Yes, when we AC-centuate the Positive, we find we have so much to be grateful for! Some MUSICA? Yes! Not sure if you’ll have time to read this today, but I couldn’t let Thanksgiving go by without sending you LOVE.💞 
My house is wonderful right now, everywhere I look, pure domestic bliss.🍁 Oven warming the house, pie crust, all pinched and pricked, ready to be filled and put into the oven, music playing old songs, Little Women on TV (for old-fashioned, back-in-time, I like the black-and-white version on Thanksgiving), volume down, music up …🎶
Dish cloths washed and folded, bread drying for the stuffing. Maybe this year, more than any other, as I’ve stood at the kitchen sink washing dishes or watching the birds at the feeders, I’ve been counting my 
Getting the cranberries ready . . .
It’s just going to be the two of us, plus Jack, in front of the fire. I’m roasting a big chicken, 
stuffed with my grandma’s heavenly stuffing, making gravy and mashed potatoes ~ all the goodies, corn pudding and Pumpkin Pie too! Making extra cranberry sauce so we can have my delicious
And I don’t even mind it being quiet here … I consider it to be a part of the blessings . . .💞
What’s making it all bearable is that the vaccine is coming soon. I KNEW the scientists of the world would walk on water to get this to us as fast as they humanly could, and look at them! Heroes, like the doctors and nurses and other front-line workers, who’ve 
stood by us, even giving up their holidays, sacrificing for us, while saving and comforting so many despite their own fears.😢 They make me cry. True blessings of Thanksgiving.🕯🕯🕯 We’ll be lighting candles in their honor and saying prayers of gratitude. As for the vaccine, I’ll wait until I see Dr. Fauci put that needle in his arm, but then? Oh yeah, we are having it!💉 We already have two plans set in stone: One, California, next fall, a family reunion next to the creek, big long table, lots of delicious food, and us, sisters, brothers, nieces, nephews, grandchildren, in-laws, out-laws, together at last, in honor of our mom/grandma, and OMG: HUGS galore. Eeeek. I can’t wait. I will NEVER take a hug for granted again! The other plan involves a ship across the Atlantic!🚢 Everything to look forward to. And in the meantime . . . a long dreamy winter . . .
We’re all hunkered down here, storm windows are on, wood pile is stacked, it’s brisk and beautiful on our walks ~ when we get home, I make tea, Joe makes a fire, I carry my tea to my studio, and paint. I just did this portrait of Beatrix Potter, for the HERO page in my 2022 calendar, you know I love her. Watercolor brush, swirled in water, ringing the side of the dish, dipped in paint, swooped across the paper, spreading color any old way it wants! Portraits are my favorite thing to do, and slowly but surely, over the years, with lots of practice, I’m not unproud of them! Practice is the miracle ingredient.💝
I still don’t understand how this art thing happened, but OH! Thank you!🙏 I am so grateful!
I’ve been busy reading my quote books and painting what I love, no real rhyme nor reason …
I’m going to do lots of meditation this winter, make myself strong, mentally and physically (at least for my age and weight class🤐), so when the time comes I will be READY!🤸🏾♂️
So I have a surprise! FINALLY. The new puzzles were just shipped to 
the Studio and they sent me samples! I HOPE they make it to California by the end of next week! Trust me, the MOMENT they arrive, Sheri and Kellee (they’ve been working out to get ready) will SHIP like crazy! 💌 I am so proud of these two women, such hard workers who love you ALMOST as much as I do. You can tell by how they decorate the packages they send you! Big pats on the back and “thank you” to both of them!💖 Something ELSE I am grateful for!😘
Of course I opened the box and spread out the pieces. I love it. Perfect for winter. Talk about a meditation!
Couldn’t wait to get started…See I have all the border pieces in a pile? SUCH a sense of satisfaction when you find a piece that FITS!
And look at this darling new thing! Janie, our creative Girlfriend who makes all our bunting and banners, made these for us! A few of my new books, Home for Christmas, came from the printer damaged … so we decided to recycle the pages and make them into limited edition Christmas trees! And Janie made them for us!
Kellee and Sheri packed them three-to-a-package . . . Two for you and one to tuck into a Christmas card!🎄
Mine are already hanging from my kitchen windows!
Something else, I’ve started putting my Yard Sale on the blog as promised ~ all things I love, some of them you’ve seen before, some of them I’ve had here, and some I collected on our cross-country adventures … To view them, click on Shopping at the top of the blog page, see the list on the left? Scroll to the bottom and click on Vintage. This way, we can shop our way across country next fall and can get MORE!
