Well, here we go my darling girlfriends ~ yesterday, due to timing, I posted this before it was quite finished, but now, It’s all here, the links all work, there are lots of little rabbit holes for you to go down! Have fun! … MUSICA!
The sun this morning! Right where I was standing! Streaming through the windows, beaming light across the rooms and onto the walls . . .
. . . 40º and all is well!
A little bit of spring to thwart the grey and cold, brighten things up, remind us of what’s soon to come! Looks like Punxsutawney Phil might have been right this time! No shadow=early spring!
I know, it’s too early, but I don’t care, it’s not hurting anyone if I start the celebration a little early (it’s my house, I live here, I have all the power! Or at least half. The good half!). I like to pretend, so what if it’s freezing cold outside, flowers and sunshine make me happy!😀
Got my Valentines mailed off. This one’s for my mom, something soft for her to cuddle and love, remind her of her 
babies. She’ll get it with a box of See’s Candy, our favorite “family” candy. (My grandma used to send me a big chocolate egg with walnuts from See’s every Easter💞. They have old-fashioned, red heart-shaped boxes filled with chocolate too ~ if you click on that link, there’s still time to make someone’s day!❤️ ⬅️ this is why I had to hurry to put this up!)
And, in the spirit of “Groundhog Day” (the very excellent movie), I’m still making new art for the new 2021 calendars. Keeping myself busy. I’ll show you what else we’ve been up to, but first, let’s do what we came to do, see what we came to see . . . let’s find out who the winner is for our Great American Cup Giveaway. (stole that from the British baking people!) Just so you remember, ⬇️ there they are. 
For the lefties AND the righties! I hope you win! They would make very nice Valentine’s presents if you already have them!
You ready? The barrel holding all slips of paper with your names is churning away, round and round it goes, mixing and folding in the bits of paper, some of them breaking loose and flying around the room ~ “Barbara” and “Debbie” and “Andrea” and “Liz” ~ and “Carol” just floated by . . . but none of that counts unless it jumps into the beautifully manicured hands of our darling Vanna!
And here is the very lucky catch, or winner, not a man, not a fish, it’s:
❤️ LaDonn J. from Iowa! ❤️
C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S ❗️
I will email you soon LaDonn ~ write me back with your address and those Valentines will be winging their way to you with love from me and all our kindred spirits!💞 
Now back to our regularly scheduled programming . . . Joe and I took a little trip off-Island! This is us on our way home:
Look at that moon! With clanging buoys right outside our window. We’re on the “freight boat” ~ cars are not stored inside, so we have a view of the water all the way home.
The Snow Moon followed us to the Island as we were heading back after celebrating the 33rd anniversary of our very first date (that lots of you read about in A Fine Romance,
the moment I was very brave and took a chance that Joe, who I barely knew, was NOT an ax murderer, just a possible friend, way too young for me, and went away with him! (So happy I did!) So last weekend we took a little trip to celebrate our Happily Ever After.
The reflection on the water made a path right to us…
While we were watching, this big black cloud bandaid scooted in front of the moon and covered it!
Our reaction? “HEEYYYYY, wait a minute!”
So we did, wait a minute, and here comes the beautiful moon again. It was a perfect ending for the perfect small getaway. Came home all happy and raring to go! Some highlights of our trip . . .
We love to get a little history wherever we go . . . around New England you don’t have to go far to find it! We booked a hotel in Lexington and spent a couple of days immersed in the past! Saw so many darling houses from the car window . . . I happen to know for a fact that this one has magic in it, it’s Orchard House in Concord, MA, the home of Louisa May Alcott.💞
Lovely old homes are just part of the territory in this neck of the woods, big ones and little ones . . . some old houses turned into offices or stores.
I know you like to see them as much as I do!
Isn’t this a pretty paint color?
This yellow too, warmed the cockles of our hearts . . . it never got over 28º the entire time we were there, our cockles needed some warming!
Sweet old barn . . .
Creamy colors and picket fences . . .
I loved the Robbins House ➡️ click on “History” to learn more about it.
Simple, plain, and clean behind rock walls . . .
Hard to take pics from a moving car, I either get there too late and only catch a corner of the building, or I get just a smear of color, miss the porch, am too close or too far . . . you should see the ones that got away! I never get tired of driving around New England!
Our room at the Inn at Hastings Park had the cutest little fridge! 
And this cozy fireplace I could turn on in the morning by flipping a switch to warm up the room while I made
tea because of course we brought our cups and a tea kettle! America is not like England, we are not provided with tea kettles in our rooms, we get coffee makers! If you want tea, you have to bring your own kettle!
And just outside our window . . . I see the moon and the moon sees me.
There is so MUCH to see in the Lexington/Concord area … it’s a little like Williamsburg, without quite the organization, but definitely with the history. MAS MUSICA?
