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! ❌⭕️❌⭕️
Hi Susan. I love your art and vintage valentine cards and supplies. Happy Valentines
Always so happy to get the new Willard! going thru things long forgotten is fun isn’t it? New printer but just found photos I’d forgotten we had from long long ago. However the printer said page size was a problem-something to fix tomorrow.Thank you for all you do Susan. You are amazing! Love and hugs, Gail
It’s always a great day when there is a new Willard in my email! So fun to hear all about your found treasures and sweet memories- what a wonderful trip.☺️ Happy Valentine’s Day!💌
Hope you are dodging the raindrop and mudslides in California! It sounds very soggy and scary. Here’s hoping it clears up so that you can have a dry Valentine’s Day!
Judy
Oh heavenly day! Your memory lane adventure is just so comforting and overwhelming at the same time!
Love your artwork!!
Love your artwork!! And Willard.
Hello You,
Susan, I love the way the late queen and Princess Margaret greeted each other… (we’ve been watching The Crown AGAIN….!) What a lovely surprise, a Willard so soon , thank you!
Thank you for a wonderful give away, you are always so generous! Your life sized painting of yourself made me smile! You sure are lucky to have enough space to be able to keep/save so many things…
I’ll keep this, short, as I have a feeling there will be LOTS of comments, so I’ll love you and leave you, wishing you a happy belated anniversary, happy Valentine’s day and let’s not forget Happy Chinese New Year!
Lots of love from Nicoline XOXO
Us too, Nicoline, AGAIN! 👑👏👏👏😂
Thank you for yet another wonderful Willard🥰. You inspire and bring joy each time we find Willard in our mailbox! Glad to hear you and Joe weathered the storms 😳…how frightening!
Happy Valentine’s Day to two lovely people who were blessed to find each other and share their stories ❤️🤗 . You charge nothing for these Wonderful Willard’s and yet they’re priceless.❤️
Happy Valentine 💘 Day Susan. Always love your Willards.
Hi Susan,
Thank you for the noodle salad tip! And happy Valentine’s Day to you and Joe. Thank you for your inspiration.
So sorry California welcomed you back with these terrible storms! Glad you were all safe. I bet it’s a little sad to say goodbye to your beautiful house.
Hope you have a safe trip home.
Happy Valentine’s Day to you and Joe!
Bet you can’t wait to see Jack again.
Love following you.Welcome back to California and Happy Anniversary
What a lovely post! Thank you for sharing so much of yourself. You are such an inspiration to me. I love everything you create and find that you have impeccable taste.
Hi Susan,
As always, I loved reading all your latest news in Willard, you never fail to lift my mood & make me feel that there are others out there who care about the wonderful & beautiful things in this world.
Thank you 😊😍
Thanks for sharing your found treasures. Always enjoy your blog
Willard always makes a good day a better day! Thank you for sharing your joy and your talent with us all. I love all these treasures that you have found while packing and cleaning, and I especially love the kitchen table scene where you changed the chairs from white to brown. There is something about a teapot on a table that warms my soul. Happy Valentine’s Day to you and Joe!
Good morning!
I really enjoyed seeing your old art work and it’s so sweet that your mom saved some of your artwork from the early years. The unfinished painting of a table with teapot and flowers is beautiful and I can’t wait to see a finished picture of it.
I hope you and Joe have a wonderful time in California! ♥️
Terry
Susan,
As you have expressed, your wish to be an inspiration is totally a reality! Life is all about love and creativity! Like you I am so grateful to be blessed with both of these. My creativity may be of a different sort, but it definitely is there. 😃. Life is good! No matter what trials come along, love and creativity get us through!
This sounds like so much fun to find all these memories! I just love it!
Thank you for Willard, I’m so glad to come along for the ride. 🙂 Magic
What a gift to your future self, to find so many pieces of your earlier art. And to even work on some of it again! I love the comfort and contentment you share with us girlfriends in everything you do! Happy Anniversary, you lovebirds! I’m glad you were spared any damage from the “Pineapple Express!!” Can’t wait to hear and see more of your California adventures! Stay safe and dry!!
