Yes, these California storms were nothing less than astounding, as you may have seen in the news, with scary words like BOMB CYCLONE (still don’t know what that was, but now I know don’t want to know), and ATMOSPHERIC RIVERS … I now know what this is and wish I didn’t! But we are fine and nothing got wet but the grass . . . there’s Joe out there making sure we’re safe. Now we know why it’s all so spectacularly GREEN around here! So! Ready for a new Willard? Let’s GO!💝 MUSICA!
Guess what arrived this morning? YES!!! Through rivers of rain, life-threatening wind, flowing mud, and flooding canyons ~ the boxes I’ve been waiting for, all the way from England ~ inspired by real life, I dreamed them, and now they’re HERE! The new cups! They made it!
LOOK! Shiny bright new. . . just in time!
Box-loads of them! As always, first come first serve, if you preordered, the first shipment will be going out this afternoon . . . we’re trying our very best to get them to you in time for Valentine’s Day!🥰
And plenty of time for Patriot’s Day in April!
And, don’t forget, we also got more of this one ~ for everyone who missed it first time around! Special for the Anglophiles in your life. Celebrating the long productive life of Queen Elizabeth II, this 16-oz. Commemorative cup! Filled with one of my private blend teas, this one is the Fine Romance Tea, Earl Grey with Lavender, rose petals, honey and cream!💖 YUM! Be your own Valentine!💞
For Anglophiles like me. I couldn’t love it more!🇬🇧
And this little cutie too . . . the Happy Birthday cup, for the Birthday friends in your life, in the smaller 11 oz size! All three of them arrived today! Won’t be long now until they come to a mailbox near YOU! Thank you for your patience!!! If you have been waiting to order until they actually got here, you can go HERE to secure yours now!🥳
This is one of MY best gifts, Kellee, she’s DEFINITELY tied to MY heartstrings!💖
Joe and I drove up to see her and the new studio yesterday . . . it was wonderful to see how Kellee has arranged everything ~ she did such a good job! ~ moving is such a good thing, we’ve unearthed things we haven’t seen in 
YEARS … like this appliqued quilt I designed for a new fabric line (new at the time) called Tea Party that Kellee hung over our cutting table. Note teapot on top shelf of appliquéd cabinet, and then I put the whole fabric collection on the shelves! And bordered it all with bluebirds of happiness because happiness, history, stories, and comfort is what quilting is all about! These fabrics are long gone, but we still have the pattern for the quilt, in case you’d like it!
The Studio is just an old warehouse, mostly furnished with shelves and tons of books, puzzles, charms, cups, tea things, vintage things, stationery things … but it does have lots of windows, lots of light, and Kellee put down cozy rugs and made a perfect office for herself and a darling little kitchen where she hung our sailboat cups.
Is that YOUR Autumn book sitting on top there?💘
I loved wandering around, seeing the products, and promised Kellee I would design more cards and notepads . . .
I got to smell our new kitchen soaps in their little wooden holders … the Genius Soap is made with Tea Tree and peppermint to enhance alertness and focus! Cute for a blue kitchen, soft and soapy. The oatmeal is the same, no rough herbs to hurt your hands, lovely soapy smell. I use the lavender all the time, but now I get to try the two new ones! Kellee and I wandered around for a while, then we went next door with Joe and Joel (Joel is the man who just brought our shopping page into the 21st century! I hope you like it!) and ate delicious Mexican food (a good Mexican restaurant next door was a BIG selling point for this space!) and discussed what good news we’ll have for you the rest of this year!💖
It’s inspiring, being here, in all new surroundings, seeing old friends, being close to Trader Joe’s😂, having so many good 
memories, getting organized ~ even when it’s raining, it’s a feast for the senses. No problem if it rains, we have a lot to do ~ mostly going through files, drawers, closets, barn, storage rooms, cleaning, and getting everything into piles . . . speaking of finding things ~ I’ve discovered so many things here, a note from my mom, a hilarious letter from my sister, childhood photos of my grandma, an old set of cookbooks, a collection of old paintbrushes . . . and bits and pieces like this:
Old pieces of art I haven’t seen in years. Been so fun discovering them and remembering doing them. See the cards I blotted my paintbrush on? I saved them from my very first 
book, Heart of the Home ~ I couldn’t throw them away! As you can see, I’ve always been trying to learn to paint people . . . either from magazine pictures, or made up, or from real photos, that’s a pencil drawing of me and my two brothers as children on the right… and that’s a portrait of our friends, the Schwiers, above it. It looks like Peggy, but definitely not Bob (except for the hair) ~ which is why it’s still here! And you can see me practicing Martin Luther King Jr. before I put him in my 2000 wall calendar! I think I spot Vanna in the center of the page, in the sunglasses, next to the baby jumping out of the egg (which never made it into my Baby Love book). That painting above is an original, painted on d’Arches paper, not even signed yet, just sitting in a box, I don’t know why! I’ll have to think of something special to do with it!🤔
Check this out. The stick people of 1988 … I started getting excited about painting clothes, as you can see from some of the paintings on the floor . . . I still have the jacket and the 
headband, my sister has the pin ~ I wore that exact outfit to a movie premier my friend Jane (who worked for George Lucas) took us to in 1988. The movie was wonderful, called Tucker, a Man and his Dream. I never see that movie anywhere for some reason, but it was great. That outfit was much cuter when the ruffled skirt flipped around! The Yuppie guy in the painting (who is not Joe) ~ his brown saddle shoes, and starry suspenders, was all made up. Thank goodness because I didn’t leave a lot of room for brains in that tiny head! Hers either for that matter! 😂 
I couldn’t give them hardly anything to drink because their hands were too small to hold it! But one does not give up. One hides the imperfect art in a box for 20 or 30 years until one feels brave enough to show it so that all her friends know that things wanted, must be worked for.💖 I have like three paintings of stick people. It’s like a collection, my stick-people period.
I’m going to paint a little more on this and you’ll likely see her in a future calendar! She doesn’t look so bad! And her puffed sleeves are back in style! I was smart this time, I hid her hands!
You’ve already seen this on a calendar page about Creativity! The original stick person! I drew it in kindergarten. One of my first adventures in drawing people! Note that I am trying out the fat arm and fat leg vs the thin arm and thin leg…six fingers vs five. It’s all about trial and error! My mom put this in my baby book! Good strong representation for the belly button!
This was folded up inside my baby book too … It’s HUGE, almost 5′ tall framed ~ it’s poster paint on kraft paper, also painted in 
kindergarten. I forgot about it until Joe found in the back of a closet. The reason it’s so tall is because it’s “actual size.” My teacher, Miss Caldwell, had the whole class lay down on paper, and she traced around us, and then we got to paint ourselves! I was so excited to see it again. I had it hanging in my studio on the Vineyard at one time, but immediately it began to fade really fast . . . so I took it down and it’s been face-to-the-wall, hidden ever since.
Here it is … how it was, the only photo I have of it as it originally was … you see the colors? So I took a trip to the art store the other day and bought poster paints, children’s paint brushes, and fixative, and if I have the nerve, I think I will try and restore it! Something interesting to think I painted it when I was five, now again 71 years later! My eyes look more like that now than then, I’ve grown into them! But I’m way better at putting my lipstick on. Note that learning to paint people takes time!💞
Found this too … never used it … I wrote “No Time For Love?” in the early ’90s, because I was irritated by my answering machine😂 and couldn’t get a real person when I called a business😬!! Ahh, the innocent 90s. I thought I could see the future and I didn’t think I liked it. The words I wrote scream out for editing, but I still think I was right!😆 Only now it’s phones! Don’t even talk to me about drones! (You see lines going off that page? Those are misspellings or grammar that I needed to fix! But since it went nowhere but into a box, I didn’t bother.)
