The month for
And guess what? YES! They’re here!
Blessing #1: The new cups started shipping out to you guys last week! If you haven’t gotten yours yet, they are on the way!!! They crossed the pond using every form of transport, plane, ship, train, truck, and slow boat to China … we don’t know how because no one would tell us, but the miracle is, all the way from the luv-lee potteries in Staffordshire, England, to Arroyo Grande, California, they have arrived! And for the most part, in one piece! Thank you for your never-ending patience! Reward? MUSICA!
The color turned out great! Here’s what the backs look like. As you can probably guess by the slow pace of the all-of-a-sudden infamous “supply chain” … unfortunately we will not be getting more of them before Christmas!! I THOUGHT we’d get these by September!!! If you were waiting until you saw the whites of their eyes, your time has come. They are here! And if this is the first time you’re seeing them, you can read more about them and see other designs we still have in stock HERE.
Blessing #2: Fall has come on very slowly this year.👏 A long fall is what I hoped for, and a long fall is what we’re getting! Usually, by this time, the leaves have turned and fallen and we’re raking them up . . . but right now the colors are at their best, and when you look out the window you see them, orange and yellow sparks twirling past in the wind. This was our walk in the middle of October! Green as green can be. Note the smooth and leafless road…
Then came a wild nor’easter! Worst winds I’ve experienced since I moved here! Wind gust was clocked at 96 MPH in Edgartown on the other side of the Island! This was our walk the day after … lot’s of visible wildness!
Tattered and torn leaves, branches, and pine needles carpet the dirt road to the sea ….
And a lot of missing sand, carved out and taken away . . .
I noticed this leaf on the ground, stepped right over it, but after a few more steps I felt I HAD to turn back and get a better look. WHAT was that? And take this picture. Right? The perfect cut-out “eyes” in the leaf were enough, but it wasn’t until I enlarged it that I saw the eyes had EYEBALLS!!! I’ve been saving it to show you. A wee note from nature!🍁
Storm was raging when I woke up and came downstairs in the dark, flashlight flickering around the kitchen like a lighthouse beam … the wildest of winds knocked out electricity for a lot of the island, including us … but our good old gas stove saved the day! The kitchen was warm and smelled like last night’s pot roast.
I lit myself a path through the wood room, flickering flames into the living room to my studio beyond … time to paint. It was a storm, but it was cozy and like a step back in time. No TV, no computer, a moment to just BE. Just like Gladys Taber said it should be!
Threw on a jacket and went outside to check on things the next day … at first I thought the wind had chipped the paint off the arbor! But those marks are tattered leaves plastered to almost everything, the arbor, the house, the car. The storm prematurely blew lots of leaves right off the trees! But our house stayed strong, as she has done since 1849. Knock on wood. These new type of storms we’re getting pack a wallop!
Lost one big tree behind the arbor … which was kind of good ~ it didn’t hurt anything, not even the picket fence, and it had shaded-out the roses on the arbor for years, so now, I get to grow roses again! A win-win! Blessing #4.
This is over our back fence behind the barn to the neighbor’s yard. They lost a tree too. This one is actually schmooshed right up against the windows of the house, but still no damage. Lots of huge old trees down all over the island…but we were lucky, no injuries that I’ve heard of, and all is back to normal. Blessing #5. Blessings galore.
And now? Thank goodness the storm didn’t take ALL the leaves! And they’ve finally turned color . . .
I took this picture of the back garden from an upstairs window… when the sun comes up and goes through the trees, we get warm gold light inside the house… Blessings just too many to number…but I think you can see them!
And here we are out walking in the woods …
Which are now ablaze . . .
Even the beach grass is on fire!
Lots of wild bittersweet . . . Mother Nature decorating earth. Just for us! How blessed are we?! I’m losing track!
This was today . . . the crows are having a field day!
Leaves coat the bottom of this puddle on the road, and trees reflect in the water. Isn’t it gorgeous?
This is the reward at the end of our walk . . . this little sandy salty windy beach…
We are listening to the book The Overstory right now, one ear-pod in Joe’s ear, one in mine, so we can listen together … it’s a Pulitzer-Prize winning novel and love story to Nature. Could NOT be in a better place to hear it . . . had to stop and smell a tree at one point, put my nose right ON it . . . so inspiring! Did anyone read A Gentleman in Moscow? That was our last read. I’m still not over it! My sister is reading it now; she calls me and we become the tiniest bookclub in the world hashing everything over!
