Anticipating MUSICA? You got it! Hi Everyone!!!💞💞💞 For the last 35 years I’ve experienced Spring as being in a constant state of anticipation, WAITING for the end of winter ~ 
even though I loved winter, snow, the fire, the sweaters, & cozy dinners, I have to say March in New 🌷🌷🌷 England is the longest, greyest, coldest, never-ending month ~ sometimes I just wanted to slap it ~ April is almost as bad, but the anticipation is there anyway, waiting for it to warm up, for something to come out of the soil, camera ready to catch the smallest bud, calling friends to announce the first daffodil, thrilled on the first day we could open the windows, for the first outdoor dinner, everything-everything! So exciting! So this makes me wonder how you’re
all doing? I hear about weather attacking the country here and there, & I know some are feeling it! But look at it this way: It’s all just free anticipation. So much to look forward to. I love that word… And happy to say, it’s been my word here in California too! All winter! It makes life so exciting ~ I can’t wait to wake up 
each morning and look outside to see the day’s weather, wander through the garden looking for what’s new, gasp at beauty, settle in with my tea, my cat, my pen, my brush, to work on a new page for my (our) new Summer book … and every day something in the garden blooms that wasn’t there before ~ and I’m right here for it! Between my art and the garden, I feel so lucky. Winter is relatively easy here, chilly, sweater weather, but I get to be out every day, windows are always open, we sleep cold, delicious under the covers. I saw a King Snake the other day, my first, I kept, very respectfully, a mile away from him even though he is known to be harmless to people and eats gophers. He’s a shocking 3 feet long 😱, and the other day he undulated himself right out across the lawn while I was watering.🫣 Calmly, I did nothing. Black with white stripes. Unforgettable. I haven’t seen him since. But I am aware. Which is 
good. Honestly I like knowing he’s there, just please, I beg silently, do not come up in the toilet. Egrets graze in the back fields, they eat gophers too. I love all things that feast on these underground terrorists. It’s true country living! Sometimes I turn on the music first thing, loud, dance over to make tea, dance over to Jack (for forehead-touch/brain-exchange), dance to the shower, dance to the art table. Then I have to stop the musica or I’ll never get anything done!
New Book, and new art for my wonderful new Summer Book. Yes, I did originally say it was a revision, but I also added sixteen new pages; what used to be 128 pages is now 144.💙 And I couldn’t help remembering you all have the original book, so, more and more excited as I went along, I practically changed the whole thing … reworked some pages, gave other pages new art, put in different quotes, and replaced some pages with new recipes; now there’s so much more garden, tea, jam-making, watercolors, ideas, stories, and quotes . . . I mean 30 years is a long time, the world has changed since 1995, I had a lot to share. We NEED a new Summer Book, and here it is! Well, kind of, this ⬇️ is my mock-up, the pages aren’t hooked together, the real thing is at the printer! 
Green! I’ve decorated the inside of our house all in green to match the garden and I made this book green too ~ much greener than it used to be, for the same reason! And because of my inspiring surroundings, I made it for love of the earth and everything that grows on it.💚
But don’t worry, there are other colors too, something for everyone! Have you preordered yours yet? You can, right HERE!
Oh yes, been cooking too!
Recipe-testing on Shelly and Holly! (Sister and Niece came to visit, more later!)
And just for you, a little preview. ⬇️ xoxoxo
I’m excited because there’s going to be a book-signing welcome-home event here in the lovely town of San Luis Obispo in early November, and you’re all invited! I’ll tell you where and when as soon as I find out those important details! After that, Joe and I want to go on a book tour, heading north first because we never go to Oregon and Washington or even Northern California and hope we can do that this time. I’ve never seen Vancouver! Something else to look forward to! And we’ll see how it goes, maybe drive back to the island and stop along the way at bookstores. Maybe one near you!
Another surprise is coming soon. It’s so hard for me to keep my mouth shut but if I give you all the surprises on one day, what will I have to say next time? Actually I’m not sure I will ever run out. I need a garden club. That’s my next quest. I’m going to try and make one. Maybe I’ll follow in the steps of Vita Sackville West and give garden walks someday. I think a garden club might include someone to warn me about buying Butterfly bush BEFORE I fall in love with everything about it and plant this invasive plant, apparently capable of destroying the world, in my garden.
