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! ❌⭕️❌⭕️
I would love to have the painting. February is my birthday month. What a wonderful gift it would make. Stay safe from all the rain. Take care!
Hey, Susan.
I’m loving all your memories of the past! How awesome to relive those memories. Enjoy your trip and stay dry!
Donna
How kind to give away your sweet New England painting! The cat reminds me of my childhood kitty named Butterscotch. Stay dry!
Still cleaning up after the storm and power outages, but a new Willard really makes life so much better! Oh dear, I think it started to rain again!
I would love a painting. BUT I would love to buy the watercolor dot page!
Watercolor dot?
I think Jenny means the card that you used to blot your paintbrush! They are colorful!!! 😊
Oh, of course! Smart girl!👏
Another Willard already! What a treat. And such a fun idea to leave behind a Treasure Hunt for the new dwellers of your home……
I’d love this painting. It would look perfect on the wall in my New England home! Stay safe 🥰
Hi Susan,
Love all your past/stored art. I just moved into a 1914 farmhouse in Oregon and if I were to win your lovely painting it would be prefect in my kitchen.
Thanks for all your positive thoughts.
Jan
Bliss, every word you share….absolute bliss. Cannot get enough Susan Branch….
💞💞💞💞 Killing me softly with her song . . . xoxoxo
I’m glad that you’ve weathered the storms well. I am also thrilled that the cups there. I will be anxiously waiting its arrival to my home! Enjoy your CA days, but don’t forget New England’s Spring is calling to you.
Isn’t it fun to see yourself as a child with fewer inhibitions and joyful colors to express your feelings. Thanks for sharing your memories.
Loved this Willard and a chance to see your early work. Please enter me in the drawing for your “April in New England” painting. It’s beautiful!
APRIL in NEW ENGLAND, I wob it too!!!
Pat Bates
Happy anniversary and happy Valentine’s Day! It was fun seeing some of your early work!
Thank you Susan! Your art and writings have brought me much joy!
As always, love seeing all your pictures and reading all your words. There were alot of them this time and that was a good thing. Keep keeping all us girls in your life, we love seeing what you are up to.
Nancy Jo
Dear Susan,
I’m going to reread your Willard again after I write this, I loved it so much. Discovering things from years ago is such great fun. I’ve moved so much in my past that many mementos are long gone, but the few that remain bring me joy!
I thought that you and Joe would be back in MV by now, so it is good to know that you are SAFE and not swept away in the wind, rain and mudslides we read about. We flew over poor California yesterday after a vacation in Maui (which also had wild, unusual weather) and boy, was it bumpy at almost 37,000 feet!!!
I think my favourite thing about this post is the “Time for Love” words, in your handwriting. I’ve saved it and I think I’ll frame it. Sometime I’ll send you my father’s “Prayer for a Grandchild” which is all about time for nature and not hurrying through life. It is so beautiful.
I would love to have one of your original paintings, if I’m lucky. I never win anything, but that’s ok because I have So Much, especially compared to the millions who have less than nothing! As you said, when is Enough Enough?!
With great gratitude for you, your writings, drawings, paintings, cups, calendars and more. Mostly for giving us hope and the knowledge that there are still lots of wonderful people in this world. AND, finally, Happy Anniversary for yesterday to you and Joe, that early photo of your love is just dreamy…
I still have some of your Tea Party fabrics! They are part of my stash in plastic bins with lids in my sewing room! Still love them and remember when I bought them at the Quilt Shop❤️
So lovely to have another Willard and hear that you made it through the storms. We had lots of strong winds in the Sacramento area! Spring in the Central Coast is the best. So beautiful. Enjoy!1
Loved your “journey” through your memories in the California house. You and I grew up near one another and are about the same age! I think we even went to the same library as children!! You have inspired me to begin watercolor painting and doing whatever art/textile thing that appears in my head.
Thanks for being YOU!
Sue
Happy Valentines/Galentines Day Susan! I love the ‘kitchen art’ with the yellow kitty. I had a ginger kitty who I miss terribly. I hope all goes well for California and the torrential rain, mud and floods. In the mean time I know you’re having a great time and appreciate this Willard on your vacation! Safe travels back to all your girlfriends on the East Coast!
Hi, Susan. Thanks for a wonderful post. I hadn’t watched the Grammies for many years, but decided to watch the entire show this year. It was wonderful and inspiring. A lot of “girl power” that evening! Totally agree that we all need to tip the “goodness meter” as far as we can. That is my goal in 2024 to contribute as much goodness as I can into our universe. Thanks for the opportunity to win the original artwork. Keep safe. Glad the weather is easing a bit.
Susan – I would love, love, love to have one of your original watercolor paintings!! Happy Valentine’s Day!
