So much news, and all-all-ALL of it is good! Isn’t that wonderful? Do you find yourself smiling more these days? I do! Everything seems more beautiful than ever before. I am almost giddy sometimes! I think it’s pure unadulterated appreciation for this start-over time we are having, being with friends again, making wonderful plans! Let me share some of that with you! 🚢🥂🚂 MUSICA!
🎵🎶 Tweet, tweet-tweet, tweet-tweet! 🎵
Such a springtime it’s been! Has it ever been prettier? I don’t think so. Each bloom has been like a marker, part of a seasonal parade, I’ll catch you up ~ the wisteria and the clematis has come and gone . . .
. . . the sun rises with an exclamation point and the garden sings out “Yes!” And I go get the camera. The peonies were gorgeous this year! Utterly utterly…
And this one, given to me by my girlfriends last spring when my mom died ~ just the perfect thing ~ a living tribute that will 
come up every year with a surprise of beauty and sweet reminder of my mother. Just like her, clean, sweet, and simple on the outside, complicated, and one of nature’s wonders inside! Never stops with the giving. Joe and I just made reservations for the TRAIN … we’re going to California in September, in our room with a view, to hug and kiss my family (squeal), and have a family reunion and celebrate our mom/grandma’s life and all she was and is to us. 💞
The rhododendrons and the dogwoods bloomed beautifully ~ and as usual, I thank Mrs. Bowditch, the woman who moved into this house with her husband and four children in 1949 and planted so much of our romantic garden (we’re the caretakers now) .. they’ve come and gone ~ as all things do, and so has the mock orange, the wedding bouquet of our garden! I am in the garden often these tender spring mornings…🌱
Now it’s time for the foxgloves . . .
The roses are blooming too . . .
. . . best roses I’ve had in years! Even the beautiful, fragrant, peach-colored “Just Joey’s” which bloom like mad in California, but until this year, not so much here! They’re doing great!
And the parade marches inside, into my little vases that line…
…the little shelf above my kitchen sink. Joe laughed the other day when I told him this shelf is the very best thing they put in this house! Pure genius! My wand, my Beatrix Potter people, little vases and flowers! Birdfeeders on the other side of the windows with view of the garden! Everything I need!
I’ve been drying laundry outside and airing the quilts on breezy days ~ with wide blue skies, sunshine, sea breezes, and birdsong! It’s truly the best musica anywhere . . . 🎵 🎶🎵 🎶
I go out with my scissors to cut flowers and look back through the screen door to see Jack on his ironing board perch, watching me like a hawk! He stops me in my tracks. Everything is Him!
When he sees me looking at him, he starts flirting immediately, rolling over and squirming and almost falling off the ironing board!
He can’t help it if he’s adorable!
We pulled the tiny fountain out of the barn, filled it with water, and surrounded it with porch flowers . . .
And Joe planted our new Dahlia garden. It’s our first one ~ it’s SO exciting… the tubers arrived, we got 23 different varieties . . . and I went out and made a schematic on paper to “decorate” with the different colors, so Joe would know where to plant them. 
He did a gorgeous job … Everywhere you see a green stake is a different dahlia, all sizes, shapes, and colors ~ can’t wait until they bloom. Like a little gift under the tree that we can’t unwrap for weeks!
Doesn’t it look organized? And you know what else we did in this brand new world where we’re allowed to leave the house sometimes? We bought a new car! There it is! It’s actually a 2020, but new to us, we have 
joined the Subaru Forester club … isn’t it cute? I love it but, it looks like every other car on the road! We’re never going to find it in the Costco parking lot! I’m still not quite used to the push-button start. We’ve only had one car ever since my old 1982 Volvo finally said bye-bye (after 40 years of perfect service ~ I’m of the “if it ain’t broke” school of thought)! All we’ve had is the van for the last year … we’ve been joined at the hip. Now I can go somewhere, and Joe can go somewhere else, and all at the same time! How novel! Note: Rhododendrons and the wisteria . . . see how fluffy?
But I digress, we’re talking dahlias . . . and LOOK! Our first milestone, they ARE coming up! (One worries. Actually, two worries.)
Every morning, after checking on the dahlias, out to the woods we go . . . to walk the sun-dappled dirt road through the shady green to where the pond opens to the sea . . .
The wonderful thing about walking on dirt instead of asphalt, is how kind it is to your knees! Also, less breathing of car fumes… years and years of doing this adds up!
These days (except when we get to the sea where we take them out), we walk with AirPods in our ears … Joe has one, I have the other, and we listen to the same book (from my iPhone) … it’s Hamnet now, a not-THAT fictional story of Shakespeare’s son … who’s name was actually Hamnet … it’s finely woven and beautifully written with the few Shakespeare facts we do know. . . so it’s fact-based . . . we’re only a few pages into it, but so far, I’m loving it. We love historical novels. If any of you, hint-hint, think you might be visiting Shakespeare’s home in the future, this would be a fun read!