Like the original Summer Book, this revision is still imbued with the spirit of New England Summers because that’s where this book was born, and also, I brought as much of all my favorite places to California as I could. Look over the trees, ⬆️ that’s the sun going down back there, every sky is different, all so beautiful.
And beautiful in New England, where my heart has been for so many years, no messing with that, but the new Summer Book benefits from having the land of perpetual summer as inspiration. (Or perpetual fall, I haven’t decided.) There are restaurants on the ocean here in California too! Probably never as pretty as this one! 
So come with me and I’ll give you a little tour of my passion! I’ve been planting and working in the garden the entire time I’ve been painting and writing. Widen the photo and you can walk right under othe rose arbor and go look at the picket fence garden! Took forever for these roses to bloom. The anticipation was glorious!
Here’s a close up of what you see when getting close to and walking under the arbor. Thank you God.🌸 No other words.
New art for my Summer Book, because, after 30 years, so many secrets for the good life! But the biggest and best, I’ll just give away right here: It’s only one word! Look. That’s it. See 
everything. Take time to notice, watch the grass grow, see the moon rise, hear the water gurgle into your tea cup, see the afternoon shadows, note the butterflies. Turn off everything, and give yourself some music. Listen. Smell the flowers. Turn your senses on. It’s all right there. One other secret, Give. Don’t hold anything back for later, give it all away now. And don’t forget you. Surprise yourself. Invite yourself to an outdoor restaurant for lunch. And take your best friend. Eat ANYTHING you want. I could go on all day. Nurseries are heaven, and filled with beauty. You never know where you’ll find that little spark that lights up your creative heart. Life, my darling darlings, is for the living.
Look at those scented sweeties!
Some for me and some for the gophers and lots to make bouquets out of!
I did this and my heart doth knowed it wanted sweet peas. And so. Seeds. And voila. That’s how easy it was. 💞 My heart dideth also knowed it wanted sweet peas in Martha’s Vineyard. But that was too bad. They don’t grow there. So my heart doth changed its mind and wanted hydrangeas.🤗
As I walk toward the sofa, the first thing I notice is the bright colors of the sweetpeas out the windows . . . the cheeriest sight. I’m such a homebody.🌸
In person the colors are much more vivid than in these photos . . . Those colors are almost too much for the camera in my iphone. Like looking at the sun. Blinding. Oh! Yes, I got a new bird feeder, see it on the right …?👏
Remember this bird feeder? I know lots of you got one when I showed it the 
first time . . . what do you think? I’m pretty sure they’re sold out now, I couldn’t find them, but this is the one I got today! Because of the little solar-powered windows that light up & because everyone says they’re easy to fill!
This is our butterfly garden… all yellow, purple, orange, and fuchsia flowers, some just planted and still tiny, along with three large Julia Child Rose bushes, lots of catmint, and one of my favorites, the lovely Princess Juliana geum ~ and a wee angel drinking saucer for the butterflies to sip from.🦋
Did you know a third of the food we eat depends on a pollinator? Yes, we need those birds and insects, bees, butterflies, & 
hummingbirds. My garden is my small way to 
give back and hopefully make more, while enjoying every moment. My hedges are bird motels, the welcome sign is out. I can see butterflies flitting from where 🦋 I am sitting right now, that corner window on the right.⬆️
Coming in from the wildflower orchard after a few hours of weeding (after watering, a little muddy, but I needed to soften those roots!). I do it for the beauty, for strength, for Vitamin D, peace of mind, fragrance, buzzing and chirping, smiling, singing,stress relieving, cat-rolling and petting, and self satisfaction. In love with my dirt. Do I know what I’m doing? No I do not! But that’s why we have Google!!! So much easier than it once was! Once I had a little upstairs apartment, and the only dirt I had was in a window box. I could open the kitchen window to tend the plants in the box that was on the outside; I grew herbs there and I have to say, even THAT tiny thing made me happy!🌷
I have to stop … just remembered, my dad sent me this photo a few years ago (and captioned it)… it’s a freezing cold spring day on Martha’s Vineyard, which, coming from Arizona, was his big complaint. From right, that’s Shelly, Dad, Jeannie, me, Joe, Billy & Bob (friends). I love that my dad wrote that note. Makes me laugh every time I see it.💞
I’m finally finishing planting the perennial gardens, the plants are small, I anticipate that soon they will catch hold of their new soil, curl their little roots around the bits of compost we have provided, grow big, and fill in all the dirt places. If staring made plants grow, it would already be done.