Happy Valentines Day!
Sorry about the Atmospheric Rivers. Stay safe.
Happy Valentine’s Day Sue and Joe!
Happy Valentine’s Day and Happy Anniversary! What a blessing that you saved so many treasures – they remind of my search for all your pieces from Country Living so many years ago now! When I realized I had missed some editions, I found a second hand book store that had the missing copies! Treasures found!
I have been loving these last two Willard’s. I recently moved to the PNW after 30 years of living in Santa Barbara. There are seasons here, hooray! It’s fun to see a bit of California in your posts. Thanks for sharing and spreading the love. ~ Jenny
Cheers! Your posts make me happy and inspired. Thank you.
PS I loved seeing & hearing Tracy Chapman at the Grammys. I have been playing her music daily ever since. Can you believe “Fast Car” is 36 years old!
She was ahead of her time! She sure didn’t look like it had been 36 years!!
I loved this month’s Willard!!!! All your beautiful Valentine’s and all of the beautiful things you found while on your trip to California. I loved the “yellow cat” painting I think, the most.
Thank you for all you do to connect with your friends!
I have enjoyed your lovely art work since Country living days and that was a while ago I think I have every book and have shared “girlfriends” with several. I always look forward to your mini calendar each year – room to add my notes for the day or a special birthday or other celebration. Please continue to draw and paint and add to the lives of so many kindred friends.
All the best.
Delora
I always look forward to a new Willard- I sit down and slow down and enjoy every picture and word. Thank you 🩷
Hi Susan,
Any chance that ccs of your 5′ framed self portrait of you will
be offered for sale?
Pat Bates
It’s so huge, I’d have to figure it out, maybe I could have them made into posters!
I just love your art! I can’t imagine the fun you have had going through everything in CA! Your treasure hunt idea sounds so fun and I hope the new owners appreciate your work! Blessings to you and Joe.
So fun to receive a new Willard! Glad you made it through the storm. News reports from CA were quite scary. Our poor planet. Stay Safe. Hopefully the worst of the bad weather is over. xo
So much going on in every corner of your world! Progress and trips down memory lane, all good. No Time for Love? 💕 Good you have time with Joe. I used to live with have my orange kitty who was always helping in the kitchen, claiming my lap and always greeted me at the door when I returned home. Glad the huge weather event didn’t blow you away. So much water! 💦
So much fun to see your artistic beginnings!
So happy when I see the Willard email in my inbox!
Next year please make Valentine’s day cards, please!
Also, maybe a garland or two.
Thanks for entering me in the drawing 🙂
I love seeing your found treasures, Susan. It’s fun to see your unfinished art. It’s all inspiring!
To my very favorite artist and author since your very first book
Welcome back and enjoy all our lovely rain!
Happy Galentine’s Day! Please enter my name for painting! T
Thank you so much!
You are definitely an inspiration, Susan. Thanks for the weather/flooding update. I wondered if you were in that area. My mother grew up in Pomona. I’m glad she isn’t here to see all of the devastation. She would be sooo upset.
You bring joy to my world every time I get your Willard posts! Thank you Susan you have been an inspiration to me these many years and I am so very grateful for you sharing so much of yourself.
Your fan girl,
Lauren
I loved reading “No Time For Love?”…and seeing all of your discovered treasures. Thanks for sharing. Hope that our weather returns to “normal ” while you’re here. 😎🥰 Love, Gail
I am always both delighted and inspired by your Willards!! Thank you for making my day sunny (even though it’s cloudy and rainy here in Wisconsin. I’ll be working on reaching the tipping point for goodness. What a wonderful slogan and suggestion!😍
Thank you for your spirit of kindness and creativity in each one of your Willard’s.While we might all be in different parts of the country or abroad and different stages of life, your newsletter is inspirational spreading joy and inspiration to your readers. Thank you for helping me to look and notice the joy that is life.
Happy Dating Anniversary! April is always a wonderful month! Full of new grasses, and scents of flowers blooming! New beginnings. Happy times. It is always fun to clean out and go through a life well lived! Enjoy!
I am so happy to get to read about all the special treasures you are finding. I have been under the weather… but after reading your Willard, I think I’m cured. Thank you for being so creative and willing to share your gifts with all of us. I especially want to wish you and Joe the Happiest Anniversary yet!
Lots of Love, Holly Jo
After having read your trilogy of books I’ve just now discovered Willard! Thanks so much for showing up in my email. It’s just like having a dear friend drop by. Have a great day!
Practice makes perfect, that’s how I see your beautiful artwork!🥰
Just came home from cataract surgery and this is the first article I chose to read after my short nap giving my eyes time to adjust. I love the blog and feel such a connection to our old treasures yours mine and all the girlfriends. The Grammy’s I will watch rewind and watch again thought they were amazing just like every one of us. Have a wonderful time in California ok now I must place an order!!
