Gotta say Rabbit-Rabbit first, because that’s a whole October of good luck for all of us which we will need if we ever hope to get through 2020 in one piece! Then must pass out the luv-lee MUSICA because it is in charge of lifting hearts ~ but, really my very first words to you this morning are
Yes, I do, so very much And you probably know why if you read the comments in my last blog post. “I hope the angels know what they 
have . . .” wrote our Girlfriend Annie in Sydney, Australia about my mom.😢 Dear, kind, loving words AND thoughts (because you knew I knew) from ALL of you, meant the world to me. Teary-eyed, I read every wonderful word. Then I went to my art table and painted that ⬆️ because I was thinking it the whole time I was reading. Big, tall, skinny, and watercolory, it had to fit on the page. This connection between us was what I felt even when writing my first book, and look at this, it happened!👏👏👏 So, a little gift for you, a small token of my great affection, I give you, The Sky . . 
Just like I label some of my photos by color, I have a huge number labeled “The Sky.” You can see why . . .
It’s one thing that follows us wherever we go and gifts us with works of art like no other. The orange on the water! Dark at the top, dark at the bottom, both moving toward the center and the light. And all free, a gift from God.
In this photo we’re driving across England. We pulled over and got out of the car for a deep breath of this soul-expanding open space that smelled of grass and freedom.
Delicate, soft, flittery, blue and lavender and peach … a calm sky that says Forever, adding Hope, Truth, and Beauty.
And this! Where the clouds are chasing the sun into the sea… a reminder that at some amazing moments in our lives, there is no better place ON EARTH for us to be . . .
Stormy skies at sea . . . a parting of the clouds, where the sea and the sky are like a bowl . . . and we were the toy boat floating in it… I love looking at these pictures and thinking about being here again! Lots of foreverness out in the Atlantic . . . you feel small and so so so so lucky.
This is moonrise over our harbor . . . rocking boats . . . lapping water . . . cry of gulls . . . smell of saltwater . . .
Streaks of white contrails made by water vapor from airplanes, turn to ice that slashes through this Scottish sky. (There’s a little checked-upon Morning Science for you!)
Green and pleasant land . . .
On our way to Boston, Storm and sunset made beautiful music together . . .
Sun peeks through the clouds . . . the last warm rays touching the water . . .
The Shenandoah is a wonderful addition to our harbor . . . see how the light touches on everything white and makes it glow? That’s what happens here sometimes as the sun goes down, especially wonderful against that dark sky.
Doris Day’s voice soars in my mind, 🎵 You sigh, a song begins, you speak and I hear violins, it’s magic . . .🎶
Pink halo over Stonehenge under the same sky since it was built 2500 years before the birth of Christ. And yes, we are a part of this.
This sky was right outside our kitchen door … Yes, Toto, in our very own back yard.
We pulled up to this rock wall for me to take a photo of this rainbow over Galway Bay in Ireland . . .
and snow flowers
The discussion here, driving from Colorado to Utah, was, “Look at that sky! Yikes! Is this the right way? Should we turn around?”
And just down at our own beach where we walk every day, water and sky, all pinky blue, if you were painting this scene you would also use blue when you painted the sand . . .
We get lots of gorgeous skies from our room with a view when we’re crossing the country by train . . . here at a Kansas crossroads . . . look at all those choices!
Rich colors of purple and orange, mixed with the wind and sound of the waves are beautiful together in this Menemsha sky.
Lambs tails . . . look at them all running away!
Sometimes the sunset in our rear view mirror grabs my attention . . . I never want to miss anything!
I almost missed this picture of the sun, it almost slipped away! We were just getting on the ferry to home . . . I had to take it right through the rigging, but I GOT it!👏 And now, to
Oh yes, and last night was the Harvest Moon, our sky, filled with moon which woke me up this morning when I caught it trying to break into our bedroom through the cracks in the curtains!
We can feel the summer going, but we are stretching it out as long as we can. The flaming candles in the “bug buckets” make it cozy. But time is passing, September is gone, we’re already wrapping ourselves in blankets when we sit out late … so we just did the MOST wonderful thing. I’m so excited!!! We finally broke down and ordered one of these:
Yes, we did. A fire pit! Look at it! Isn’t it cute? I can’t wait! It’s supposed to be delivered October 6th. More stars! More sky! Now that we finally did it, I don’t know what took us so long. We celebrated 31 years in our house last month ~ It deserves a little something new and hygge for good behavior.💞 
It comes with a screen and a poker … all for around $200, I think it will be TOTALLY worth it. Fire pits come in all sizes, 
shapes, and styles; HERE’S the one we chose. See the ring around the top? I hope that’s for our feet! I think I might light a fire on December 31🎉, bundle up, and take my 2020 calendar outside. I see myself scanning the sky for stars on the last night of the year, staring into the flames of a cozy wood fire, burrowing under my blanket, saying prayers to go up in the crackling sparks and smoke, as I toss the pages of 2020 into the fire and BURN IT UP, while praying for a peaceful, healthy, boring 2021 filled with hugs.💞 So MUCH to look forward to, holidays and decorating and cold weather and blue skies for all our West Coast Girlfriends . . . I just turned in the art for the cover of 2022! This is the year we think we’ll get to go back to England!