Back to art . . . This half-finished painting is another find . . . it was here too ~ I have no idea when I started it. It was completely drawn, but only about ⅓ of it was painted … I had painted the table ~ but everything on the table was only in pencil, and the chairs were white. Then, one of our first mornings here, I woke up inspired, thinking “Brown, those chairs should be brown!” Which, as you can see, I did, and I’ve been working on it ever since! I wob it.💕
Happy Anniversary to Joe and me!💞 February 6th was the 37th Anniversary of our first date! Here we are just a couple of weeks later at Holly Oak, my little house on Martha’s Vineyard that had quilts for curtains. Talk about gifts!💝 He’s how I know God loves me and wants me to be happy.💝
I’ve had such a good time with all these California discoveries, I think I’m going to leave a treasure hunt, complete with map, as a surprise for the new owners of this house! I’ve been thinking about it . . . like a time capsule, or something. I’ll tell you more about that in the next Willard . . . Until then, how would you like a chance to own an original watercolor painting, signed to you by me? For Valentines Day, I thought maybe my girlfriends would enjoy one of my “finds.” The one with the yellow kitty! Kitchen art if I’ve ever seen it!
“April in New England is like First Love,” which it is! The painting is almost 10″ x 10″, it isn’t framed, and it’s not signed, so I can put a TO and FROM on it (for whomever’s name is drawn) and sign it! I think, by the looks of it, I painted it at Holly Oak probably in the 1980s, when I was discovering first love (in more ways than one)! Just leave a comment, and you’ll be automatically entered. (To enter: Under the last words of this Willard, you’ll see a whole bunch of tiny printed words; the last one will be a number with the word “Comments” … click there!) Happy Valentine’s Day!
One more thing, I wanted to pass you a tiny Trader Joe’s tip … get the Trader Joe’s fresh-dried pasta in little nests, probably about 6 or 8 in a package (we ate them, I don’t have them in front of me!).🥰 Drop one or two of the little noodle nests in boiling water for just one minute, toss them in a peanut salad dressing (opt), and add them to any salad, spinach, Asian, it’s all good! Makes a person so happy to have noodles in her salad!🥳🥳🥳
One more quickie, hard to stop, did you love the Grammys? Tracy Chapman!😢 Joni Mitchell!😭 Everyone! All that creativity! Like us💞, creating our lives every day! We never know if we’re inspiring others, but it’s my dream that through us, dear girlfriends, when we’re a source of the joys that bring us happiness, we’ll pass that on, inspire others, and bring us all a more beautiful world.💝 Let’s reach a tipping point for goodness! ❌⭕️❌⭕️
P.P.S. I have dreamed of visiting Martha’s Vineyard and You since 1995. – Soon I’m going to make it so!
Maybe because my mom made Raggedy Anns and Andys, my eyes went straight to the little red-haired girl and bunny, with the goose-riding baby! Does she have a story? So many treasures waiting for you to re-discover, happy times I’m sure. Have been loving the Willards coming to my inbox so often 😍 I’ve watched the Grammys and now re-watching again with hubby, needed tissues, I get so emotional, such beautiful music.
Happy Valentine’s Day! Happy anniversary to you and Joe 💕💕
This is so interesting to see the art that never made it past the box. Both the imperfections that didn’t turn out as you had imagined in your mind… and the unfinished masterpieces (table and three chairs!).
Thank you for sharing these with us.
I wonder why your No Time for Love monologue never went anywhere – that thing is priceless!!!!!! Truer than ever before.
I get afraid of my preachiness! As the oldest of 8, I’m really good at it!
Who doesn’t love a good purge??? (Until you find you need the VERY thing you just got rid of!!!) But going through all your stuff can also afford you the opportunity to sift through a lot of old memories.
I’m in No Cali and yes…..it’s been wet! Glad you’re safe. I’m enjoying seeing all your clean out “treasures!” Thanks for sharing!
Happy Valentine’s Day! My very favorite holiday! Seeing your painting from kindergarten is so lovely. It reminds me even more to treasure all of the art my boys (3 and 8) create Like little glimpses into the future.
I’m still laughing at your comments about your eyes and lipstick! Such a cute picture! Glad your are safe. My grandson is at UCSC near you. Such scary weather!
Marnie …..in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies 🇨🇦
HappyValentines Day to you and Joe! Congratulations on your many years of being together and finding each other!! (Love birds!)
So glad you were safe during those floods out there. It looked terrible on the news.
I’m sure it was fun going through all those buried treasures you found. Sweet memories!!
I love your painting and would really like to win it!! Thank you for offering it as a gift to us!
