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!
A wonderful news filled letter as always. I love hand written letters as my Mother and both grandmothers were letter writers. Even a store bought card deserves an additional hand written note, in MHO. LOL! Here in Nashville we are in full blown Summer, hot, humid days with iced beverages and chilled fruit to keep us cool.
Thank you for another enjoyable blog. Happy summer!
Thank you Susan for such a beautiful post. I appreciate the time you devote to creating your artwork as well as your artful words!
Happy Springtime and Happy Solstice to you! Your cups are almost as charming as Jack! I always enjoy your posts💕
The new cup designs are so cute! I enjoy seeing your garden and the beach. Is it just me, or does the year seem to be going fast? Happy Summer everyone!
So happy to hear you excited and filled with enthusiasm. For so many years you have given us happiness and mirth when needed. After 16 years I still reach for the phone to tell my Mom when I have seen my first robin each year. I hope I always will!
Glad summer is bringing out the sunshine within you! You are back to your old self again. Thank you, for your wonderful post. Take care!
Good evening Susan. Your Jack looks like my cat Gibbs. It makes me smile when I see your posts and him .Your gardens are beautiful. Lost my dear Sister
Babs (I call her that after introducing her to one of my favorite singers) a few years to ovarian cancer .She amazed me every year with her gardening skills and I would make the trip to Illinois to watch her and she would help me pick out 2 hibiscus trees from her favorite greenhouse for me to bring home. Thanks for encouraging us with your newsletter and unique talents. I would love one of your cups but if you know someone who is going through health or depression problems please give to them.
❌⭕️❌⭕️
OMG! I’m in such a quandry about going on this trip with you. I asked the only girlfriend I have that would be interested in all this and she decided not to go. I am so tempted to just do it, but I don’t travel by myself very well. Will have to decide soon. Also, wish I could go to your yard sale! Sounds wonderful!
You won’t be alone, you’ll be with kindred spirits. Go to the link for the Facebook page I mentioned in the post … you’ll find others who are traveling alone, you can kind of talk about it there!🚢
The pink peony is so beautiful
Dear Susan,
I love the comment one girlfriend left saying your blog is like sunshine in the inbox! Thank you for the joy you give so freely to all of us.
Enjoy your summer!💕
We lost our Mom in December at 92 y.o. and it doesn’t matter how old she was or we are, it is one of the very toughest times of life. I inherited a gardening gene from her and always will remember the hundreds of daffodils in her yard every spring. My daughter transplanted them to her garden so a new generation gets to enjoy them now. Thank you for always brightening my day! I love the wonderful vacation ideas in today’s blog! My husband and I will get to England someday and we will keep this page in our travel folder.
Yes, our moms.🥰🥰🥰😘
I feel such joy when your newsletter is in my email. Jack! he melts my heart too! I love the July 4th mug, hint, hint!
Love love love! ❤️ This blog puts a big smile on my face. Thanks for a quick escape to Martha’s Vineyard and from the worries of the world! 💕😀
Such a beautiful post for a dark and stormy day here! Thank you! Your garden is a dream! Just gorgeous!
So much news and so much happiness. Love the cups, especially the bunny one. Jack on the ironing board and the stretching. My boy Cinder does the same thing on steps and rolls right off and is so surprised every time. They bring us so much joy. Can’t wait see some of my dearest and oldest friends next week for lunch out in a restaurant!! Outside of course but so excited to finally see one another and get to hug. Has been so very long!!! Thank you for the post and the flowers, just gorgeous. Have been so enjoying all of mine as well. Take care of yourself and happy summer.
Takes a while to get used to this freedom! But each moment of normalcy is better than the last! I don’t think I realized just how hard this last year and a half has been until now. What WAS that anyway??? 😳 Kookie! Let’s never do it again!
Now living in crazy Central FL after having lived on Cape Cod for twenty years, I love being back in New England vicariously through you. Your flowers and garden are absolutely gorgeous. And who couldn’t love a black and white kitty. Thanks for bringing joy to this often weary world!
I do think one of the positives of the last year is the appreciation we have for life, freedom, choices, and am giddy as well!
I always love receiving your emails – it’s like a visit with a dear friend. And oh how I wish I lived closer so that I could attend your yard sale. 🙂
I have had a fondness for rabbit collectibles for many, many years. I was so excited last week when a local online auction had some Beatrix Potter figurines and even more excited when my bid was the winner! I now have 7 and can’t wait to find more.
Love the new mugs! I think I am going to add them to my “gift list.”