Would love the painting since it matches my cat!
So loved walking through the old and new locations with you. Kellee is the main treasure in the middle, always catching the little bits and pieces of your journey and sentimental enough to save everything! God Bless her commitment to Susan Branch.
I love sifting through the past with you in this blog and learning so much more about your and your artistic talents completed or not. Loved the photo of you and Joe. Love❤️
We girlfriends live vicariously through you in so many ways.
Love your little treasures! Such a treat to be on this kind and creative journey with you all. Happy Valentine’s!
Dear Susan, Thank you so much for all the beautiful inspiration you have given to so many of us who love you and your art. I am a cellist and I write my own songs and sing while I play. Being of a sensitive nature, I sometimes have a hard time time motivating myself to create. I have to say that your books, your artwork and the poetry accompanying it all has given me strength at times when I really needed it. I’m so glad there are people such as yourself in this world. You are a blessing. And so is your love story! Peace and good health to you for many years to come! ~ Susie~
Love, love, love each Willard that arrives in my inbox! Thank you, Susan, for bringing joy and heart and wisdom to all of us who subscribe. I so enjoyed the new Willard and looking at the art that you did in years past, and the possibility of owning a Susan Branch original is a treat to even contemplate. So please enter me in the drawing for the “April in New England is like First Love” painting. Thank you ever so much!
Patricia
Susan, I love to read your blogs so much❤️! I have several of your books and one of your calendars always hangs in my kitchen. It would be so special to have a piece of your original art. My kitchen walls are a pale golden yellow, just the color of the sweet kitty in your picture!
I also look forward to your next book. Safe travels home. Fondly, Jane Culler
What a treat to travel down memory lane and see all the good then and be thankful for all the good now!
Dear Susan,
I look forward to the Willard newsletter each month. Thank you for sharing your art, words and feelings. It brings me hope in difficult times. I appreciate it so much!
Such a wonderful Willard!! It’s like you’ve been on a treasure hunt finding all the things you created years ago. Such fun for you!! Stay dry and safe. 💖💖
Dear Susan,
I’ve been reading your blog for some months now. I started from the very first entry (November 2010) and am now in March 2020. I just have no words to explain how much fun and inspiration I’m getting from these readings! Of course, I combine them with today’s Willards and blog entries, time-travelling now and then. I just don’t want to miss anything!
So far (March 2020) there are two questions whose answers I still cannot fathom (because I haven’ gotten there yet, so please, don’t reveal anything!) Question #1 is: “How come she never finished the ‘Enchanted” book? She kept painting after having broken her wrist…” And question #2: “Was there eventually a film made about her amazing story? Have I seen it and maybe I don’t remember because I came across her books just about one year ago?” I hope I’ll get the answers as I catch up with your blog.
As you can see, there’s lots of entertaining going on while I read you. It seems to me you’ve built an incredibly fun, safe and hopeful place for daydreamers like me. Thank you!
Today I read that you love drawing and painting baskets. What a difficult task that must be! I think baskets must love having you paint them, since they look so gorgeous after they’re on paper! I can only say congratulations on the beautiful work!
I wish you all a wonderful February and send you a big hug from Gran Canaria, this beautiful little island on the other side of the Atlantic!
Love,
Sari
😘😘😘😘😘😘
Must be hard to clean out things, but feels good to be organized! Good Willard!
Was heading over to shop and a new post is up! It’s a beautiful morning in So Cal but the rain has been something.
Since I buy my own dang flowers for Valentine’s Day these days (loved Miley’s song on the Grammy’s) the artwork would be a great bonus.
Wishing you blue skies and sunny days for the rest of your California stay.
Arline
Always so happy to see a new Willard!
As always, an uplifting Willard. Thank you Susan for your inspiring writings. Love the walk down memory lane with you. Pure joy! Glad you are safe in California, the news reports have been frightening.
Brenda Brady
Lewes, DE
I just love your Willard’s and would love your adorable painting! ❤️
We can look at our personal archives and see a collection of cringe-worthy moments we’d rather not look at. Or, as you share here, with a laughing heart, we can see them as a glorious record of all our former selves. x
Now that we (finally) know better, we do better!!!😂
How exciting to discover so many goodies. Happy Anniversary!
I loved reading about many of the treasures you are finding from your past. Thank you
Loved you sharing your scavenger hunt! Such treasures.
It was fun sharing the treasure hunt with you! Sometimes it pays to clean out old boxes when great memories are uncovered!