This is the new wildflower orchard, that is the peach tree we planted out there before it was an orchard. So many little peaches on it🍑, I think we’re going to have a bumper crop! Behind are the wildflowers, then my obstacle course (explained later in this post), and behind that are acres of cabbage belonging to the neighbors.
Close up, the orchard looks like this. And everyday new seeds reveal their secrets. There’s something out there now, tons of it, I have no idea what it is, some is a little taller than others, watching with much anticipation to find the first one in bloom. Two other things coming soon, the gardenias have little buds (now if they will just stay on!), and we must have 50 agapantha blossoms almost ready to pop!
Up close and personal with agapanthus. All ours are blue, but I just planted 3 new white ones in the perennial garden.
Out to dinner the other night and took my hostess a bouquet of wild flowers. (The jacket is there partly to stop the vase from falling over in the car!)
Close up of a “Five Spot” wildflower. I never saw one of these before, but the delicacy and the detail is just wow. There are some amazing teeny flowers out there, but you have to look closely!
This is my favorite variety of baby’s breath, Gypsophila elegans. So Doris Day, wild and free, blowing in the wind. I love seeing the more formal gardens right next to the cottage gardens, everything, kind of mixed together. And a surprise around every corner.
Joe built stairs from the front deck down to the picket fence garden ~ they’re behind those bushes on the right . . .
Here he’s just getting ready to install them . . . Simon aka Big Boy, is helping.
He even built a hand-rail so none of our friends, or me, kills themselves going down the stairs!
Look at him. I was walking round and round when he was doing this. I saw this perfect little rose and brought it to him, next time I saw him, he was wearing it. . .💞 My guy, charm personified.
We found this metal bench at our local garden store … I like metal because black widow spiders prefer wood! And I prefer no black widow spiders! We also added a couple more rockers . . . I found the perfect cushion for it on Amazon , and it didn’t cost an arm and a leg 👏 … (just in cases ~ I would tell you anyway, but legally they want me to remind you that our Studio will get a small percentage every time I put up a link for an Amazon product, so here it is! But of course, only get what you fall in love with!) . . . the cushion comes in different sizes, this one is 48″ wide, it has ties too, looks flat as a pancake when it arrives, but with a little shake, in a few hours it puffs up to this!⬆️ I JUST got it, so I don’t know how long it will last, but now the bench is perfect for my new garden club meeting.😄 When I figure out how to start one! Problem is, I will need to figure out how to keep it only to 6 or 7 people… otherwise we will get nothing done!!!🤗
And now, in the evenings, I have this . . . And there is a new bird feeder on the branch of that tree, too out of focus to see, but very entertaining. Notice, Sammy?⬆️
I LOVE our birds, and having feeders, and the wonderful app on my phone called Merlin Bird ID ~ Just point it into the air and it will listen, identify, show you pictures of the birds it hears and you can look for them. It’s fun! and Free!
This was about 5:30 AM this morning . . . I could hear them from inside the house!👏
My walk is getting more civilized all the time! Although it will always be dirt as long as I’m here. Paradise has enough pavement as far as I’m concerned. So this is the driveway side, I walk all the way to the back . . . and make a left. When I walk up and down the tops of the driveways (they go up because we’re in an ancient river bed) on both sides, my watch registers those as stairs!👏 I’m recording 7 sets of stairs a day now 😁, and around 10,000 steps! Fat little California quail, with topknots on their heads, run quickly ahead of me.
These are our cottonwood trees, whispering above, and they really do whisper when the leaves rub together in the wind . . . it’s beautiful to walk under them! I love the dappled light . . . Here, I’ll take you with me for a moment . . . Listen!
Side 3, by far the most uncivilized part of the walk . . . Gopher holes, weeds, bumps, uneven ground ~ a tripping obstacle course, very good for strengthing balance. Carrying phone in case I have to call 911! (Plus it has my book in it! I’m listening to The Good Life: Lessons from the World’s Longest Study on Happiness ~ really good, is making me HAPPY!) The back of the wildflower orchard is on the right … you can see the cottonwood trees back there… Egrets shop for gophers in the fields on my right . . . our mourning doves sound just like the English variety when they coo “my toe huts bet-tee,” although without the Bet-tee, their toes just hut. At night we sleep with owls hooty-hooting. . . .
I look to my left and see this . . .rows of cabbage . . .