Oh Susan, your trip to England sounds delightful. I hope you all have a wonderful time. I’ll be going to Scandinavia this fall so I won’t be able to travel with you, but I’ll be there in spirit. Take good notes because I can’t wait for your next book on your England travels. Non voyage!
The England trip sounds perfect! I went many years ago and hope to go again soon.
I had a hard day today, still trying to work from home several days a week with my precious 2 year old son here with me. I love love the time with him but some days are hard. I just read your blog post and it has totally turned my mood around and back to being joyful! Love reading about your life with Joe and your kitty. What a dream! And we are getting more back to normal too. I will be so happy when children can all be vaccinated as well, and will worry so much less! I preordered the Blessed cup, I love autumn and this screams fall to me! It will be my second Susan Branch cup, I think I’ll start a collection. I love old things and especially quilts, wish we could come to your yard sale! Thank you for everything Susan!
💞💞💞You’re making it through and bonding in an amazing way, sending love! xoxo
Sitting here in hot Atlanta, I just LOVE your winter mug…makes me look forward to the winter, cold weather outside and a fire inside! Thank you for your wonderful post. I have gone through the thing I have dreaded since I was a little girl…losing my most wonderful dad. He was the best (don’t all adoring daughters feel that way?) But, seriously, he WAS the best. The quote from Gladys Taber in this post is wonderful…just how he would want me to go on living. Thank you, Susan!
Oh what a wonderful, uplifting newsletter! Thanks for that!
Susan,
May your yard sale be a success and may many items find new homes where they will be loved and cared for, just as they were with you! I do agree the spring has been beautiful and I am grateful for the start of summer.
I just returned home from 10 days in Florida, visiting with my daughter’s family. This included meeting and loving on my youngest granddaughter who turns 14 months this week. Because of Co-vid, I was unable to travel sooner but I carried with me a crocheted blanket I made for my sweet granddaughter. My gardens survived my absence with the help of neighbors, but, boy do I have work to do weeding, trimming, staking, and cleaning up the beds. All I do joyfully! My 54th birthday is this Wednesday and I look forward to being grateful for this time in my life! It is so good to see and hear the joy in your days and plans for England next year! Blessings to you and Joe! Amy
Such a happy,much-needed newsletter – thank you!! We lost our 16 year old Maltie poo last week, and have been very sad…..but this happy happy blog made a difference,
Bless you -Carol
You and Joe bring joy to a lot of folks. Thanks for spreading it around. I remember my first trip to England 25 years ago. I was 50+, solo—and afraid to cross the street! But after a good night’s rest and a quick tutorial in the use of the Tube, I was off! My life was never the same. I won’t be joining you, but I look forward to hearing about everyone’s great adventure.
Just yesterday, starting out on my morning walk, I thought of you and Joe walking to the ocean – or at least I wondered if you were still walking – and now I know. ❤️ Spring has been an extra beautiful gift this year – everything seems to be flowering brighter and in more abundance. It was a long year coming. How wonderful the trip sounds and how sweet the mugs – I’m thinking the mug is more accessible for me just now – but I will love reading about the tour. I know you will share. Have a lovely summer, Susan, and thank you for such a lovely and hopeful message. Even that sweet little kitty brightens the day. Such precious pictures.
Once again, a lift to my spirits has arrived with your blog. Your gardens are amazing! How I would love to join you in England next year, and how I would love to win one of your lovely cups. Good luck with the yard sale.
Your quilts in the wind on the line! I aspire to living with a clothesline. 🙂 I loved the ending of Hamnet. I am very hard on the endings of books and found this one quite exhilarating and incredible.
Gram popped in my memories when you described the little vases of flowers lining the kitchen windowsill. She always did this, too. And with the windows open bringing in the late spring breeze wafting with floral notes from the little bouquets, I never minded doing the dishes. Thanks, Susan, for bringing back precious moments in time!
Your quilts in the wind on the line! I aspire to living with a clothesline. 🙂 I loved the ending of Hamnet. I am very hard on the endings of books and found this one quite exhilarating and incredible.
Oh that’s exciting news! 📖
Susan, you always brighten my day when your blog arrives in my mailbox.😊 I just ordered the RABBIT RABBIT mug. It is so nice to have something to look forward to and your newest mug is just that.
It’s the cheeriest pink. You are going to love it! 💝
Needless to say, your garden gets more beautiful each year. The addition of Dahlias will bring so much lovely color. Yes, being out and about is so freeing after the past year. Went to dinner with a few girlfriends on Friday night at the beach in Del Mar; felt wonderful to be together and in a special venue. Enjoy!