And, mark your calendar, because on December 6th at 4pm EST, I’m 
doing the very last virtual event to celebrate my new book Home for Christmas ~ it’s a Christmas Tea, hosted by the wonderful independent bookstore in Plainville, MA called An Unlikely Story! And guess what? These generous people are doing it for FREE.❤️ You don’t have to buy anything to join in… which means you can ALL come, even if you live in Canada or England or Norway, everyone is invited! If you DON’T have a book, or maybe even if you need to buy books for winter or for Christmas gifts, please make a list and consider purchasing your books from them if you can! Never did “shopping small” mean more than it does this year. HERE’S where you go to sign up!
Well, time for me to go. Here’s a view of our wild turkeys, flaunting themselves the day before Thanksgiving! They know they’re safe with us!🦃
Well, Girlfriends, time for me to put on my apron! Tomorrow we will toast you, our family and friends, and the coming new year. We’ll count our blessings out loud and say prayers for those who’ve lost loved ones, and for those across our country who are facing food lines. Please find a way to donate if you can ~ these lines won’t end at Thanksgiving and you know, it could happen to any of us. I have every faith that we will come out of this thing better than ever.❤️ Happy Thanksgiving!
Dear Susan, Joe & Jack, “Happy Thanksgiving & Many Blessings to you!” Thank you for your uplifting posts, appreciated now more than ever. ~Hugs, Charl
Happy Thanksgiving! And one of the things that I am most thankful for is you, your books, your blog, your art and your positive perspective in creating and sharing a meaningful life with us all. Thanks for being a beacon of inspiration and hope during challenging times.
You are very kind Minette. Thank you so much. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!💞
Loved your blog -HAPPY THANKSGIVING !
At this writing my pumpkin pie is baking . Just pulled my daughters birthday cake from the oven, devils food cake. It will be adorned with whipped cream & dark cherries & curls of dark chocolate.
We brought her home 46 years ago tomorrow. We are counting our blessings swarm Fire is at our hearth -a wonderful roof over our heads -& a bountiful table to share with our daughter & grandchildren. Love all the yummy fragrances in our house ❤️
Penny from Mt.Rose
Happy Thanksgiving at your house. Only hubby and I and daughter here.
Just dropping to wish everyone a very Happy, Happy Thanksgiving. right now i am in the middle of baking and doing preps for tomorrow, and it will just be Ed, the kids and me. i am so grateful for a safe warm home to be in, good health and the love of my family (cats and gremlins included), on a sad note my FIL is back in the hospital again, and its the same old problem…. cellulitus and this time it may be more serious. they gave him heavy doses of antibiotics about 2 months ago hoping to clear it up, no such luck as it is back and worse than ever. well tomorrow is going to a busy and interesting day. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!! hugs…. 🙂
Prayers for your FIL dear Pat! 🙏Happy Thanksgiving! xoxoxo
Oh, Pat, I will say a prayer for your FIL. My dad suffered from Cellulitus for years and I spent many a day/night with him in the ER getting the antibiotics so I know how tough this can be on both of you! xx Becki (also in Oregon – Salem area)
thank you both for the prayers, on Saturday his leg reinfected and was red, inflamed and swollen so they kept him in the hospital and now they are having a specialist in infections come in on the case as the antibiotics are now doing their job, i have wonder what is next…amputation???? for now we wait. wish us luck. hugs….. 🙂
Oh dear, Prayers. xoxo
Happy Thanksgiving! my Joe and I are having a twosome Thanksgiving as well. We are having lobster tails with linguine! Not a traditional feast, but none the less festive! Enjoy! I am thankful for you this year keeping us all uplifted during this hard time. ❤️ God bless all of our frontline heroes. We are all thankful for your selflessness!
Susan,
Your portrait of Miss Potter is wonderful. Portraits are so very hard to do, and you’ve captured the eyes, the mouth, so well. I knew who I was looking at at first glance!
Your artwork always makes me feel so good. 💕
And I am thankful that after not being able to access your blogs for many months, I have figured out that using a different browser was the solution! So happy to read your positive posts once again. We women in the world love you a whole lot and admire everything about you.
It’s a cornish hen, some egg noodles, cranberry apple salad, and pumpkin pie for just the two of us tomorrow. Our adult kids and their families are far and wide and it is a good year to stay isolated. We can look forward to all of the special days in 2021.
Peace and love to all who read this,
Nice to see you back Betsy! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
What a painting that would be for a Hero’s page! Dr. Fauci getting the first shot, with a long, winding line of us snaking around the page behind him, masks on, socially distancing, rolling up or sleeves! Happy thoughts, all our prayers, Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving, Susan, Joe and Jack!