But of course that doesn’t stop us from finding magic in the here and now . . . it’s in us, and around us, no waiting required!
Our woods are turning gold, leaves dance like fairies in the trees, magic abounds this time of year! We dawdle here every day.
Cool wind and the smell of leaf mulch, Joe and I walk to the sea, do our Morning Science, and solve all the world’s problem . . . 
So exciting out there watching everything change, so much FREE stuff!🍂
Better than any florist ~ we bring it all home . . .
For the ultimate in a homemade happy life, don’t forget your health darling Girlfriends . . . make sure you are MOVING. Too 
many things can go wrong when we don’t! And our energy levels get so much better if we DO. This dampanic is making me fat ~ we got a little too good at lockdown around here (I mean what’s a donut in times of trouble, or two, or a bag of potato chips to soothe the spinning head? Tater-Tots and ice cream and peanut butter on toast to tranquilize the bewildered soul) ~ when the pants got uncomfortable, I decided to do something about it … will tell you in the next post!
I’m so glad you’re all getting your books! I’m receiving lots of cute photos like this one from our Girlfriend Cynthia. Looks like Santa’s traveling around the world early this year! For our UK Girlfriends, Amazon UK has the book now, and I’m hearing many nice things from our Girlfriends on Goodreads and Facebook. Thank you all so much … I love writing books for you!💞
And look at this photo I borrowed from Facebook posted by Karen K. . . she took a picture of our Titcombs virtual Tea Party! She’s in my kitchen and I’m in hers! Love Karen’s red!♥️🌹💄❗️📕🍎
Look at my homemade set up! Proving, no, I do not know what I am doing. But it all worked out, it was so much fun! I know not 
everyone was able to make it, so I’m going to do two more mask-free Sunday Teas this month! The first one will be via Zoom on Sunday, October 18, at 4 pm EST for Bookends Bookstore in Ridgewood, NJ … you can sign up HERE. Yes, there will be signed books and door prizes (Puzzles!)! The very next Sunday, October 25th, we’ll be hosted by the wonderful King’s English Bookshop in Salt Lake City, Utah, for a Crowdcast event …. you can register HERE. It’s a great way to get out and about without leaving home! And where else can Girlfriends from Hawaii, England, Texas, and Australia all meet at the same time?
I know you’re probably not coming to every one of these events, but I do want to thank you for helping me support these lovely Independent Bookstores who need us all the time, but especially during these days of the Panic! These bookstores are a tradition, they’ve been serving communities 30 and 40 years! I’ve visited and fallen in love with them in real life … I can’t wait to go back someday in PERSON! Do you know that for every $100 you spend at an independently owned business, $68 will stay in the community? Keeping our small-business economy alive is part of what we need to do. I do love seeing the patriotism of dampanic as we get through this thing together, sea to shining sea.❤️
See what I have? A cricket singing in the kitchen.🎵 Yesterday, on the same day as full moon and rabbit-rabbit, making October a red-letter month already!
Is this quilt cute or is this quilt cute? Do you love it? Well, so 
do I! But I think I will love it even more if it somehow ends up getting a new home! Maybe yours! What do you think of that? A new giveaway as a special thank you and extra connection for all we are to each other ~ all aired-out and ready to go! I found it in an antique store many years ago. I don’t know the name of the pattern, and it’s not signed, but it was obviously made by someone with a joyful heart!💖 You know what to do, leave a little comment so you’ll be entered in the drawing.💝
Yes, we do . . . so maybe even something more? Make my life a little happier? 🎄 Why NOT?
So if you were at the Titcombs Tea Party event, or have had a chance to read Home for Christmas, you know my book was partly inspired by this little book called Once on Christmas, published in 1938, which I found a long time ago in a used bookstore and mostly used each year at Christmas. It looked adorable on the coffee table in front of the fire. But it gained new meaning the afternoon I read it out loud to my two young nieces.
It’s a sweet little memory of Christmas at the turn of the century…❤️
… illustrated with charming line drawings by Lois Lenski.
A book made extra special because it’s out of print, and the vintage ones have become very hard to find.
But, and you know what I’m going to say! We did it! We found one. And now, drum roll, this little book will be going off to one of you!💖 At the bottom of this post you’ll see a whole bunch of tiny words in grey letters, and at the end, the word “comment.” That’s what you click on to leave one. I love reading them, and I often comment on your comments! But something tells me this might be a busy giveaway, please forgive me if I don’t get to comment . . . I’ll be reading though!❤️
We just found out they don’t want the kids to Trick-or-Treat here on the island this year. I was hoping, masks seemed so perfect for this time of year. But no. But that doesn’t mean we can’t decorate and be festive and lift the hearts of others with some pumpkins on the porch!
Or in the garden . . .
They make so many cute ones these days!🤣
They look good on the fridge . . .
And over the front door . . .
Or on the kitchen table . . .
Because it’s that time of year, and no dampanic can tell us what to do with our pumpkins!
