Carol Anne Campbell says:

    what could be more magical on a cold winter’s night than candles with bobeche!

  75. Loretta Jane Evans says:

    Thank you again for your blogs .. I love reading them and looking at all your recipes. The starry bobeches would be perfect with the beeswax candles I make each Fall after we’ve extracted the honey. The beeswax candles make wonderful gifts for family and friends.

  76. Shirley Dunn says:

    Although we don’t “do” Thanksgiving in the UK , I am thankful for you Susan for your blogs full of lovely words & drawings & photographs & delicous recipes.
    May you all have a blessed day.

  77. Annette Dulaney says:

    Love your cheerful site! Will try the cranberry dish for sure.

  78. Kay says:

    Happy thanksgiving! I am thankful for the love you so graciously share.

  79. Ann R says:

    just a note – if you have leftover cranberry sauce (especially the canned jelled one) mix it with peeled chopped apples. It makes a great cran apple pie filling.

  80. Marie P., Pasadena, CA says:

    Thank you for all the holiday warmth. I love this holiday!
    A very happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!!

  81. Lynn Meade says:

    I always enjoy your inspiring words, but this time you brought tears to my eyes. Joe’s childhood prayer is very similar to my bedtime prayer. Followed by the Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep prayer. Dad prayed with us kids EVERY SINGLE night of our childhood. Two bedroom visits every night no matter how long of a day he’d had. Dad’s been gone 9 years now, and I still miss him everyday. So thankful he was such a great man to call Dad!
    Thank you for bringing those long held memories back to life. Thanks for sharing so much of your life with us.
    Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, Susan & Joe,
    Lynn

    • chris Consentino says:

      dear Lynn. like you, I had tears over Susan’s message as well. my dear Dad passed away 12 years ago today (the 29th) & he was a pretty wonderful Dad…& Thanksgiving was his & my Mom’s Wedding Anniversary (& my grandparents anniv also!!) & my dear, wonderful Mom passed away a year before Dad did (after 67 years of marriage!!) & sooooo, Thanksgiving has ALWAYS been my most beloved of holidays & it is, now, a time of nostalgia & feeling some loss. anyway…I replied to your message because I was touched by your words. My son is now a Dad (they call him “papa”) & he is ever so close & dedicated to his children, like your Dad & mine….sooooo heart-soaring for me to witness!! I hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving…FULL of blessings to count. faithfully, Chris C.

  82. JoAnn says:

    Thankyou for your wonderful blog, it always reminds me what’s important in life!

  83. Linda Pintarell says:

    I blinked; I had to take a second look…and really look closely! The photograph of two young kids on the horse. I know it was taken at Knox Berry Farm; I have the same picture of my Cousin Bill and I on the same horse when we were about 5 or 6. It is a prized possession! Also, made the cider donuts in pan purchased from your store. Soooo yummie! To all the Girlfriends…Have a blessed Thanksgiving!

  84. Sally says:

    Love the whimsical bobeche.

  85. Brenda says:

    Love the still of the “Little Women” movie. The trailer for the new one looks really good too.

  86. Marti Lundh says:

    What a great idea…..Green Friday! A new family tradition!

  87. Flossy Stewart says:

    One can never have too much sparkle…would love to win the starry bobeche…Happy Thanksgiving Susan and girlfriends:)…

  88. Deborah Toth says:

    Dear Susan,
    Among my many blessings I am thankful for you and all that you share with us through your books and blog. Your words and illustrations are a gift and I am truly thankful for the beauty, wisdom and kindness they have added to my life.
    Happy Thanksgiving

  89. Genie from Riverside. CA says:

    So lovely to be reminded of simple pleasures.

  90. Bambi says:

    We’ll be having Thanksgiving dinner at our friends’ home, also. It’s nice to not have to worry about cleaning house before company comes, in addition to cooking up a storm.

  91. Denise Carlson says:

    Always look forward to a new blog post. Think this year will be the year I give your cranberry recipe a try, looking forward to the left over so I can try the jam -sounds delicious. I am a fan of stars inside and outside, surely I’d like them in candlelight! Please enter me into the drawing.
    Thanks, Denise

  92. April Trapp says:

    I am grateful for this post!! Thank you for always sharing!

  93. Sherry Coleman says:

    My husband and I were just talking about this Black Friday business, but it’s not only the day after, but Thanksgiving day now too!😳 It’s unbelievable! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!❤️

  94. Barbara says:

    I have a circular fluted glass “tower” about 8-9″ tall which when put over a lit candle produces the most beautiful beams of light across the table. It is a special treat to see. I really like the starry bobeches. I can imagine how sparkly they are with a canlle lit above them. The little things aren’t really so little after all. They give us joy, too. Hope your day is good, Susan.

  95. Robyn Beatty says:

    Thanks & Giving here. Thank You Susan, I was losing my sparkle. I live in Missouri, from California. At Apple Farm, in SLO county is where I discovered you and the magic & passion working for Katy Davis. Feeling a little homesick, tomorrow I will make some a Thanksgiving magic are home, even just for a few days. Your Starry Nights and Candle Sticks are fun, magical, and Missouri nights are are so twinkly., 🍃⭐️🍃♥️🍃⭐️🍃♥️🍃⭐️🍃

  96. Sandra Barton says:

    Thank you Susan for sharing all your sweet thoughts for the Thanksgiving Holiday. It’s been a very busy week as we shopped for our Thanksgiving dinner ingredients & are now doing the food prep——I took a few minutes to enjoy your blog & was so glad I did! I was feeling a bit overwhelmed as our guest list has increased to 25! I am grateful my hubby likes to cook & that our grandson-in-law comes & helps with the cooking also. Everyone brings something as well. Thank you for the bookmark & I will take a few minutes tomorrow to print it out & use as a table favor. Loved your apron! Happy Thanksgiving to you & Joe! Hugs! Sandi (from Utah where it is snowing!)

  97. Christine Morgan says:

    Love the bobeches! Wishing you a wonderful Thanksgiving. It is my favorite time for family to reflect and show their love for one another.

  98. Donna Valentine says:

    Happy Thanksgiving to you !!!!! I love this time of year the best, the fall colors and special light, including candlelight!!!! I do agree with you about Green Friday , or the day after Thanksgiving….It just doesn’t seem right!! Instead, we should stay close to our family and friends….and keep it simple….wish I had a beach here to walk on!!!! Take care all!!!! Donna, from Montana

  99. Linda Freymark says:

    Dear Susan, I always enjoy your blogs! Happy Thanksgiving! Thank you for a chance to win the starry give away!

  100. Dawn Zaino says:

    So thankful for you sweet lady!! Happy Thanksgiving to you and Joe!!!

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