This is Battle Green ~ it’s in Lexington where the first shots of the Revolutionary War were fired. The statue is called Lexington Minuteman. We heard and read the whole story, where Paul Revere rode and how he was captured, and then the standoff . . . the drama, how the people living here handled the deaths and woundings of their neighbors, the fear, shock, and insecurity now that war with the biggest power in the world had come to their quiet little town.
It’s hard to imagine it happened on this lovely, peaceful open space with the most beautiful church. My fingers were almost frozen out there! Had to RUN for the car to thaw them out!
There are monuments with stories like this all over the park and it’s surrounded with lovely old homes. They have re-enactments here on Patriot’s Day.
Honoring the brave men who stood their ground.
Need I say more? They call our democratic republic “The Great American Experiment.” We have to take very good care of it,
for the future of our children.❤️
The establishment of our new Government seemed to be the last great experiment for promoting human happiness.💖 George Washington
These mark the graves of the 1775 Patriots. Reminded again that freedom isn’t free. (Next life, I’m coming back as a history teacher, I love this.)💖
And then we drove over to see the place where the first battle of the Revolutionary War was fought on April 19 1775, the “Birthplace of American Liberty.”
Right here, on Old North Bridge ~ a wooden replica of the one that stood there on the day of the battle ~ it spans the Concord River.
From the Concord Museum, this diorama shows how it looked that day! Massachusetts has a holiday that no other state celebrates called Patriot’s Day. It’s on the second Monday in April and commemorates the start of the Revolutionary War.
Eeeek. Can you even imagine??? There is a confusion here … the first shots were actually fired on Battle Green in Lexington…the British then marched on to Concord where they were met by colonists on this bridge . . . The phrase “Shot Heard Round the World” comes from the opening stanza of Ralph Waldo Emerson’s “Concord Hymn” (1837) and refers specifically to the first shot at the Bridge, on April 19, 1775.
“By the rude bridge that arched the flood,
Their flag to April’s breeze unfurled,
Here once the embattled farmers stood,
And fired the shot heard round the world.”
I tiptoed down this road to exactly here and much as I wanted to cross that bridge (shiny with ice), I didn’t dare, it was the MOST slippery walk just to get to this spot where I was rooted ~ and my wrist had things to say about me trying, like, “Don’t even think about it.”
You can see this memorial to the British soldiers lost that day in the photo above with Joe, but it’s in shadow.
This historical home was on my left as I was looking at the bridge . . . it’s called the Old Manse. It was built on the banks of the Concord River just up the hill from the bridge for Ralph Waldo Emerson’s GRANDFATHER in 1770 … he was living here when the first shots were fired. Just looked out his window on a sight to behold.
Joe expertly slipped and slid his way across to the patriot side of the bridge just to get this photo of “The Concord Minuteman.” We learned about this statue when we visited the studio of Daniel Chester French (last year with Rachel and Paul), who went on to design the Lincoln Memorial. This elegant statue of a farmer with a musket and a plow was his first full-sized sculpture.
Charming downtown Concord, filled with history, cute shops, antique stores, thrift shops, ice cream stores, a cheese shop, restaurants . . .
This town is a great place to do Christmas shopping (love to do it when we travel!).
All of it, just down the road from Orchard House, so you know Louisa May Alcott and her family saw this same scene, only with horses and buggies (apparently, from the quote below, she wasn’t as impressed as we were) ~ here’s some interesting information about the newest version of Little Women.
The beautiful old graveyard, right downtown Concord, not shunted off to the countryside, these citizens of the past are still part of the action! I imagine they are forever contributing and still have a lot to teach us. Reminds me of a quote by Anne Sexton, “Put your ear down close to your soul and listen hard.”
Dads and Moms, grandmas and grandpas, aunties and uncles, sisters, brothers, teenagers, twins, babies, and oldsters, the days of their lives.
Works of art, a story for each one, and all handmade.
We discovered the MOST wonderful bookstore!! You will love it here. They have a whole long WALL of award-winning books, 
books that have won the Nobel Prize, the Pulitzer Prize, the Booker Prize, the National Book Award. A whole wall of storytelling genius to choose from. I was mesmerized reading the titles. Realized how very very far I have to go if I wish to get them all read. Which I do. Which I won’t. But my favorite word in the English language is still “Try.” So, I chose ONE. Because that’s all I can do, one at a time!
This week I’ve been reading a lot and doing little work. That’s the way things ought to be. That’s surely the road to success. ❤️ Anne Frank
Joe got a book too, and off we went to the Colonial Inn for a nice long late lunch with books. Our favorite thing!
The Colonial Inn is a luv-lee historical hotel, with a restaurant that meanders into several different rooms, some with fireplaces that feel like an English pub.
We loved the food . . .
Joe was good, started with a salad, held this up and said, “What’s this?” We thought, radish? No, wrong shape. Carrot? Also a shape problem. We finally decided it was a beet, but we have no proof. I tasted it, it tasted like a not-too-crisp raw vegetable! 