This is the actual house of Shakespeare’s wife, Anne (Agnes) Hathaway. Joe has to watch his head! Look how crooked it is! And still standing! It’s wonderful! Can you imagine how she would feel if she knew? But again, I digress . . . we’re supposed to be walking now! Here we go… MUSICA
These days there’s lots of action around the water’s edge . . . and when you’re on foot, you don’t miss seeing the little things . . .
Me, too . . .
Lots of new babies amid the sparkles, guarded by their watchful parents . . .
Festive, happy, grateful people out digging for clams and canoeing, communing with nature! It smells wonderful out there!
The waves roll in toward “Stonehenge” of Martha’s Vineyard ~ but this stone circle is much more transient, like the seasons on the island ~ it goes away every winter, but it’s back, a little changed, every summer. But just like Stonehenge, you see it, you like it, you take pictures of it, and you wonder, “why?” . . . People being people, because we can.💞
And one more celebratory thing before I get down to business . . . this:⬆️ Speaking of yes we can: Girlfriends, off-island, TOGETHER, having LUNCH in a FRENCH restaurant, WITH wine, in the middle of the day, AND shopping. Okay? See what I mean? It’s because we’re free, and so happy to celebrate! We’ve only done this once, but once is so many more times than we’ve done it in the last year and a half!
Soft spring nights having dinner next to the water with dear old friends . . . I turned back to look as we were leaving our table … and had to take this photo for you . . . isn’t it insane? How can this BE? Just a little moment in time. Our beautiful earth. These vaccines have set us free! I pray everyone gets them so we can live like this forever!
Speaking of beautiful … wasn’t it wonderful to see the Queen, all dressed in flowers, out and about, so chipper, joking, and full of smiles? She truly set the tone with that smile ~ an inspiration for everyone . . . she seemed as overjoyed as I’ve been feeling . . .🌸
…despite the losses. But like her, we won’t forget. We are still honoring what happened to us all… our common grief . . . I saw this memorial, each flag representing a lost soul during the pandemic, while driving through Falmouth ~ every small town and big city in America has one… But despite it all, Queen Elizabeth showed us, with her action, despite profound loss, life is for the living. At age 95, she gave hope. A profound gift to everyone.🇬🇧
So, off to work we go! What have I been doing, you may ask? 
This. Spring cleaning to the nth degree! I’ve been getting ready for our neighborhood yard sale ~ happening next Saturday the 26th! And I have to say, instead of bemoaning the never-ending work that goes into doing this after twenty years🤪, I feel lucky to be lightening our load in a recycling kind of way! For all the joy I found in finding and using these charming old treasures all these years, it makes me happy to think soon it will be someone else’s turn!
Even a yard sale has it’s pretty moments! I can’t help myself. I tie things in ribbons.
I washed, and dried the linens on the line, thanking them for the memories as I say goodbye. I chose to believe that red embroidered monogram said S B … but I do believe it will be just as easy for a G B to think it was made for them!
I love these old things, I’m amazed at the kind of work that went into making them and wonder about the world they were born into … wishing they could talk! I think the initials here are D C, but it’s very hard to tell ….there might be an I in there. I never cared to know for sure, it was the beauty of the work I could not say no to!
Love all the little embroidery and lace trim . . . the heaviness of the old cottons, the sheerness of some of the fine linens…the colors in the old quilts.
This tablecloth has tiny appliqués of flowers and butterflies all over it, sewn with the tiniest of stitches. As I fold these linens, I 
remember the parties where I used them, and think about the good ju-ju they will bring to the lucky person who gets them next. Letting go, while reveling in the memories.♥️ Joe brings in a box from the barn marked “Yard Sale” ~ I open it and say, “OMG, I forgot all about this!!”
These wonderful old books have decorated our tables at lots of dinner parties!
Vintage tea pots, pin cushions, sewing baskets with their strange vintage contents from a bygone era (irresistible, I have four, three for the yard sale, one for me!), books, dishes, throw pillows, cups, rugs, baskets, 
kitchenware, dish towels, furniture, garden things ~ Joe’s in charge of tools and man stuff . . . Like native Americans I believe everything has a soul and a destiny and that these things deserve to escape the cardboard box, the dark cupboard, the messy barn, to run free and be useful. My girlfriend Margot likes to anthropomorphize her things, she says it makes it easier to say goodbye ~ I laughed so hard with her on the phone when she said, “Run little pie plate, run!” And FYI: I did try to do a yard sale in my webstore, but it 
takes so long to measure everything (laying tablecloths and linen towels out on the dining room floor to measure them ~ Jack positions himself in the middle!), take pictures, front, back, sides, and bottom, write a description for each item, upload and send pics to Kellee so she can put them up on the website ~ and time is the one thing I’m running out of … although we did get a few things up, and I am saving others, things that are so good, they should go to you . . . which I’ll get to after this imminent looming event is over!
Yard sales . . . we have everything for PLM, People Like Me, people with . . .
