HELLO from Christmas Island!!! Look how HAPPY I am!!! That’s because (and not at all discounting my daily dose of delicious anti-anxiety medicine (Lexapro for inquiring minds)) I started after 
Covid and worry-about-the-world almost did me in 😃, but I digress) ~ I’m happy for many reasons as you will see below, but first, THIS: my girlfriend Martha’s brilliant husband WROTE a brand new CHRISTMAS SONG.💖 Who DOES that? He’s usually so normal! It’s a totally original song 🎹, and I do believe you are the first audience to hear it! In fact, this is the only place on earth where you can hear it! He let me because we are old friends who live across the street, and when he sang it for us, before he’d even had it professionally recorded, I immediately thought of you!💞 “They’ll love this” I said. He didn’t even try to resist my begging ~ and graciously said, “Of, course, I’ll send it to you! That’s why I wrote it!” 💖💖💖💖💖
Here we go, this is it . . . The Mistletoe Waltz!
Perfect for Jane Austen movies! Right? Can’t you see Mr. Darcy dancing with Elizabeth to this? Molly has a gorgeous voice! It could be in the next Love Actually! Or Mariah Carey could sing it! Kelly Clarkson! Or Taylor Swift, Times Magazine 2020 Person of the Year, who fills our world with happiness and light! This song is like that! Happiness and Light. Good job Ivan!👏
So here we go, from me to you. . . a Willard filled with happiness and light, giving love away, very like A Christmas Carol, doing season past AND season future! Freezing here this morning, had to warm my hands over the toaster! Which of course was a win-win! Toast and warm hands! MAS MUSICA . . .
Our fall here on the island was gorgeous . . . with flaming skies at sunset, church bells rang, wild geese flew over, the wind blew chimney smoke 
around, leaves curled and turned orange, garnet, and gold, mini murmurations of grackles flew in low black clouds over and around the trees, the Harvest moon shone down with golden light … the freshened Autumn air, as Gladys Taber wrote, was “cool as an old coin teaspoon” …and whipped the leaves up behind the tires of our car. Just as it has been since the beginning of time. Perfection.
I decorated inside to match the outside. . .
But Nature does it best, inside the house too: Sun and leaves made shadows on the walls that fell differently in the shortening days . . .
Church bells rang the hour across the street . . . Between that and the boat whistle and the early morning blast of lighthouse foghorns, I am reminded constantly of how lucky I am . . .
Joe brought in branches of bright leaves to hang over mirrors . . .
We hung our wreath of leaves on the front door and dried corn on the kitchen door . . .
It’s that time of year when it’s FUN to carry the basket of wet laundry across the crunchy leaves in the fresh air to hang things out to dry in the wind, where a slight fragrance of leaf mulch and woodsmoke spice the airy sea-smell of our sheets. Even a speck of time in nature is good for what ails you ~ it carries forever the hum of ommmmmm in it!🍁 I spent the end of October and the first of November nursing around the house, getting it ready for company. I washed and . . .
…hung things on the line while Jack watched and waited in the kitchen window . . .
My shadow!
He watched while I starched and ironed tablecloths . . .
. . . sprinkled dresser scarves and table runners, curtains and napkins. Sssssss, the smell of hot iron …👏
Joe polished my wand and all his little silver things for his bar.
Jack helped me fold the starry sheets in his own inimitable way of helping . . . that is, sitting on them, making them his own.
He watched me arrange flowers, make beds, and freshen and make the guest rooms cozy for my people . . .
I stopped off in our room, Jack’s favorite shooting grounds, to shoot rubber bands for him ~ I stand at the door, grab a handful of hairbands, aim, and shoot over the bed, he waits on the workout bench, HIS workout bench, not mine . . see that rubber band in the air over his head? I do this at least 3 times a day, which is how I know I will be going to heaven. God loves those who take care of his creations.
He also likes me to shoot down from the top of the stairs, in freezing bare feet, when I want to go to bed, while he runs up and down the bottom stairs catching them . . . he catches them, but doesn’t bring them back anymore. That’s my job. He has made that very clear . . .
As it was getting closer to Thanksgiving, and our guests were on their way, I set out bread on the ironing board in the pantry to dry for my grandma’s stuffing; Joe is there choosing bottles of wine… . . . we wanted to make it special . . .
Because we had family coming! And suddenly, hooray, they began to arrive ~ I found I just wanted to LOOK at them!👀 But I was trying very hard not to be scary Aunt Sue!😜 This happy guy is my nephew Matt Stewart . . . you might recognize him because…
. . . in the way-back machine, Matt flew over to join us on our trip to England and Paris with two of my other nieces Holly and Heidi the day after he graduated from high school in Durango, Colorado in 2001! We had these three for six weeks! Best trip ever!
The gang’s all here and out to dinner we went … that’s Becca on the left, Matt’s girlfriend who I had never met, then Joe, then my niece Jessica, my nephew Matt, Cory (Jessica’s husband), Maggie, and Eliza (Jessica and Cory’s daughters), and Eliza’s boyfriend Justin, who I hadn’t met either, but new people at the table are always fun! And I, as a strict Morning Scientist, like to study the younger generation to see what the future will be and talk about it with Joe later. (It’s okay, they never noticed.😁 They think they’re normal.)
We walked out to the water, through the woods, with the smell of decaying leaves … looking for shells and beach glass . . .
Then downtown to tiny La Choza on the corner of Main Street to get the fattest, yummiest, homemade (except in a restaurant), Burritos on earth!