And here we are, reading and eating, exactly what I was doing the day Joe sat down next to me and asked me to go away for the weekend. Been doing it now for 33 years, happy as clams.💞
This is the book I bought, it won the National Book Award. Isn’t the cover beautiful? The gold parts shine! I’m really enjoying it, but of course! It’s an award winner! It’s beautifully written! Joe got Warlight by Michael Ondaatje. We could have stayed there all day!
I cannot remember the books I’ve read any more than the meals I have eaten; even so, they have made me. 💞 Ralph Waldo Emerson
We would never even think of going off-island without 
stopping at either Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods, preferably both! I’m fine with living in a place where there are no chain stores, but the minute we leave home, we make a bee-line for these places (plus Taco Bell!). There’s a cooler with ice in the car, and we fill up with all the deliciousness these places have to offer, including, as you have seen from the beginning of this post, this springtime floral extravaganza!!! They even gave us a bucket with water to take our flowers home with us.
And LOOK at this irresistible thing. Yes, it went home with us too.❤️
I found the perfect card for Joe, but I knew he’d see it at check out, I wanted to surprise him so I just gave it to him in the store. He loved it, and then we put it back! P.S. I found his Valentine in another store when he wasn’t with me. 💞(Shhhhh)
We bought this little bouquet, for our next stop . . .
Yes . . .
I wanted to visit Louisa May Alcott’s grave on this winter’s day, in a deep and dark February, and leave her a Valentine of flowers . . .
We’ve been here before. This area of the cemetery is called Author’s Ridge.
Called that for good reason. Emerson gave the dedication for this garden graveyard and was thinking of all of us when he said, “When these acorns that are falling at our feet are oaks overshadowing our children in a remote century . . .” Thoreau is buried here, and Hawthorne too. Emerson is the quiet foundation of this whole area. He’s everywhere. His words are carved in stone. Such an interesting person, a mentor to the celebrity star of Concord, Louisa May Alcott.
The cemetery is an elegant place.
Overlooking everything is a small stone that says, so simply, Lousia M. Alcott. Both times I’ve been here, her grave has been framed by mementos left by other visitors.
I took this photo when we were here in 2015. Always decorated.
Her grave held the only color in the entire cemetery. It was a lovely way to end the day. We left soon after to go look for the Snow Moon. I hope you had fun in Lexington/Concord! But for more history . . . go here!⬇️
I’m so excited to see the new three-night series beginning this Sunday called Washington! It should be wonderful. The award winning historian Doris Kearns Goodwin (“I’ve spent my life with dead presidents”) is the executive producer (the movie Lincoln was based on her book, Team of Rivals). Look for it Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday . . . February 16, 17, 18 on the History Channel.
“My mother was the most beautiful woman I ever saw.” 💞George Washington
Yes, Jack was thrilled to see us back home. But not quite as thrilled as me! The little wriggling fur-ball. I will never get enough of that face! 😍
Bye for now dear ones . . . Off I go, back to the paintbrush and Groundhog-Day Calendar making! See you soon!
PS Here’s a little rock and roll for us, MUSICA . . .
Lovely. How fun to have a work in progress. Happy day to you and Joe.
Thanks for sharing your trip.
Hugs
JENA
We are ALL winners with this blog!
Thank you!
O so wonderful – thanks Susan and Joe!
I love Concord and want to visit again. Since reading this I want to visit Lexington as well. Walden’s Pond is also a nice walk.
Thanks Susan. Your blog reminded me to mention that Orchard House now has a Little Women tea from Harney and Sons. Maybe there needs to be a Susan Branch/Martha’s Vineyard Tea? I agree Concord is a great place to visit. Enjoy your getaway!
Sweet, sweet story of the 33rd, celebrated out in the cold with two warm hearts! What a special place to visit.
So lovely to see that you and Joe still take the time to celebrate the anniversary of your first date!! What a fun getaway! Thanks for sharing it with us!❤️
We celebrate our first date as well! It’s February 28 (more than thirty years ago!) which allows us to skip the pre-packaged Valentine’s Day “deals” and mark our special day in our own way. Looks like a perfectly lovely trip. Thanks for sharing!
Oh my gosh your windowsill was heavenly! Thanks for the pic. It made me feel so warm and hopeful. Its sleety and 30 here and who hasn’t had a cold for 3-4 weeks-ugh! Im texting my husband right now to stop at the store on his way home to make our pretend spring…ahhhhh….thanks so much!
Your trip looks fabulous! We are getting into our genealogy – we know some of our ancestors fought in the revolutionary war…Made me wonder, after your post, if my ancestors lived in the Concord area…will have to do more investigating! Thanks for sharing.
I am laughing at the abrupt ending, wondering if you made the deadline! So far, so good! Your adventure sounded like great fun and the photos always give me new places to aspire to go to!