I’ll tell you about the new fire pit in the next post, with pictures! I have a new recipe for you too, all kinds of good things, but I’ve gone on long enough. Remember to leave a comment if you want to be entered in the drawing. No matter HOW many comments we get, you’ll still have a better chance of winning than by playing the Lottery! Plus, no numbers, and no money!💝
Love forever, your pal for life . . . 💖 
I’ll leave you with THIS . . . 💝
Oh how this brightened my heart today! Thank you for the lovely pictures, and the perfectly placed quotes, especially Dr King’s. Just perfect for this day.
Was sitting down with my Gratitude Journal (just a plain little lined book) this morning and the thought occurred to me….”wouldn’t it be fun to have one that YOU had designed! This next part may have no appeal to you but I’m going to pop it out there….a journal where the headings for each month were in pen and ink and we could partner with you in filling them in with water color, colored pencils, markers, etc. A little bit of you, a little bit of us. A monthly creative exercise for us that wouldn’t require the completion of an entire huge coloring page like those that abound now. Perhaps this has passed the ideal window of opportunity for such a project but hey, nothing ventured, nnothing gained. 😊
I just received your lovely “Home for Christmas” book as a birthday gift from my sweet Mom and thoughtful brother. Mom said she wondered if she should wait to give it to me at Christmas…hah!…half the fun is the planning and waiting for that big day…and the enjoyment your book gives to me…now!!
Hello Susan… I have your new Christmas book and read it as soon as it arrived! Your words and art are so inspiring and bring joy to my soul. I have every book and my favorite is “The Fairy Tale Girl”. I was saddened by the news of your mother passing. She most certainly had to be the proudest mother ever having you as her daughter. Prayers for your heavy heart. Thank you for allowing to share in your life… It has been magic!
I really enjoyed the virtual Tea Party and getting to hear your voice for the first time. Please thank Joe for making a brief appearance. I laughed out loud when you brought out the special tool he made for you so you could see everybody – I don’t want to spoil it for those attending the next Tea Party! I love the sweet Christmas Book and have read it at least 3 times and cried each time. It reminds me of how my parents always made Christmas so special for me and my brothers and sisters – 5 of us. We were not rich as you say, but we thought we were, too. The quilt is so lovely and how generous of you to give it away. The vintage Christmas book is adorable, too. I would love to add that to my collection of Christmas books.
I cannot wait for your book of quotes and I certainly hope the Eskimo Legend about stars is in it – so precious AND the one from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. – “All You Need is Love”! Thank you for the joy you bring – you are an inspiration and a blessing.
My heart is wrapped in a comforting, cuddly velvet stole after reading your posts. Sending you a multitude of gratitude for your charm, thoughtfulness and artistic insight.
I read the part aloud to my husband about using your fire pit on New Year’s Eve and throwing your 2020 calendar in it- he’s all for it. That’s our New Year’s Eve plans all sorted then. I have spent quite a few years searching in used book stores around New York and New England for that Christmas book after seeing it in a photo on your blog- it’s so kind of you to give one away!
Love that quilt. It is so cheerful. Just like you, dear Susan
I love everything about your posts…and have followed you for years…. we are the same age and so I identify with your comments…. Laura Ashley, antiques, quilts….💕So fun!
Thank you for the gorgeous pictures of the sky, reminding us to look up and remember that the sun and the moon are always there even when we can’t see them. So generous of you to give away the quilt and the book. I love antique items, pieces of past lives–especially quilts and books!
Oh my word. I just love receiving your newsletters. They just make for a happy day. Every word and picture make my heart sing. The pictures just want me to get out my pastels and get painting.
Love 💕 you much.
Carol
wow! what a treasure that little Christmas book would be. I’m in love with your Christmas book! I have added it to my little collection. I recently found at one of our local antique shops a vintage book titled: Merry Christmas, Legends and Traditions in Many Lands. Edited by Louis Unermeyer and illustrated by Joan Berg Victor, copy righted 1967, but no print date. It has a dust jacket and the colors and illustrations are so sweet.
Happy October Susan.
Mary
perfect time for a wonderful giveaway!!so excited,you make everything fun!
Happy, happy next year. Getting so ready for it because this year has taken forever!
I Am Not afraid of tomorrow, for I have seen yesterday and I love today.
William Allen White
Hugs from JudyC
The sky pictures are mesmerizing. I can’t get the sun taken from the ferry out of my mind. Absolutely perfect. You always have such fun little surprises to share. The book reminded me of my old Joan Walsh Anglund tiny treasures from my childhood. Not quite the same, but similar. We here in North Texas are being blessed with beautiful October weather, and you have inspired me to try a little watercolor again after fifty years of letting it lie fallow. We don’t have the State Fair of Texas this year nor so many other events we have taken for granted, but I can celebrate the beauty of small things in my own back yard.