And bluebirds hang out where I turn at the bend in the road which I nicknamed “Bluebird Corner.” Little groups of them, on the fence, on fence posts, on telephone lines. They are wild country birds and don’t come to feeders. We put a bluebird nesting box out there years ago ~ I think these are the descendants of those first nesters and this is their home.
Then it’s back across the front of the house past the arbor to the long driveway . . . to the other driveway, up that, back down, and again!
For a change of pace, I can choose to take the long walk . . . the lawn path that goes from one side of the property to the other, where I can turn and reverse the walk for new views. Someday, if we ever sell our house on the island, we might put a small lap pool behind the hedge on the right. What self-respecting 1970s double-wide “hotel” with one guest room doesn’t have a little skinny pool out back?
Welcome to the Hotel California . . .
So that was book fun, and nature fun, and now for some people fun! Here’s one of our first Hotel California guests . . . my niece Holly ~ up in the morning, writing in her diary, with Jack watching. Note her fingernails. She let me do that!
We had such a wonderful visit! I took her to my favorite Italian restaurant and we shared Tiramisu. With all our hearts.
Not JUST dessert . . . We had dinner too!😄
Then Shelly came and we got silly! Because we’re family! And we’re good at it!
After a wonderful visit, Holly had to go home and back to work. Then Shelly, Diane, and I went to an afternoon concert in a tiny place, outdoors under the sun in Baywood Park with the BEST musica (Jill Knight and her band) … which we sang along to (so now you can’t hear HER) and no one cared! It occurs to me they should change the name of our generation from Baby Boomers to “the FUN people.” Because we are! You should have seen everyone dancing. Even me! It was such a happy day and wonderful fun! You would have loved it!💝
Time for me to go! I hope you enjoyed this update . . . sorry I was MIA last month, but you know, the book! Never worry! I will return for as long as I can, and this world we made together will always leave the sweetest little mark in the DNA of the universe. In short there’s simply not a more congenial spot
For happily-ever-aftering than here in Cam-el-lot. Right? And a huge Thank you to you darling people. Love you dearly.💞 Happy HAPPY June!!!
PS, Ooops, I almost forgot, two things I think you’ll LOVE on Netflix: First and foremost is the new series called Etoile! They just finished season one. Try not to binge-watch it. It deserves to last as long as humanly possible. I can’t say enough good about it! Smart, AND beautiful! And the other one, good too, Sirens.
Savored this new blog entry! I so want you to come up to the Seattle area for a book signing in Autumn! I would luv it! Would also love if you made “Winter” and “Spring” Books to go along with the Summer and Autumn books! Wob you!!
Lori from Washington xoxo
I just plant a small Gaura … pretty pale ivory and pink flowers that dance like butterflies.
Check out Nonnas on Netflix.
As a bonafide ‘Nonna’… I highly recommend it.
Such a wonderful spring update, thank you, and feeling the joy and anticipation of summer itself, along with the Summer book that will be on its way to me soon enough!
So I also have to report back on my first transatlantic cruise on QM2 (you may remember I was the one sailing the westbound cruise that you were planning to then board and sail eastbound). It was, as you well know, a fairy tale dream trip! Endless sea views, rocked to sleep on the waves like a baby, refreshing walks on deck, and nothing but time sweet time to read, daydream, go for tea and scones, whatever your little heart desires! And oh that peah ci-dah! It is indeed delicious and my Joe absolutely loved it too! The trees were still bare when we left and we came home to a riot of green busting out all over so enjoying every minute of that too as we catch up on tending our little space! 🚢 🌊 📚 🫖 🍐 🥂 💕
Thank you again for sharing your joy with all of us, you make this world a happier place! 🥰
What a delightful visit!
This morning my long time, school sister’s group text was all about sharing our gardening efforts and successes. I also re-filled my bird feeder. Birds of a feather!🪶
I am excited about book store visits and a re-union with you. I adore the Summer book.☀️
Wishing you and Joe the best of times in your ‘re-nee’ home. How is Joe loving Cali?
May God bless you,
Melin xoxo
Black widow spiders hate peppermint. I mix peppermint oil with water and spray it on my outdoor furniture. Makes them leave and go elsewhere. I need to do it more often though after the rain. The first time I did it, one suddenly popped out from a crack in the patio chair and I killed it! Bit of a scare!