I would like to visit Martha’s Vineyard almost as much as England!! And to attend your yard sale would be a delight!! Please enter me in the drawing. Thank you!! 🥰
Your blogs and writings are always so “visual” for me! I can smell your garden flowers, and the ocean air on the breeze during your walks along the beach. Your Jack makes me smile every time you post a picture of him! I feel everything you write about; you have such a way to bring that out into the real world! Keep wiring, designing new mugs (LOVE LOVE LOVE the new designs!), and keeping us all involved in your world!
Love all things Susan Branch! You are my hero.
Oh to be able to go to your yard sale would be a dream come true! Not only because I’m sure I’d love your pie-plates-set-free, but also because Martha’s Vineyard and meeting you! It would be such fun.
Oh how I would love to go to England. Sounds fab! I did plant some sweet peas, they are just coming up. You inspired me!
I little ray of sunshine after a busy workday! No matter when your newsletter arrives I wait until I need a little pick me up to read it! Thanks!
Oh dear Susan, your words ALWAYS warm my heart. Your mugs!! I do coffee self-talk in the morning, based on a wonderful book by Kristen Helstetter. It is basically saying positive, life inspiring affirmations. Holding a mug(cup) of yours with affirming words would be the perfect companion to set the tone for a perfect day.
Be well, with a grateful heart here…
Blessings!
Hello Susan,
I just read your post. It was the icing on the cake after a beautiful Summer day. It’s a joy to see you excited about your plans and your everyday events. My heart skips a beat every time I think about the Queen Mary trip. If I can make it happen I will. My goal is to also visit Scotland. It’s a good possibility at this point but for now like you I’m enjoying my flowers, walks and books. Know that you placed a smile on many people’s face today with your post.
Fondly, Barb Kuzdzal
And your comments are putting a smile on mine!!♥️
Dear Susan,
How wonderful Your fall garden will be with your Dahlia collection. If you ever go to Longwood gardens in PA, late in the summer you can enjoy their large beds full of Dahlia, beauty and color. I thoroughly enjoy your flower photos, the island walks and your lovely home. Thank you for sharing all your joy with us. Nancy Gardner.
Love your window shelf and your sweet clematis. I have one blooming that has even smaller blossoms than those and it is purple. Called Sweet Summer.
Dear Susan,
How wonderful Your fall garden will be with your Dahlia collection. If you ever go to Longwood gardens in PA, late in the summer you can enjoy their large beds full of Dahlia, beauty and color. I thoroughly enjoy your flower photos, the island walks and your lovely home. Thank you for sharing all your joy with us. Nancy Gardner.
I love the mugs as I do everything that you do. The trip sounds so wonderful and lucky, lucky people going on the ship with you. I will go along with you like the last time on your blog and twitter pages. I am happy you are getting out with your friends again. I just hosted a Christmas BBQ over the week-end with my close friends and it was great fun. Thanks for the new blog – love them all. Happy summer to you and Joe.
I look forward to these blogs and I read every word. It’d be a dream to be at your yard sale and buy a treasure of yours.
I’m watching “Inside Hampton Court Palace” and wishing I could see it in person. One day . . .
I love the place you’ve chosen for your group picnic. The grounds of Stourhead are just so beautiful to explore. Your group will have such fun visiting so many of your choices for the land tours. I was fortunate to see many of those spots in 2018. They’re in for a treat no matter which tour they choose!
I love to see your garden grow. Thanks.
Dear Susan,
The perfect present on this June day was your newsletter..full of love, flowers, news, walks, Jack(!), gardens, tress, linens drying on the line, Joe, ships, travel, and the “rebirth” of all of us as we walk out of COVID. Thank you for bringing the sun back out (with I think the help of our parents who I believe watch over us until we all meet again….).
Thank you for a beautiful post. Life is equally beautiful here on the other coast.
This was just wonderful. So enjoyed reading and seeing the pictures!
So very happy your world is improving. The flowers are exquisite! The peonie, omg.
Have a blessed trip to California, in remembrance of your Mom.
Thank you for brightening the day! I hope to win a mug to cherish! Thank you!
I’ll be dreaming of the English countryside tonight. Thanks for the beautiful newsletter!
Susan ~
Always makes me smile to see a new Susan Branch Blog in my emails! 🥰 So thankful for hugs again, and being able to see two of my grandsons after a long year. My husband and I are hoping to be able to join you on the Queen Mary next May…fingers and toes crossed!
Love the pictures of your beautiful flowers and gardens, and love the new mugs. During COVID last year, I was a little sad not being able to be with our children and grandkids for Thanksgiving. The day before my husband gave me a box to open. Inside was two of your mugs and calendars he had ordered for me…although I missed being with our extended family, I will always remember that Thanksgiving and his sweet heart and thoughtfulness. Wishing you a lovely summer. Hugs and love.