What a wonderful blog post! Thank you, Susan. I need a distraction today, as I’m waiting for the results from my covid test. I’m 99% sure it’s all allergies, but our governor and his wife have both tested positive, and Mrs. Parson said she had “allergy type symptoms.” So, better safe than sorry. I loved the Wizard of Oz link you put at the end of the post, especially since I watched Meet Me In St. Louis last night, which, I’m sure you know, stars Judy Garland. Such a great movie, and a talented actress. It has gotten cold enough at night here that I brought my houseplants in for the winter. I have one I keep in my bedroom and last night I started hearing this really loud chirping from the plant. It had gotten so full over the summer that I couldn’t see anything there, but I know it’s a tree peeper. I took it back outside and hope the little guy will leave the relative safety of the plant so I can bring it back in. Reminded me of your cricket. We have lots of them in our garage, but so far, not the house. I have been taking long walks every day, enjoying the cooler weather and the beautiful fall colors already on the trees. It almost makes me giddy. I have collected maple 🍁 leaves, which are my favorite. I am pressing them in my flower press so the leaves won’t curl so much, then I plan to make a garland for my kitchen window. Hmmm, wonder where I got that idea. Thank you, Susan, for sharing so much of your life, time, talent and wonderful, fun ideas. You have no idea what an inspiration you are to so many of your girlfriends. Have a wonderful October!
I like the addition of the twigs to the pumpkins over your front door!! Isn’t it amazing how something so simple and natural can change everything!! Love the fire pit also. I can feel the warmth all the way in Illinois. Stay safe!!! Brenda
I love Lois Lenski. Some of my most favorite illustrations when I was a kid. That looks like such a lovely book. I loved loved loved all your sky pictures. It’s ever changing and always beautiful, isn’t it. So happy for October, but we are currently having ANOTHER heat wave here is southern California right now. So tiresome. We need cooler temps to enjoy the fall. Thanks for sharing yours with us.
~Good Morning~
What a perfect post as I was out taking pictures of the sky the other day~ Great minds!
You just always seem to know what we need & when we need it!~ I was so sorry to read about your Mom~ I lost mine 11 years ago~ this is what we had printed on her memorial cards (and my Grandma’s too when she passed) and I bet it describes your Mom too.
She always leaned to watch for us,
Anxious if you were late,
In winter by the window, in summer by the gate,
And though we mocked her tenderly,
Who has such foolish care,
The long way home would seem more safe
Because she waited there.
Her thoughts were all so full of us~
She never could forget!
And so I think that where she is
She must be watching yet,
Waiting till we come home to her,
Anxious if we were late~
Watching from Heaven’s window,
Leaning from Heaven’s Gate.
I don’t know the author but it perfectly described them both.
Thank you for a break from the dampanic and focusing on what matters most! The beauty in the everyday~ sunrises, sunsets, a good book (from a local book store!) with a cup of tea ~ for health ~ our family & friends~ And gratitude for all of it!
xoxo
Lynn
BEAUTIFUL. ♥️
I love the story of your old book,Once On Christmas. I too have a treasured old book that belonged to my mother when she was a child, and now I have it. It’s called Dreams by Day by Barbara Ellen Shoemaker. It’s a book of poems for children with wonderful illustrations. I wish I could show you a picture. There are fairies!, flowers, the moon and Halloween! As a child, I colored all the pictures with my crayons, but was able to buy another copy from Amazon. Here’s one of the poems appropriate to the season: “Beware the garden ogre And always pass him by, Though his home is built of silk He has an evil eye.
Beware his cheery welcome, Beware his magic spell, For once within his clutches He locks you in a cell. And there he leaves you all alone Until its time to sup. But do you ever dine with him? Well-yes-he eats you up!”
There is one about Red Geraniums you would love! I hope you look it up
I love all the pictures you post…inspiring, comforting, homey.
Oohhh…books and quilts make my ❤️ flutter! And go together like bread and butter!
My favorite season -the trees turning are so beautiful!!!!!
I am always excited to see a new post from you waiting for me. I never open it though until I’ve made a cup of tea and am sitting in my cozy chair. Nowadays, your writing and photos and paintings are more appreciated and needed than ever. Thank you for continuing to share JOY. Wishing you good times filled with wonder in this month of magic.
Dear Susan, What a treasure you are! I always look forward and enjoy all your posts and pictures. This summer I decided to take a landscape art classes online for beginners. Ha! The first class was called a cloud study. The classes made me realize that there is beauty in little things. You just have to look and enjoy! So, thank you for all the beautiful clouds inspiration! Love the October picture of Jack!!!
Oh, goodness, Susan, you are such a breath of fresh air and light this week! All those skies! My heart is lifted! Thank you so much for all the goodness you share with us girlfriends, we appreciate it! Be blessed.
Oh, how I loved your photos and blog post. Fall is my favorite time of year and we own the very same fire pit that you bought. We use it when our grandkids come up from LA to roast marshmallows and make s’mores!
I enjoyed reading the Christmas book. No waiting for me till Christmas to read it! I will read many more times and enjoy having it out on the coffee table during the Christmas season. (along with my SB Santa mug) The painting of the mother and child is beautiful!
I ALWAYS get so excited when I see i have an email from you! I don’t know how you do it, but it always seems that just you and I are having a conversation. I love your perspective on life and always rising to the next challenge. Sorry to hear about no trick or treat on the island. I am planning a future visit to your island and maybe, just maybe we will cross paths! Thanks for bringing joy to my mailbox and my heart.
Love your fire pit! Now I want one! I have seen that Once on Christmas book somewhere—maybe my grandmother’s house? Glad that you are well and happy! Those two attributes are everything in this world today.
Susan, I always love your blog posts. They cheer me up! I hung up my new 2021 SB calendar this week. Thank you for being you!