But the world does not stop for a Yard Sale! Yes, I’m telling you the truth! It does not!
New things have come in! A new dream charm! Filled with blue skies, fluffy white clouds and rainbows! Perfect timing for our world right now.
It has “Go. Be. Love.” engraved on it . . . Kellee put it up in the webstore a couple of weeks ago!
This too, Janie made us a new Courage banner . . . with the most darling gift envelope.
Can there ever be too much of this? Never! Even the good things require it! Janie also made us beach banners! A Secret Notes are back! All Here.
And LOOK, the samples arrived!!! One of each of the new cups was sent from England, so I can approve the final color! I’ve been drinking out of them! I love them! Here’s “Blessed” (the other two items in this photo are not part of the arrivals!).
And here’s “Rabbit-Rabbit” … I am thrilled with them ~ the only change I requested was to make the dark lines around the bunnies slightly lighter … I also asked them to lighten up a bit around their “toes” … I want them to look pink!
But look how cute “Rabbit-Rabbit” is with the rest of the “collection!” We needed a cup with a pink background!
And the last one is Winter! I did a reprint because so many of you asked . . . one of my prettiest cups, and smaller than the other two as you can see in the photo below.
Here are the “backs” of each cup … which I try to make as pretty as the “fronts” so no matter which hand you drink with, you are happy!💞
And here are the handles . . . the “Blessed” cup is a little hard to read in this photo, it says “My favorite prayer is Thank you.”
And the bottoms . . .
Ta-daaaa! Kellee just put them up for presale … go HERE! They should arrive from England the end of September or the first of October . . . you know they are special order and limited in number . . . I have to tell them soon how many to make … I think I know, but I just want to make sure you all get one if you want one!
But right now, for even more fun . . . how about a give-away?
I have three prizes for you today . . . one Fourth of July cup… (it’s out of stock, this is an extra I found in the cupboard!)
And to celebrate this amazing spring, despite the fact that yesterday was the FIRST day of SUMMER! ~ two “Spring cups.” To be entered, just leave a message in “comments” down at the bottom of this post, you’ll see tiny letters and at the end of the words, click on “comments” and voila! We’ll have a drawing in a little while and announce the winner here, but for now, you are ALL winners, so enjoy!
I told you it was all good news! And now, what many of you have been waiting for ~ NEWS about the England trip!
Joe and I went out to lunch and did our favorite thing … brought our books and talked about our trip to England next year 
. . . I wanted to figure out really special tours for all of you who might wish to take one when you arrive, tours that would make you feel as if you were walking through my book A Fine Romance. And, I wanted you all to be able to come to the PICNIC we planned! You know we found a great travel agency, one that does tours for 15 or less people, and takes care of EVERYTHING, so you don’t have to worry about ANYTHING! Between us we worked out 3 different tours, each of them lasting 8 days, all wonderful places Joe and I have been to … your biggest problem is to choose just one! These tours are a win-win-win! They all end up in London, where you can either go home, stay for a few more days, or join another tour! And, on the last day, before you go to London, all the buses come back to the most beautiful park I’ve ever seen, called Stourhead, where, after our time on the ship together, and then time on each of the tours, we will meet back up with stories to share! Is that good or what?!
So here are the basics: but first, mas MUSICA!
The Queen Mary sails from New York harbor May 1, 2022. We will arrive in Southampton on May 8th. People who choose to go on a tour will be picked up at the ship ~ and off they will go for a week of fun in the English Countryside. I can’t wait until you see the itineraries! They’ve kept me in dreamland for the last few weeks! Different clothes, but nothing else has changed!
So far, 98 staterooms, filled with US! Kindred spirits! have been booked!👏 Isn’t that wild? The ship is almost sold out! If you try to make reservations and are thwarted in any way, ask to be put on the wait list. I’m told that many people will cancel at the end of the year (everyone has up until Dec. 31 to cancel for a full 
refund), so there’s a good chance you’ll get a reservation.
To sign up for the ship crossing, contact Susan Gannon at 800-468-7752 x41663 or Cunard reservations 800-728-6273 ~ tell them you’re with Group #TNM (USA) or, #TN3 (Canada), Voyage M211, with the “Susan Branch Girlfriend Group.” They handle the ship questions, but have nothing to do with the tours… fyi.
To see photos of the ship, go HERE.
I have lots of on-board fun planned … but it’s a little early for full confirmations for some things, I’m waiting until closer to the time to make sure! I’ll be talking about this for the next year! The best part, is that we will all have each other, kindred spirits!
Our Picnic will be in the world famous garden at Stourhead, Sunday, May 15, at approximately 12:30 pm… on a beautiful lawn in front of the grass bridge like you see below . . . it’s one of our 
favorite places in England, pure magic, where we had our very first picnic! You are all invited. And that includes EVERYONE, that means you, Brits, and you over there in Norway, and YOU, out there in Spain! ALL our Girlfriends, everywhere! We’ll be waiting there for you on May 15th, 2022, at 12:30 pm, join us if you can! If you’ve elected to take a tour, the buses will stop so you can get a picnic lunch, and they will bring everyone back that day! The rest of you are on your own, but England makes travel VERY easy, as I’m about to show you.