Blessings,
Gert
Love reading your adventures and hearing what you are up to lately. I think I have most of your books and have enjoyed them too. Keep the good times coming our ways. One of your girlfriends from Columbia, Missouri.
Susan
Love your April in New England painting, Susan! So neat to hear that you made it at your studio in Holly Oak. After years and years of house hunting, we finally found our forever home on a Holly Street:). Over the years we spent searching, I alway kept your book mark “A prayer for a little home” close and never stopped believing that one day we’d finally find that special place. Thank you for all your writings on home over the years Susan! You always helped me keep my dream alive!!
How happy that makes me to hear you have your dream!!! Never give up!💘
I am continually blessed by you and your love for life. You always make me smile, feel warm and cozy, and make me put on my thinking cap to find more ways to be creative, to seek more joy and beauty. I found your first book, “Heart of the Home” in 1986, and have been happily following you ever since. Thank you for so many wonderful years of joy and inspiration. Happy Anniversary to you and Joe. And Happy Valentine’s Day! ❤❤❤
Susan, I just love your strong belly button drawing. 🙂 Especially the thin and fat arm and leg experiment. So much fun. I have treasure’s myself like that and I love them. Blessings, Chris Leland
Williard’s arrival made my Valentine Day complete! Happy happy to you and Joe from the southwest corner of The Mitten-MICHIGAN!
I’m so glad you’ve gotten better at applying lipstick! 😂 I loved seeing your kindergarten drawings and the way your artistic experimentation was already a part of you. What a special moment to touch up your own childhood painting 71 years later.
I did the tracing of the body with my oldest daughter when she was studying body organs in second grade. We cut it out and ended up hanging it in her closet due to its size, where it scared her and her sisters for many years!
Happy Valentine’s Day!
🤣🤣🤣
Love your Willard’s. It is fun discovering things you forgot about. Happy Valentine’s Day!
Susan, I read your rant about the phones and computers. I agree with you completely but…all your girlfriends get to connect with you, your wonderful creativity, and down to earth words of wisdom because of technology. We just need to know how to balance it all. Happy Valentine’s Day to you and your honey. Enjoy the rest of your visit. You’re going to miss a major winter storm this week. After a few days of mild temperatures Mother Nature is still going to show us who’s the boss.
Happy Valentine’s Day Susan! Your words and art are always so uplifting! It sounds like you’ve had a wonderful trip down memory lane. Thanks for sharing it with your fans : ) 💕
I enjoy every Williard! Happy Anniversary to you and Joe!
I would love one of your wonderful original paintings!
I enjoy reading your exciting Willard’s and keeping up
with your exhilarating life! Your aesthetic is so classic
and fun!
I sit here in snowy Norway, a Red Robin is eating the crushed suet ball I have put on an old cushion box just outside my window, it is a grey and cold day, Mother’s Day, actually ( we tend to celebrate days on different dates than most others…Father’s Day is the 2ned Sunday of November,The REAL Christmas is Dec 24th and so on) and I have just returned from lighting a (LED) candle on my mom’s grave. Had to dig for fifteen minutes to find the actual grave, though. SO much snow here! And another 7 inches predicted for tonight and tomorrow. A wonderful treat, then, to read your absolutely lovely and colorful ( in the best meaning of the word!) chatty newsletter, I feel uplifted and energized! Would I love to win the painting? Oh YES, I most definitely would! But I have already got a lovely gift today: the Willard, so if I am not the lucky recipient of the adorable painting, I will still be happy.
Dear Susan, It is raining here in Maryland. Just catching up on the new items you sell. I like the format. My husband always gets me 2 different calendars of yours each year and the mail lady always notices that they always come for Christmas. Have a good trip!
I loved the significance of Joni Mitchell singing “Both Sides Now” in her 80s having written it in her 20s . She can truly say that she has seen “both sides now.” Happy Valentine’s Day one and all!
Susan, Thank you so much for your fun, uplifting, and inspiring Willard’s. Happy Valentine’s day!