Another beautiful blog. Such lovely photos. And I could finally breathe a breath of air when I saw the last…A stunning shot of my favorite, Jack. Didn’t get to see his adorable face but still…Stay well. Keep drawing and taking pictures and especially sharing them all with us. Kisses to Jack.
Thanks for all the light and joy…so needed right now…I received my book – love love love…I have also found some old books from Christmases of long ago…I even like the reproductions! Stay safe…Be well…
In a season of stress, your holiday (Christmas and Halloween) and emphasis on bright and beautiful things that evoke happy memories, warms the heart. Thanks for sharing your creativity and talents (especially for those of us not creatively inclined but who admire those who are).
Thank you Susan for reminding us of the worth and pleasure in simply being alive!
Hi Susan-Thank you for the beautiful pictures of skies….I am going to look at them again and again. I love the pumpkin pictures also. My favorite time of year. Yes, we are living in a difficult time, but there is still much around us to be grateful for! Thank you!
Love your pictures of the skies.. just beautiful! Wasn’t that Harvest moon incredible!! I love watching it rise above the treetops. I just signed up for your next tea party and I am so looking forward to getting the new Christmas book. Lots to be thankful for and to look forward to 😊
Such a beautiful post to welcome October! Your views of the skies are just awesome! We are in the middle of moving from Kansas to Missouri so it was nice to get some normalcy in my life by reading your blog. And it was calming and soothing which is something I need during this chaotic time of moving. Blessings to you.
Your post brightened my day! Thank You …I took out our garden yesterday and was feeling a bit blue today…
This is such a lovely post, I especially love all the sky photos. I’m so very sorry for the loss of your mom. So I say to you from my heart, for every tear a memory, for every memory a smile.
Hold her close to your heart and cherish the memories.
It’s finally October!! My birthday month! Yea!!!! I told my husband yesterday that I am putting up the tree on November 1st!! He said that it’s a good Idea!! Because “we need a little Christmas, right this very minute!!” P.S. thanks for not getting political in your post! I don’t think I can handle anymore posts by anyone telling me who to vote for!! Hhhhappyy October!!
PPS: I loved your pictures, you are a great photographer!!
thanks so much for the beauty you share. Love it.
Would love to be entered in either/both drawings.
What perfectly lovely treasures you found in the book and the quilt! The sky photos are fabulous. I must say, the one of the green English field would be beautiful hanging above my windowless kitchen sink wall. You have spurred me to look for a landscape to hang there!
Thank you, Susan, for this post and all of the lovely photos of the sky. I have the same fire pit and it is the best time of the year to use it. I received your new book but am saving it to read as it gets closer to Christmas. What a beautiful old quilt for some lucky winner!
You bring joy to my heart!
I was driving in Queens NY past outdoor restaurants all lit up with pretty, sparkling stringed lights when I looked up and saw the HUGE harvest moon. I wish I had read your blog before that…I would have taken a nice photo of the street and sky for my own collection. LOVING this turn to cooler weather…and hoping next year’s Halloween brings children door to door again. This year, we’ll have a block party for them so they can parade around in their costumes and collect candy from their own parents 🎃
Dear Susan. I love this message and for a little while all the world problems don’t exist. God bless you.
Thank you again for your love and cheerful inspiration!
Ah autumn! Our favorite time of year! Enjoy your fire pit! Magic happens with friends there!
Susan…..I have had your books for years and bought your calendars for years. They are some of my prized possessions that I re-read and look at so often….whenever I need a boost. You make my life so much happier and remind me endlessly to enjoy “the little things” and to make every day count……even when it is hard to find the good in difficult times. I read your tweets every morning and feel I am so fortunate to have discovered you in my life.
I…like you…had a wonderful mom…who made every day special and taught me all the good things to celebrate and enjoy. She had a way of making our family always feel safe and secure….no matter what she herself was facing. She gave to me the gift of knowing the enjoyment of gardening, decorating, cooking, antiquing and caring for family and friends. She gave me the gift of a happy childhood …which translates to a happy life and family of my own. I am sorry for your loss of your mom. I do know….that she lives on through you as my mom lives on through me. They gave us the greatest gift of all…..the gift of knowing how to be happy and content and to take joy in the little things.
I recently got your latest new book in the mail and of course wanted to read it right away! I am facing a new challenge…in that I was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and will have surgery this upcoming week. I decided to save your book for after surgery….when I will need some comfort and joy to help me recover. It is packed in my bag to go to the hospital with me….and I can’t wait to read it and enjoy you, your family….your artwork and happy family memories!
Thank you….for simply being you! I will be thinking of you as you go through the first holidays without your mom physically with you…..but always near you and a part of you. Your mom lives on through you and all she gave to you…YOU now give to others! What a tribute you are to who she was and always will be. Thank you so much….Tracy
🙏🙏🙏🙏 Prayers and wishes for every good thing for you Tracy. I’m sure it’s scary… but on the other side of that surgery is the beginning of a whole new world of wellness for you. Sending all my love. xoxoxo💝
Thank you Susan! Tell Joe that yes…..fires outside in winter are great too…you just have to bundle up and sit a little closer….but they are fabulous! My son and I have been having winter fires in our backyard fire pit for years. Our neighbors look at us like we are deranged…..but what matters is that we love it! We also make “snow lanterns” around our seating…for added atmosphere. I learned of snow lanterns from Tasha Tudor. You build a little Igloo/Cave like structure with snowballs and put little candles in them. We leave the side that faces us open and the glow that comes from these little lanterns is so magical. She writes about these in her many books. If I knew how to attach a picture for you to see…I would. Try it sometime….you will love it! …..Tracy
Aaahh a breath of fresh fall air comes in as I read your post! We truly have much to be thankful for and you remind us of that, thank you.