Cory entertained us with hilarious pirate stories of his sailing days. I analyzed, of course, and found them very very good.😱😅😂🤣 Little bits of information, here and there, from every one of those kids make me know the future is in good hands. They are as passionate as we were, but much more motivated and powerful, and ready to take it on. And they have Taylor Swift on their side! (MAS MUSICA … my Grandma’s Favorite)
I’m STILL analyzing this move by the mother of children!😂 What EVER it means (it could be a kind of dancing), it IS cute! After all, MY mother said, “Boss!” when she liked something.🙄 Some of them stayed 4 days, some of them stayed 3 . . . and all of it was wonderful. Matt and Jessie, the children of two of my brothers, Chuck and Jim, both grew up in Durango, Colorado, but because they were five years apart in age, they had never really spent any time together before they all moved away, so this was extra special (for me) just for that reason. I like the cousins to know each other. 💖 And I like to know them! (Have you read the most wonderful “knowing people” book that’s just out, written by David Brooks and appropriately called “How to Know a Person?” SO GOOD, so smart! A great Christmas present! Order it HERE or HERE and make our small Independent Island bookstores crazy with happiness❤️). Oh the power!
Jack found a comfy perch where he could keep his eyes on everything!
Time to make the Stuffing! My grandma’s recipe and HER mom’s, which means that, for Eliza and Maggie, this stuffing I’ve been eating since I was little, came from their great-great-great-grandmother Sarah, born in 1870 in Adel, Iowa! I don’t know where she got the recipe! Probably HER mom!
The recipe is in my Autumn Book . . . we dipped the slices of bread we dried in the pantry in a sinkful of the hottest water we could stand, and squeezed the water out, as you can see above, so you have chunks of bread with finger marks in them.
You keep dipping, squeezing, and tearing into chunks, till you get a bowlful, then add chopped celery and onion that’s been sautéed and softened in lots of butter, salt and pepper, then a whole jar of sage. Mix it well with your ands and voila! That’s all I do to it, I love it simple, just the way my Grandma made it, smothered in turkey gravy ~ and from there I put it right into the turkey … but some people will make this basic recipe and add sausage or oysters, whatever means Thanksgiving to you is what you should do!
Matt knew how to make it and helped me! (BTW, see Matt’s long hair? Both he and Becca grow their hair and donate it to people stricken with cancer. If you have an abundance of hair, and need somewhere to put it . . . here’s how you do it!)
Matt and I have been good partners in the kitchen for a long time!
I made the cranberry sauce and popped it in the oven, and we are STILL eating Christmas Jam on the delicious scones Matt and Becca brought us from Shelley’s Tea Room in Plymouth, MA where they stopped on their way down to the island from Boston! Now I need to GO there! Jam’s so simple:
Maggie, who is 16, peeled the potatoes . . .
Maggie and Eliza have helped me in the kitchen before!💝
This was one of their creations! How did the world survive before cameras? This cookie is still fresh and beautiful! We always wish that time would stand still, and look at this blog full of standing-still moments that will never come again. Thank you camera inventor!
And suddenly it was TIME! Joe’s Beautiful Turkey 2023 was done!
Kids set the table, Joe sliced the turkey, I heated the rolls so the tops were crisp and the insides were soft, and we all carried the food to the table . . . I did not forget the most delicious French salted butter for the rolls.
Have you tried this yet? OMG it is beyond delicious… everyone LOVES it . . .
And Voila! We did it! Together, we made it happen! My mom would be SOOOOOO happy to see this!!! 💞
So fun, I got to be the Grandma and read the words to MY grandma’s favorite hymn of gratitude and celebration…
I wanted, with our togetherness, to honor these people, most of whom our kids have never met. (I’m the little face with the white barrette with Jessica’s dad on my right 😍, you can only see the very top of Matt’s Dad’s head, in his high chair toward the back.😂) That’s my Grandma on the left, and her dad (on her right), Merrill James Orr (he’s the fourth child of seven, father of ten, and my mom’s grandpa) ~ and he’s Maggie and Eliza’s great-great-great grandfather. He was born in 1871 in Stacyville, Iowa. This is the thing I love most about growing older, now I’m the connection between long long ago, and today, and even the future. Merrill’s g-g grandfather was born in 1745 in Plymouth MA, where Joe and I are going for a little Christmas get-away/shopping (and Shelley’s Tea Room) next week. 
I told the kids that our old house was built in 1849 and how I can hear echoes of stories of the families and their friends that lived here before us, their birthdays, the Christmas trees, tea parties, soups bubbling on the stove, their school days, changes of seasons, children, new babies, pets, and how this was our 34th Thanksgiving in the house, but it was the House’s 164th! The history! I thanked them for helping us add to the house DNA by being there for this one. Our house hugs back and I’m convinced this is the reason why. Doing our best to leave it ringing with memories, for the next people.
Of course, what do you do after Thanksgiving? You find out if you’re taller than your mother! I literally remember when I was finally taller than my mother, and I think it might even happened at Thanksgiving!😊💃🏼
Beautiful Girls ~ Jessica is the daughter of my brother Jim and his wife Kate; and her daughters, my great nieces Liza and Maggie.❤️
Jessica with her mom, Kate.💖
Yes, this photo was at least partially staged, that’s why all the smiles . . . because we are a modern people! After dinner we all snuggled into the wood room to watch the wonderful NY stage play production of Hamilton on Disney+! They knew ALL the words, made me so happy, they sang all the way through it.🎵🎶🎵
All too soon we were at the boat waving goodbye to Jessica and Cory on the ferry, time for the kids to go back to school and for them to go back to work . . .👋💗💗💗
Then it was time for Matt and Becca to go . . .