Always a pleasure….Happy Valentines Day!!! Hugs…Bev
I’m visiting and working in not-so-sunny Tucson. It’s been rainy and cold here! Every February there is a gem and mineral show and people come from all the world to look at beautiful gems and minerals. There are tents and vendors set up all around the city and some shows are in hotels. There are lots of interesting, more common minerals and then there are treasures that look like art from the earth. So look up “fine mineral galleries” to see fascinating minerals online and I’m sure there are lost of postings on Social Media. I’m taking a break today and having a cuppa and catching up on your fabulous Willard post. 🙂
Just now FINALLY having time to read the new Willard. Love it, as always – it’s like catching up with a friend on the latest news. Happy Heart Day!
A treasure hunt!
You continue to make the future owner of your home even more blessed by your thoughtfulness.
Thank you for sharing your unfinished and imperfect art and writing. I model this in my 6th grade classroom. We are all works in progress, and when we are willing to share our mistakes and learn from them then we all contribute to a more empathetic world.
I salute your stick-people.
Any chance you’ll be having an estate sale that we can attend?
Here’s hoping!
-Susan Shirley of Mosshollow Hill
What fun it is to clean out closets and rediscover all manner of treasures!! ❤️
This is such a nice Willard to read and enjoy.Thank you Susan!
Hi Susan,
I also have a box of art that I did years ago. Some are watercolor, others pencil drawings, sketchbooks too. It is fun to see the improvement and to see a style emerge.
Happy Valentine’s Day to you and Joe. Stay safe.
You know, it dawned on me reading this Willard and seeing that little cottage table and chairs, I think it was my first Susan Branch book all those years ago that inspired my love for old things. Now I have a whole house full of well-used, well-loved furniture, quilts, dishes and cottagy type things that bring me total happiness every single day. Thank you, Susan. You are amazing!
Good for you, a house with your name all over it!👏👏👏
So glad you are enjoying your trip, rain and all! Loved seeing your treasured finds from the past. I always look forward to seeing a “Willard” in my inbox. Thank you!
Thank you for sharing such wonderful memories! Cleaning out and moving opens up such wonderful surprises. Hope the rest of your trip is so rewarding! Aloha 🌺
Agree, Tracy Chapman was amazing. And really listened to Miley Cyrus song. Always buy flowers for myself!
First of all, Happy Valentine’s Day to you and Joe- and a belated happy anniversary. I love the picture of Joe walking through the puddles, although I am sorry that you had to deal with the rain. But- look what you accomplished. So many treasures! I had to pause in my reading to contemplate the words of No Time for Love. The words really spoke to me- and hopefully I will take them to heart.
I love the painting of the table and chairs. It’s perfect. (I can’t imagine it with white chairs). When I travel in England, I often have a cream tea for lunch. If I close my eyes, I can taste the scones with clotted cream and jam. Perfect with a cup of tea. Any possibility of this becoming a glicee print when it is finished? I’m keeping my fingers crossed.
The mugs look beautiful. I can’t wait for my Bicentennial one to arrive. I think I must have the Queen Elizabeth one as well ( I saw the picture of you holding the mug, and I just don’t think that I can resist). Such a remarkable woman (actually both of you).
I’ve just finished re-reading Martha’s Vineyard Isle of Dreams for the umpteenth time. I find the words so inspiring. It’s my go to book when I need a pick me up (or a kick in the pants!). Take care. Enjoy your time in California and safe travels once you begin your journey home.
Susan,
Thank you for another breath of fresh air.
You make so many smiles!
Susan
I love getting Willard more frequently!
Love your Willard and hearing about you and Joe’s travels and adventures! Couldn’t believe the Grammies & Joni Mitchell and I agree with Cathy from Golden CO, her song made much more sense to me as well!
Susan, so happy to hear the you and Joe are doing ok from all the storms. Happy Valentines day to you two love birds. ~ Carol
Happy Valentine’s Day, Sue!
I’m glad the Pacific storms brought no damage to your home in CA. They brought lots of snow to Colorado when they traveled west, but we always appreciate that.
I loved seeing all your treasures and reminiscences in this Willard.
Fingers crossed I win that charming drawing!
Pat in Colorado
Susan, Please know that you have inspired me from the first blog post of yours that I read years ago. When I get weary of what’s going on in the world, I go back and re-read your posts that talk of the simple things in life, and the beauty that exists around us, if we look for it. Thank you for all you do!