Happy Fall🍂🍁🥧
You always know how to help us relax and enjoy the moment while enjoying your posts. It means a lot at a time like this.
I just love fire pits! Here in Montana they are very welcome, as are quilts. Te He.
No matter what is going on in my personal world and in our country your newsletter always is cheerful and unlifting. May day is always better with Susan Branch. Thank-you for always being there. Love you sweet friend.
That quilt is so pretty!!
BOO hoo. Don’t want kids trick-or-treating? Can’t they just…..do it anyway? 🙁
I call this act of doing-things-anyway-not-hurting-anyone kinds of decisions, “Going Norma Rae”….
Like when people decide children can’t do childlike things and need to be little robots in a mass-produced world of learning….I say, “I’m gonna go all Norma Rae on them and stand up for what is right AND WE ARE GONNA HAVE DOLLIES AND KITCHEN STUFF IN MY EARLY CHILDHOOD CLASSROOM ANYWAY!”…
Maybe the kids on Martha’s Vineyard need to pull a NORMA RAE!? 😉
I took pictures of my screen as I listened to the Titcomb’s Tea Party…I have kept my Christmas book closed. I am holding off on it until closer to Thanksgiving so I can savor every page and swirl around in Susan Branch Holiday Dreamland. I loved the virtual tea party and just sat there and cried for about the first ten minutes….kinda like crazy girls seeing Elvis for the first time….but I’m sane and I didn’t scream. I tucked my book under a little lamp on my desk and the glossy spine is staring at me until Thanksgiving. THANK YOU for hollering at Joe to come join us….it was fun seeing your sweet honey bee.
The world needs more Susan Branch. : )
I think in this case, on this tiny island, with such a tiny hospital, we’re trying to protect each other, whatever it takes. Everyone here looks at it like seat belts … we don’t love them, but we wear them (this comes from me, a well-known outlaw!). Ahhh Ashley, I LOVED being “with” everyone … it was my PLEASURE! Thank YOU for being there! Love how you enjoy your anticipation!♥️
I understand that….I take my Norma Rae back. ; ) haha. I don’t think about tiny hospitals on tiny, seemingly perfect islands. Thank you for pointing that out to me and giving me a wiser point of view…. <3 Guess they could have heaping bowls on porches and quarantined candy….I'm a teacher so I worry so about the children…
Enjoying Anticipation could be on a tee-shirt! : )
As we slide into Autumn (barely showing it’s face here on the West Coast), I am reminded of all the joy we’ve shared together, through your books, your recipes and the beautiful mugs I drink my coffee from every morning! A deep deep gratitude, especially during these dark days. My thoughts are focused on a cozy, joyful Christmas with my husband and best friend of 35 years and trying to spoil my children and grandchildren from afar, hopefully for the last time. Merry Autumn days to you my friend🤗
Also….
I love Lois Lenski! I used to read Strawberry Girl when I was a kid on the shag, scratchy rug of our one room library that smelled like popcorn.
Thank you, Susan, for another heart warming post. You are our treasure.
Always a blessing! Thank you for joy!
Any chance, a publisher might do a reprint of the Lois Lenski book! I would buy several – as would others, I bet!
Probably depends on who holds the copyright… an excellent idea!
Dear Susan,
Your posts are so inspirational and they are a respite during these times.
Thank you!
Debbie Clardy from Eastampton, NJ
I have tucked away your new book. I will read it on Christmas Eve When I first saw the drawing you did of Once on Christmas, I recognized the illustrator, Lois Lenski. She illustrated the first book I read when I arrived in America when I was 7 years old way back in 1957. It was entitled, Strawberry Girl. I love Christmas and I am so looking forward to reading your sweet version of a Christmas from your childhood. I think it is very generous of you to gift that beautiful quilt. I know it will be a true treasure to whomever wins it.
October, my birthday month and the most beautiful of all. I love the cooler weather, the smell of wood stoves and the gorgeous colors of the changing season. I love to cozy down in the house with my books, good movies and my pots of tea. Susan, I know what it is like to lose a Mother. I was 40 when my mom died and my life was changed forever. May your faith help you during this difficult, emotional time.
Dear Susan
Thank you for having a second printing of “Isle of Dreams” . I really wanted to finish that part of your journey with you. My husband died suddenly in his mid 20’s just as we were about to get the adopted child we were waiting for. I also lost all my dreams , the love of my life and hope for a future I had always wished for. I also took my life in a different direction , had new dreams and let myself trust that I was brave enough to look for a new chapter. Life has been kind to me and I ended up with a wonderful man, a beautiful daughter and a life that was better than I could have dreamed up. Much of the pain , grief and disappointment of your early journey I felt deeply because I remembered it also. We are all “braver than we think we are “.