Matt told me I would love Becca, and I definitely did! We’re going out to California in January and hope to see them there! 👏 And then, deep breath . . . tick-tock, dastardly clock never stops … it was back to normal . . .🧡
No one took a picture of my cute outfit, so I did. That flannel skirt turns 40 next year! Tip for the day: Always buy skirts with elastic waists.👏 I’ll let you know when I get myself into that buttoned skirt I wore on my first date with Joe! A whole OTHER story!😊
Cruel children left us with this … seriously dangerous . . . after one relatively short fork-frenzy, I cut the rest of the Pumpkin Cheesecake in half, took half up the street to Lowely’s, and the other half over to Martha’s! (Wish I had it this moment!)
Then back to THIS, trying to get Thanksgiving OFF me . . . doing my planks. Which I started a few months ago by doing one plank and holding it for 3 seconds.🤪 Now I have worked up to doing three, 
holding each for 50 seconds. You know what that means… if I can do it, you can.💝 All of Google agrees that if you can only do one exercise, this is the one! And one of the secrets to happiness… and maybe not planks, but there is always something we can do to keep those joy levels going strong. Life has been more than complicated these last years, turns out it’s up to us to MAKE it the way we want it. Turn on the music YOU like, make the cookies YOU adore, have the tea YOU love, if you want green hair, HAVE it … because if mama ain’t happy, ain’t no one happy.🧑🎤 And you know, life is short.😘
With a little help from my friend. Then I turned the calendar to 
So first thing, because the holidays are upon us . . . I want to give you your Full Moons Bookmark for 2024 . . . so you can make your stocking stuffers! 💖 Just click, print it out, and then cut it out.
And then, I mentioned that Joe and I are taking the train to California in January? So excited!! 🚂 We’ll get there around January 15th and stay probably a month (or for as long as it takes), because we’re MOVING our California Studio a LOT closer to where Kellee lives ~ and we’ll be selling the house we’ve owned for 22 years, in Arroyo Grande, just below San Luis Obispo, on the Central Coast.💖 We actually spent most of our time there for the first 10 years of the 2000s … I loved it, despite the double-wide aspect of the house. I didn’t care, while I was there, it was the House of Creativity! It’s where I saw my first bluebird. One year we brought in a bunch of sand and made a beach next to the creek! We made a firepit down there, put a long table under the trees and had Thanksgiving dinner outdoors. My brother played the guitar and we all sang.🍁🍁🍁
THEREFORE… because we think about lightening our moving vans, we’re having a MOVING SALE …. starting now, all December long, until midnight December 31 ~ All my books, the calendars, recipe cards, post cards, art prints, and giclees, are all ON SALE for 20% off! We’ve never done this before, but I promised Kellee we’d make it as easy as possible! We might add more, so check back . . . she’s still figuring out what we have enough of! So we have a lot to do when we get out there!
Sale includes Christmas Memories, Gratitude, Enchanted, Grandma’s Story, ALL my books!
YUP, Home for Christmas too! AND if any of YOU need to make your own little farm in the country on the Central Coast of California on 8 flat acres, completely fitted with an overhead irrigation system that comes from a year-round creek running through the property that comes from Lopez Lake and passes through to the sea, let me know. Everything grows there because it is an ancient river bed. Arroyo Grande means Big Ditch, but now it’s a beautiful wine, artichoke, and avocado producing area in its own micro climate . . . where good weather is even better there. There’s a back road through the wine country to SLO, so I never had to get on the freeway to go there; and the house is about 3 miles from Pismo Beach. Trader Joe’s is about a 6 minute car ride away!
OUR CALIFORNIA PARADISE IS ACTUALLY FOR SALE! 😲 TELL EVERYONE! Because I’d like to sell it to someone who will love it as much as I did.💝
This is how the picket fence garden looked when I lived there all the time! It’s still pretty, but not as flowery without me around. I will love seeing it cared for again!
Photo by Christopher Gardner. Aug 2004
Susan Branch at her AG home and garden
This is the house from the road . . . The house itself isn’t great . . . it’s usable, two or three bedrooms, depends on how you look at it, and 2 bathrooms, with its own well. But you’d really want to build a house out back where you could hear the creek running at night ~ that’s what we would have done if I hadn’t gotten so homesick for New England. Very difficult to be in two places at once.
At the end of this hedge that we planted, turn left and you’re at the creek, it winds along that row of trees back there . . . and the property continues a bit on the other side of the creek.
This is the property from the back; the creek is about this same distance behind me . . . A tractor comes with the property!
When we came home from our first garden tour of England we went fairly crazy planning the garden. . .building hedges, a long walk, and garden rooms around the house . . .
I laid it out on paper, and it’s all there along with several out buildings.
Artichokes grow so well there, the best I ever tasted! We grew them behind the garage next to the back wall of it. It was toasty warm and they were ecstatic and prolific as you can see! There are citrus trees, avocado trees, a walnut tree, a plum, fig, apple, and I can’t remember what else.
We planted lots of roses . . . they love this little valley.
Oh yes, we planted tiny Christmas Apple (or Lady apple) trees there too. Because unlike Martha’s Vineyard, things bloom and grow in California year-round. And those that don’t grow well on our Island, like Sweet Peas? One year I had them blooming in California from March to August!!! Oh yeah.🥰
Joe planted corn and all sorts of veggies . . .