Happy Valentine’s Day to you and your Mr!
Love from an older Susan who has read and enjoyed you for years…..
Susan,
Your posts always cheer my heart but today it was really needed as our beloved Boston Terrier, Mitzie, passed last Monday at 6:54 a.m. We are grieving and
each day is a little better but we are on a long journey, Thanks for brightening our day!
Susan, Do you have any new cups in the works?
I’m reading, but not answering right now . . . this is a BUSY DAY … will try to come back later to answer!!! xoxo
Oh Susan ! What an adventure ! Thank You so much for sharing ! I loved it !
Your philosophy, your outlook on life reminds me of the book I’m reading now, “The Enchantment of Everyday Life” by Thomas Moore. He, too writes of (though not in as charming a manner as you) the infinite number of “enchanted” things – sights, sounds, smells,etc. which are part of each life and to which so many humans don’t open themselves.
Dear Susan, you are a gift to us. You teach us. Thank you.
Little Serendipity outings are the best kind! We have some spring bulbs coming up here too. A Big Snowfall today though!
I LOVE this posting, Susan! 💕 Can’t wait for the next installment! xoxo
LOVE CONCORD and WEST CONCORD!!
I have walked Walden Pond (Thoreau was good friends with Alcotts)
and took a dip in it! Great Nature Center and Thoreau Society bookstore across the street. Emerson lent Thoreau the land at pond to build his house.
After Walden Pond we drove to West Concord for a organic lunch at Debra’s Natural Gourmet health food store, shopped at 5 & 10 store, thrift store and antique store, fun, fun!
The naturalist guide at Walden Pond was in the movie “Little Women” as was 1/2 the town of Concord!
This area is a very special place in American History is so many ways. The start of American gaining its freedom from oppression, better education and more. I learned we must still work for our freedoms, they are never free and others always want to control the people and take away our rights.
Its a must for all Americans to be reminded how we gained our freedoms!!
Thanks sooooo much Susan for taking me along on this historical journey. Love going with you where ever you go . . . .you have soooooo much fun!
Hello Susan, Girlfriends, we are having a lovely sunny day here in Oregon, well its sunny but really chilly. what a wonderful trip to Concord I have a very dear friend who lives not too far away from there in Dover. I would have been all over the place looking at the homes, monuments and of course the graveyards.. love old graveyards to snoop in and collect etchings from. Susan I am having a small laundry disaster, my 2 gremlins ( our youngest and newest cat additions to the family) somehow managed to get into a closet and found a box to tear up. unfortunately it was a box that contained old lace curtains and other lace items from my grandma. to make a long sad story short they had lots of fun in that box and messed up the lace things and these are antique lace items too. I have a hunch one of the cats piddled in the box and everything smells and is stained. should I wash them in the washer with a detergent or gently soak them in a wash tub with gentle soap ( and while I am at it I may just soak those 2 gremlins heads in the soap suds ) I already know to dry them out on the line in the sunshine but I am not too sure how to wash them to get the stain and the odor out of them, any thoughts, advice, help will be much appreciated. congrats to Ladonn for winning the valentine mugs. wishing everyone a Happy Valentine’s day, may you get lots of roses, chocolate and lots of love. hugs…. 😀
Try Washing Soda to soak your lace pieces in. It should whiten & remove any odour. I use this product all the time. Really works for me. Good luck
Laurie
=:3
Thank you Laurie Nico’s mom, will definitely give that try.
I wish I could tag along with you and Joe on all of your jaunts! Maybe if I were just a little bird!?! You are so gifted in the telling of your adventures, that I enjoy them so much!
Thank you for a wonderful post. I always feel so lucky to be a New Englander! From RI- with all its unique quirkiness, and now residing in MA. Every NE state has so much to offer-especially our beloved Cape Cod!! Thanks for your always fun and educationally tours of home and away!
Hi,Susan! I love trailing along with you and Joe on your adventures. Thanks so much for sharing these wonderful moments. xo
Wonderful pictures, just watched a documentary last night on the Revolution. Your pictures were wonderful! I live in the Dallas, Tx area and we have been just about as cold here as you have there. But we don’t have the beautiful snow.
Have a Happy Valentines Day💕💕💐 Thanks for the great blog!
Susan, I always love your blogs. One thing that was missing from this one is Jack. I love seeing photos of him.
I have enjoyed a series by Sheila Connolly that is set in the Lexington/Concord area and includes a lot about the history of the area. I loved your photos! They gave a glimpse of the wonderful history you were soaking in!
It has been such a mild winter in southeast Ohio that my daffodils are several inches out of the ground and the iris and daylilies look like it’s April! I fear for them. Ohio can be a brutal place for plants that dare to believe it’s Spring!
I love your New England tour of New Hampshire. Thanks for taking us along.