When we got back to the car this was waiting. I PROMISE with all my heart we did not put that leaf there. It came on it’s own, just like you see it. Another blessing. 
Madly in love with nature . . .
Today it’s only about 48 degrees! Cold. Joe (Blessing extraordinaire) made us a fire, and now he’s outside putting on the storm windows . . .
While Jack investigates the mantle. All is well!
For those of you who read Fairy Tale Girl or Martha’s Vineyard Isle of Dreams, you might remember Elaine? She had the dog called Boxcar, was my boss at the record store, and fired me too? (Not her fault, she had to, I had become useless which you know was NOT MY FAULT!) She’s been my dear darling friend since 1971. She lived here on the island for 10 years, moved back to California 20 years ago but kept her house here ~ and now she has retired from working at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo and moved back here two weeks ago!!! I couldn’t be happier. She was born in Boston, so New England is really her happy place.
Elaine drove across country with her darling Westie, Ripper! He’s standing on his back legs in order to get a better look at Jack. Isn’t he adorable?
So, we now have Jack and the Ripper. But I have to say Jack is not that fond of the Ripper. Ripper would just like to lick Jack all over. But Jack is saying,
“Don’t even think about it.”
I’m just happy to have a cat that goes so well with the decor! Would hate it if he clashed!
But how could you go wrong. This is the secret to decorating. It’s like a movie set. Plain and unadorned. That way when the season changes . . .
I take the summer decorations upstairs and put then away until next year. . .
Then all I have to do is stick in different pillows, some fall flowers, quilts, and voila! It’s fall! Same thing and suddenly it’s Christmas!
Joe, Elaine, Ripper and I went off-island a few days ago. The first time any of us had seriously gone into stores for three years. We went to Pottery Barn. OMG. 
Every Christmas thing was out, sparkly, red and white, candles, and fluffy throws, perfect pillows, glass chandeliers … everything to set your heart on fire. The whole thing went to the happy zippy part of the brain. I was as excited as Ripper when he goes after Jack! We threw money at the cash register, bought tiny end tables, white felt and red sequin Christmas trees, napkins, candles, and star shaped pillows came home with us.
And this appliqué tablecloth! Needs to be ironed, but I wanted to see it on the table the minute I got home. I am going to LOVE Christmas this year, and I think I’ll just start now and have Thanksgiving and Christmas be a dynamic duo! Lights Camera Action!
We got our greeting cards back in!!
William Morris would be proud, recipes make them useful!
All about love . . .
Feeling the blessings! Especially when you think that this year we are going to be together. Fingers crossed it stays this way!
What else? I’ve been painting! Heading for my studio with Jack and my tea in the morning. . . listening to old movies while I do my watercolors …
Practicing people ~ I love painting people, but I’m still so nervous, I do the drawing, but putting on the first bit of paint is scary! The cup, you ask? I have that cup in real life only the shoes are blue. Isn’t it funny? Had to paint it.
This is my newest one… I love her … she hasn’t been scanned yet which is why the picture is so dark, it’s only a photograph. The book? My 8-year-old niece was reading it; she was OVER THE MOON about this series of books ~ so I thought, in her honor, I should include it in the new calendar.🧡 Normally I don’t have to turn in calendars until the first of March, but due to “supply chain” issues, the fact that everything is taking so much longer, they need them this year by January 1. So that’s what I’ve been doing. 2023! Eeek.
Something lovely happened. Erin, bottom left, called me out of the blue … she said her book club was reading my book Martha’s Vineyard Isle of Dreams and said they loved it so much would I would come to one of their meetings so they could talk about it … I’d never met any of these girls, and yet they all live here on the island! So of course I said yes… And here we are!
Look at Erin’s table! Isn’t it gorgeous? I wanted you to see it for possible Thanksgiving inspiration! That blue and orange together was spectacular! I didn’t even know it was going to be dinner! They all brought recipes from my cookbooks! I was so honored I was almost (stressing on that word) speechless! I got to hear about how they met! You know I have this closeness too with my girlfriends, but it was wonderful to be in the bosom of that same thing with a whole different group!