The plum tree in springtime ~ it’s a property with SO MUCH potential, everything between farm, winery, estate, wedding venue or garden nursery . . . Although zoning, I have no idea . . .there was a nursery on that road about ½ mile up from us . . . it’s gone now, but there are still wineries and a farmstand. I’m going to love being there for January! I like to walk, 9 times around the property equals 3 miles. It’s not on the market yet … I don’t even know what things are selling for out there, but if you have interest, email [email protected] and we’ll pass your note to our realtor, which we don’t have yet!😜
I received a sample of our new cup for approval! It looks beautiful! I’m so excited to send it to my people. They should be arriving to the new Studio toward the end of January . . . I love it, I know you will too. I drink my Fine Romance private blend Tea (Earl Grey with lavender), with honey and cream, out of it everyday and looking at this new cup, I celebrate how our country got started. And for a moment in the quiet morning, I treasure the peace we have always felt in this country and promise to do everything I can to make more of it.💖
Yes it is! So don’t forget to enjoy the deliciousness of this 
Holiday Egg Nog. I changed it a bit this year. Love milk so much, I reversed the measurements, and made a much lighter version, now it’s ⅔ c. milk over crushed ice, splash of eggnog (too taste), splash of bourbon, shake of nutmeg. I think it’s better! Just plain YUMMY, and easy! And there’s calcium in it! Now light the fire or the candles, make a toast to peace on earth, and let the daydreaming begin.
It snowed on our walk yesterday, blasted us actually . . . it didn’t stay on the ground, but it was the first one, and it came down pretty hard for a while, coming straight at us and sticking to our eyelashes. Of course we loved it. We were listening to 
Dickens Pickwick Papers . . . We decided December goes perfectly with Dickens. It’s a really funny book, written more like short stories (it was originally a magazine serial), but in some places it’s VERY hard to understand. The reader is excellent at accents and voices, but some of ye olde 19th century English accents might as well be Hungarian. We need subtitles which Audible does not provide. Because that would be “a book.” Still it’s fun to be in the wind, in 1829 England, and ALSO, at the same time, in the first snow of the season in 2023. When we get home from Plymouth we’re going to listen to A Christmas Carol. 
I’m decorating again!
Decorating with all the little things that have become our traditions . . . old books, old music, old friends . . . and with all our years together, you know some of them as well as I do!
Using all the things we have in common, like sparkly things . . .
. . . candles, bunting, and angel chimes . . . things found, and things made . . .
Homemade things and memories 💞
And this . . . 💖💖💖 Big Magic!
Yes, I’m getting ready for Christmas and my Girlfriends Gift Exchange. Probably one of my smallest parties, because as we get older, we have SO MANY beloveds, it would take something miraculous to do it with everyone! And my beloveds includes you! My first gift to you all, wasn’t even mine, it was Ivan’s new song! Want to hear it again?
I’ve also planned very tiny gift exchange with just one of you. Problem is, I don’t know WHICH one yet❓❓❓So far, it’s a mystery! Your part is to leave a comment, from which we’ll draw names and whichever name I get, I have a present for. Would you like to know what it is? Okay … It’s not this:
But you know how I always love to decorate with quilts? They are so festive and charming and add a bit of coziness, wherever they are,
with their old-fashioned, handmade, historical nature, . . . I put them in the kitchen (no matter that it doesn’t make sense, they make it cozy and I love the color!), hang them over the backs of chairs . . on quilt racks in the bedrooms, I stack them on the top of the hutch in the living room . . . drape them over sofas . . . . everywhere I can think of . . . because they’re so pretty!
And I’ve painted them into my books …
Since the very beginning . . .
Sharing this thing I love has been easy. I’ve collected vintage quilts pretty much all my life, since my Grandma gave me one my great-Grandma Sarah made and opened my eyes to this gorgeous homemade art of our foremothers, who by the way, could do ANYTHING and wasted nothing . . . and that is why . . . 
Jack and I thought it would be nice to give away one of my beauties to a good home.💝
YOURS! This beautiful quilt is my secret Santa gift to a very special universal YOU 💞 . . . Just leave a comment (at very bottom of this post there are a bunch of tiny words… at the end you’ll see “comments” ~ click there) to be entered in our drawing, and soon this 64″ x 77″ handmade 
quilt (there is nothing standard about the sizes of old quilts!) will be winging its way to the lucky winner. Always remember you have a LOT better chance of your name being drawn here than you do with the Lottery and, creme de la creme, we don’t charge for tickets.💞 Another win-win!😃 I’m sorry, but I already know I won’t be able to answer all your comments this time, as you can guess, but believe me, I will read them and make sure they all get entered.💝 Are you signed up to get my Willard Newsletters mailed to your box? This would be a very good time to make sure. Sign-up is at the top left of this page. I’ll announce the winner in the next Willard!
And so Tra La, another Willard, AND another year under our belts my dears . . Wishing you all, from my heart, the very Merriest of Christmases, Happy Hanukkah, Joyful Kwanzaa, Feliz Navidad, Joyeux Noel, Mele Kalikimaka🌴, Seasons Greetings, and any other thing I might have forgotten,😃 and God Bless us every one.💞
With love from me and Joe! Hoping you 
Love your blog. Gives me such a lift when I’m feeling down. Thank you for all you do. I e got all your books Calendars two every year. I buy one from my friend !! Merry Christmas!!
I loved the waltz and I love reading Willard! Happiest of holidays to you and Joe.
What a lovely break this Willard is–and a treat as I recover from knee replacement surgery! Thank you.
Hello! What a joy to see this. I just looked at the photos right now because I’m on my phone but tomorrow morning I will sit with my laptop and coffee and read every word!!! Much love and blessed Advent wishes to you and Joe
Laura in Illinois ♥️
PS please send a prayer, have twisted my knee and can barely hobble!!! Scheduled for sinus surgery a week from today 12/15. Thanks! Hugs ♥️♥️
🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💘
Reading this felt like a hug. Thank you for sharing your art, your life, your joy in the every day. Thank you for reminding me to look at the small happy things!!
Quilts and quilting are my therapy!❤️ Such a lovely gift to give. Love your Willard’s and everything you do – reminds me to live in my “happy place” always💕
I love quilts too. I managed to make one for each of 7 grandchildren before the machine stopped. But each child got a quilt.