FYI on the tours, you are all welcome to join any of the tours ~ you don’t have to take the ship … you can fly over if you like, you just have to get to Southampton to meet the bus! Talk to Kelsey, as mentioned below. (FYI, speaking of below, that’s Sissinghurst White Garden!)
To see the different tours: Go to www.discovereuropeltd.com/susan-branch print them out and read through them, you can check out most of the places in my book 
if you like, … and then call Kelsey Matson and her coworker at Discover Europe LTD with your questions ~ they handle everything having to do with tours (but not the ship). Call Kelsey from 9 to 5 EST, M-F, at 866-563-7077. FYI, they have almost the exact same cancellation program as Cunard ~ for a full refund you must cancel by January 1. So that gives everyone time to try this all on for size! For any of you that may want a longer tour, maybe go to Scotland, or go up to the Lake District, just let Kelsey know. She can arrange pretty much anything as long as there are enough of you to warrant the trip. You can work it out between yourselves on my Facebook page! And remember, we are a large group. We have a year to get this done, so in case she doesn’t get back to you immediately, I promise, she is wonderful and she will!
And, for you who you get off the ship but don’t wish to go on a tour? What to do, what to do? The options are basically endless. There are buses and trains to London, you can hire a private car, you can go with a group. Talk to others on my Facebook page, and perhaps put something together there. Everything you want to know is available in the Google machine.
If you feel comfortable driving and wish to do so, you’re fine, you can rent a car in Southampton. And for those of you who’d rather have a driver, there are many choices. There are cabs at 
the ship in Southampton, they can take you to a bus, or train, or you can arrange for a car to pick you up and take you to London (it’s only 1 hr. 42 min) where you won’t need a car, because they have cabs and the Underground! Totally civilized. They even speak a language that’s very much like English! Extremely handy! You can get a city map and do the MUST SEE things like Westminster Abbey. You can get on a red double decker bus and see the city. There are airport transfers from your hotel to the airport for your flight home. And London is where many day-trips originate, which take you everywhere, from Bath, to Sissinghurst, to Oxford! Just Google!
You bring so much joy into all your massages. Thank you
for sharing all of your wonderful memories.
I miss living in Mashpee, Ma. so much… but the Kentucky blue grass
is nice too.
A wonderful update. Your gardens are lovely!!
I loved your post- just like a newsy ‘letter’.
How joyous is your heart! Your enthusiasm is infectious! Thank you for making my day, with your sweet words!
Sincerely, Suzanne
I love your work! I try to buy something each and every year~ Keep it all coming!
Oh to go on that trip with you!! I’d love to.
I love everything Susan! I sure wished we lived near you!
Your mood has definitely improved in these past few posts. 🙂
Every day is better, thank you Sarah!
Hi Sweet Susan, All sounds so wonderful. Not only back at Martha’s Vineyards but all the beauty that is going on . Your trip next year sound so wonderful but for most of us just getting outside and feeling free ( somewhat) of the Covid Lockdown is a blessing. Here in California we still for the most part are wearing masks but able to be outside ………… Hope you may be planning a book signing out here soon…….. . Will wait for response. Sure hope I win a mug I treasure all your books, mugs, calendars and gorgeous fabrics and I try not to miss seeing you when you come to CA. Have a beautiful summer and know your girlfriends are always close by and read ALL your blogs! Hugs! Madelyn
It always adds a dash of cheer to the day to sit down at the computer with a cup of tea and discover an email from you in the in-box.
Thank you for your sweet generosity! Can’t wait to see who wins! Hope it’s me!!!
Such lovely springtime beauty surrounding your home…both inside and out! What a cheery post this was! Happy summer to you!
I love rabbit’s. Thank”s for making a rabbit cup.
How fun it is to read all good news!!! Thanks!
Welcome back to freedom!
So much to do after so much darkness. Joy!
Oh my, that 4th of July cup is beautiful! Love it!
OH, you ate at Bleu, my favorite restaurant. I dream about their caramel rice pudding dessert much more than anyone really should !
I have to send you sincere THANKS for this and all of your posts. As I sit in Tucson, AZ during what has been a very hot June, I appreciate the images of life in a greener and wetter world. The miracles of life and renewal are most evident in Spring, but Summer always has some surprises too. It is just harder to get outside to find them in 110+ degrees.
Sarah,
I’m in California so I know what you mean about the heat!!! We are on day 7 or 8 of 105+ and no real end in sight. Very hot and very dry! My roses look nothing like Susan’s. I love the lush, and as you say, “wetter” photos as well 🙂
OH my… that’s too long and too much! Praying for a cooling for you!
Try going nocturnal, it may help.