I love seeing other people’s houses! Erin’s house was wonderful. I loved how they put their library of great books all in colors!! Cute! And yes, Joe was there too, along with Erin’s husband, they ate in the kitchen and only came out to pour wine and wait on us! Men can be so adorable!💞
Yes! Second printing of Home for Christmas has arrived!!! In the Saint-Nick of time … considering the “supply chain” ~ we got lucky! Big help that we had it printed in the good old US of A!
If you need to be taken back in time to a 1956 Christmas, this true story will do it for you … in detail!
I had a wonderful time writing this book. It was especially good during the time I was losing my mother, my first and forever best girlfriend, to be immersed in the warmth of her love every day as I wrote and painted this memory. Definitely a blessing. Like a dream. ♥️
And speaking of home and the generosity of girlfriends . . . I got the best thing in the mail the other day… and it wasn’t even for me, it’s for you!!! Yes!
You’ve seen my autumn decorating for years now . . . and something almost everyone comments on that you can see in this picture is…
my Pilgrim candlesticks! They come out every year . . . I found them in an antique store about a thousand years ago and have never seen another set.
They are just perfect this time of year!
Aren’t they wonderful? The black is the best! But guess what? These aren’t mine! These are going to one of you!!! Yes, our girlfriend Bunny Perkins from 
Ohio spotted them on Ebay and sent them to me to give to you! Wasn’t that just the sweetest thing?! You know Joe hates having to stand in line to pick up packages at the Post Office, but this one, he forgave me for! Leave a comment at the bottom of this post (you’ll see a whole bunch of tiny words and near the end, click on “comments.” Just a word or two is all you need to leave in order to be entered for this giveaway!) Thank you Bunny! You’re a blessing, so very kind and thoughtful of you!
Have you guys seen the pictures of families reuniting at the 
airport now that they can come into America from other countries again?😥 It’s just like Love Actually (best movie ever made). After all these months, people are throwing themselves into each others arms and sobbing with joy. Sisters hugging sisters, couples hugging grandchildren. Makes you cry … makes your heart soar.
We get to have Thanksgiving at our house this year! I’m so excited! I was just reminded by one of our girlfriends that it’s the 400th anniversary of the first Thanksgiving!!!!🍁 The chicken stuffed with my grandma’s dressing was delicious last year because of course it was just us. But this year we get to have the real thing, with good old friends, light the candles, bake a pumpkin cheesecake. I already ordered the turkey! Yay yay yay yay!💃🏼
Here’s the guaranteed-to-please recipe from my Autumn Book . . .if you need it to be gluten free, all you have to change is the gingersnaps … get the gluten-free ones and voila! If you haven’t made this recipe I highly recommend it. Easier to make and more delicious than pumpkin pie, in keeping with the season!🍁
Well, the clock keeps ticking and the hands move closer all the time to when we’ll be heading off on our trip to England on board the Queen Mary 2. I think about it all the time! May 1. Here we come! I got my booster, yesterday we got our flu shots! Staying healthy! First requirement for getting on that ship! Where are we now … oh yes, must be around blessing #757. ♥️
Bye for now girlfriends. Going out on our walk with our book! I hope you are doing well and feeling festive. Both the quote above, and this one below, are very nice to read at our 400th Thanksgiving dinner! With all my love . . . .🎃 And don’t forget to sign up for the giveaway!🧡
🍁🧡🍁🧡🍁🧡🍁🧡🍁🧡🍁🧡🍁🧡🍁🧡🍁🧡🍁🧡🍁🧡🍁🧡🍁🧡🍁🧡🍁🧡
The kindness and generosity of your beloved followers never ceases to amaze me. God Bless.
[email protected] Dear Susan….I love all your sayings and Art Thank you!Judy
What a perfect pair!!