Love the Willards. I am new to reading them, but so enjoying them with the help of the email alerts!
Wow! What an adventure you have been on couple with finding so many treasures from years ago! I have recently taken up watercolor/acrylic painting. Your kindergarten paintings versus you present paintings have inspired me to keep trying. 😁
This Willard was like a warm hug this AM out in chilly MA! Always feels like you’re right here talking to me. Thanks for sharing your ‘history books’. Good luck with everything and enjoy your time in CA. Loved TJ’s noodle idea❤️
I’m reading Mansfield Park for the first time so enjoyed seeing that Jane Austen quote! Have a Happy Valentine’s Day with Joe! It’s fun to find things that have been put away and maybe or gotten about.
Absolutely LOVE 💕 that original kitchen art painting. I enjoy reading your Willard’s. Always so inspirational.
So good to hear you are safe and well in California– I was worried when I heard the news about floodings and storms overthere in our newschannel in the Netherlands.
Lovely memories and paintings you have found.
Happy Valentine day which was the Birthday of my lovely Father. 💝
Another Willard!!! So wonderful to wake up and find a new one!
I don’t know if you’ll see this comment, but I wondered if you’d ever read any books by “Miss Read”? She wrote them about her experiences as a teacher in an English village back in the…..30s – 60s…….I believe. They remind me of Gladys Taber’s in a way. I think you’d love them, anglophile that you are.
Can’t wait to receive my Elizabeth cup!
Stay safe!
What a joy to find all these wonderful pieces of the past! Marie Kondo may be right to think that there is joy in clearing things out, but what a treat to be able to visit our past selves in our Long ago creations and interests.
Enjoy every moment of your time in California!
Wishing you a Happy Valentine’s Day!
Another great post. So enjoy Willard. Thank you Susan.
You are definitely an inspiration!! I buy your pocket calendar every year and also sent one to two friends and they are loving them too! 🩷
Happy Valentine’s Day to you and Joe! Fingers crossed for the drawing.
I love all of your books and have read and re-read them several times. Your recipes books are wonderful and I so enjoy a cup of tea when reading through them. Along came your Queen Elizabeth cup with that adorable Corgi! That Corgi looks exactly like my little ‘Nicki’ that I loved so much. He is gone now but I remember him every time I use this cup. Oh, by the way, I ordered 4 of these so I could also have soup or tea with friends using this wonderful cup. Please keep these treasures coming and I can’t wait for you to finish ‘Enchanted’. A cup of tea and a Susan Branch book …… shear bliss!!! Happy Valentines Day!!!
So glad you and Joe are having a good time in California. My hometown. We live in Pennsylvania now we don’t get the tornadoes or earthquakes or floods. Goodness we hardly get snow anymore. But it’s fine. And yes, Joni Mitchell and Tracy Chapman at the Grammys both made me just bawl like a baby, not sure why but they were wonderful and I keep re-watching those segments. Love your Willard Susan.
I always love getting your Willard in the “mail”. My husband always hears the vintage music start and knows I am in “Susan Branch world”. hehe. It makes my day. Anyway, I love seeing all your old art! Happy Valentine’s day!
It’s a shame they use such awful supplies in Art class, some really sweet work just doesn’t last.you might have t piece scanned and hang t scan and store t original safely. It is lovely.
I don’t know if you remember, I told you about what my son’s kindergarten teacher said about her student’s artwork, but there’s more proof! The kindergarten art is pretty amazing for a 5 year old!!! Kudos to you!
Happy Valentine’s Day to you & Joe! My husband bought me your Christmas book decades ago, which I loved and which started me as a fan of your work. I’ve enjoyed all of your books, been to 2 of your book signings (in IL) and we were fortunate enough to go to England w/ you in 2022. Wishing many more creative and happy years together. Your kitchen art would look lovely in my kitchen or any one of your many other girlfriends’ kitchens!!!!
Thank you Susan for another lovely letter. 🙏
Happy Valentine’s Day❤️
Ah,…..memories. Yours are some of the best in your life. May you acquire many more!