What a wonderful, marvelous Willard! I am reading your, A Fine Romance, book, now. I call it my happy book. I read one or two entries each morning to get my day started with a smile and a feel good feeling❤️
Thanks for taking us through the loveliest season of the year to the tune of
Ivan’s beautiful waltz. Wishing you Joe and Jack Christmas joy.
What a joyful post, full of fun, laughter and family!
What a delightful Willard to read over a great cup of tea. I love your positive boost of holiday spirit. Merry Christmas.
I love the quilt & oh! “The Mistletoe
Waltz “was beautiful! Merry Christmas!❤️
Thank you for the wonderful Holiday message. Family is so dear and I can’t get enough of them. We have grown from two sons to seven Grandchildren and in January our sixth Great grandchild! How did this happen so fast? I was born the same year as you and as you were writing I was working on family memories.
I too started as one of 6, a big family. Great lives for each of us!
A very Merry Christmas to you and Joe!
I love rereading your Christmas books each year!
What a delightful read on this Friday evening! It is lovely to see that you have been spending lots of time with your loved ones, enjoying meals, nature walks and laughs. I love quilts as well – the first one I ever got was passed down from my grandmother at age 21 and now I love to collect them myself. Hope you, Joe (and Jack) have the most delightful Christmas holidays full of love and joy!!!
Merry Christmas everyone!
Your blog posts always bring a smile to my face and make me feel much lighter. How generous of you to be gifting one of us (oh, how I hope it’s me!!) with that gorgeous quilt. Does Jack come with it, too? 😉
Merry Christmas!
xoxo
Dear Susan, you are a special blessing! Your work is always inspirational, comforting, and uplifting! Thank you for sharing your words of wisdom, beautiful photos and amazing artwork. I especially enjoyed reading this Willard, truly a spark of light much needed today. May you and Joe have a very Merry Christmas and Healthy, Happy New Year!
We wish you a Merry Christmas🎵we wish you a Merry Christmas🎵and a Happy New Year!
Thank you for the joy, color, magic, and fairy godmother energy you add to my life 🥰 Happiest of holidays to you, Joe, and Jack 🌲✨
Thank you for the beautiful Willard and the gifts of song and the full moon calendar. What beautiful property you have in California – I hope a kindred spirit to you buys it and keeps it beautiful. I always enjoy reading how much you love family and traditions – I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Fruitful New Year!
Would love to add that beautiful quilt to the collection of my grandmas I have. I spent many summer afternoons in the church basement with her and her ladies aide friends quilting patterns into them back in the early 80s. I’d entertain them with routines from my weekly tap dance class.
Such a generous gift. But so like you. Your Thanksiving celebration looks like such a wonderful family get together. i hope there are many more. wishing you, Joe and Jack a very Merry Christmas. Love to you all.
Fabulous Willard! They always make the day better. Good luck selling your California paradise! I am a quilter and always love finding vintage beauties.
Darlene
Fabulous Willard! They always make the day better. Good luck selling your California paradise! I am a quilter and always love finding vintage beauties.
The Mistletoe Waltz was divine and a lovely gift. I feel we are kindred spirits; I also have Spode Pink Tower. My great aunt had it and I love the pattern. I collect antique quilts and make quilts. I am obsessed with quilting. I live in Morgan Hill Ca and would love to have your a property love that central coast area. Merry Christmas and the happiest of New Years❤️🎄
Thank you for your lovely, cozy, Willard. It made my day and started my holiday season. I’m an “estate saler” and love to rescue handmade quilts at estate sales. I always wonder what the story was behind the quilt, like who made it, who was it for, where did the fabrics come from (scraps, clothing, store bought). So, all of that to say I would love to add your quilt to my rescues.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you and yours.
Dear Susan,
Thank you again for an uplifting and full of fun Willard! As I have been consumed by Christmas decorating the past 2+ weeks, it was really nice to relive Thanksgiving with you and be thankful all over again for my own so recently experienced but replaced by Christmas preparations. I wish you and Joe and Jack the merriest of Christmases and a wonderful time back in CA in Jan. It looks like a fabulous property there! And thank you for your generosity in offering the beautiful quilt to one of your lovely girlfriends😊!❤️❤️❤️
🎄Merry Christmas Susan & Joe🎄. Thank you for Willard…newsy, encouraging, positive and so much fun to read. Your writing always puts me in the mood to get up off the couch and get busy😉. Safe travels and cheers🥂for a healthy and happy 2024🥳
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you, Joe, and your family! Thank you for all the brightness you bring to us!
Thank you, thank you, thank you! Wonderful Willard, wonderful Sue! What an exciting time for you and Joe. But leaving AG?! Wow! It’s one of my favorite places ever!! Best of everything!!
I really enjoyed the Beautiful Willard and thank you for the 2024 full moons. I’ve been using them for years! I love quilts too and some of my older ones were loved so much they practically disappeared! Wishing you, Joe and your families a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Happy Christmas! Thank you for sharing your lovely family and Thanksgiving celebration and holiday prep, Willard felt like your books come to life! Wishing you a sprit filled Christmas season, which for me, starts with my birthday on December 21st! Would be honored to become the new keeper of your treasured quilt. All the best!
Thank you for the perfectly timed Willard. I just finished decorating last night and can’t wait to curl up surrounded by twinkle lights and read!
What a delight to see the Thanksgiving photos of your family and their significant others! That’s what makes the holidays so grand. There is love in your home and that is a blessing for everyone who visits there. Wishing you, Joe and Jack a very Merry Christmas and wishes for a Happy New Year as you travel to California.
Merry Christmas to you and Joe and Jack! What a lovely post filled with so many wonderful things! The quilt is gorgeous by the way. I love that Matt and his girlfriend grew their hair out to donate to people in need. That’s so wonderful of them. I feel more festive just reading this post. Thank you, Susan. Oh, and I just ordered one of your wall calendars for next year! I order one every year. Love them so much!