💔Brave girl.👏😘
Thank you Susan! It was so fun to switch out my summer to fall cup a few weeks ago! I always check my little bookmark to name the current full moon. You are just a part of my humble life everyday and make it cheerier and more beautiful. So grateful!
I got my book last week and it made me remember all my childhood Christmases. Good times! The quilt is lovely. A mockingbird is singing here this morning, so it must be fall (Southern California).
Your blogs always make my day happy. Keep up all he beautiful work you do. Thank you and good health.
Darling Susan,
I am so excited to know that you will come over to England again in 2022…hopefully this damn panic will be a blip by then and we will be able to meet you once more.
Thank you so much for another wonderful post with amazing skies, the beautiful moon, the books – my heart is skipping because my copy of the Christmas book will be arriving tomorrow!! Yay!
Would be lovely to have that cute Once on Christmas book – I just hope whoever wins it reads it every Christmas and passes it down to their loved ones, for new generations to enjoy 😊
Love
Karen
Cambridgeshire
U.K. 🇬🇧
Happy October!🎃
I’m looking forward to reading your Christmas book. Your photos are beautiful!
Wishing you and Joe a lovely season!🍁🧡🎃
Happy October from SE Michigan, Susan🍂🍁🌻! As always, I ❤️ your wonderful blog posts…treasured words, for sure. Thank you! 🎃
hello susan,
I just received your new book and love it! I ordered a second for my friend who also loves all you do. I was given an antique purple and white lone star quilt made by my great grandmother and finished in 1939. It had been stored in a cousin’s attic and so needed a home where it could be cared for and appreciated. The antique quilt you are giving away would have a wonderful home too. I sew every day and quilting is what keeps me sane and happy. That and reading your lovely posts and re-reading your wonderful books. My Autumn book is front and center now ready for the fall. Happy autumn to you and Joe.
Somewhere Over The Rainbow is where I go when I read your blogs and books! Fall is my favorite time of year! The changing leaves, them crunching under my feet, the chilly air and smells of autumn!! I always feel at peace in this crazy world spending time with you!! Thank you Susan!!!!
Reading your charming post is just like trick or treating — without the tricks! I will be putting my big light-up pumpkin in our upstairs window this year, just like you put your ghost in your window each year! 🎃
susan, thanks for making life a little more special! If i were to receive the little book by Lois Linski I would be over the moon grateful and happy.
Any gift from you would brighten my day and make my heart sing at my good fortune.
blessings always Lee
As always so wonderful to get your new letter. Soooo needed at this time.
I taught at a school for over 40 years and when I had a break I helped out in the library. We had a marvelous collection of books and I recognized the cover of the little Christmas book.
Our school had been closed for over ten years but just seeing the cover of this precious book brought back great times. I have no idea where that little book is now but thank you for the memories!
This brought me so much joy today! Thank you 🙂
Susan, I have known and loved you for a long, long time. And we both have the black and white kitty named Jack. No matter than I have never met you in person, you are all over my house, and deep in my heart. I am not a great cook but when I follow your recipes, I actually am. I have most all of your mugs, but my favorites are Red Letter Day and Jack in the Books, becaus, well, I love cats and books! I also have some of your old things, rare things, and they make my home sweeter, warmer, and welcoming. The part of your story, Your Momma, is hard for me to read, but I read it and I walk through that with you. I’m on the slow road to losing my mom…day by day as her memory fades. These moms…oh, how we need and love them. God bless you, as you learn to live in a world without her voice. And find great comfort, and mostly great Hope as you know that this world is not our final home. Eternity is a great long time….and that is the time frame your mother now lives in. There are lots of great folks there, and one of them is this warm, kind, animal-loving man that I loved with my whole heart. My dad….maybe your mom will cross his path, and befriend him. It’s us I feel sorry for…living here missing them, while they are walking, with gladness, on streets paved with gold. I
Such an inspiring blog post today…lifting my heart enough to throw open the windows and get out my Halloween Quilts…and maybe…do the dishes xoxo
Hi Susan,
Your darling Home for Christmas book arrived about a week after your webinar at the charming bookstore. That’s a place I am sure I could spend hours in if I travel to the East from Southern CA. I have met you at Vroman’s in Pasadena before life got so complicated.
Loved your cloud photos. My watercolor group were on a Zoom call recently painting clouds together! Your photos are quite inspiring. They are also a reminder that no matter how down in the dumps we may feel, gratitude for what we have around us is the best medicine.
When your email arrives I am always grateful for it as it always brings smiles, and often mutual fond memories of trips to England. Sigh.
Fondly,
Nancy
How calming and timely to have all of the pictures of the sky in your post! I am currently in the middle of my self-quarantine in Canada so that I can then spend time with my first and now additional newborn granddaughters! I have been spending a lot of time looking up at the sky and then the stars at night..huddled in a blanket.The quilt would be a wonderful gift to share with them! Also, I brought Halloween decorations/stencils and now can add also add some of your ideas..especially the leaf chain! Oh, it will be fun!!
And since, I most likely will not see them in person at Christmas this year..I also brought some favorite Christmas books of their mother’s..oh to add that treasure of the vintage Christmas story would be continually cherished! Thank you once again, Susan, for providing serenity and reminders of how nature renews the soul! Peace always.