You’re never too old for love and sentimental memories….on February 7th, my husband and I celebrated the 55th anniversary of our first date ! ❤️🥰❤️ Helen
Love, love, love all the history in this post! We’re heading back up to West Point in a couple months and wondering what fun new things we’ll see this time. Won’t have as much time to explore but maybe the following time (prob next fall?) we can set aside a few days for heading up that direction. I just don’t think we’ll ever get it all in within these 4 years our son is at WP!
Thanks for this! I’ve ordered chocolates for my Mom, put tulips (from Walmart here in No. Idaho) on my shopping list, and am planning to shop for a new mug to carry me through Spring and into Summer. (I bought one and own one Autumn mug…but they need to be tucked away now.) The hubby and I watch Groundhogs’ Day every year and never get tired of it. Take good care.
My ancestors were roaming round your area since the 1600s on my mom’s side and a bit later in Boston area on my dad’s. Loved the old homes you showed…as a photographer, I am famous for stopping the car and then taking shots (photos). Sometimes it takes me hours to go a few miles. But those are the best miles…Happy Anniversary…
I just checked the “free stuff” in the shopping portion of your site and the hearts screensaver were there. Thank you! I had requested them in the last newsletter and there they are. This is my favorite of all of your charming screensavers…making my screen adorable and happy! THANK YOU, again!
Many thanks to all involved!
Congrats to the winner. Great pics of your trip. Love traveling through friends
Happy Anniversary! Your post makes me want to plan a trip to New England. 🙂
LaDonn congratulations with your beautiful mugs!!!
Suzan you and Jo had a beautiful trip with lots of history.
How are the books you both have chosen.
Happy Valentine to you all!
Greetings, Truus from Holland
I LOVE history…thanks for the guided tour!
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Susan, you and Joe never cease to amaze me with your curiosity about everything in life! You two are such a well matched pair! Many more Happy Valentine’s and Anniversaries to you both.
Congratulations to the winner of your cups (LaDonn J), may many cup after cup of joy be drank from those vessels.
I have read many of Alice McDermott books. I especially liked Someone which takes place in pre-depression Brooklyn. I haven’t read Charmingly Billy yet! Hope you enjoy it! Thanks for the blog. I feel like I just took a virtual vacation!
Ahhhhh! See’s Candy! How I miss it. I treat myself every few years to a couple of pounds through the mail. It’s always as good as I remember it. My grandmother also treated me to that wonderful chocolate egg with walnuts. The occasion was an afternoon movie outing with Grandma Johnson and my mom. The movie was “Love Me Tender” with a very young Elvis. My six-year-old eyes didn’t see the attraction (I still don’t), but mom and Grandma thought he was dreamy! The chocolate egg was my reward for sitting quietly during the movie. Studies show that older people are generally happy and satisfied with their lives even with health and financial challenges. I think that’s because we take pleasure in the little things, like a piece of really good chocolate or Spring flowers. And even a few minutes reading your blog!
That is one part of New England that I didn’t get to when I lived out there. Lexington and Concord. New England has so much preserved history that it feels so Old World. I really loved walking through narrow cobblestone alleys and streets. Especially after the rain in the evenings.
I am not sure if we have any 18th Century here in Wisconsin, definitely 19th. I grew up in a log home that was finished in 1868. Our 2nd log home.
I like the house with the stone foundation too, and the colonial one after it. I had one built like it in 1996, then in 1999 we moved to New Hampshire. I think God thought I wanted to live there in Colonial lands. Yet here we are back home in Wisconsin.
Happy Valentines Day! ♥️
Margot
two for one resource:
vpa.org/house-museums-wi/
and
oldhouses.com/archives/WI?searchname=located+in+Wisconsin
Your tour of Concord brought back great Memories of our Wedding and honeymoon. My husband and I were married in the Old North Church in Boston, and spent our days at the Wayside Inn, we were married April 22, right in the middle of the celebration of Patriot’s Day. Years later we took our two sons back to see Boston and Concord and stayed at the Colonial Inn. We found that Book Store and I purchased a copy of every book Louisa May Alcott wrote, they are a treasure. There is a great little restaurant called the Dam Mill restaurant, they have great Clam Chowder. I could spend hours just walking around the town of
Concord.
Hi Susan, The sculptor of that Minuteman was a local boy named Daniel French with no public works to his name at the time. Did you go to Chesterwood when you were in Stockbridge? That was his home and studio later in life. The town provided the tools and the space to do the work but no commission. Later Emerson pressured the town to pay him for his efforts. French would go on to sculpt the statue in the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. and many more famous sculptures.
After taking a virtual tour of Concord with you and Joe I realize we need to check the place out again come warmer weather. I love the history of the place and have to say I saw the Minuteman statue and that famous bridge but never went into the town itself. Thank you for sharing your special trip with us.
Travel with the one you love, history, delicious food, charming New England — what more could one want?!? Thanks, Susan, for sharing!!