Wonderful blog, brightening my afternoon. We, too are celebrating a quiet, but thankful Thanksgiving. We are so blessed, that although we won’t be together this year, everyone is well. We have been calling or texting all week, exchanging recipes for our parts of Thanksgiving dinner. I was the dessert maker, my daughter-in-law the stuffing maker, my daughter made hors d’oeurves, and my other daughter-in-law made a large salad and cole slaw. It was truly a family effort, for 17 of us. So although we aren’t going to be together in one place, we will be together in spirit.
Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃🍁 will be just my husband and I and we are having lasagna, stuffed artichokes, salad, fried cardoons, and pumpkin pie. My husband is not a fan of 🦃, but I’m still going to get a turkey breast to cook. To all, have a wonderful Thanksgiving, be thankful for all you do have and stay safe and healthy.
Thanks Susan once again for your uplifting words! I have been working from home since March and there are times that I really miss having people around. Your blog and the responses from everyone, really bring home the message that we are all in this fight together, no matter where we live. I especially appreciate the sense of comradeship across the miles!!
We celebrate Thanksgiving in October in Canada, so I have already had our very small celebration (just two of us) but I wish everyone in the USA a very Happy Thanksgiving!! Enjoy the Pumpkin Pie!!! 🍁🍂🌽🍗🏈
Susan!
Happy, Happy Thanksgiving!!!!
hugs!
Linda in PA
Hello Dearest Susan and friends,
I am Thankful for you! Rick and I are roasting a chicken too, we won’t have the full shebang as i am not up to it this year. But I wish you all every tradition and glad tiding you can muster!
xxooxx
Gabi
Thank you for posting today! A very Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving ! We are small, but we are mighty in thanks for health, family, and love around our little gathering this year. We are doing takeout traditional dinners to help support small business in our community. Looking forward to another Susan Branch gathering on Dec. 6th!!
Susan, I thought of you when I heard about a new memoir by Jacqueline Winspear, author of the “Maisie Dobbs” books. (They are wonderful!) The title is “This Time Next Year We’ll Be Laughing”, which her father in England used to say when times got hard. Has there ever been a more meaningful phrase for this year? Let’s all make it our mantra until times are normal again!
Happy Thanksgiving from Tulsa.
Makes me laugh just to think about this time next year!!! Perfect mantra! xoxo
Thanks Susan for the delightful blog. So excited about the tea and puzzle! Love having those to look forward to. And also the vaccine and hopefully some trips after that too. Definitely must accentuate the positive. Happy Thanksgiving! 🧡
Where can I find your recipe for cranberry relish?
Thank you.
Easiest in world. Preheat oven to 350º … Put 3 c washed fresh cranberries and zest of one orange (opt) into baking dish. Sprinkle over 1 cup sugar, don’t stir. Put in oven, stir 3 times while cooking, bake approx 35 min until first cranberries begin to pop. Cool, then chill.
Thanks for this. My husband loves cranberries. This recipe is easy enough for me to make!! Happy Thanksgiving to all! Blessings from FL
That’s what I love about it! Fast, easy, and I’ve never seen prettier color cranberry sauce. If you have left over, be SURE to mix half and half with orange marmalade and put on toast or biscuits!!!💖💖💖
Happy Thanksgiving, Susan, Joe and Jack. I love this post, as it really lifted my spirits. It is a different Thanksgiving, for certain, but I am thankful for health and strength and oh, so many blessings.
Happy Thanksgiving, Susan.
Dear Susan, our olive fingers salute will be for so many people NOT at our table this year, as we won’t only miss those who have passed on, but also our children and grandchild who won’t be with us. It will be a quiet Thanksgiving, but we do have so much to be grateful for. Thank you for the hymn at the beginning of the post…it is good to remember most of all who we are thankful to and how much God has blessed us with day in and day out! Arizona is different from Orange County, but lovely in its own way. The weather is windier and drier. but fall doesn’t seem to have set in yet. We are settling in. We travelled to Scottsdale to order some new Ethan Allen furniture which won’t get here until January. We are getting along with two old recliners! Thanks for all your encouraging posts this year. May your day tomorrow with Joe (and Jack) be a happy one.
Clicking olive-fingers with you Lee! Happy Thanksgiving!
Love love love this cozy blog post. Looking forward to the puzzle, yay! That last line of the post reminds a little of the Queen’s speech earlier in the pandemic where she assures us that we will meet again. I love the Queen.
I was so sad to see the tree was already sold out. I check your store every morning, without fail and it wasn’t even in the store when I checked this morning and now sold out.
I will be posting my yummy creations from the Autumn and Vineyard Seasons cookbooks on Facebook. Looking forward to some heavenly aromas and time away from the world tomorrow. Wishing you a happy and safe Thanksgiving. Stay well.