What a sweet thing to do! Blue ribbon husband! 🏆
Thank you for the wonderful post. So sorry for the loss of your mother, but so glad for all she gave you & your family!
Always so happy to see your email in the box…reading it puts one is such an uplifted mood….
THANK YOU!
The flowers WERE truly exceptional this year…a gift to all of us to make us feel hope.
Oh Susan, your blog fills me with joy!! I read it slowly and then reread it, treasuring every photo. Your garden and flowers are just dreamy!! The photos of Jack are SO precious!! He adores you! ❤️ I love everything. Thank you for making my dsy so much better. I wish more than anything I could join you all on your wonderful trip on the Queen Mary back to your beloved England but, alas, I can’t. 😔 But I will be with you in spirit.
Thank you for sharing all of your lovely world with us!
Stay well!!
Your blog today is a pure blessing. I think I’ll call my friend and ask if she wants to hop in the car Friday and drive 6 hours to Falmouth hop the ferry and get to MV to go to your fantasy yard sale. That would be my dream not a reality this week😎 so when I go to bed tonight I will put it in my dream bank. Have fun you will make people like us very happy.
I was eagerly reading through all of your quotes and was so delighted to see the one by my favorite author, Gladys Taber. Yes, we all dearly need hope in this world and whenever the news is seemingly all bad and “the world is too much with me”, I retreat to Stillmeadow with Gladys and Jill along with all the cockers, cats and children and whoever else shows up and I can feel the tension disappear. Such bliss! Also, I am currently reading a book by one of her dear friends, Faith Baldwin and she writes in Harvest of Hope about how she would deliberately get rid of or give away many things and simply cling to the beautiful memory of it. Wise women! So glad you are also holding onto the memories and sharing beautiful items with others. I love to give away things I love as well!
💞💞💞
Hi Susan. Love your blog. So much news and interesting tidbits! Can’t wait for the new mugs and how great would the 4th of July mug would be for my daughter who was born that day! Thanks for being here for us!
Susan: Enjoyed your e-mail, it was great! Our hills here on the Central Coast are beige as we have ‘t seen or felt rain for a long time. Crossing my fingers on winning a mug! Wishing you and all your followers a great, patriotic and safe July 4th!
How I wish I cold attend your yard sale. I love old linens, especially if they are embroidered. Such treasures! Thank you for such a great blog. The photos of your garden are just beautiful. I am a gardener, and look forward to every spring with the promise of beautiful flowers. My roses are also beautiful and such a joy to see and smell. We are so lucky to be able to rejoin our families and friends.
Susan, thank you for such an uplifting post, it truly is so wonderful be have our “freedom back”! To go out for a lovely dinner, shopping! Just enjoying everything again! Hope you have a wonderful tag-sale….wished I lived closer to you!❤️
Wonderful to read your posts, as always. So uplifting! Thank you!
Kathleen
Thank you for the joy you bring to my day! When I see I have your email in my box, I wait till evening to sit down and read your wonderful, uplifting letter. It’s like it’s just for me! Give that sweet kitty Jack a hug from me!
I love those cups!
Wonderful blog! Fresh, hopeful and downright happy! Be well and enjoy your recycling
Oh, I would love to come to your Yard Sale!! I especially love those old embroidered pieces! I have way too many already…but there is always room for one more!! Enjoy your blog so..so…much🙃🙃
Thank you Susan for your bright and newsy info.
Jack the cat just makes us smile! I too think it is nice to give items you love a new “family” rather then just not use them or tuck them away. Let someone else enjoy and love.
It has been a beautiful spring! All the flowers returning like faithful friends. Thank you so much for sharing your flower friends, old and new. And how wonder to spend time with our people friend!!!! It is going to be a great summer too!
What a lot of good news. Your gardens are gorgeous.
So wonderful to have things getting back to normal.
Happy Summer!
I’m looking forward to you reports from the England trip. Sounds like a lot of fans are going to have a wonderful time!
I’d love to win the July 4th mug. It’s my favorite holiday!
I remember reading somewhere that the planning of a trip and it’s anticipation is just as joy-inducing as the trip itself. So thank you for letting us all see your planning and joy for the trip! Love it! I do dream about a trip to England and seeing gardens and meeting some of my social media friends and visiting their gardens. That would be a delight.
I follow Green Knowe at the Manor on Facebook (facebook.com/Green-Knowe-At-The-Manor-157877494323565) and enjoy seeing about that home featured in The Children of Green Knowe by Lucy Boston.
[email protected]
Susan,
As usual your email is so inspiring and cheerful.