Lovely! Thanks so much for sharing you adventures. Congratulations on 33 years, too. Love. <3
Loved seeing all the houses and streets. ALSO, loved your choice of book. Need to get it on my list immediately. Happy Heart Day!
A wonderful taste of history. Thanks for sharing, as always. Recently, I have started re-reading all of your blog posts. It is, after all, a long cold winter with nothing much to do but curl up with something to read. I am starting with the oldest one and working my way to the newest (except, of course, when a new one comes in, like this one.) I am only to January, 2012 because you had SO many posts each month, at first. I am enjoying each and every one. I am in no hurry at all, enjoying taking my time. I often go down a rabbit hole, clicking on everything to see where it leads me. So much fun. Bet you had no idea what you started all those years ago. Thanks for all of it, dear Susan. Oh, also, I recently asked about the Mark Twain autobiography you recommended, and I ordered it off EBay. It came yesterday, and I can’t wait to get started reading it. Happy Day!
Susan & Joe
Monday Feburary 17th 2020
Happy Birthday George Washington and Happy Preidents’ Day!
Loved your historic road trip. I live near a historic building on the Delaware
River called the Lazaretto Quarantine Station. In 1799 the Lazaretto
Station was established in response to the Yellow Fever epidemic of 1793.
It has just been refurbished to its original state.
History surrounds us everywhere. Fly the flag.
Sharon
Such a treat to read your blog. We toured Concord on our 50th Anniversary trip in 2016. Hubby has an Aunt buried in Sleepy Hollow just down the path from L. M. Alcott, Nathaniel Hawthorn, R. W. Emerson! Great visit.
Oh Susan…..I love all of this blog, especially the beautiful old houses. Thanks for sharing! 💕💕💕
Sounds like you had a wonderful time on you getaway!
So glad you went! Makes coming home even better ❤️
Absolutely beautiful from start to finish, Susan. Thank you!
Karen Williams
Cambridgeshire
U.K. 🇬🇧
Hi Susan
Happy Anniversary*** how fun to celebrate the first date. Love that so much
Your photos make me happy, they are so pretty all the time. I live in CT so I know what you mean about the old houses, they are so beautiful
happy day Susan
deezie
You don’t have to come back as a history teacher…..you are doing it even now almost every time you post. Love it. Thank you, lovely lady.
Wish you would tell us your wonderful story of meeting and marrying your loving hubby.
Seems like I read it once, but who gets tired of a good love story? Besides it is the season for it.💖💖💖💖💖💖
Loved your post and everything in it! See’s candies are the best…I love them because my father always bought my mother the red heart-shaped box on Valentine’s Day. I also love See’s because of the light chocolate Bordeaux– or, wait, maybe because of the California Brittle or maybe because of the Scotchmallow or maybe because of…all of them! And, thankfully, they will now mail them to you anyplace you live, even if it’s not in California anymore.
I also love visiting Orchard House. What a nice outing you had to Concord. Both the inn and the bookstore sound wonderful! It’s warmed up to above freeezing here, too, but it’s supposed to get down to -15 F Friday night. Yuck! At least it’s been sunny lately, but I’m still definitely look forward to spring. I thought I might splurge on some tulips just so that I could look at something that’s not white for a change! Have a lovely Valentine’s Day.
The shot heard ’round the world, was the start of the Revolution….Do you remember all those great School House Rock songs that taught us EVERYTHING? 🙂 Your trip looks lovely.
When you mentioned See’s Candy, you may not remember, but do you recall the time about 20 years ago when you graciously allowed me to meet you on Martha’s Vineyard when I was there with my baby daughter? I bribed you with a box of See’s Candy. 🙂 That baby is about to graduate from college in May!! Yet you and I haven’t aged a day…:)
Lovely as always! I am transported by your posts to another place that I would love to see. I am on the West Coast now, in our beautiful central coast home, but dreaming of winning the HGTV Dream Home and transplanting to the Low Country of South Carolina. In my dream, once we have unpacked and settled we will start our discovery of the East Coast of this magnificent country!! <3
Hey, a girl has to dream, right?!
Thank you Susan for helping my dreams along!
XXX OOO,
Bethany
Looks like a wonderful getaway. I always visit bookstores on my trips too. The Inn looks so cozy.
Did you know that you can make tea in a coffee maker? Instead of coffee filters and ground coffee, just put tea bags inside instead, and press the ‘on’ button! I do it all the time. 🙂
-Merry K.
I love all your travels! New England is my favorite place to visit too. So much history to visit. And independent book stores are always a treat. Thank you for your travelogue😍
AWESOME blog …LOVE all the pictures of the loverly homes!! How exciting..that maybe one of the girlfriends live inside!!!
Congrats to LaDonn J.
what a wonderful homage to Lexington!
Must put it on my travel list–thank you,
Susan!