What a cheery quilt! It brightened this rainy day here in Iowa as I type this note. What a lucky lady the winner will be!
Ohh I Want!
Dear Susan, Thanks again for your lovely blog! I saw you when you were at the Kings English. So fun to see you! I am going to try to do the tea with you. I have all my fall and Halloween decor out too!!
Thank you for another wonderful and always uplifting post! I put my pumpkins out in late September this year because I just could not wait to get this fall party started! 🍂
My heart soared when I saw your new Christmas book in my rural mailbox. I read it straight through and will savor it again in December. Thank you for writing it!
Looking forward to the mail delivery of my copy of Home for Christmas! Another author who wrote some charmingly small books was Joan Walsh Anglund. Empathizing with you on the loss of your mother. We lost my 100 year old father in August. They’re “somewhere over the rainbow” now.
Hi,Susan! Finding your post put a big smile on my face and seeing Jack was an added bonus.Thank you for all the beauty you have shared with us for so many seasons.xo
I love seeing your letter in my in box! Time to sit with a cup of coffee and tea, and treat myself to a wonderful read! Thank you for always making the day brighter!
Hi Susan,
Your wonderful book, Home for Christmas, arrived about a week after your fabulous webinar. I love the jolly Santa on the cover. I cringed seeing those Blue Chip stamps, ha ha. I glued those stamps into countless books. Then my mom bought brass plates for our apartment walls and so on. Blue Chip stamps was our decorator. We aren’t many years apart. I was born and still live near Glendale, CA. Your memories are similar to mine, except I am an only child so my photos look a bit different.
I enjoyed your cloud photos. My painting group had a Zoom call recently where we painted clouds together. Your pictures are inspiring. They also bring to mind how vital it is to be grateful each day for our many blessings. If we look for areas of gratitude around us it’s great medicine for riding ourselves of that down in the dumps feeling.
When your emails arrive I look forward to a quiet moment to savor it. It always brings me smiles, fond memories of England, sigh, and a sense of gratitude
Thank you for all you do for your girlfriends!
Fondly,
Nancy
Hi Susan,
I love reading your newsletters, they are such a treat and always touch my emotions in some way. I have been feeling the stress of this year a bit lately so it it nice to see the newsletter in my inbox. The quilt is lovely and as a quilter I am always surprised that people don’t label their quilts. I look forward to reading your book and hope October is a wonderful month for you.
I adore Christmas and I just ordered your new Christmas book to add to all your other books that I have the pleasure of owning. I especially love to display my special Christmas books during the holidays. It will be a wonderful addition. Thank you for inspiring me everyday to appreciate the simple pleasures of life!
Good morning, Our family needs some positively these days and your blog brings in just that! Thank you. I think the world needs to have many 2020 calendar bonfires! But while many horrible things have happened this year, I still feel God’s blessings in my life!
Loved your post, as always, but especially this one. Thank you for making my day a little brighter.
Thank you, Susan for a lovely blog post. Fall is the best season and October the best month. I look forward to your writing and often reread them. Take care during these uncertain times!
Susan, thank you for your love-filled posts. Our world feels dark right now. Your posts bring God’s light to my heart♥️
Reading this blog grounds me,during these bleak times. The fires continue to burn here,creating hazy,smokey days. I live one block from the Pacific ocean,so counting my blessings . I also have a fire pit,but haven’t used it in a month because there’s already too much smoke in the air. Great advice about the sand! The fire pit is such a game changer! Cheers from San Francisco.
Such a lovely post, thank you. My daughter left home for university today and this really cheered me up. Thank you xx
I just read your post on Saturday morning to start the first weekend in October off on the right foot!
Sometimes I need to remember to be positive (especially during the past 6 months!) and your thoughtfulness always helps!
Well, you did it again, Susan !!!! You made me feel much better !!! I woke up today with the Fall “yuckees”, allergies, a fall cold, or whatever. I just know that I feel awful. But there you are in my emails, with your October post. I always read every word of your monthly posts. I have fallen in love with you and Joe !!! I even share your posts with my hubby of 50 yrs. !! He likes you too. We are always anxious to see what your MUSICA is. Ohhhhhh, could you have chosen anything better than Judy G. singing “Over The Rainbow” ??!! We both have a soft spot for that one. Our LOVLEE daughter starred in the musical in high school. Hope you don’t mind that we use some of your beautiful photos for our screensavers. [LOVE the one of your kitty looking out thru the window at the pumpkins]. THANKS for making my day better, see you next month !!
What a lovely post. I adore the wee book you shared and the simplicity of the sketches. The magic in books is a treasure, especially the ones that take us away from the drama of “today”. I love sharing vintage books with family, and most especially the children I care for. This would be a sweet addition. I wish we add actual Autumn weather here in So Cal, but I crank up the A/C, play vintage Autumn music from you-tube, and do Autumn crafts anyway 🙂
Thank you for the opportunity.
Susan,
After watching your book talk at Titcomb’s I bought Isle of Dreams and absolutely loved it! I bet living somewhere with seasons is magical. I live out in Las Vegas and when we get snow (every 10 years) it is amazing. I can’t imagine living somewhere where you get to experience that everyday for a season.