Shocking! I can’t believe the trees are sold out, Maureen. I didn’t know! I THINK we are getting more … check back to see.
I’m so happy to hear this. When you open the item to order it, it now says that more are coming as well. They are just so cute and what a great thought to add to a card for someone else. And I love that you are repurposing pages into something beautiful. I love doing this as well. I received your book early on and wasn’t going to say anything, but decided I’d share this, that the back inside cover pages are upside down, which is perfectly fine with me, I just thought I’d share that. It makes it unique and it’s still a great book filled with great stories. Blessings and peace.
Oh dear, we try to check for that! Are you sure it’s okay? If not please get in touch with [email protected]/~susanbs3/susanbranch/ … she’ll help!
Wishing you a beautiful Thanksgiving, Susan. It sounds like all the elements are there! And I love your portrait of Beatrix — it really draws one in. Those little tree ornaments are pretty darned cute too! Cheers to you both!
Dear Susan,
I spent October in transit from California to Minnesota and moved in on the 9th. One reason for the move was to be close to family for the first time in six years. Ironically my anticipated grand family gathering got squashed by the Governor declaring a stay at home with immediate family only. So thank you for letting me sniff and await the chicken dinner with all the trimmings at your home. I was a bit worried that the energy of the great grands (5 from 10-1) would drain me, so I feel blessed that we can get used to each other in bits and bobs and have a wonderful 2021 filled with holidays and celebrations!
Thank you for taking the time to fill our imaginations, hearts, heads and soul with exactly the right ingredients of daily life, menus and meals, fires and puzzles and lots of love and hope. Your words always warm my heart and the music leaves me humming.
You are the blessing that keeps on giving. Please cuddle Jack and Joe and stay cozy and well through the holidays.
What a nice blog, always the highlight of the day when I see it pop up in my inbox. Enjoy your Thanksgiving! We are all thankful for your books, stories and your wonderful outlook on life🙂
Happy Thanksgiving to you and Joe. Thank you for your warm and encouraging words.
Happy Thanksgiving to you, Susan and Joe! I am thankful that I discovered your wonderful blog many years ago. It has brought me so much joy over the years, especially this year.
Just the two of us so we are roasting chicken also! The cranberries and pie are made and the rolls are made and just need to be baked. Making my Mom’s stuffing.. Wishing you and Joe a very Happy Thanksgiving. I see the puzzles are sold out, will there be another printing?
The Puzzles are just about to arrive … I’m sure Kellee stopped allowing preorders to make SURE we will have enough for everyone who’s already ordered… my guess is that we will receive a few more than we ordered… but they have been more popular than we thought so there is no guarantee. Watch the web store, because if there are enough, she will put them back up and you might just snag one. I designed and licensed my artwork for this puzzle to a manufacturer … it will be up to them if they reprint it. This was their very first, so I think they will want to, but we shall see!
Thank you Susan! I always enjoy your blog. I am a front line worker, but now heading into my second knee surgery. During recuperation I will surely enjoy reading your books that I have! Very grateful for those and for your reminders about what’s really important.
Happy Thanksgiving!
May you and Joe have a blessed Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving you two! I love that all across this big beautiful land we are all crimping pie crusts, thawing turkeys and getting ready for a feast–of food and thanksgivings! Come ye thankful people come! Thanks for your idea of remembering to be thankful for the many medical people working on all our behalf. Definitely.
So excited to get the puzzle and thanks to Sheri and Kellee for their special touches. And what would Thanksgiving be without a visit from your local turkeys! Ha! So funny. Your portrait of BP is beautiful! Great job.
Blessings!
Dear Susan, my husband loves your Snippy Doodle! Made it three times already. Thanks and Happy Thanksgiving! 🍁 Debby
Thank you for the Thanksgiving gift of a post! You are included in the blessings of the season for the cheer and hope you share with us. Have a beautiful day with Joe and Jack!
It will just be me, my kitty Max, and Zoom time tomorrow, but that’s ok. We just need to hang in there looking ahead and onward! I have my Christmas cards all bought and may work on writing letters and cards tomorrow. Lots of tea, nice music, and pen in hand. I think this year, the letter writing may be extra special and give us the opportunity to share our love on paper.
Love you, Susan – thanks for your posts always. I just signed up for the Dec.6th Zoom – “see ” you then!
Took a break from setting the table, and found your uplifting blog filled with wonderful things! Puzzles! Perfect for this holiday gift giving,
Happy Thanksgiving, Susan and Joe
Thank you!
Happy thanksgiving! Enjoy every minute of this unusual holiday. I know you’ll be able to see the beauty and the positive into every little thing!