For me this is a wonderful pause that refreshes. I hardly ever leave a remark, but know I treasure all of your writings. You bring a smile to my face and many wonderful ideas that make my life so much more meaningful. I continue to enjoy your journeys. You have an endearing way of sharing your life with all of us. Thank you👏👏💖
Love, Love, Love this post🎉
I am anticipating for your new book. I ordered it in the winter. ❣️❣️
A Friend from Alabama where it is very green from 11” of rain and more tomorrow 😅
Carolyn
Such loveliness there in California! I have to confess, I was heartbroken when the announcement was made that you and Joe were moving to the West Coast; but I sincerely apologize because anywhere you both go turns to the loveliest, homiest, coziest, prettiest place!!
Thank you for sharing, as always. Your blog posts (with musica!!) are forever a treat and something I look forward to when Willard arrives! <3
Sending lots of love your direction – Happy Spring and Almost Summer!
Susan have you read the new book about Mark Twain?
So very nice to read this update! You and Joe are making a beautiful paradise for yourselves there in California. It’s fun to see you making the most of what California has to offer. I’m quite envious of your sweet peas and climbing roses, which I have tried and failed to grow here in chilly USDA zone 4. Instead, though, in spring I get an incredible panorama of different greens and yellows as the trees come into leaf, just as beautiful as the colors in the fall, along with snowy boughs of apple tree blossoms, and, just now, the start of lilacs buds bursting forth. So much beauty all over the world! Making a beautiful home with love and care for our families must be one of the most important jobs there is. Thank you, as always, for your enthusiasm and inspiration.
OMGOSH ❣️ I can’t say enough of how beautiful a walk through your world is for me. Thank you for sharing your beautiful life! I was just there in your part of the world. Everything was in bloom, the air smelled wonderful. Pure bliss for me!
Im enjoying your new gardens.
Etoile is on Prime not Netflix. I recently enjoyed an older one….Yellowjackets. now watching The Residence. I’m always behind the times.
Hi Susan! Is that tiramisu at Mama’s Meatball in SLO? So happy you’re back in California!
OH My! What a beautiful blog post this is. I’ve read through it twice and feel so uplifted. Thank you for adding such joy to our days. Can’t wait for your new book to arrive. I love gardening and filling all our bird feeders. I have a plaque in my kitchen that say “And into my garden I go to lose my mind and find my soul.” I am reading Amy Fan’s new book, “The Backyard Bird Chronicles”. It’s delightful and her own art work is so lovely. I think you would like it. Karen Werth
So excited you’re going to do another book signing in SLO! We so enjoyed the last two at the Apple Farm. Welcome home to California. Looking forward to all the details for November!
The books by Amy Tan, not Amy Fan.
Inspirational, as usual. I look forward to your book tour!
Aren’t you and Joe doing the morning walk together anymore?
It’s always such a treat to read your posts and especially now. I highly recommend addingThe Quilters on Netflix to your list of good things to watch. Hard folks redeemed by kindness towards others, it gives one hope.
If the house hasn’t sold yet, take it off the market, and go back. It’s soooo depressing reading the Willards now. I think your magic was really the Vineyard’s magic and you borrowed it from the island. This is awful.
Susan, you’ve done it again… created another little paradise that we are lucky you share with us all. I was very sad to think we were losing your vineyard self… I’m one of those vineyard lovers who would drive by the old homestead just to see the hearts in your windows. It will always be Susan Branch’s home to me… BUT…these new California vibes are just as wonderful… and in a region I don’t get to see much of. QUESTIONS:… here in CT we have not had much luck with fruit trees as we have to spray them so darn often, I don’t want the toxic chemicals on the fruit.. so our peach tree produces many many peaches but we don’t spray, so most are not edible. They get destroyed by insects. Do you have to spray often out there, AND… do you have ticks out there or are you lucky not to have that issue? As you know here in New England and especially on island the ticks are horrible.
It was lovely to hear from you! I really enjoyed seeing all the progress you’ve made in your garden. I was introduced to a geum plant for the first time last spring. I purchased a baby plant and you should see it now! I love the delicate orange color flowers. I have to say I’m surprised your home hasn’t sold yet. I pictured some kindred spirit scooping it up.
A lovely update to make us smile. Can i ask if Enchanted is still happening, I’ve read it’s a fine romance so many times and that would be a perfect follow up.
X
Oh Susan, I’m so happy to see all of what you are doing in your “new home”. How blessed to be near your family again! I CANNOT wait to receive my book! I am so excited to see all of the new goodies you have added. Have a beautiful week my friend!