!Greetings from Newer Mexico!
Happy days to all~
Susan, Thank You for this beautiful Blog. Loved seeing all the family smiles around the table and would love to share a bit of warmth from you! Merry Christmas!
Susan, thank you so very much for the Willard. I look so forward to them. I pray that the exact family or couple buy your property that will cherish it like you and Joe have. And will give it the level of love and care. I love the new Christmas song! Thanks for sharing. And thank you, too, for the items you are sharing on sale! I got my order in! I wish you the very Merriest Christmas!! Have the best time in January! 🌹🎄🌹
We were just out in California ( down from Idaho) visiting friends in Cayucos and Pismo Beach! Happy to know you love that area, too. Very nice wine country vibes, too. But, shh! We don’t want too many tourists to spoil it.
Happiest of holidays!
Thank you for the up-lift I so needed today. Good luck selling your California farm!
I needed this.This brought so many past Christmases.You are so blessed.
My family can’t get together for crazy little tiffs.I am 76 so would be nice .
Thanks for this Willard.It brought me such joy.
Would love quilt,but so would everyone.
Enjoy your trip.
So excited to have a pre-Christmas Willard to read! Love Ivan’s song! May you, Joe, your family and friends enjoy this beautiful time of year together! Merry Christmas!!!!!
Dear Susan (and Girlfriends),
This is Sari, writing from Gran Canaria, a tiny island in the Atlantic Ocean belonging to the Canary Islands, Spain. I just want to thank you, Susan, for all the innumerable moments of peace, dreams, fun and inspiration you have provided me with since last February, when I came across a picture on Instagram which featured the map of England on page six of “A Fine Romance…”. I’ve always been a great admirer of illustrated books, and that picture pointed me in your direction. Reading that book was incredibly stimulating in many senses. I know I will always remember the way your pages made me feel while reading, so optimistic and encouraged to do things that made me happy. And all the learning in the way! What an invaluable piece of treasure I found there! So, once again, THANK YOU!
¡Y FELIZ NAVIDAD!
Un abrazo desde el otro lado del océano,
Sari
Sari, I think you’re my very first Gran Canaria!!! I love thinking how connected we all are, and in the way of kindred spirits! Now I’m going to look up Gran Canaria and let my imagination go! Thank you for saying hello and for the sweet compliments on A Fine Romance! ❌⭕️
Thank you for another delight-filled post, Susan! So many meaningful things to comment on, but simpler to say it’s all just gorgeous. I love so many things that you and Joe love, you’ve gathered a great community around you.
We’re getting a respite from the cold this weekend in Vermont, I know what you mean about warming hands over the early morning toaster! I shall go out and walk even if it’s raining and I might just add your “planks challenge” to my daily exercises, one is Xi gong and the other is a lot more energetic.
Enjoy everything about this season and I will too!
Glad your Thanksgiving was so special. And thank you for sharing the Christmas waltz, it’s beautiful!! The quilt is so unique. I’m sure we all would love to see it in our home. Have a blessed Christmas.
Merry Christmas! Your post made my day. I plugged in all my Christmas lights and put dinner in the oven tonight while I smelled our Pasties warming I read your post. Nice way to wind down the day. I so wish that I could buy your California house but I’ll leave it to someone younger an able to give it the attention it needs. I have a home in Michigan and Florida and as you say hard to be at both places. Tomorrow I’m flying to Florida to rock my new grandson coming in from Tennessee. His daddy is a Firefighter in TN and his wife is an Operating Room Nurse, they are at the end of their family leave and coming for some rest and sun.i can’t wait. I’m picturing your quit in the nursery hoping, I’m the lucky one to win it. Good luck with your move. Merry Christmas to you and your family I’ll play the song to the baby while we snuggle and rock . Nothing like a new baby to express Peace on Earth.
This Christmas season I am reconnecting with friends, after losing my mother this summer. She was a month short of 99 years old. I haven’t entertained much and am realizing now how important those connections are. Blessings to you.
Hard going on without your mom . . . but yes, make magic. She would love that. xoxoxo
Loved seeing this post today!
So wonderful to read this post and the comments are delightful. They always make my day better. I’ve made many quilts over the years and treasure each one. I’d love to be the lucky winner.
My ex-husband Bill passed away from a stroke at age 60 on July 1 of last year. Our rescue dog Moosher passed away at at the age of 12 in July 5 of this year. We often talk about them, about our late cats and about our late family members. Their pictures are on the living room wall, on the fridge and framed on a table. We cherish our memories of them all.
And thankfully our daughter Lila and I have each other and our 8-year-old cat Kiki who has been a great comfort to us these past 17 months.
The meaning of life? To love and be loved. It really is that simple.
And now my favorite time of year is here again…
It made me very happy this week to watch Lila spend several hours decorating our humble but cozy home here in Southern California. She hung old and new decorations and colored lights on the beautiful small Italian Stone Pine tree that she bought, strung old Christmas cards on a string, and set out various little friends on a table, incl. the marshmellow snowman I made last week. Today she brought home a lovely stoneware platter shaped and painted like a Christmas tree. Soon I’ll be placing my homemade cookies on it and they will tempt us to madness.
Birthdays are fun, but Christmas is magical.
I loved your wonderful heart-touching message. Thank you….💝
Thank you, Susan – and you’re very welcome!
Your newsletters bring me immense joy – they are the epitome of good vibes and “hygge”. (as a native Dane, I am thrilled that this Danish word & concept has now become a household word here in the States.)
Lila and I by the way have become big fans of your beloved cat Jack. At her work site where we live, there is is the sweetest cat named Virginia aka Ginny who looks like Jack’s long lost twin sister. The resemblance is remarkable.