I signed up for your book event on the 6th. Can’t wait to listen to you! I’ll have my Christmas book with me…
WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bless you. ❣️Happy thanksgiving to you, Joe, and Jack. When I see your blog, I simply can breathe easier, seems like I can take a deep breath. Thank you for that.
Linda
Happy Thanksgiving!!! We are also thankful that you found your artist talent. Your girlfriends appreciate and enjoy all your artist talent!!
Happy Thanksgiving! So glad you squeezed in a blog post before Thanksgiving. Cranberry marmalade sounds wonderful! I have to try that now. Continuing my cleaning for tomorrow with For The Beauty Of The Earth humming in my head.
Please have a wonderful Thanksgiving! You bring so much joy and richness to our lives and I wish the same for you, Joe, and Jack.
Hello Susan! Wishing you, Joe, and Jack a very Happy 🦃 Thanksgiving! Your drawing of Beatrix Potter is a masterpiece! Take care and God Bless!
Thank You for the beautiful reminder that we are ALL IN THIS TOGETHER! And pray for those that lost the battle, and those who battle every day. And those who never give up, just to make sure we don’t!! Thank You. May you have a blessed Thanksgiving.
Thank you, again, Susan for another present of cheery and thought provoking words in these times. Thanksgiving is a wake up call for all of us to realize all the blessings we do have. Just a look out the window and seeing God’s creative hand confirms that! Tomorrow I will spend part of my day at work at our local hospital,so seeing your blog was a nice surprise this eve. A happy and blessed Thanksgiving to you and Joe!
Thank you for the perfect reminders!!!! So grateful for my family. And for all the docs, nurses, and scientists who are giving so much of themselves to save us. And for your words and pictures that are always so uplifting.
Happy Thanksgiving 🦃
And I’m so excited to be getting my puzzle!!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and Joe and Jack! Watch that he doesn’t knock a few puzzle pieces off the table! (Jack, not Joe) It’s strange to not be busy busy, it will just be me and Zoom tomorrow, but it’s kind of nice too…
Thank you, Susan, for all your words of wisdom, thankfulness, and coziness.
I hope that you and Joe have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Pam W
Susan, There’s so much to be thankful for in spite of the challenges this year brought us. I am grateful to have a kindred spirit like you who shares a love for art, quilts, good food, Family and friends. Happy Thanksgiving to you!
Happy Thanksgiving!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL!
I hope that everyone stays healthy and that the day will bring special blessings.
It is going to be a quiet one for us. Just myself, and my husband and my daughter will be at the table.
We are going to have a pork tenderloin with potatoes, gravy, cranberry sweet and sour sauce for the pork, and a veggie of some sort. We will drink sparkling peach and as we are not big dessert eaters, I am just going to warm up some cinnamon bread with a sugary crumble on top.
So it is already Thanksgiving on the East Coast! I think I shall head off to bed as it will be an early morning for the chef!
Peace and Love!
Happy Thanksgiving to you both. Always grateful that you are here for us.
Thank you Susan. I can always count on you to inspire me. And calm me, especially in these trying times. I too, look forward to a peaceful Thanksgiving with my immediate family. Thank you, for bringing to the forefront, what’s really important in life. The best things in life are really free…Happy Thanksgiving!
Thank you for a koveky blog…totally relaxed and enjoyed it. Sending Happy Thanksgiving wishes to everyone. ❤
Your positive attitude and the musica brought a tear to my eye. Thanks for all you do and Happy Thanksgiving! ♥
Happy Thanksgiving to you! Wonderful way to start this morning with your post. I am getting ready to start my 22lb turkey for two. Some habits are hard to break ( lol). But it is the leftovers I always look forward too 😜. As do the rest of my family, who can’t be here this year. Tomorrow I will spread a little turkey happiness. Thank you for sharing your talent with all of us.
Happy and safe holiday,
Kathleen
What a wonderful, peaceful plan you have. Thankful for all you say & do to bring joy, smiles, and a touch of your Island to all of us. Blessings, Susan – to your sweet household and loved ones…including the ‘furry’ ones. (I’ll let you decide who that might be. ) Sharleen
You and Joe have a blessed Thanksgiving. Thankful for the day until we can all celebrate together again…..
Hello Susan,
Happy Thanksgiving to you, Joe and not forgetting Jack! I hope you will have a wonderful day, with hopefully a lovely walk to the beach…?!
Thank you for this very nice post, sharing your thoughts with us, once again. I was VERY happy when you mentioned your plans “set in stone”…..Especially the one, that concerns a ship across the Atlantic, YEAH!!!! I might be jumping to conclusions here, but another SB picnic would be wonderful, and so lovely to look forward to, and make plans for…….Please, let us know if and when you know more!!