Best wishes from the east of you~
Sizzlin’ Newer Mexico!
Once again dear girl you have brightened my day!
Wonderful picture of the queen!
I want to go buy a floral dress! Very cheery.
Your pink peonies remind me of those big fat pink mints that dissolve in your mouth!
Gorgeous peonies this year!
All of your flowers are so lovely, Susan……..but those peonies are breathtaking and absolutely gorgeous!
Thanks for including a quote from Rupert Brooke. I fell in love with him when I met him in high school literature class many years ago! I talked about him so much that my family gave me a book of his poems one year and I still have it.
It IS delightful to be out and about again. I thank all of the people who were involved in developing the vaccines and getting them to us. So grateful!
❤️Always the bright ☀️ spot in my day to read your beautiful words!❤️
Love ALL your good news!
I am so excited about the possibility of maybe winning the July 4th china cup. I have always loved it and missed it. I do have the sweet spring cup and I do love them all but that July 4th, second only to my Santa cup and maybe my England cup. Plus it’s in my favorite color…red, white & blue!
xoxo
I so look forward to these blogs from you. And they make me long for Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard. Love the new cups, especially Rabbit, Rabbit. I keep thinking I will get the courage, the money and the time to move back to New England. One can always dream.
Wonderful to read your cheery post! Been missing your words and wisdom!
Lovely post! The spring cups are perfect! I agree, everything seems brighter and more beautiful now that the clouds have parted!
Oh, Susan, you are so right in believing Stourhead is the most beautiful garden!! My friend for the past 60 years and I traveled England using your books as guides. The very first garden we visited was Stourhead!! Amazing and magical!
As always – your post is a breath filled with joy! I wish I could go shopping at your yard sale, instead you’ve inspired me to organize one with my neighbors. It can be combined with a neighborhood party to celebrate summer and being able to interact once again!
Thank you, Susan, for brightening my day!
Kindest regards, Nancy D.
What a happy, happy, joy, joy post! I really needed it today. Except for the intense longing with tears of wanting to go on that trip. Maybe I’ll buy a couple of lottery tickets every week for a while. I love that spunky Queen! She is really an amazing person and such a trooper. The flowers are so lovely – such gorgeous peonies! I love dahlias, too – can’t wait to see how they do.
That road you can walk on to the beach is always so enticing. I can never resist a path like that. I moved from an overcrowded town to the country three years ago and have been dismayed to find out we had SO MUCH more nature where we were! Yes the traffic was horrible, but we had so many nature places to go and walk and here there is nothing for a long ways, and our road has little open space. Walking with nature and my dogs is my sanity and joy! But I do love driving to the next town to the nearest grocery store and having no one riding my bumper.
I love the new mugs. Thanks for the chance to win one! I wish I could come to your yard sale but a bit too far from Georgia! I look forward to your posts about your trip and to the next book that brings the UK closer to me, “going home to a place I’ve never been before.”
Enjoyed reading this with a cup of tea dreaming about winning a cup.
I wish that this blog was going to my son, Joshua and his wife, Eugenie who are both professors in England—-Eugenie in Loughborough, Leicestershire where they reside—-Joshua in neighboring Leicester. They are dual citizens in the USA and England and value so much of what you have posted about gardens and much more. I thought of them all the while I was reading your extraordinary post. Thank You!
Send them a link! xoxo
Oh I’d love to come to your yard sale! Love to win a mug too!
The Rabbit Rabbit cup takes my breath away! Our family has been playing this forever! Thank you!
Thanks for sharing SPRING!! Beautiful! Beautiful! Hope to see lots of pictures when you get back from England next year. LUV Barb
Hi Susan,
Love your new cups! Wishing you a happy summer!
Take care!
Love, love, the 4th of July cup. I hope, I hope, I hope.
Oh my, what plans! I wish I was going but can’t travel that far away any more. I’d would be just as happy to win one of your beautiful cups though. Hint, hint. You’re garden is looking super lovely. I give up on mine. Weeded the flower beds last week and got poison ivy as my reward! I’m covered in calamine lotion and staying away from green things. Happy Summer!
I was so happy to see your blog today. “Hi” to you, Joe and Jack.
Your flowers are absolutely gorgeous. Here in southeastern Iowa we’ve gotten a break from temps in the 90’s. Today the wind is from the north and temps are in the 70’s. Delightful! Really need rain but our rain barrels are full thanks to rain we received earlier in the spring. Our gardens and flower beds are quite content at the moment.
Looking forward to family reunions this summer. Fun with family and friends. And yes, smiles are everywhere! Happy, happy, happy!
It’s always so good to hear from you again, Susan. Am dreaming of joining you for the trip and, it’s a very sweet dream, indeed! Thank you.
Catherine
The highlight of my day is to have a nice cup of coffee using one of your mugs. I have many of them in my Susan Branch Collection making it difficult to choose each day! They bring such joy. Perhaps my favorite is the Fourth of July mug which was unfortunately chipped by the water faucet. It is on display but with the chipped side facing the wall. Fingers are crossed, I get selected for the Fourth of July mug! Now…onto ordering the latest mugs for my collection! Many thanks for the joy!!