Another wonderful post to feed my soul. As you say, we are girlfriends. I’m from California, my name is Susan and I am the oldest of five girls. Everything you write resonates with me. We also share a love of New England. My husband is from Massachusetts and we have had many good times at his brother’s and sister in law’s cottage in Falmouth on the Cape. A dream of mine is to have a.visit coincide with one of your book signings! Love all your books!
Thank you so much for the New England travels. I love history and old houses and Old Inn’s.
Many blessings to you and Joe.
Happy Happy Valentine’s Day to everyone!
We were moving books this week in prep to get our carpets cleaned and my nine year old daughter found some of your books, was fascinated and wanted to see your cookbooks. She kept asking questions! All these years I wondered if I might get a child interested in your work as I read about other mother/daughter pairs. Imagine how excited I was by this sudden interest!
Well it makes my day to hear it Heather! xoxo Have fun!
You make traveling so exciting. Love your blogs.
May you and Joe have a lovely Valentine’s Day.
Have to go to this bookstore ! Thank you for the beautiful post.
Hi Sue,
I always enjoy your New England trips as I lived in Massachusetts for a number of years. I started out in the Boston area where I went to nursing school. Then, I lived in Stockbridge for 7 years and during that time worked for Norman Rockwell as his private duty nurse. During the past 40 years I have enjoyed staying at the Red Lion many times on our way to Vermont to go cross country skiing. If you have not ever enjoyed a stay at the Red Lion, I highly recommend it for a future trip. If you go in the summer there are many things to do in the area and many wonderful restaurants. Tickets to the lawn at Tanglewood are nominal and you can bring a picnic. The Rockwell museum is in Housatonic which is very close to Stockbridge. You would love it if you have not been.
Just wanted to let you know how mush I have always enjoyed these posts.
Happy Valentine’s Day to you and Joe.
Bonnie
SO HAPPY AND EXCITED TO GET YOUR E-MAIL. JUST WISH YOU COULD SEND THEM MORE OFTEN. I JUST LOVE ALL OF THEM. ARE YOU WRITING A NEW BOOK IF NOT SURE WISH YOU WOULD WRITE ANOTHER ONE. I THINK I HAVE JUST ABOUT ALL OF YOUR BOOKS. THE CHRISTMAS ONES THE SMALL ONES MAKE LOVELY GIFTS FOR CHRISTMAS.
I LIVE IN CHARLOTTE AND REALLY WISH YOU COULD COME HERE SOMETIME.
KEEP THESE WONDERFUL E-MAILS COMING.
Happy Valentine’s Day! Love, love, love your posts! 🙂
Susan, I am mesmerized and absolutely loved reading and seeing this “half” blog. Such a beautiful place and you caught it perfectly!!! Thank you. Happy Valentine’s to you and Joe!!! ❤️💕❤️
Thank you Susan, a wonderful post. I love history too! The old houses you saw are so special, I think I’d like to see inside the Old Manse. What a lovely trip, with no need for airplanes.
Happy Valentines Day to you and your not-axe-muderer sweetheart xoxo
Dear Susan. Just finished reading A Fine Romance again. And here you are! Your pictures are lovely but look awfully cold. Stay warm!! Happy Valentines Day. Looking forward to the next Willard.
Thanks for sharing the pictures of your get away trip to New England. While we travel the U.S. in our RV, we have not ever been up to New England. We may have to think about adding it to our lists of places to see.
What fun it was to travel with you… Almost as much fun as being there. You make the simple things of life so exciting. I always look forward to your new blog!
Thank you for sharing your beautiful Anniversary trip to Lexington. Loved the photos of the old homes and reading the memorials about the Revolutionary war created a catch in my heart for the sacrifice of those men that lost their lives. It makes it even more significant today when our democracy is at risk once more. Aren’t old bookstores little treasures? We have one of the largest bookstores in the country ..in downtown Portland, OR. It covers a whole block and you could spend days there. I could almost feel the warmth of that old fireplace in the restaurant in the Inn …such a cozy place and that menu is making my mouth water. Thank you for those breathtaking moon photos ….after almost a month of rain here the sight of the moon is always a welcome sight to behold. Congratulations to LaDonn on winning. Wishing you and Joe a Happy Valentines Day.
Happy 33rd anniversary! We are celebrating ourd year of 50’s – we met, loved and married in 11 months of 1970. We are enjoying the memories just as the 2 of you are. Special moments, reflections, dinners and surprises. New England is a dream destinatio we hope to make in the coming years.
Thank you for sharing Concord, Lexington, Orchard House, the book store and lunch!😍
Love, love, love! I have ancestors from that area and can’t wait to visit. We never left the Plymouth area on our last trip. Never enough time!!