I am so glad the weather did not damage or harm anything for you. Happy Anniversary! Thirty seven years is quite an accomplishment these days. What treasures you found and so many of them. I still have an art project just like yours from Kindergarten. It is rolled up….maybe I should frame it one day. Happy Valentine’s Day to both you and Joe!!
Hi Sue, Just want you to know that I have been so enriched by your books, art, uplifting musings and life journey. May God continue to bless you and yours and may you continue to let that lovely heart of yours shine for all of us with your most welcome Willards!
I remember doing those self portraits in 1st grade. My mother saved mine along with report cards and other interesting elementary art all tucked away in a box. I enjoy reading your Willard’s and all your books and calenders too!
Happy Valentine’s Day! Enjoying your Willard very much on a cozy winter day.
Fun reading your latest Willard. Reminds me of me and all the downsizing I am involved in these days. Yes, one does find a few forgotten things – even treasures. Makes the job more tolerable. Even sketches of my brother and me as children by a budding artist that lived in an apartment nearby. And by the way, that kitty in your found picture looks like my daughters kitty Tasha when she was a little girl. And I have that basket with pine cones in it. I always enjoy your thoughts and adventures. Don’t know how you get it all into your days.
Thank you for Willard and Musica! I savor every word. Tracy Chapman is amazing, she just glowed. And you could tell that Luke Combs was so humbled and grateful to be part of it. I’ve watched the video many times.
Happy Valentine’s Day Susan & Joe! ❤️ I really loved the Grammys too. Joni Mitchell was so wonderful and Fast Car by Tracy Chapman was always a favorite. To hear it sung with Luke Combs (who really seemed honored)was so special. Love your art!
My husband and I are having fun trying our hand at watercolor painting, we’re not any good but having fun anyway. As long as we’re together we’re happy.
Would love your beautiful artwork in my home <3
Susan,
Happy Valentines Day and Happy Anniversary to you and Joe. You bring joy to my heart every time I read a Willard or drink tea from one of your cups.
Blessings, Nancy Annis
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Such a fun and informative Willard, Susan. 😊 So thankful to read that your house weathered the storm ok.
You mentioned adding more cards to your shop. The little bouquet of flowers with the hand at the end of your post would make a lovely card “To you, from me.”
I have your small calendar on my kitchen wall. My pen pal sent it to me. I met her years ago when you did a pen pal match up on your Facebook page. We have continued to send cards and small gifts to each other ever since then. It’s a joy to open the mailbox and see a letter from her.😊
Enjoy the rest of your time in California.
Makes my day to hear that Robin!👏
I think you may well be the tipping point for goodness all by yourself! This was a lovely Willard. Blessings.
Love this! I love the humility of showing us how long it takes to learn to paint!
Just don’t want anyone to give up!!
Susan, your stories and your art make me so happy, especially on a cold and snowy Monday morning in the middle of winter. I love seeing your photos of your early art projects, especially your self portrait when you were a little girl in a yellow dress! It is easy to see how you became such a gifted artist, you were creative right from the start. Happy Valentine’s Day to you and Joe. ❤️
Dear Susan, I’ve loved your recipes, artwork, and knowing you from the Vineyard back in the early 80’s. I owned The Captain Dexter House down the lane from your home. I met you actually in the Bunch of Grapes Bookstore. Wonderful memories of so long ago. PS: I have your original cookbook plus almost all of your books and wall calendars!
I am still humming that fantastic duet from the Grammys👌🏻What wonderful discoveries you have made! Congratulations on your anniversary 💗
Finding treasures is gift enough!
Always a thrill to receive a new Willard.Sorry that you have had such bad weather! It’s been a crazy winter in Me.also.I adore your painting ,especially with the ginger kitty.Enjoy your day & thanks.🥰
What an inspirational trip this has been for you! I love all that you’ve shared here. And you and Joe—could you be any more perfect for each other? Happy Valentine’s Day.
Love your early art! And Tucker is one of my all time favorite movies!
Happy Valentine’s Day❣️. It’s wonderful to be married to the person you belong with. Next anniversary will be 49 years.
I had suspected a giveaway of that beautiful painting! Very generous and the winner will be quite lucky indeed!