Such a breath of fresh air to read your post! Thank you!
You are SO right that Stourhead is the most magical garden! My friend, of 60 years and counting, traveled England from Mere (near Stourhead) to Bibury (Cotswolds) to the Lake District and finally in Jane Austen country…all using your books as guides. Thank you so much for all the information and suggestions! We are looking forward to your next book:)
Susan Beth
Oh, what fun for the travelers and for the armchair travelers!!
We celebrate our 45th on the 3rd of July, so the Americana mug would be WONDERFUL!! Fingers crossed.
Enjoy the yard sale. Fun, fun, fun as my aunt used to say!!
What glorious news & pictures, definitely made my day! The England trip sounds absolutely amazing, wish I could go, y’all have fun now!
Lovely update, Susan! It is good to be out and about a bit again. I enjoyed the pictures of your flowers. Just beautiful!
Susan. Thanks for sharing your happy thoughts and beautiful photos. We are moving in September and I too am passing on some of my treasures. Paula Demarest
Yard sales are a huge amount of work, but some lucky people will find real treasures in your yard!
The new mugs are beautiful and I would love to win one. Thanks for the generous give away.
Lovely, as always! Thank you !
Lovely, lovely as always. Your gardens are sublime. Would love to spend an afternoon breathing them all in!!
Susan, always a pleasure to receive a blog update. Everything sounds and looks like you again. Not everyone is transitioning back as well, but this lovely Spring in New England has helped. 15 mos of isolation did a lot of damage, understandably. We learned how to endure and we’re all stronger because of it. The evening news has never been worse, regardless of the improvements, so we all need to stay in the garden and focus on Mother Nature. Thank you for your positive efforts!
PS Don’t hurt your back ✨
Hi Susan!
Love, love, love your new tea cups! Your paintings and photos always make me smile. You are truly a day brightener!!
Take care,
Denise
Susan, Joe, and Jack…..
You all have the most perfect lives. I envy you but, live through you. I am a former Mainer and I miss it ( Maine) everyday albeit, I am exactly where I want to be…near my children and my precious grandchildren. I am a teacher and today was our last day of school so it is truly “Summer Break” for me…..I can not wait. Enjoy your beauty…beach, garden, picnics, books..etc. Thank you as always for the field trip.
Smiles,
Liz
Thanks for another lovely blog post. Enjoying your flowers and Jack also. I have the spring cup but would love to win the 4th of July cup.
Love to be in your drawing for the cups. You have expressed this Spring so well. We will remember it for years. We are free and life has celebrated by bursting forth around us. It is good to be us.
spring, spring, everywhere. in the garden, in the roses, on the porch listening to the birds tweeting as they build their nest in the eaves. watching the babies fledge as nature takes care of the cycles of life. smells, sounds, breezes, all good, good!
Halloooo Susan!
Please enter me to win your delightful cup!
Lots of excitement in this household: For his
Father’s Day present last weekend, I booked
us, my husband and me, on the May 2022 sail!
Can’t wait to see whats in store in your land tours.
Cheers!
Your peonies are breathtaking! As are all your other blossoms, but nothing can equal that first peony. 💕💕💕
Another awesome newsletter!!
Susan,
Your artwork and your books — cookbooks and stories — just make me happy. Have a lovely summer.
Your England trip sounds soooo lovely – I wish I could join you! My husband and I spent a month in England, Scotland and Wales back in 1984 and it was one of the best trips we ever went on – simply magical! I have followed your previous trips there, and love being reminded of what a special place England is!
Happy Summer, dear Susan and family! I look forward to hearing from you and your wonderful life on dear Martha’s Vineyard.
Thanks so much,
Robin C
Dear Susan, How exciting to have planted your first dahlia garden! They are my favorite flowers. So varied in beauty and size! We visited Swan Island Dahlias in Oregon on vacation a few years ago and now order new tubers every year from their wonderful catalog. Good luck with your blooms!
Dear Susan, Thank you for all your positivity and beautiful, cheery art work and photos. Here in my neck of California, it is hot, hot. hot and the sunflowers and dahlias are in full bloom. Don’t know what my garden will be like come August, at this rate! Anyway, love the pics of your garden, so keep them coming!
The England trip sounds like such a dream!
Hi Susan.
I wish I was there for the yard sale!! I love the embroidered linens.
Thank you so much for the giveaway. I have my fingers crossed!!
Oh Susan… your blog is a breath of fresh air every time it arrives in my email! I love your outlook on life and am so inspired by you! ❤️❤️❤️
Susan Barnes (another SB – I need to buy the linens 😀)
LOL, and for you, the SB would be perfect!