Merry Christmas to you, Joe and Jack!
Shari Jensen,
Long Beach, CA
Dear Shari,
My heart really goes out to you and your daughter. My husband, 57, suffered a hemorrhagic stroke last December. He did survive, but it was a terrifying experience. I can only imagine the strength and bravery you and your daughter have in order to put one foot in front of the other. I am sending you both big hugs of support and absolute admiration. I wish you a new year that is filled with only the best and brightest, most wonderful people, places and things our world can offer.
Sincerely,
Tawni Urrutia
Blessings Girlfriends . . .❌⭕️❌⭕️
Thank you, Tawni for your kind words. So happy to hear that your husband survived. Merry Christmas and blessings to you both!
Ohhhhh how I love the central coast! Just came back from a Pismo trip last month.❤️ Best of luck with the sales of everything!
Hi Susan,
First time writing. Just finished your book Matha’s Vineyard for our book club. Loved it! I’m not as frilly or sentimental as you, but what I related to was your courage to go completely out of your box and I knew the ending. I have a similar broken heart story and fairy tale ending as well. I just retired from being an “Innkeeper” for 29 years and in trying to find my purpose in life started my own little email to the folks of my town. You inspired me and I love how much you love your life. Thank you for what you do. Love, Chris
P.S. Did you have your handwriting made into your own font? I saw that you could do that now.
I haven’t found a way to connect the letters in my cursive on a font . . . thank you Chris for the sweet words!
How I looked forward to this Willard! And, of course, it never disappoints. Makes me feel as though I’ve had a warm hug. And quilts! I found a beautiful one with appliqued ladybugs to send to my only sister for Christmas and felt so lucky. Love quilts, and Willard, and Jack, and you and Joe! Merry Christmas!
Thanks so much for the special treat of “Mistletoe Waltz”! Loved it!
A very Merry Christmas to you and Joe and Peace, Joy and Love in the new year.
Hi Susan Wishing you and Joe a very merry and blessed Christmas. I lived in Arroyo Grande for 50 years. The Central Coast of CA is so beautiful.
Thank you for the joyous Willard
Gorgeous!!! Happy Christmas!
Wishing you, Joe and Jack a peaceful, loving Christmas season and a blessed 2024!
Wishing you a wonderful holiday season Susan and Joe. Your Thanksgiving with your family looks like it started on an amazing note. Safe travels to California after the holidays and happy memories while preparing your home for sale.
Mary Helen
Hello Dearie Sue,
I do love how you put so much oomph in living! When I sometimes feel a bit
depressed and anxious about how this world is lacking in grace and kindness, I bring myself right on over here and drink from your cup of joy.
I do that quite literally at 4:00 each day -enjoying my tea out of one of your beautiful cups (I have 5) while playing a game of Gin with my sweetie pie.
I am grateful for the addition of your light to my life and always include you in my thankfulness list.
This month I’ll get to watch my nephew get his Navy Wings of Gold and I will be quite the proud Auntie G. So I have confidence that the next generation is full of bright spots.
I hope you and Joe and Jack and all of yours have the jolliest of seasons and revel in the greatest and smallest moments!
xxooxx
Lots of love!
Gabi
Congratulations Gabi . . . wings of gold!💞
Dear Susan,
Here’s wishing you and Joe the most wonderful family purchases your lovely California home. Had I been 40 years younger I would have loved living there with all of the fine gardening possibilities. But alas, time isn’t on my side.
Take good care of yourselves and keep up those daily ‘planks’.
Until next year, be well ~ Many Hugs Lacy xo
Merry Christmas Susan and Joe!
Hope you have a very joyous holiday!
What a delight to read your December 2023 post! Have a very Merry Christmas and a fun and happy New Year…blessings to ya
The new old-sounding song is so beautiful with the perfect voices to sing it. Your family is just precious too.
Thanks for sharing your holiday traditions – so fun to read and see photos.
Merry Christmas!
Godspeed,
Deb
Quilts, quilts I too love quilts.
Precious! I collect vintage quilts but decided to share them with my family many years ago – I have enough and love seeing them in their homes. Love the new song.
Hello Susan – thank you for yet another beautiful, uplifting post. Your messages are filled with such peace and love and hope. I’m glad you had such a wonderful Thanksgiving with family. I wish you the best for the upcoming Christmas season!
Thank you for this wonderful peak into your Thanksgiving and family. The new song was wonderful too. Enjoy your trip to California and success in selling your home there. Can’t wait for the next Willard and all of the wonderful things it will contain. Safe travels!❤️
Merry Christmas to you and Joe. What a lovely Thanksgiving with family. It’s great to be able to get together. Love vintage quilts, I have one that my grandmother hand made in 1954 for my mother. It is a special treasure.
As a fellow quilt lover thanks for the chance to win this beautiful quilt. So excited about this. Thanks for your newsletters. I have been a fan for many many many years
What a lovely Willard! I loved every bit of it, especially the family traditions and the beautiful new song! Merry Merry Christmas to you, Joe and Jack!
What a wonderful treat to find this today!
Thank you for the looking blog, love it….
found myself singing the poem you read to your guests like I did in church. Precious memories…
Hi Susan, I love your Willard’s. You are unfailingly upbeat and hopeful. In the photo of the silver Joe polished there is a wooden cooling rack. I have one just like it. Wish I had a couple more. Merry Christmas. Have a great trip to California and good luck selling your property there. Sincerely, Peace, Karen
Merry Christmas 🎄 with Love ❤️ To you and Joe! God bless us everyone. And thank you for the beautiful inspiration through the years! On to 2024 🍾 !