We don’t celebrate Thanksgiving here in Holland, but I have started to count my blessings and say Thank You each night when I have finished reading, and am almost falling asleep….and there certainly is something to be grateful for every single day:)
What time of day would you recommend meditating? Early morning? Do you do yoga at all?
Well, have a lovely day, and lots of love from us all, and an extra hug from
Nicoline
xoxo
Dearest Susan and all the girlfriends – Happy Thanksgiving to you all.
I’ve emailed a photograph of an old postcard sent from America in 1919 – hope you get to see it – I put it up every year, on my Welsh dresser. It was sent to a small village in north Wales, Porthmadog – near to where my father was born in Harlech. Not sure if you ever got there on your last trip over, Susan! How exciting you will be returning to the U.K. again! Do let us all know so we can plan a visit to wherever, for a get together once more!
Your blog today is just the ticket! Have a wonderful quiet time this evening à deux 🐈⬛💕
Love
Karen
Cambridgeshire U.K.
🇬🇧 🏴 🇬🇧
Susan, I saved your email-blog for today–our actual Thanksgiving morning. I woke at 630am walked into the kitchen, turned on my bunny lamp and got my coffee. It is always my favorite time of the day–quiet, dark then the day dawning…..This morning I enjoyed your words more than ever, along with all your wonderful photos. THANK YOU never seems enough– but I know you know it is! May your day with your boys Joe & Jack be all that you wish for….
Virtual (( HUGS )) to you… xoxo Joan
I DO know it is… thank you Joan, happy Thanksgiving!❤️
Happy Thanksgiving! I’m sitting here windows opened letting the cool morning air in and I thought I’d take a look at your blog. Happy to hear of you plans for the day. Mine include a family meal later today. We’re eating outside since the weather here in Florida is perfect for it. There will be plenty of room for social distancing even with family we’ve been around. How crazy. I’ve been re-reading your books and just started the England one. Your family stories bring back so many memories of me growing up as number 3 in a family of 9 children. Gosh we had so much fun. Take care and thanks for sharing you life with us. Stay safe.
Happy Thanksgiving 2020 to you , Susan, Joe and Jack,
May you Well
May you be Happy
May you be Peaceful
I am grateful for your loving kindness 🙏🏻❤️
Thank you for always brightening my day. Happy Thanksgiving to you two and to Jack, of course.
Karen B.
Have a safe healthy Thanksgiving. I loved your Beatrix Potter portrait…she is a favorite of mine also.
What a lovely idea for a 3D holiday tree card…I am sure it will be a stand out card to all you send to..All my best!
Thank you, Susan, for being a voice of hope and goodness during a year of challenge and conflict. We are counting our blessings and finding many. We find our ability to feel joy increases as we learn what hardship and sorrow look like. Life still has many good things to offer and lots o joy in the future. I’m really looking forward to it! 😊
I love to hear your thoughts when you and Joe go on your walks. You have a wonderful imagination. Any smell, sound or remembrance can transport us back….or forward in time! King David wrote these wonderful words about our Creator in the form of a song: “I praise you because in an awe-inspiring way I am wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful, I know this very well.” Indeed, we have reason to be thankful for something each and every day.
Happy Thanksgiving dear Susan, Joe, Jack and girlfriends! Wishing you all many beautiful blessings xo Julie Marie
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. Much love and many blessings.
Happy Thanksgiving dear Susan to you as well. From the heart of my home to yours!
Thank you for this thanksgiving blast of hope and goodness. Your words always help me focus on the good stuff. Blessings, health and safety to all.
Thanks to you for all these kind and thoughtful wishes. Always gives me joy to read your posts. We have much to be thankful for with good health and family. Enjoy your intimate fireplace dinner and this beautiful fall weather.
Thankful today that I just read your sweet blog post! Wishing you, Joe and Jack a wonderful Thanksgiving!
So happy to have found your blog and to feel the comfort and love shared in it. I’ve enjoyed your stickers for years and now I have a whole new world to savor and enjoy:))
Thanksgiving will be shared with our son, daughter in law and 3 grandchildren. The twins are 15 months and I babysit them 3 days a week along with their 3 year old brother. It’s a blessing to be able to share this time with them when so many have to stay apart right now. I made a mapel pumpkin cheesecake and my grandma’s chess cakes yesterday. I’ve been making the chess cakes for the past 50 years to carry on a family tradition. Those are the things that keep us going.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and thank you for brightening my corner of the world :))
Yes, they sure are, Candy! Family traditions, nothing like it! Have a wonderful day!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Thank you for the beautiful quote from Chief Seattle…love it!
xoxo
Happy Thanksgiving!! And THANK YOU for all the light and sunshine you bring to our lives. I’m excited about the puzzle…. I’ll be getting that for sure and think I’ll grab a few of those trees for my penpals…. great for snail mail (which I love!!) xo
No big family today but two of my grandchildren & I will have dinner together! It was always my husband’s favorite day & he loved “fixing” the turkey & getting everything together!!! Things change no matter how you pull back so have a lovely day with your boys – Hugs sent!!!