What a delightfully cheerful post Susan, so lovely to hear your news. Isn’t it wonderful to be out and about again meeting up with friends. I have to ask though – you left at least an inch of wine in the bottle on the table after your sunset meal, what is wrong with you people 🤷♀️?! Xx
LOL, Trying to be cool!🤪
Enter to win
Wish I could be at the yard sale! Your “ gifts” will become new treasures for some lucky person! Can you lend me Joe to plant dahlias for me? Will need to bring the planting chart you created😊. Happy summer!
Your England trip sounds fun, I like it there. I got to go there twice when I tagged along on business trips with my husband.
I really needed this today. Thanks for cheering me up!
Dear Sussn. I would be most interested in.purchasing the little read leather Shakespeare books. I am 67 yrs old and at age 14 began a collection of the books pur hasing one per week. I have 26 but not the complete set. I live in Ontario Canada
Each time you post a picture of your linens hanging on the line out in the beautiful sunshine, I am immediately transported to my childhood. My grandmother would always hang her wash out (in good weather, of course). I can hear the snap of the cloth in the breeze, and I can smell that sunshine-y goodness that her linen closet always smelled like! It definitely takes me back to that simpler time, and brings a smile to my face.
How lovely to hear from you sweet girl friend. I will be with you in spirit aboard the ship and loving every minute. Enjoy your summer on the cape. Look forward to hearing from you on your trip to California this fall. Wouldn’t miss an email from you !
Loved reading all your news and wish I could come to your yard sale! Except I should probably have one too — ha ha! What treats for those who get to your sale.
Hello Susan, Girlfriends and Happy Summer. sounds like you have been one busy lady so far. we are pretty busy ourselves here, planning a huge yard sale to get rid of things, items and such for the in-laws, and of course our baby chicks and ducklings have arrived and are in the brooder and doing very well. the 2 ducklings arrived last Tuesday and the baby chicks arrived this past Friday so we can breath easier now and finish the work on the pen and keep the peeps happy and healthy. unfortunately i cannot say things are going well for MIL as she has been refusing to eat again and this time she lost a major amount of weight. she went from 105 pounds to 90 pound and the doctor is simply furious with her right now and tells her if she does not eat he will have her force-fed. not an appealing idea as i have no idea how they do that, but she has to eat to maintain her health and keep up her strength. and unfortunately FIL is not much help when it comes to getting her to eat. she will chow down on chips, cookies and snacks but refuses to eat proteins like meat, seafood or eggs to help herself. and she totally refuses to eat fruit and veggies. she is going to the doctor today for test to find out why she is refusing to eat and if the tests show that she is able to eat and digest these foods than either a diet will written out for or it goes to force-feeding. we tried trying to bribe her again, eat your egg sandwich or soup and you can have the cookies after you clean the plate routine. no luck with that, we put a meal in front of her and all she wanted was the dessert, she was told eat your meal or no dessert or goodies and we meant it. the nurse that is there to look after her keeps trying but so far no luck. other than that we are looking forward to peaceful and busy summer with all the new babies in the barnyard. sadly no veggie garden this year, we have been so busy we haven’t had the time to grow the garden. oh well maybe next year. off to go water the front lawn and check on the peeps and refill their water container with clean water and put in more fresh food, they eat like they are starving and drink gallons of water… i am surprised they are not floating in the pools. take care and stay healthy, safe and happy. Happy summer everyone. lots of hugs……. 😀
Good luck Pat, I hope it gets easier! xoxo
Hello Susan, thank you for the kind words and thought. if i did not know any better i would be thinking that MIL has just given up and that may be somewhat true. but for now, find out the test results and go from there. we have been somewhat successful with warm chicken broth so we are getting something nutritious in her. do you think all the girlfriends along the gulf coast and the east coast could get together and send us some rain and cool breezes on the west coast. we are getting toasted here, and it is supposed to get hotter this weekend, we can use the rain, just a few bucketfuls or so. i just love the nice cool pictures and i wish i could be there to cool off. hugs….. 😀
I find it hard to believe that anyone loving potato chips has actually given up! That seemed like a clue to me. I was thinking how you could make hamburger look like cupcakes or chocolate chip cookies! Praying for rain for you! So difficult! Take care!
Hello Susan, we just got the preliminary results of the tests on MIL and the doctors do like what they are seeing… they suspect it is stomach cancer, but not 100% sure until they do a biopsy. just what we need right now, but surely someone who can snack away on things like cookies, chips, marshmallow peeps and snacks can eat other things. we are now using the frozen lemonade as a bribe to get her to eat soups and good food for her, no eat no frozen lemonade and she loves the frozen lemonade. looks like a hot weekend ahead…109 degrees… yipes!!!!!
Hope she gets a clean bill of health!
It is so wonderful to see the flowers of spring on your post, Susan. I cannot wait to see the results from your dahlia garden! You spoil us so much!
I’m first to comment!!?? Wow! Absolutely lovely post. Thanks so much.