Happy Valentine’s Day, Sue! I can call you that since I did present you with my F.O.S.B. card at Stourhead (winky face and a heart <3 ). I love your "No Time For Love" and feel the same. Just say "No!" That being said, I am grateful for these kinds of connections- although I know you would enjoy a real letter… so next time I will just write! Have a lovely <3 day with your Joe, Happy Anniversary! Love, Melissa
❌⭕️
Happy Day of Love to you! I always look forward to your Willards and enjoy them so much! Keep them coming…
Such joy and inspiration! Reading Willard is always like a little vacation. Thank you, Susan! With much love.
It is always so refreshing to read yet another “Willard”! My Dad’s favorite method to travel was by train having grown up in a Pennsylvania Railroad family. It must have been such fun for you to unearth some of your art treasures from years ago. Wishing you and Joe a lovely Valentines Day…❤️
Susan,
May you never doubt your inspiration to others. And, may inspirations continue to come your way…bird songs!
I love all your work! And I enjoy these newsletters so much!!
I retired from teaching elementary special ed. 8 months ago, and I am finally enrolled in a watercolor class. A couple of years ago, I read your books, and since I grew up in the San Fernando Valley (and yes, we also had a station wagon), I could relate to a lot of what you wrote. Reading how you started with watercolor made me feel like I could try it too. I love that you also share the imperfect art; it reminds us to embrace something new with joy and practice, practice, practice❣️🎨 🖌
Thanks so much, and Happy Valentine’s Day. 💘 Karen
I love everything about Willard the pictures music drawings quotes flowers birds paintings Kitty rabbits stories trees books walks recipes pies friends and Joe. I could go on for ever. It fills my mind with dreams and my heart with joy. Thank you Susan.
Most sincerely Terry
I love the Willard’s!! So inspirational and always makes me happy!! Thank you for sharing your life’s adventures with us all! Still wintery in NJ now so I made a big pot of your Butternut Squash soup! Soooo good and I’ve shared it with about 6 people who are asking for the recipe!! Happy Valentine’s Day! I’m already looking forward to the next Willard!! Off to Trader Joe’s now!! All the Best, Sue
Makes me wish i lived in California to be able to buy your home there, and find all the goodies. I love all your old art, your new art, YOU in general are a true find special and sparkling. Oh , and yes, i would love to win. Thank you!
I most certainly need that painting. You and your art are part of my life! I have the recipes from Country Living to prove it! Love Love Love your art and your encouraging words -~ they keep me going. All these years later. I also commented on your Facebook post. LOL
Moving is always bittersweet. The things we uncover. All the “me’s” that we never became. Like, here’s me, I’m a crafter. I remember our last move and going through boxes of craft stuff I just kept moving it with me hoping one day I would do it. I would be that crafter. Finally I gave a lot away to folks who do do it! And now, well, I confess, I still have purchased more craft stuff because I still want to be that me. Lol. Your post made me think about that.
Hi Susan, I must say that I like your 5 foot self portrait from kindergarden the way it is. The fading background, which you noted, is beautiful I think, and reminds me of the time-worn honor deserving of old weathered things (especially paintings of yore!)
My recommendation is not to touch it up in any way. There. You now have one less thing to do. Cheers!
Happy First date Anniversary and Happy Valentine’s Day! Your Willards brighten my life! Loved the Grammys too. Best awards show of them all! Enjoy your time in California!
Thank you Susan for all the goodness and joy you have shared with your readers through the years! Your art just makes me happy and I look forward to seeing what you do next. I did meet you at the Learned Owl in Ohio a number of years ago–Joe too–and you both are as delightful as I imagined.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
I was lucky enough to take a cooking class on a trip to Italy in 2015. We made pasta in little nests! Unfortunately, Trader Joe’s is 70 miles from where I live. So, maybe, I’ll try to make some little nests of my own. Thank you for the memories — both yours and mine. Cheers.