Thank you for taking time out of your Thanksgiving to blog with us. Just my husband, daughter and I this year, very cozy. Prayers are bountiful this year. Counting blessings today. So excited about the puzzles. The trees are adorable, but I was too late as they are sold out which is not surprising as beautiful as they are. I may try my hand at making some from old Susan Branch calendars. I am going to go sign up for my second zoom call with you. My December treat to myself. Blessings to you, Joe and Jack. Thanks for being such a bright spot in our lives. It is appreciated more than you could know. Love, Janet
See you soon Janet! Thank you for the lovely words!💖
Happy Thanksgiving from Canterbury! Have to say that amongst all the cheer of your post I especially loved the picture of you on your laptop raised high with books ergonomically for your neck! This is how I do “lap top” these days too…more like “necktop”! Can’t wait for the virtual event on the 6th!
Gobble, gobble and blessings to you,
Jane
Hi Jane! Nice to see you here! 💝
Happy Thanksgiving Susan, Joe and kitty Jack. So delightful to see your blog on Thanksgiving morning. Starting our morning with a latte and your recipe for cranberry apple cake. Will definitely try the “jam” recipe sounds amazing. My hubby is recovering from skin cancer surgery and we are blessed that all the cancer cells were removed. Just the two of us celebrating our blessings today and missing our children and grandchildren that we haven’t seen for a year. Thank you for bringing such joy to my soul today. Bless you.
This crazy year. It will end, and sooner than we think, we’ll be hugging and crying for joy! 😘
Happy Thanksgiving Susan, Joe and Jack
Thank you for this lovely blog you sent to us, I was so happy to see it in my email.
I just love your photo of the pie crust you did a nice crimping there, and the photo of your wild turkeys. I have just taken out of the oven your recipe for the Apple cranberry crisp from the Autumn book, wow it tastes great I have already had two servings and I have not eaten dinner yet. I also am making chicken today as it is just me and my dog and with all the trimmings . Oh the gravy on the mashed potatoes, you know it’s all about the gravy.
What a fabulous idea to use the book pages from your
Christmas book as an ornament it looks really nice and very different. A Happy Thanksgiving to you all. Although it is raining here on the sea coast of New Hampshire I am hoping it will clear up so I can take my dog to the Great Island Common in New Castle which is a great place to walk and take dogs and walk on the beach.
Stay well and thank you for all you do.
Sounds just lovely, Linda! I’m glad you enjoyed the apple crisp!!❌⭕️
Have a wonderful Turkey (chicken) celebration. It’s just us two with our two furry friends, Annie and Finn. They send purring greetings to Jack. Looking forward to receiving my puzzle. Now the big puzzle is where to work on it. I know I’ll have tons of “help” from my furry pals. It’s a “puzzlement”. Apologies to The King and I.
Happy Thanksgiving! Looking forward to Dec. 6 event!
Love the Christmas book! Gifting it to my girls s they will know how Christmas was when I was a little girl.
Perfect, like a happy little history book!🎄
Happy Thanksgiving!! Always appreciate the warmth your posts add to my day!!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Omgosh I Loved this so very much. Every word, painting, quote and sentiment. Thankful for You, Gracing our lives. 🧡🍁🦃🙏🏼🍂🧡
Have a wonderful New England Thanksgiving.
The house doesn’t SOUND quite right, but it sure SMELLS like Thanksgiving!💝
A most wonderful Happy Thanksgiving to you and your loves, Joe & Jack! I feel so much more light-hearted during the past two weeks, knowing full-well that there is never anything easy in this world, but feeling like we just might make it through after all. Thank you for your positive words. Thank you for your beautiful blog! Thank you for seeing the world through happy eyes. And thank you for your constant inspiration, even in a time of sickness, stress and much unhappiness. There’s always room for happiness!
Your Mom & Dad smile down on you daily!
Love to you and yours!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Deb
Ohhh Debbie, that was sooooo nice. ❣️
Happy Thanksgiving to you both!! Quiet day here, just my husband and I & our youngest son who still lives at home. Missing those friends and family far away today. We are all safe, healthy and have a turkey in the oven. All is well and we are so blessed. Dreaming of this time next year 😊.