I am so excited! Spending the next few months planning our own, shortened trip in the English countryside, using your book!❤ But I think the best will be aboard the Queen Mary with everyone! Thank you Susan for this special present to us!
So happy that returning to normal happened in the spring when the earth is blooming with life! It just seems perfect. I’m sad I will not be on Martha’s Vineyard to stroll by the neighborhood yard sale, maybe next year.
Oh, Susan! EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. Your blogs make my heart happy. It’s truly like a personal visit with you on your island. These photos are extra gorgeous, just as you said…we are all appreciating our “comeback,” for sure..everything is sweeter, more beautiful, more pleasurable…what a perk to experience after such a rotten year and a half.
I still don’t know how you fit everything you do into each day! My stuffy life is blessed with your whirlwind existence..vicarious pleasure to know you. I sat here with a huge Cheshire cat smile on my face, enjoying every word you sent us. Thank you for brightening my day.
It just looks like a lot because I stuff a month of doings into one “little” post! ♥️
Nice try…..but I don’t believe you! LOL!!! You are wonderfully adept at filling your every waking moment with things worthwhile. I’m certain of it! Lucky us who get to have a little window on your world.
LOL! xoxo
Ouuuuu, yes! “Hamnet” was one of my favorite books this year. BTW, I highly recommend visiting the three Shakespeare homes in/near Stratford-on-Avon and seeing a play at the Royal Shakespeare Company. (Even my slightly-allergic to Shakespeare hubby enjoyed it all.) The only thing almost as good as being in England is the anticipation of being in England again. Enjoy!
We put it on one of the tours!!!
The mugs are marvelous….. making memories! Remember London is Calling!
Thank you for the beautiful pictures and quips that reflect restored freedoms while gentle breezes blow away much sadness over our long social isolation. Will there be menfriends on the Queen Mary trip along with girlfriends? I’d like to bring one with me. I’m not registered yet, but it gets more exciting the more I hear about it.
Yes, yes, men friends too, Joe is coming, lots of men are! Bring yours!
My day is always brightened when I see a new blog has posted! Just imagine starting each morning with one of the beautiful mugs – now there’s an extra special day brightener!!
Oh it was so good to read your post today ! Just what I needed!
Beautiful post! Contest for mugs p,ease.
Such a lovely post. Your happiness shines through. We can see you smiling with a happy heart.
Your flower tour was gorgeous.
And good to see Jack. He makes me smile.
I ❤️ the cups!
Thank you for a beautiful letter to read on such a BleSseD day!
All of your mugs are adorable and I would LOVE to add another to my collection!
Thank you for another wonderful, uplifting post! You always brighten my day, and remind me to celebrate the beauty and wonder of everyday things.
Such good news to read as 8 have afternoon tea. I wish I could go on trip but I shall follow as though I am. So lovely to hear from you.
Susan, thank you so much for the blog posting. Such good news and the fact that you have other updates besides the upcoming trip information. Those of us that aren’t going appreciate the other happy news. I’m so excited for those that are making the journey with you and I plan on following you via your blog. Glad my birthday is coming, I NEED the winter cup. Best of luck with the yard sale. Cleaning out feels so good.
Your stories always brighten my day!! Thank you!!
Love everything about Susan Branch! Newsletters, calendars, all the cups and other beautiful things to beautify our lives! And Susan -your authentic loving self!!❤️
All of your mugs are so beautiful! Your artwork is so appealing. Today we’re enjoying some overcast skies and a bit cooler weather than one expects on the first day of summer in Dallas, TX. I’m off to bake some bread!
So glad to read your happiness!! I am so grateful that things are getting back to normal. I love the painting of the cows going over the bridge in the countryside. Is that one of yours? It is lovely….
Hello Sue B!
I loved your Blog, and you are always so inspirational to us!!
I absolutely adore your beautiful garden this year, and the white pickets look so wonderful all freshly painted! ♥️😍 Great job Joe!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
I have an enormous garden this year, and I also planted the biggest pumpkin patch ever with four varieties! I am growing one of those giant pumpkins, and one of them is already the size of a beach ball! 😂. If it gets to be 200 pounds, it might just have to stay in the backyard!
We love where we live now, and you can pretty much garden all year long! It just takes so much water, and it’s not cheap here! 😬
Hey Susan, I just wanted to put a little bug in your ear… do you think that sometime down the road, you could have another Girlfriends picnic somewhere here in the US again? I missed the last one, and I would love to join up with everyone sometime! The England trip won’t work for me this time, but it sure looks like a lot of fun! The girlfriends will love all being together with you on that beautiful ship! 🚢. Your yard sale things look like things that I love, and people will love finding treasures from you! Have fun blessing people that come to your neighborhood sale! ♥️♥️
Enjoy your summer, and thank you for sharing your fun life with the rest of us!
I love you Sue!! ♥️😘.
Hugs to you, Susan! What a bright, happy, uplifting blog. We are all so
lucky to be back with those things and people we love. Life is good.
The cups are gorgeous