I always am excited when I see one of your posts. You bring us into a happier world. Fall in North Carolina right now, not too chilly yet, and the tree leaves are brilliant red and gold. Neighbor let me pick up big acorns again this year. I use them in fall wreaths, and spray paint them gold for Christmas decorations. Big groups of trick or treaters this year and neighbors decorated their houses with giant skeletons, blow up ghosts, pumpkins galore. We are old fashioned so we only decorated with pumpkins and handed out the good candy to all comers. Reading, sewing, cleaning house, caring for my loved ones. Looking forward to Christmas already, but I don’t want to start now (although some of my neighbors already are decorating and so are the stores). Grateful that we have lived in our home for two decades now and don’t really need to buy much besides food and gas. I have decided that my Christmas gift for friends with younger children is a certificate for a couple’s date night from a fully vaccinated 56 year old mother who is calm, patient, loves the little ones, and raised two boisterous sons to adulthood. Praying for a better future for us all.
🙏🙏🙏
Dear Kristin- What a lovely idea for a gift! As Thanksgiving approaches, may we remember that we have so much to be thankful for (including thoughtful people like you)- in spite of the trying times
Your lovely Willard was such a blessing to me today, Susan!!
You don’t know how my heart soared when I read that a “Willard” was ready! Whoopee! And it certainly didn’t disappoint! You are always so generous with your luv-lee recipes! I made your cranberry sauce last year, and everyone raved. Okay – it was just me and my husband, but we raved! And we added the marmalade for further enjoyment. But I did one more thing. There used to be a recipe on the Ocean Spray package for a “cranberry relish”. Cut up a couple of oranges into chunks (with the peel still on) add an equal amount of cranberries, and pulse in a food processor a few times, until the cranberries look like rubies. Add sugar as desired. Well, I have loved this recipe so much, that I’ve made it for years, but when we got the chance to have your cranberry recipe, I made half-and-half. Half was your recipe, half was the relish and I mixed them together. It was even more deliciouser. Having come from Canada, we have turkey at Christmas too – no debate over how close it was to Thanksgiving! So last Christmas we did it that way, and my o my, it was wonderful!
I like the sound of that! More crunch is always a good thing!🍄
I feel like I have known you forever, although it’s only been about 40 years! You are a national treasure and very much loved by so many. Take good care of yourself so you can be around for a long, long, long time!
I’m trying! Thank you Linda!!! ❌⭕️❌⭕️
So wonderful to sit down after unpacking in our new home. I truly brew a cup of tea and enJOY! Your words and photos are a delight to my soul. Thanks!
Such beautiful Fall there! Happy Fall!
Yes, we have so much to be thankful for!
I love all things colonial!
I always look forward to your musings Susan, and once again, you did not disappoint. Thank you, Bunny for the kindness of gifting the candlesticks. I would love to win them, but if I do not, I am delighted for the person who does.
What a treat for the book club members to be able to meet “up close and personal” with the writer/artist of the book they selected to read. Looks like one meeting they will always remember.
Thank you for the wonderful post, I enjoyed reading every word!
Glad you weathered the storm safely.
I was blessed this September to visit Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard. Beautiful!
Wow! What a Blessing to all of us you gave!! I can’t tell you all the things I loved in it. So many of the things you mentioned! Thank You SOOOO Much. Love the little candle holders as well. Remind me of Silhouette pictures I love! Sure to make someone happy. Learned about Hygge in Norway a few years ago! Love this season too. Love walking in my little two acres and looking at all the beautiful leaves and picking up some of the prettiest ones! Thanks for sharing with us!
Oh, and I already have a Old GRANNY home. No need to go shopping. I’ve done estate sales for years and love it all. My home is not for impressiiion, but for expression. (of my personality)
That’s what makes a home a home!❤️
Thank you for this Willard. I can’t wait to try your pumpkin cheesecake!
Susan, You take me to another world when I read your stories and books. Your pictures are great and I have learned so much from you. Thank you for sending out the Willard email. It is the high point of my day. It snowed in Wisconsin today, and when I looked out of my kitchen window at lunchtime, I saw 2 deer-does laying down between my cedar trees in back of my garage. It was snowing out today, so I guess they were just looking out into the world and enjoying the sparkling flakes. Take care and add another God Bless to your day.
I too have noticed that fall colors are slower than usual this year. I am collecting each bit of fall color to remember when it’s over.
What a fabulous addition to a Thanksgiving table!
Susan, thank you for another fabulous blog post! Your posts always brighten up my life!!!
Happy Thanksgiving to you, Joe, and Jack! 🤎🧡🦃🥧🧡🤎
Happy Thanksgiving! Love that recipe!