Happy Anniversary and many blessings to you both in the years ahead!! ❤️🩷
I love you so much…… I give all my favorite girlfriends your books and calendars so that they can fall in love too…. and read your blog. You are very dear to my heart!! I feel like I’ve know you forever because MY-Adorable-Mother has given a little bit of you to me every year in my stocking (my most anticipated gift) for as long as you’ve been creating calendars. Come across and visit us in Southampton!! I am on instagram if you want to meet my four chilldren, adorable husband, flosk of gorgeous chickens, cats and Jack the dog!! xOxO. I also love (and own) the Emma Bridgewwater Hearts tea pot (and cup and saucer), I love spottong it in your art. We have a lot of the same dishes and passion for sparkling dishes. Have you seen Ralph’s (Lauren) take off on Blue Calico/ Burleigh??? It’s AMAZING!!! Especially Midnight Sky and Big Stars….. but you’d love the floral pattern too. See? We’re girlfriends; soul sisters. You gave me the gift of Jim Herriot!!! I only knew him for his children’s books…… we enjoy MANY of the same books, such as Enchanted April!!
I love your painting & all your thoughts you had about time in the early ‘90’s. I often feel time is going so fast & I want to treasure my children & husband so much more than time has allowed. So many practices, games, competitions, meetings, work overload. Just too much chatter & not enough moments to enjoy all these beautiful treasures God has given us. I pray that our family will come together & savor each moment together. Put down the phones, forget about the practices etc. & just love one another again.
do you fix typos before posting?!?!….. I’m so sorry! I accidentally hit send before editing and it’s so late. I am bleary-eyed!! It’s flock, spotting and Bridgewater…… Love you!!!
I love your work and really miss your stickers. Looking at your books now to expand my collection!
Happy Valentines Day! Your words and drawings have always made me smile !
Dear Susan,
I love reading about your joyful and creative journey of love and life! You and Joe ARE AN INSPIRATION on how to live a loving and purposeful life with all heart and soul – which we feel deeply when reading your beautiful, artistic and creative Willards! Thank you! I also have a “senior” golden cat that looks like the one in your painting who is such a sweet dear!
Happy Valentine’s Day xoxo
Loved seeing all the archived sketchings and paintings! I’m so happy that your CA trip has brought so much homey happiness. That California girl is still in you, Sue. Wishing you two lovebirds the happiest Valentine’s Day with ❤️ ❤️. Xoxo Karen
Happy Anniversary! I love seeing the progression of your art thru the years- and like most good things, takes practice and patience. I need to remember that sometimes!!
I love all your heartfelt inspiring posts and adventures Susan ! Thank you for always being there 💜
Happy Anniversary and many more! So happy to hear you came through those horrid storms just fine. Sounds like you are having so much fun rediscovering old treasures. Happy Valentines Day!❤️
Happy valentine’s day. Always love your Willard’s, being reading them for long time.
Thanks for the Willard changing my gray day to sunshine
You crack me up, Sue ~ “Press 10 to get off the planet!” 😄 (I’m assuming you meant for the so-unhelpful non-person recording to leave forever, to which I say YAY! and Aye! and “Hear Hear”!) And then you explain your reasoning, to which I also agree. Did I ever tell you one of the reasons I love your writing so much is that it often causes me to giggle out loud (especially MVIOD) ~ it is the rare writer who has that skill (or maybe kindred sense of humor). xoxo
PS Happy February💕Anniversary to you and Joe
Ha ha! If I was like that about a mere answering machine, imagine what I’m like now!!!
We are almost the same age ~ I can imagine!!😂🤣xoxoxo
LOL, well that’s the way we like it! xoxoxo
What a charming little print! Happy Valentine’s Day to you! It will be our 36th Anniversary!
Happy Birthday-versary! Happy Anniversareeeeee to youuuuu! Happy Birthdaaaaaay to meeeeee!
Both are February 6th!
Always fun to get Willard. Thanks!
Happy Valentine’s Day Susan!
Enjoying your Willards from California! So looking forward to new things in the shop! Happy Valentine’s Day to you!! Jacqueline
Glad you didn’t have damage from the rains.
It is alot of work packing and going through the things we pack away.
I need to put notes in some of my boxes for my children to read about why I saved the things I did. I need to do that but it hasn’t passed the thinking stage.
Thanks for the inspiration in your posting.
Love to see all your treasures that have been stored away for years. I am glad you are going through them and telling the world the meaning!