Happy Thanksgiving to you, Joe and Jack. Also wanted to say thank you for all the joy and comfort your work has brought to me, your books, your art and everything Heart of the Home. Thank you for being you and sticking with the “Doily Mentality”.
I shall never desert it! It STILL makes me happy! 💖
Nuts!! I saved the new blog post to read on Thanksgiving morning. Those very cute little paper Christmas trees are gone!! I should have known better. I’ve waited to read your blog posts before and missed opportunities. Lesson learned.
Sounds like you’ve cooked up a perfect Thanksgiving. Thank you for all the inspiration you give.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and Joe.
Just heard from Janie and more are coming!!! Yay! ❌⭕️
YIPPPPEEEEEE!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and Joe and Jack, dear Sue. Home for Christmas is such a beautiful book, even when it becomes Christmas Trees! Kellee told me that the trees sold out quickly, so for the Girlfriends who were disappointed, I wanted to let you know that I’ll be making more.
Wishing everyone a safe, healthy, and happy holiday season,
Janie
xoxo
JANIE! What perfect timing! Thank you, a Thanksgiving blessing from you! Hope you are having a WONDERFUL day … we love your new little trees!🎄
😊❤️
I love to see your blog when it arrives! I sure wish you would start doing your yearly ornaments again. I love to unpack them with my other Christmas decorations.
I’ll have to try to do that Kristin!💓
Happy Thanksgiving to you, Joe and Jack! This is our first Thanksgiving in our new home in Maine! It sure does smell good in here. Turkey, stuffing, turnips, etc. And bread pudding with currants and pumpkin pie from our dear friend for dessert with whipped cream, of course. We are feeling grateful for all of the blessings our Lord has bestowed upon us during these difficult times. This is the season not for focusing on what we want but focusing on what we have and being thankful – good food, warmth, blankets, friends, family, the smell of evergreens, fresh air, the view of the bay, snow, our four-footed family, etc. And we can never forget love since love conquers all. I’m so looking forward to hugs and being together with loved ones again. Have a wonderful, peaceful holiday! Love, Karen xoxo
Beautiful blessing-counting Karen!!💖
Happy Thanksgiving!🍁🦃🍽
Thank you for the lovely blog.
I love the Beatrix portrait.
Happy Thanksgiving Susan! I’m so thankful as well!
I love the quotes by Chief Seattle and Mother Theresa. Living in Washington state I often wonder what this beautiful state would be like if the Native Americans hadn’t been sidelined. I can’t help but think it would be even better than it is now. Happy Thanksgiving!
They had gifts to share, and still do.💖 Sometimes I think man’s inhumanity to man knows no bounds. And on the other hand, so much kindness in this world. 💔
Happy Thanksgiving, Susan. Please tell me that they will be making more puzzles. I just went to order and see that it is sold out. Oh, woe is me and he who hesitates… Please make my day and say yes.
I design and license my art to a manufacturer who makes the puzzle and they are the ones who get to make all decisions about how many to order and whether there is a second printing. I HOPE they will do more, I’m telling them PLEASE, but I don’t know yet. We put them up for preorder so we know how many to order from the manufacturer, we TRY to make sure all our Girlfriends who preorder will get one…I’m so sorry, but watch this space because MAYBE we will get more!!!💝
Happy Thanksgiving, Susan! I thought of you yesterday and today as I made and then consumed your wonderfully simple and delicious cranberry sauce. I cooked a small turkey for the two of us because we love the leftovers. Turkey pie! Yum! We certainly do have a lot to be thankful for in a warm house with a bounteous table. We should never take it for granted.
Blessings.
Happy Thanksgiving Susan, Joe, Jack and Girlfriends~ I am so excited to know the puzzle will be out soon; then you will know where I will be. Looks like oodles of fun. You, dear Susan, are our Queen of Domestic fun. Keep up the good work. I’m with you, hugs are on the horizon when the dampanic is over. I need my hugs. In the mean time, I will continue counting my blessings and always counting you twice. xo
Happy Thanksgiving to you and Joe! Loved seeing your post and all of your art. I’m with you when you say you’ll never take a hug for granted!
Wishing you and Joe all the best this holiday season.
Lucy
Dear Susan, Of course I enjoyed your wonderful post, sweet music, recipes, photos of turkeys visiting, flowers, birds at the feeder, cozy fires in the fireplace, and dear Joe and adorable Jack!!!Thank you!
Happy Thanksgiving ! I made your Grandmas stuffing ! Best ever! Family loved it so thanks for sharing. It was a quiet day here but actually very nice. Peaceful and reflective. May God bless us all each and everyone.