I never want your posts to end. They just make me happy inside 🙂❤ Enjoy your Thanksgiving!
Here’s a song I wrote for my preschoolers (to the tune of Away In A Manger): The pilgrims sailed from a faraway land,
Over the ocean and landed on sand.
The Native Americans became their friends,
They taught them to hunt and to grow a garden.
LOL, sweet!❌⭕️
Of course, I had to sing that out loud. lol
Susan – peace and blessings to you. I love your “willards”. Please keep up the wonderful work. You inspire me and delight me. sally c
Love your website and your artwork ❤️
I cannot wait to receive a Willard! I make sure I set time aside to read it thoroughly and it takes me back to simpler times seeing your beautiful photos and images!
Susan, Wonderful photographs capturing the beauty of fall, truly my favorite season. The photos of Jack standing up to see the mantel, and sitting on the dictionary are too funny. He was keeping a keen eye on Ripper. I have to ask how you manage to keep your cheesecake from developing cracks. Mine looks great until it cools and then it splits. Of course, whipped cream, lavishly applied before serving hides everything, but yours is gorgeous. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving…it will be lovely celebrating with family and friends this year.
Try googling that question… there are all kinds of answers. Make sure you don’t overbake it, take it out when it’s “set” but not hard. If that helps. xoxo
Dear Gail- I believe that I’ve read that it helps to bake the cheesecake in a water bath. Perhaps you can find a reference to that technique if you check online. I don’t use a water bath with my recipe, but it is twice baked ( a sour cream topping is applied before the second baking). It does crack a little after the first baking, but the crack is “removed” by adding the second layer. Good luck. I hope to try Susan’s recipe this year, and I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed that it doesn’t crack!
Have a peaceful Thanksgiving !
Candlestick holders are just perfect 🦃
Blessings, indeed! Always a delight to read your thoughts. Just used your Autumn book to track down Bliss Carman’s fall poem. Lovely. Thank you!
Happiest Thanksgiving wishes to you, Susan, and to all who happen upon my post (“Hi!”). I am out west in Southern Oregon, where the changing leaves and crisp, fall weather have been absolutely beautiful this year. We know we are blessed and don’t take it for granted for a moment, especially after recent years of awful wildfires in our region. From the ashes, we are like a phoenix rising!
You are, you are an inspiration!
Yep, they said that storm was going to be a doozey and over here on the Cape it sure was. We lost 3 trees but, thankfully, nothing was damaged. Aren’t we glad to be back to normal! We are blessed! Happiest of Thanksgivings to you and your loved one.
Dear Susan
A beautiful “post” as usual. So lovely and artful and warm and cozy. Thank you.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and Joe and Jack and all the girlfriends. With Love,
Marybeth
Beautiful as always…coming here makes me feel as if all is right with the world. My own world has been a little hectic so reading your beautiful blog is an escape…thank you!
I love reading everything from you, it calms me and takes me away for awhile. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!!
Love this blog. The appliqué table topper is so pretty on your table. Did you take down the floral “English” curtains you had made several years ago?
The pilgrim candlesticks are charming.
I did. Crazy I know. But I was r-r-r-wrong. 🤣
I just love that there are so many of us all over celebrating and being thankful for all the amazing blessings in each and every day.
It’s always such a delight to receive The Willard. I remember receiving my first one via the mail (do I need to say snail mail?). What a joy that was, sharing a cozy afternoon in front of the fire with my mom, a large pot of tea, a few tea biscuits, and The Willard. We were hooked. They provided me with so many memories of sitting with mom, as we traveled back in time to to an era we both loved. Being social, gathering with friends, baking and cooking meals to share with others, and of course, house and table decor galore. I can still smell the shortbread cookies, just about ready to take out of the oven. I am amazed at how often Susan says just what I wanted to hear when she writes to us. Blessing #1,000,000!
Susan~
thank you for writing ,it sure has been awhile , Miss YOU ! Jack is to funny! Joe sure is a great guy !! are you spoiled ?? 🙂
THat so thoughtful of Bunny what a angel !
Happy Thanksgiving Paula in Indiana
I’m very grateful, but Irma Bombeck said you can never be spoiled if you do your own ironing, so… no.🤣 Happy Thanksgiving Paula!