Thank you for another wonderful, Willard. I loved your zoom visit to The Enchanted Book Club. It inspired me to join and I am now reading their February selection, The Pursuit of Love.
Glad that you and Joe are staying safe in the turbulent weather. Looking forward to your next blog.
Happy Anniversary ! To the two people on this planet that reminds us everyday that there’s still Love and Respect in our world. Happiness always to you both.
I’ve watched and listened to the Grammy clip of Tracy Chapman (and friend) singing her brilliant song, “Fast Car” over and over!
It was such a great thing finding all your art work from the past I really enjoyed seeing them. Good Luck to you and Joe
Good morning! Your California rain is coming over to us, and it’s wonderful! An inch of rain in three days, so mostly drizzle, but constant, so I will take it. Love love love the little table and perfect brown chairs. You are a treasure Susan! ❤️♥️🫖🫖
Dearest Susan, oh how I love to receive my “Willard” it is so comforting to read. I am sure you will miss your home in California but you also have anther wonderful home which you and Joe love. Sweet sweet memories are always the best. I love all the items you uncovered and you were quite the artist as such a young age. It is lovely to be able to look back. Please enter me to win your beautiful artwork.
Happy Valentines Day!
Thank you for all the wonderful things. You are a blessing. I talked to kellie when I ordered this week. A real sweetie too. I wanted to enter to win the water color and using my honey of49yrs email. Love Donna Anne
It’s always so much fun to read your Willards. Thanks for sharing your life with us.
Your words are always full of joy and positivity — such a pleasure to read! Thank you for being such a bright light with your writing and delightful art!
I wait for Willard and feel so inspired by your words and the many sayings. Just about your age (a little older) but feel as if we’re sisters. Just love the same things and had a beautiful farm with lots of homemade quilts, lots of love in it and Now I still have Jake, my furry kitty. Love your things and have many cups but my favorite is Queen Elizabeth as I’m also an Anglo file. Love that picture as it reminds me of my kitchen with Jake.
Sue Macfadden
So interesting to see your process and how your talent has evolved throughout the years! Glad you survived all the rain intact! Happy Valentine’s Day!
Susan, words can not express the feelings I have right now. I have been reading your blog since-oh forever. I have had a lot of your books. I say had because I tend to share them with people and they don’t often get returned. HA! I spread the Gospel of Susan. YOU hand write AND illustrate/paint your own books! Who does that?? I feel strongly that you are a national treasure because of your creative skills, and really your kindness too. To offer up one of your paintings is just beyond. Thank you for sharing and giving of yourself all these years. You make a difference to everyone that reads what you write. I am sure I speak for everyone who follows you. You are the calm, happy place we can all go in -especially now in this time of national and international turmoil. Thank you!!
Oh Nana, what sweet words . . . thank you. When you were little, didn’t you LOVE giving gifts, things you really hoped people would love, that you would surround in special tissue paper, and tie with ribbons? Well, it’s like that! Not just any old sponge or something!😅❌⭕️
I love your sweet watercolor! It reminds me of the 1980s, when I moved to Boston right out of college and fell in love with New England. I spent my 20s there, and after I moved away, my girlfriend gave me a copy of “Vineyard Seasons” to remind me of our summer vacations on Cape Cod and the Vineyard. It’s so fun to look back on happy memories! Thanks for letting us see some of your memories, too! Happy Valentine’s Day!
LOVED the Grammys!! Joni, Tracey and Annie Lennox all thrilled me and made me use up all the tissues in my home! I also enjoyed seeing the ladies looking great: Celine and Mariah, especially. Thank you for your many inspiring thoughts as well as sharing your life journey with us.
I honestly believe that goodness begats goodness in the world. I love your saying “Go. Be. The world needs you.” It needs ALL of us… we are the Village! It seems to especially need us now. I’m reading The Librarian of Burned Books… chilling, as history tells an even greater horror than burned books.
I’ve noticed that lately too … it’s history that tells us most about today! 💖
Happy Valentine’s Day! Thank you for sharing the love every day with all of us! What treasures you are finding …
Susan,
Thank you for sharing your joy and creativity!