I love all your cups. I have a couple.
I would love to win or buy your 4th of July Cup.
Thank you for all your news and garden ideas.
A true gardener.
Star Johnson
Cypress, CA
I think I need to make more of those cups!♥️
What a cheery first of summer-remembering spring sort of post! Loved it, especially the flowers and the linens fluttering on the clothes line. Can’t wait to see the dahlias when they bloom! Loved every minute of your “visit.” Oh and the walk on the path. We hadn’t seen it in quite that light before–so fresh and springy! TTFN dear Susan!
Summertime…and the livin’ is easy…
Thank you so much for this beautiful post! Your garden inspires me! We, too, are loving being free of our masks (most of the time) and able to go out to lunch or dinner…attend church indoors with our friends…just live like almost normal.. It is indeed a BLESSING and one we do not take for granted. Happy Summer!!
It’s like a new start, a second chance, something we don’t always, in life, get to have!♥️
You tempt me to book! ♥️
Much love
Carla
You have lots of time to plan! Might book, and then see how it feels, see if you can do it, you can cancel and get a full refund if you do it by December 31!🚢
Hello, Susan, sure wish I lived closer to beautiful Nantucket so I could attend your sale this weekend!! The pictures of your many spring flowers and the references you make to Mrs.Bowditch who planted many of them. I feel like I’ve taken a garden tour when I see your lovely and varied flowers…in essence, Ihave taken a tour with you haven’t I ? Summer blessings, Susan.
Yes!♥️
Happy Yard Sailing!!! A Cleansing and fun time wrapped up in the memories of the times you spent with your treasures. Now someone else’s turn. Happiness and Joy to you and Joe. Life is indeed joyful these days.
Lani
Another Great post. I want to tell you that I think your “This Old House” 2021 calendar is your best. I am so glad you did more “Winter” mugs. I miss them before. Kisses to Jack!
Thank you for expressing what a lot of us are experiencing- such a relief to be out and about with a fair amount of freedom and to be able to see everyone’s faces.
The smiles! 😁😃😁 We need them!
I love Dahlias! Can’t wait until we see the fruits of Joe’s labor!
Love reading all your good news! Yay for summer and picnics and swimming and gardens and FRIENDS!
How I would love to go to the yard sale you are a part of. It reminded me of how I loved doing that with my mom. A special memory. Thank you
It’s always lovely to read your posts illustrated with such pretty pictures… but this one is especially joyful! You sure contaminate us with happiness! Thanks for being YOU!
Enjoy every minute of this newfound freedom, of this beautiful time of the year and of the excitement of travel planning! 🙂
Everyone says that the flowers are more beautiful, more abundant and the trees are lush. It is nature’s thank you for staying home and isolating for so long.
I love that you and Joe listen to the same book on your walks. Great idea!! The mugs are adorable and I can’t wait to see how your garden grows. Thanks for the giveaway. That’s always fun. Yes it is wonderful to be getting out more and more. 😊🌸
There’s nothing I can add to what’s already been said…YOU are a treasure, spreading joy, sunshine, and smiles. Jack is priceless, as is Joe…blessed you are indeed! I just found a Hoosier cupboard for a song (I’ve wanted one for years) and once it was home, I put your Summer book on it to keep me inspired…thanks for sharing your world with us!
I “love” that 4th of July mug! I planted dahlias last year for the first time. They have doubled in size this year and of course I planted more this year. I can’t wait for them to show their colors.
I so enjoy seeing all the flowers that are growing at your house! My favorite late spring combination is foxglove, big white daisies, and tiger lilies. I like them not only for the colors but also the shapes. I can see them whenever I look out my bedroom window and it’s a real treat.
Your trip sounds so exciting! I spent a week in Stratford-on-Avon 20 years ago and I still think of it with much affection. I know you’ll have a wonderful time!
Happy Summer, Susan! Thank you for always sharing the lovely photos each season. Every newsletter gives me great joy – thank you!
Thanks for the happy update on life!
Every newsletter a blessing. I so look forward to each one when it arrives! Thank you for sharing all your good news with us!!!
I am also in the process of going through things and letting the excess go. It is amazing what you can accumulate after living in the same house for many years. Your remark that you are running out of time is the way I feel as I say I don’t have time for some things anymore.
I was so excited to open up my emails today and see that there was a new blog post from you! I am going on the Cruise and the Tours and have been beyond excited to see what tours are available. This is a trip of a lifetime for me, I will be with my sister in law and niece.
I also live on an island, on the other side of the country, in the Pacific Northwest. I live in Friday Harbor, San Juan Island, Washington.
Thank you for making life so much fun!