It would be so amazing to have one of your original paintings hanging on the wall in my art room. Working on one of your puzzles as we speak. Getting it ready to Hodge Podge and frame 💖🖼️💖
Susan,
Thanks for the Willard, just what I needed on a rainy California day! The music is so great! Also loved the pictures of you and Joe, such a great love story. Happy Valentines Day to you both!
April is the gift a New England winter puts aside for us to look forward to each year with hope and heart. It is an earned gift, but delightful all the same. It feels like the earth comes back alive just to make us happy. Thank you for your art and words. They are so full of energy and joy.
For crying out loud in a bucket ! I would be ticked pink to win the painting. Land sakes ! That would definitely butter my biscuit having that treasure in my humble home.
Perfectly sweet. Thanks so much. Beatles4ever.
I recently re-discovered your blog and have been re-reading your blogs and books that I have and reveling in the joy they bring. Thank you
Susan,
Such sweet fun photos of you and Joe! Happy Anniversary and Happy Valentine’s Day! Long term love is the best, my hubby and I will be celebrating 42 years of marriage in March. We got married three days after he asked me and it’s exceeded my expectations and dreams year after year!
Mary Jo
Love, love hearing about your adventures! Always such a treat.
Susan i have almost all of your books!! Just bought Santa book 12/23 and shared with my middle age daughters!! Our family holiday traditions and meals and seasonal activities were inspired by your books!!
Now that i am 76 retired and living a slower life than years ago i have really appreciated your inspiration from Country Living to today’s Santa!!
My husband of 55 yrs has appreciated your inspiration guiding our family through many happy holidays! Keep writing Willard!! I love reading and sharing your stories and art!!
I love the yellow cat painting. Very cozy!
A day with a new Willard is always a red letter day! I’m hoping it’s a good sign that the kitty in the painting you’re giving away looks a lot like my orange cat, Theodore. Maybe Vanna will choose me this time, who knows? Seeing all the treasures you’ve found was so much fun. 🙂 Happy anniversary to you and Joe!
What a wonderful post! They all are for that matter! So full of fun information! It was really fun looking through all the old things you found. Such memories. How thoughtful and generous that you are giving away that painting you did, that period in your life is my favorite, I loved reading Isle of Dreams, when you painted an the table, using that little jar from Disneyland was it? And roasting chicken. You inspired me! I read that first book in 2 days! didn’t want it to end. It’s so nice to have your newsletter come, so much stress in the world today. Thanks for the sunshine!
Tracy Chapman! Joni Mitchell! Oh happy day! Happ Valentine’s Day, Susan!❤️
I have three orange kitties, all meowing “Mom sign up for that picture, that kitty looks like us!”
Soooo…signing up for your drawing. ….Gotta make my “babies” happy. :>)
Your new mugs are awesome Susan. Love the Birthday Mug! Fingers crossed for me a Cape Cod girl. 🤞🏻🩷
You and Joe are still adorable together. How about a blogpost on secrets of a happy long term partnership!?
Love Love Love!! What a joy to discover yourself in another place and time! So much fun!! I LOVE your art!! And your heart! My husband and I are celebrating our 29th anniversary of our first date… on ValentinesDay! My birthday is the 13th! So much to celebrate!!
What a treasure trove you have found and thanks for sharing your amazing finds with us and if I win a painting mores the better❤️❤️❤️
Hello from soggy T.O.! Can’t believe you had to experience this weather on your trip. Oh My!
Hello !!! So happy that you are in California & that all is going well !!! I have loved your work since discovering your cookbook many years ago while working in a cute little store that sold cooking / kitchen items & coffee , tea & spices 💕My friend & I share a love of all things Susan Branch & were overjoyed to meet you & your Joe @ your book signing for Martha’s Vineyard Isle of Dreams in Danville in 2016 !🥰Thank you for all you do !!!
As usual, love this newest Willard! Keep ‘em coming Susan!! Thank you for being so down to earth and reminding us to enjoy the little things in life!
Dear Susan,
Another enjoyable Willard.
So glad that all is well for you in CA after all the bad weather we have heard about on the news!
Dear Susan,
Enjoy yours books so much. I recommend your fairytale girl and isle of dreams to anyone going thorough tough times for inspiration.
You inspire me!
I always love reading your Willard’s. I’m actually also visiting California this spring ( I’m from Canada), so it’s fun to daydream about the trip with inspiration from your blog! It’s my first trip I’ve taken with friends only (leaving my hubby and 4 kids at home for this one!).
I’d love to win the painting you’re giving away. Such a treasure! 🩷🩷🩷
Wonderful Willard! Makes me so happy to read your news😁
Thank you, for the blog! Hope you are enjoying California. I think it would be great if you and Mary Engelbreit did a collaboration on making something together. I think it would turn out awesome. 👍💡. Just a thought. Have a safe journey home.