Susan, YOU are our blessing!💝
I found some cranberries in the freezer and made your hot cranberry sauce for dinner. Delicious! This year I get to make it for the family for our Thanksgiving. And I ordered 2 Gladys Tabor books for myself for Christmas. Adding 2 more blessings! 🍁🧡
❤️💖❤️
Giveaway or not….I love leaving comments !!! I have been a girlfriend of yours since your GIRLFRIENDS book came out….ages and ages ago !! Thought about you, joe, jack during that horrific storm….glad everything & everyone is okay. Much love and Happy Thanksgving back to you !! xoxo Joan from Ga
Missed Willard….so glad he’s back!
Happy November, Susan! I always enjoy your Willards!
Kelly P.
Oma ( who is now 99….and still crushing on Joe) and I are sending hugs and more hugs for the holiday season. Thankful for the joy of family and the greatest gift ever that we can be together !!!! XXX
Big arms of love wrapped around you both! 🍁🍁🍁
I know a person shouldn’t covet things, but I have, I do, and will covet these candleholders. Whoever gets them… lucky lucky lucky. Loved this Willard… nature, decorating, books, Jack and friend. Quite the storm!
Lovely post! Glad the storms left you intact!
I’m so looking forward to Thanksgiving and Christmas, too. I’ve been planning my menu for a couple of months, but I think I’m going to have add that pumpkin cheesecake. Happy Thanksgiving to you and all your friends.
My daddy was called Bunny by his sister til the day he died which was so funny to me because his name was Calvin. I thought of him reading this newsletter. Thanks, Bunny, lovely candlesticks.
Hi Susan, what a lovely Willard! I hope you both have a beautiful Thanksgiving and perfect holiday season! Jack is getting more and more handsome as time goes by ~ do you think he knows it?
Thank you for sharing your fall pictures. I am sure the storm was scary but you made it sound so cozy, I wish I could have enjoyed it. Glad no one got hurt.
Oh Love, Actually is one of my favorites! The first time I saw it was in a theater during a very difficult time in my life. The movie truly lifted my spirits that day and has been a favorite ever since. Thank you for your Willards and Happy Thanksgiving!
What a wonderful time of year! Yep got my booster and flu shot too! All set for winter. The cheesecake looks so good! I think I’ll make it for our Thanksgiving dinner. Thank you Susan
Received my lovely Winter cup this week, but it was quickly whisked away by my husband to be tucked away for a Christmas gift to me. I can’t wait to open it Christmas morning and sip some warm Earl Grey. I love the 11 oz. size. Have a lovely Thanksgiving!
Thank you for sharing all of your blessings with us and reminding me to count mine too!!
Beautiful photos and inspirational words. So good to read about blessings these days. And your home is so cozy. Since it was 98 degrees today in Southern California, it’s especially nice to read about fall.
Your blog soothes my soul. Blessings to you and those you hold close.
Happy Thanksgiving Susan. Thank you for your lovely descriptions.
Pumpkin Cheesecake 🤗 Oh my! A must try recipe! Thanks Susan, and wishing you a blessed Holiday season❤️
Hi Susan! What a Wonderful Message. I was just singing the “Church in the Valley” from your plaque on the table and just about died when I saw the Pilgrim candle holders give-a-way! Perfect! I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving and Christmas. Love, Connie
Hey there!
Thank you so much for the Willard!
I was wondering what you thought so far of The Overstory. I started reading it a while back ago, and had to stop. Let’s just say it wasn’t the book I wanted it to be.
I’d like to hear your opinion.
Have a great weekend!
It’s a bit of a conundrum. I’m happy I’m reading it. But I would have to say it’s disturbing. Sometimes I think I need to be disturbed, and I’m a little shocked at what I’m reading. I actually took the ear pod out yesterday because they were pepper spraying these sweet people and I couldn’t take it. I put it back in when Joe told me that part was over. Hope I get to the end!
Dearest Susan, We have been friends for years only you didn’t know it till just now. Sending you Thanksgiving Blessings for all the year through. You are my inspriration!
❌⭕️ Girlfriends Forever!
Susan , So happy to read your wonderful Willard.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and Joe.
I just love your newsletter 🙂
I hope I’m not too late. Have a warm and wonderful Thanksgiving!