Happy Valentines Day.
Linda Z.
Love the painting. The orange kitty reminds me of my cat Sam, my first foster “failure” – because I couldn’t give him up, he was that special. He was estimated to be 15 when I got him and lived to 21! Would honestly love to win any drawing (pun not intended) of yours. Pick me, pick me!
Once he fell in love with you he probably decided not to die!!!💖
Yes those TJ pasta nests you talked about also come in a GF version and they are fabulous. I hope they are not just a seasonal product. Enjoy your stay in our beautiful state. It sounds like you have moved your warehouse up to Templeton?
Close, to Atascadero!💖
Love seeing all your older art work! And the painting from grammar school is a real treasure.
I’m so glad you found so many treasures! I like your Kindergarten art the best!
Definitely the free-est!💕
I love that you’ve saved all those kindergarten drawings, etc. I have some, plus scrapbooks, but what to do with them? Can’t save everything. Can take photos, but it’s not the same!
Enjoy all the memories, and Happy Valentine’s Day!
It’s a way to save it!! 💖 Better than nothing which was the only choice for previous generations. You can even reprint it again if you scan it first!💝
Love seeing Willard so soon! All weather in California is EPIC….. Even rain.
I adore my Queen Elizabeth cup. It is so beautiful. Have fun at Trader Joes !
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Your new mug will be perfect for my daughter studying early American History! She just studied “The Shot Heard Around the World”
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!💖
Hi Susan! It’s so nice to see you happy, dry and thriving in California. You have been a very busy girl with the cleaning and sorting. It takes so much time doesn’t it? Every single thing you pick up needs to be looked at, remembered, decided about and put into piles. Then the pile sorting begins. We accumulate so much stuff , but oh my, what good stuff it is!
I love the pictures of you and Joe. You are so cute together! I love your stick people and seeing how your art has grown and evolved through the years. It is all lovely. I just ordered the quilt labels. They will be perfect for my future projects.
I have ants in my pants today…just can’t settle on which direction to go in. The sun is shining and the sun is warming up the dirt. It smells so good! We have a ton of bluebirds at our feeders! I think they are excited for spring as well!
Have a wonderful valentines day
Hugs, Mary
That sunshine does it every time . . . you can almost hear the roots stirring in the ground!🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜
I love your art and I was born and raised in New Hampshire so I would love your sweet little painting of the chair and flowers.
I am filled with joy when I get my “Willard” and sit down and read it all in one gulp!
I have followed you for years and love reading your books, cookbooks and now Willard. You always bring a smile to my face and make my heart feel good with your stories, quotes, down to earth writing, recipes and, of course, your lovely paintings. I can always count on one of your books or postings to bring joy into my life. Take care and enjoy life’s blessings. Thank you…
Happy Valentine’s Day dear Susan,,,,,,,,, you always make me smile when you post!
I am sooooo glad you mentioned the GRAMMYS!!! I could not believe how good it was. I, too, cried more than once. And laughed a lot, too. I love Trevor Noah. The creativity was definitely something to behold. I loved it. Happy Anniversary to you and Joe and Happy Valentine’s Day, too! XOXO!!!
You are so wonderful!!!!!
Susan, You are a wonderful insperation, You brought me back to the love of gardens and all things home and happy. Things I had been to busy for. Now your blog is uplifting on my journey through cancer. Thank you so mush for your art and writing. I am grateful for you.
Stay strong Kelly! 🙏🙏🙏 Me, to you, with love.💖
Love having more Willard’s to read ….enjoying California with you. Thank you !
Well, what a lovely surprise to come home from school and find a letter from you! It’s a very interesting and beautiful one too ! Thank youxxx
Happy Anniversary! Thank you for another inspirational Willard! The shop looks fantastic! I’ve enjoyed reading Distilled Genius so very much! Read it all in one week at an art gallery while waiting for my granddaughter at summer art camp! Enjoy a beautiful Valentines 💝 Day! Stay well.