Susan, You’ve made my day, my weekend! I’m so happy to receive your post today!!! I’ve been waiting and looking looking looking. 🙂 I loved the new ballad by Ivan, beautiful singing by Molly, lovely piano by Jonathan. Your sharing your family memories, pictures of your Thanksgiving, is very wonderful!!! I love the quilt. Sooo happy to have the Full moon bookmark which I make for friends who follow your blog also. So much to thank you for!!! Only one thing, I want to Shop but I can’t get into the site, I’ve been trying for months and messaged Kelli. She responded back that it was being worked on but I still can’t get it. 🙁 Is it me??? Am I doing something wrong? Please let me know, I’d love to go Susan Branch shopping. Thanks so much for all you do to cheer me and share your happiness.
We’re trying to figure it out and fix it . . . it only happens to some people ~ we think it might be something to do with the browser … try using a different browser to go to the website. I’m so sorry! We’ve been trying to update the blog and there are glitches!!!
Oh Susan, Opening a Willard letter from you is like a Christmas gift every time you send one. Thank you for sharing your Thanksgiving dinner with us and I know we are looking forward to being the one who gets to be chosen for your beautiful quilt to be re-homed to! Love the new song by your neighbor and every part of your letter! Merry Christmas to you and Joe!
Mary Huff
It’s impossible to set out a quilt without a cat immediately sitting in the middle of it. My 18-year old kitty would love that quilt.
Merry Christmas 🎁 the California place is beautiful wish I could have it 😝anyhoo looks like your holidays were packed with fun I enjoy your blogs so much! Have a wonderful December
You are an inspiration to me – Thank you for being you!
Blessings for Christmas and New Year!
I love decorating for Fall with leaves from the garden! Kindred spirits. (My family gives me strange looks. Don’t care.)
Of course I decorate with quilts year round. I finally put a sleeve on an antique quilt from my husband’s family. It is green, red and white and looks perfect behind the Christmas trees. I was a little nervous about hanging it because it is from the Civil War era.
Happy Christmas!
Merry Christmas Sue and Joe! Thank you for reminding us to treasure life’s beautiful moments. I appreciate you.
What an absolute treat to find a new Willard waiting for me. Loved the new Christmas song- I played it twice both times you linked it! Merry Christmas 🎄
I think this is one of my most favorite Willard’s ever!!! I loved seeing all the love in the faces of your family. Such beautiful memories for you all. I can’t remember how many years it’s been that I’ve enjoyed your letters but I used to get them in the mail. I’m so glad you display your quilts everywhere in the house. I’m going to do the same from now on. BTW: Your china sets are so lovely!!!!
Merry Christmas!!! Marge from Mahwah
What a lovely giveaway! So sweet of you dear Susan, to share such a beautiful quilt! Your Thanksgiving family gathering recount was warm and full of love, thank you for showing a glimpse into your celebration with those you hold close and live much. It must be difficult to think of letting go of your California cottage farm, so nice you were able to enjoy and now perhaps pass along some of that pastoral joy to someone else. I’ll be anxiously waiting to see whose name Vanna pulls from the bowl of numbers.
Thank you for sharing your family with all of us. And thanks for being a positive force for good in this world. Merry Christmas
How wonderful to share your family festivities with us. It seemed like I was there with you. You’ve put me in a Holiday mood.
Wishing You, Joe, and Jack the best of the seasons…and a brilliant New Year.
Thank you for another wonderful Willard!
Happy Holidays to all from Kim & Dave & Smokey
Love that last photo of you and Joe! So sweet. ❤️
Thank you for a great Willard and Happiest of Holidays to y’all!!
Missed you! Merry Christmas! jd
Awww, sweet memories of the past and new memories made with love. Thank you. Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Love and bunny hugs, Shirley
What a wonderful “Willard” blog. Reading about your Thanksgiving and all of your extended family. It was wonderful. When I first read about your selling your CA home I was sad..then I wished it was me that could buy it..but I’m too old. Then there was this mention of a gift excange…a quilt maybe but then I saw “Jack” silly me…what a nice gift that would be. Thanks Susan for the wonderful blog and all your warm news. We love you xoxo
Such a great blog. Happy holidays to you!
Thank you for this delightful post from Christmas Island. It is nice to meet your family. I thoroughly enjoyed the new Christmas song which sounds very European with the harmonies. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you, Joe, and Jack!
Love it all!!
What a nice song that was, pulled out of air! Amazing.
So nice to read your news and updates.
Thank you.
Would sure love to win that quilt! Hope it comes with Jack’s fur. 🙂
Merry Christmas Susan 🎄 Family is really everything isn’t it! So glad you had family time!
Enjoy your train ride to California and thank you for the entry 😊
I always enjoy the Willards!! I was so touched to hear you talk about your kitchen and home having a history, the walls have seen so much! We may need to leave our home, the one I grew up in because my husband had open heart surgery in March, and keeping up with the yard and home have become difficult. So, the home I have known since 1968 may have new owners by next Christmas~in some way your blog made me feel more at ease leaving my home, let another family make memories. But in other ways, it makes me sad to leave a home that has heard and seen many things~some great memories, some sad. Thanks for all you have done for me over the years! Love, Shirley Jones
Yes, change is always so hard, but bring that sweet heart of yours to your new home and all will be well.💝
I so look forward to Willard, and love to see it pop up in my inbox! Thank you! I enjoy reading about you and Joe…that last photo is so sweet.❤️
Oh what a fun Willard. Family is such a blessing, isn’t it? We’ve had a few family members visit us here in NH this Summer/Fall and there’s just something so special about family! I’m sitting here in my living room with the Christmas tree lit reading your Willard and looking at your two Christmas books I have displayed on my Coffee Table….treasures. Merry Christmas to you and Joe, stay warm and cozy!
Merry Christmas,
Carla