What a joy to read your blog of my home town, Concord, Massachusetts. Recognized nearly every house photo at the beginning, then read on to see that you saw and visited many of the historic places that are dear to those of us who grew up here, and return when we can. Louisa’s grave used to be without adornments when I was young. My twin sister and I used to lay a branch of dark pink rhododendron on it at Memorial Day. It looks like you enjoyed a wonderful trip! Congratulations on “33”, and Happy Valentine’s Day to you both!
Oh my goodness, the post is great as always. Love the narrative to help us feel like we were there with y’all. Take care.
Thank you Susan for taki ng us along on your romantic anniversary trip. Your trip felt so relaxing and educational. Your lunch,flowers and dessert were perfect choices. I already look forward to your next blog. Happy Valentines Day! 💐💕
Hi Dearies,
You two are so cute together! Loving reading about your adventures.
I do believe the vegetable is one of those rainbow carrots cut on the diagonal, but oh such a huge horse-carrot version of one- so maybe not so crisp as usual?
Have a fun February my dears!
xox
Gabi
Concord and Lexington are such special places, filled with so much history. I am glad you and Joe had an enjoyable time there!
Oh Susan! I love it so far….More more more please! Is that a lime on louisa’s grave marker? Oh my heart. A kindred spirit must have left it there. I love it when you go on random Scoots (that’s what my husband calls them). You never know what you might find. Serendipity is the word of the day! It’s freezing in my neck of the woods. My hands, feet and nose just won’t warm up. I had five deer in my back yard yesterday. Poor little things looking for anything to eat. My hubby raked up all of the acorns from our oak tree last fall and we saved them all (there were a ton!). He has been putting them out for the deer. It makes me happy to see them. We are getting more snow tonight. I like it, but I’ll be happy for spring when it gets here. <3
Be sure to put slippers near heat to warm . . . two pairs are so important this time of year!
Enjoying the blog…so far so good. Thanks for taking us along on your trip.
Happy Valentine’s Day to you, Joe and, of course, Jack.
Thank you for this travelog of your adventures in my old stomping grounds. I grew up in Arlington, MA right next to Lexington, but my dad moved us to Pennsylvania when I was 16. I’ve missed it terribly, but since I have so many cousins still in the Boston area, we try to go back once a year.
The photos are perfect reminders of why we have our freedoms! Thank you, Susan and Joe! ♥
What a wonderful way to spend a get-away! Love it!
Oh, Susan, I just loved this. I am so heartsick over what is going on in our country, and to read your blog lightens my mind. Thank you so much for all the beauty you share. We need it so.
Sandra
What a delightful message! I mentioned to you once before about how you always describe your nearby getaways in such vivid detail that it would be wonderful to hear your opinions of places to see and things to do in the vicinity of Martha’s Vineyard. For instance to rent a car Possibly in Boston, an spend 7-10 days seeing the things on a “must see list.” I realize there are hundreds of things to see, but if one flies to Boston from Texas, and begins the adventure, how would YOU plan a trip. Spring or Fall, not summer.
Your trip looks wonderful; I’d forgotten just how charming Lexington is! It’s been years since we were there, and would like to visit that cemetery. My husband is reading The British are Coming by Rick Atkinson, and is thoroughly enjoying it, a perfect book for your trip. Happy Valentines Day!💞
Always a treat. You teach us more than just history, many life learnings in each blog.
So many wonderful photos, and how did that luscious strawberry cake taste?
Like Heaven!!!
What a lovely surprise to open my iPad and find a super surprise blog from you Susan. Feel as if I was on the trip with you. Thanks for taking me along.
My husband and I took a “spur of the moment” trip in late October…from the Buffalo, NY area to visit my 86 year old Uncle in Marlborough, MA. One day we were just driving around Concord and Lexington, and were thrilled to be able to see most of what you have pictured here!! The Sleepy Hollow Cemetery was an amazing find! We spent an hour there, and could have spent 5! For an unplanned trip, we found ourselves immersed in so much wonderful history without knowing ahead of time what we’d find! And I spent a lovely hour in the bookstore, buying wonderful books for myself, my kids, and my grandkids! I can’t wait to show my husband your photos! Thanks for sharing!!!
Congratulations LaDonn💞
I’ll join you and all the others wishing you blessings as we lift our teacups
with you to toast that Spring is emerging!
Susan, thanks for sharing Louisa’s Homeland with us all 💗
Love all of this.
I so enjoy your weekend getaways. Whenever I see quaint old houses, I want to take a peek inside to check out all of the nooks and crannies. Fireside lunches, a book and the one you love – can it get any better? I think not.
Yet another lovely message. Am always excited to open these emails. Now I’m looking forward to tomorrow!
Hi Susan! Thanks for another history lesson, house tour, book report, and lunch review all in one post! We took our son on a similar trip several years ago and enjoyed it tremendously. I loved the stillness and felt honored to be among those who fought and died for our new country. I look forward to each new post and truly appreciate your insight. Thanks again!