Thank you for listing so many reasons to be thankful. Your list inspires more reasons and keeps growing. It’s like a strong tree with more and more branches. Voila and thank you Susan Branch.
You are a Blessing! You have brought so much beauty and happiness to the world. I have been a big fan since forever and was even fortunate to visit your store in California and I have my “Autumn” cookbook out as I write this (always in the Fall).❤️A Big Fan
I ❤️ Willard!
It is always such a pleasure to hear from you and see all the beauty you share with all of us. So happy to see you enjoying your your warm and beautiful home and nature God has blessed you with to enjoy with your Joe! So happy to see you and the new friends of the book club! Will certainly be making the pumpkin cheesecake for some of my dear friends and be toasting you with a nice cup of tea.
If I could paint like you, I would never get anything done again, I would be in seventh heaven! Have a beautiful and blessed Thanksgiving with those you love about you. Stay well and be happy!! Love to Jack. You make the world so much better by being here. God Bless! Maggie
What can I say, but Thank You!! You posts are a sheer delight, the photos, poems, quotations, and woven throughout, the optimism and happiness.
Love the pilgrim candle holders. I still have my 1950s little pilgrim candles and turkey!
Hugs!
I was just thinking your post should be coming soon, and here it is! Always a welcome break in my day. Love the candlesticks and Pottery Barn! Exciting to be thinking of shopping at all our favorite places!
Happy Thanksgiving to you from Lake Arrowhead!
Hoping to come out to Martha’s Vineyard in July following a trip from Colorado to tour “Plimoth” with the Mayflower Society. Can’t wait for both!!
Now we are watching the fall leaves flurry down and feeling each day getting colder in preparation for winter!!
Delighted to see the November “Willard”. Just received my winter mug. My second mug. I have been helping my parents for months and this was a gift to me. It brings a smile and warm thoughts. Your artwork is so creative. What a talent! Happy Thanksgiving to you and Joe!
I have always loved your Pilgrim candlesticks! How thoughtful of you, Bunny!
Brought a smile to my day thank you
Your Willards are little bursts of inspiration and uplift and it makes me smile to see them in my inbox even before I start reading. Thank you for being a blessing to all of us!
Pick me! Pick me! – she says. Sue, I learned something that NO ONE is talking about. Most of us remember the Bicentennial…and it was everywhere! you couldn’t go anywhere without Bicentennial this and that. All the decor and memorabilia. WELL this year is #400 for Thanksgiving. why is no one making a big deal out of that? the Pilgrims landed in 1620, then one year later (1621) the first Thanksgiving, right? so 400 years later it’s 2021 and voila! I am going to make little construction paper hats for the 5 grandchildren with turkey stickers and the number 400 all over them…they can wear for the day. So let’s all celebrate the 400th anniversary of Thanksgiving. 🙂
You are so right Barbara… 400 years of Thanksgiving! I love the paper hats idea, making it special, the kids will remember! Have a most wonderful holiday of gratitude. And “Toast the sturdy pilgrim band whose courage never ceased!” xoxo
Happy fall and Happy Thanksgiving!
I have a snippy doodle in the oven for breakfast this morning! House smells so good.
Your writing and pictures are such an inspiration to me!
Hi Susan,
I hope that everyone will feel blessed through this difficult time. Love each other and be kind. It’s infectious (like a virus!) and will spread. I’m glad the storm wasn’t worse although it looked bad. Love your slow Autumn and the beautiful photos, especially of “The Ripper”. What a cutie.
xoxo
Pam
Happy Thanksgiving!
You and your newsletter are two of my blessings, Susan! I feel happier when I read your words and reread the newsletter several times to prolong the enjoyment. 🙂 I will be looking for The Overstory and A Gentleman in Moscow to read because you found them to be books you continued to think about. If a book enters my mind during the real here-and-now hours of my day then I know it is meaningful to me.
I was flabbergasted by your production lead times for your calendar and the children pictured are adorable! I will be giving your 2022 calendar to our 3 1/2 year old grand-daughter for Thanksgiving. She is very fond of drawing, coloring and painting and spends time each day “creating.” I think she will be charmed by your unique illustrations.