Carla
With all the outdoor beauty available, I appreciate you taking time to write your wonderful, delightful messages! Thank you for sharing your beautiful home!
Enjoyed this blog and never knew that butterfly bushes are invasive! We had several bushes in our former garden and only one time we had a new bush coming in the garden.
Now after moving house there are two big butterfly bushes and every year I had to dig up a lot of new butterfly seedlings.
Love your roses and the geum named after our Princess Juliana.
Enjoy your garden and the new book.
The bluebirds we have here, Eastern Bluebirds, come to my feeder. They will eat sunflower seeds if they are chipped. I went to a garden show and stopped to talk to some “expert” birders…spoke to a tall, MAN. He insisted that I was not seeing bluebirds at my feeder, probably blue jays. 🙄 like I don’t know the difference. (I just so happened to have raised an orphaned bluejay as a child….but what birder cannot tell the difference between those two??)
Lovely post!
Good morning Dear Susan, this post just perfect for this wonderful morning! Thank you thank you 🩷🌱🌸🌱🩷 . When you do your tour come to charming, on-the-lake, beautiful Sandpoint Idaho. Cute indy bookstore here could host you!
What an absolutely beautiful garden. I live in AZ (for 33 yrs) but coming from Wisconsin, I MISS flower gardens and real dirt and trees with leaves, grass, etc. It’s so difficult here; and then there’s snakes. I too, live in a manuf home, but the older ones have much better windows. Your wall of windows to see and enjoy all your work and birdies from the inside is so beautiful! Oh I miss real weather. I pre-ordered your Summer book and have not had one before, so I opted not to look at the sneak peak so I can anticipate a total surprise!!! I can’t wait! And fwiw, I can’t believe the house in Martha’s Vineyard hasn’t sold. Who would want such a wonderful place?
Good Morning Susan!! That was a perfect way to start my day. So much fun and gardening and inspiration. Your garden is magnificent and keeps getting more magnificent!!!! Everything is so beautiful!! The book looks wonderful Susan and will bring more smiles to all the girlfriends! November in San Luis Obispo.. hmmmm thinking a road trip is in order!
Keep us posted.
Love,
Beverlee
Ditto to all of the above! Spring is springing and what an endless feast for the senses. But I gotta complain about the “powers that be” who’ve decided to harass the butterfly bush. Do they know more than God? I think not. And just yesterday I saw they were harassing hydrangeas!! Seriously?
I am awe of His immense, beautiful, astounding creation; from seed to bloom, it’s all astonishing. Thank you for sharing your beautiful spot and thoughts with us.
What a treat and delight the new Willard is! 💕 Thank you for sharing!
You and Shelley have your grandpa’s eyes and eyebrows. The apples don’t fall too far from the tree!
Dear Susan,
I loved your June blog. My birthday is on the 5th so I am a June person. Thank you for all your June musings! I never thought I could transition from Martha’s Vineyard to California, but I have! I agree that miracles are everywhere. We only have to look.
Fondly, Nan Rohan
You’re coming to Vancouver?!?!!?!?!?!?!?
We want to!!! Trying!💞
Aloha Susan and Joe, such a beautiful blog. Love your new home. I hope when you make it up to Washington state, you’ll take a ferry to our beautiful island, San Juan Island. You can see Victoria BC on Vancouver Island from the westside of the island. The ferry ⛴️ ride is quite stunning meandering thru the islands. Also Skagit Valley on the mainland just east of us (where we catch our ferry) is the largest grower of Tulips 🌷 outside of Holland. Wonderful nurseries including Christenson’s which you would really enjoy! Check it out. Wishing you both a fabulous summer!!
Dying to get up there! We seen way too little of it! Thank you Mary, just read this to Joe!
Thanks for another wonderful blog! You’ve done so much to your new garden in such a sort time! Of course, things grow very quickly here in California! Beautiful! I am watching both Etoile and Sirens!
After that, check out Platonic. It will make you laugh, and then wonder “what is wrong with these people,” but you will still watch!🤣
A JOY!!! Thank you so much.
❌⭕️
Hello Susan
Your gardens are spectacular. And I love the series Etoile. I must watch again.