I’m grateful my mother introduced me to Susan Branch. We started with collecting all the magazine recipes. My mother put them in a notebook. Now I’m sharing Susan Branch with girlfriends. My father was a high school football coach and when I read about your train ride with John Madden, we thought how much fun that would be. Thank you Susan for letting us look back on life with satisfaction .
Belated Happy Anniversary Sue and Joe. I love remembering the day that Ken and I met. Sept 29th 1973. That was a very lucky day for us. As the years pass by we realize just how lucky we were. Take care and have a Wonderful Valentine’s celebration.
Love,
Crystal
Your Willards always brings a smile to my face and joy to my soul. I too have been cleaning out my creative room upstairs before I have knee surgery in a few weeks. Will not be able to go up the stairs for 3 weeks so I want to bring some sewing projects down to work on as I rest. But then I started going through drawers and shelves and discovered lots of hidden items I had forgotten about.
It has been so much fun.
Always wonderful to receive your Willards. Glad that you’re unboxing happy memories
SO HAPPY you did not float away in all the rain! I checked in with my Cali girls (friends, some in the north, some in the south) and they are all OK. So now that I know you and Joe and the others who are there and special to you are all fine, I am happy, happy.
Loving the art you found again – EVEN the stick figures. They are all perfect, in my eyes, because they are perfectly YOU, regardless of the progression of your skills through the decades. Be well – stay safe! xoxoxoxo
💘💘💘💘 You people kill me! ❌⭕️❌⭕️ Thank you Kathy!!!
I love your ❤️ story. It’s never too late to find happiness! Love seeing your packed away art! Your life-sized self portrait is FABULOUS for the age you were!!! You were just GOING TO BE an ARTIST!! I am sure it is going to be hard to leave your California home…. Soak it in… take plenty of pictures…. and I am thinking of you both! Thank you for making MY life so much SWEETER …. by being in it!!! ❤️❤️❤️
💖💖💖🥰
Happy Anniversay💖💖💖🍾🥂
So glad to read a new Willard🌻which always brings joy!
So fun strolling down memory lane as you go thru your treasures.
Thanks for sharing. Here’s to sunshine and blue skies ahead🌞🦋💖
Oh how I love your art and words! I will have your art about time printed and framed, I LOVE it. There is nothing like enjoying life and having time to ponder and count my blessingsm this Willard being one of them. Thank you Susan
I LOVE your life-sized self portrait!
It always brightens my day to see Willard in my in box. So fun to see your artistic evolution.
Happy Valentine’s Day.
elizabeth
Lovely to walk down memory lane with you!
My mom used to live in Pismo Beach and I remember shopping in your store in Arroyo Grande, and shopping for your fabric at the little quilt store on the corner (can’t remember the name of it now!) when I would go visit her. I still have bits and pieces of the fabrics and I know I can always order them on Spoonflower, which is great! I am sorry to hear you are leaving Ca, but life will go on. So fun to see all the great things you have uncovered in your moving process. We are due for some sunny days now, so hopefully you will be able to get along with your packing and sorting.! Best, Nancy
Thank you so much for showing us your art work from the past! As usual, it’s beautiful and full of meaning. I am also enjoying all the California house and property pictures in your recent blogs.
How interesting like going back in history, seeing all the progress that was made in your art! I love it all.
Happy anniversary, Susan and Joe!
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Phyllis
One of the best things on a cold gloomy grey day is to receive a Willard in your inbox! The excitement of reading what is happening with Susan, Joe and usually an update on Jack make the day brighter! I loved your work for years and my daughters all feel the same way…It’s not just the art, its the recipes too. Your carrot cake is a staple for my son in laws birthday.
Thank you for sharing!
Always a good day when you get a love note from Susan!
xoxo
Julie
What a fun treasure hunt you’ve been on! ❤️
Would love to win this! Thank you🌷
Happy Valentine’s Day!!!
I love reading your Willard’s – it’s like getting a letter from a dear friend. I’m off to peruse your shop, I saw a few things I might like to get!
Always such fun to discover treasures you’ve long forgotten about. So many memories! Thank you for sharing them, your thoughts and your life with us.