May you, Joe and Jack enjoy a Thanksgiving gathering with loved ones.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
400 years ago, my ancestors were gathered at that first thanksgiving meal! what a thought! those pilgrim candlestick holders are a real treasure.
Happy Thanksgiving
My Thanksgiving wish for you, dear Susan, is that you never tire of bringing the world so much joy.
Your blog, your Willards, your calendars, and cups…the list goes on and on, all making our lives more inspired, a remembrance of blessings that surround us made visible by your gentle awareness and sweet reminder to simply, “look up, look down, look all around!”
I made Easter Baskets for my parents when I was little . . . it is very much the same feeling … I don’t think I’ll ever tire of it. I just need to be an energizer bunny! ❌⭕️
Lovely blessings! I love that you quote Gladys Tabor I have several of her books that I go back and reread every year at this time and in the winter— love her!
Dear Susan, Your newsletter is such a delight! The quotes and poems go into my journal with your name beside them, too. Thank YOU!
As usual a welcoming Willard full of memories and inspiration and wonderful quotes. Our fall ended this morning with snow! Not sticking on the streets but on the grass and die hard flowers. I’m not ready!
Well, have a glorious Thanksgiving and thank you for Willard.
This Willard was exceptional! Thank you!
I would love the candlesticks. How generous of your friend to donate them for this giveaway.
Susan: I received my Blessed Cup last week and it is beautiful! You are truly a blessing to all of us. Thank you for sharing your talents and your love with us.
My sweetest Susan, you are my blessing!
Hugs,
Mercedes C.
Susan, dear person,
You spread blessings of beauty and joy in the world.
I have had an incredible three months. My dear hubby of 55 years survived brain surgery for cancer. He had the number one brain surgeon at the University of Iowa City Hospitals. That was miracle # 1. Miracle #2 was that he can do all the things they warned us he would not be able to do: see, walk, climb stairs, etc. etc. His short term memory is coming back as well: Miracle #3.
It is good to know that miracles still happen. We have had so many dear people praying for him, driving us here and there, and just wishing us well, that we feel the whole world is a place of miracles.
You are one too— miracle # 50, or !00, or !000. I’ve lost count.
Bless you,
Jeanne of Iowa
PS A Gentleman of Moscow was my favorite book a few years ago. I also struggled with Overstory, but felt it was a book we all should deal with. Keep reading. ( A miracle for sure.)
I just finished your newsletter. Like all the previous ones, it reminds me of all the blessings surrounding me. I’m fortunate to live in beautiful New Hampshire and enjoyed the very long fall as well. Even today as I look out my slider there are still trees awash in gold. Thanks for all the words that have put me in a festive mood and, as always, I love, love seeing Jack. Stay well and enjoy the season!
May your Thanksgiving be filled with many Blessings. Loved all the Quotes and Poems and the lovely Autumn pictures. Thank You for sharing your time and talents.
Thank you, Susan!
I always save your blog posts to read on a Saturday morning with a cup of coffee or tea. This past week has been so stressful finishing up report cards and getting ready for conferences next week, but then…I get a week off for Thanksgiving, and it’s glorious!
Reading your fall posts always get me excited for this time of year.
That image of the leaves in the water with the tree reflections is GORGEOUS!
Thank you for filling the interwebs with glorious images and lovely sentiments.
Glad to hear you were all safe in that last storm. My little brother and his family moved from CA (Palm Springs to be exact) to Connecticut in October, and thanks to reading your books and blog posts over the years, I have been excitedly hearing about their adventures. He said they got gusts of 50mph! That’s nothing to the 98mph you had on the island, but still. Whoa!
So, I hope you and Joe and your guests have a lovely Thanksgiving. We’ll be hosting again at our farm in Aromas with my parents and some siblings but not everyone. Those days might be long past with so many of us (5 kids in my family) now scattering across the country, but we’re together in spirit.
Hugs and love to you all,
Susan
My sister lives in La Quinta, right next to Palm Springs. Moving to Connecticut out of that heat and desert would be her dream come true! Pretty soon your brother and his family will have their first snow. You have to tell me how it goes! ❌⭕️
Even though I am 100% a summer girl, I loved everything about this post. I love how you share your delightful life with us and am so thankful that the storm did no major damage. Now, off to shop Pottery Barn…….