Happy Summer
What lovely timing, Susan! The coffee had just been made and I had the perfect moment to sit and read the new Willard. Yes, come to Oregon. Ashland is just over the border of CA and is just your kind of place. As a kindred spirit I know what I am talking about. Love the tour of your gardens in progress. Summer is coming way too fast.
I’ve heard Ashland is beautiful! Thank you my kindred spirit! 👏
Simply lovely, thank you Susan x
Susan, reading this on vacay in Bonnie Scotland, and feeling just a wee bit homesick for California. Scotland is beautiful and green and wild! So much open space. Thank you for Willard and making this day even brighter with your good cheer and promises of fun things to come! Would love to be part of your garden club!
All the way from Scotland! Makes it even more fun! Enjoy Jody! ❌⭕️
Thank you for the update! I always enjoy everything you post and share! Blessings! Oh, I introduced my three young daughters( 15, 10 and 4) to Shirley temple ( a little princess) and they loved it! Next will be Heidi! Take care Susan!
How wonderful Jean! Look what you get to do!!! Please don’t forget to get them to read Pollyanna! One of the very best things I ever learned was in that book . . . how to find the good in almost everything that happens! Makes for a very thoughtful life!🤣
Susan, such a breathe of fresh air. Thanks for bringing sunshine into a chaotic time.
Shelly
My pleasure Shelly!
Aloha Susan and Joe, such a beautiful blog. Love your new home. I hope when you make it up to Washington state, you should take a ferry to our beautiful island, San Juan Island. You can see Victoria BC on Vancouver Island from the westside of the island. The ferry ⛴️ ride is quite stunning meandering thru the islands. Also Skagit Valley on the mainland just east of us (where we catch our ferry) is the largest grower of Tulips 🌷 outside of Holland. Wonderful nurseries including Christenson’s which you would really enjoy! Check it out. Wishing you both a fabulous summer!!
I just preordered & can’t wait to get the new Summer book! Apparently USPS is losing a lot of packages so fingers crossed that it arrives!
Have faith! It MUST!!❌⭕️
This was a post my heart needed. May has been a real tough month (though not as tough as it has been for so many others the world over). Still, when you’ve had a string of such months, the tendency might be to just focus on getting through the day or week or month. As grateful and thankful as I’ve been for all the good things which also came our way, I’ve been looking down so much to make sure my feet walk straight that I forgot the importance of “looking up”.
A couple of days back, a verse from Psalm 57 reached out and caught me: Awake, my soul;
awake, lyre and harp!
I will wake the dawn… (Psalm 57:9).
I knew God wanted me to do something but I didn’t know what – till I came here and heard what you had to say. That there’s beauty and miracles all around for anyone who takes the trouble to look. Sometimes beauty falls into our hearts but more often, it’s up to us to open our doors and windows to allow blessings to come in.
So, thanks to you, dearest Susan, I’m going to go and “get that dawn”.
Oh sweetheart, I hear you. Sometimes so much happens, we just forget. Get that dawn. This morning I put my eyeballs deep into the middle of a pink double hibiscus! Pure miracle!🎵🎶🎵
I love your blog Susan. With love for you your fan
❌⭕️❌⭕️
Always look forward to your uplifting blog posts. You are pure sunshine. ☀️💗
Thank you Becky, love having you here!💞
Thank you for sharing your growing western gardens and other projects.
The bluebirds are a breath-takingly shade of blue!
We had cottonwood trees with massive trunks on our property while I was growing up in central IL. When eventually cut down one was 320 years old, one was 280 years old and one was 270 years old. We had tables planed from the trunks for neighbors, family and friends. Their leaves do whisper in the breeze.
Your gardens and property take my breath away. And so much joy exuding from you! And that California weather!! How wonderful. I am so happy for you.
I had my right knee replaced March 18. It is as awful as everyone said it would be. Had both hips replaced in 2018 and that was nothing compared to my knee. With the help of my husband early on and tons of physical therapy I am doing great.
What I am leading to has been my ability to thoroughly heal, enjoy the beautiful No. Carolina spring and my back yard. I have been gardening as well. Great continuing knee exercise. Being out doors and walking my neighborhood again has never been more appreciated by me as I have this spring.
Since trump has virtually eliminated international student visas here in the US I have lost my precious part time on line job. I graded the entrance exam for foreign students to go to English speaking countries’ universities. I graded their English speaking proficiency. It hurts my budget, but it has given me the time to heal and listen to my backyard birds.
So I understand your joy in nature and appreciation of every day. I join you in that thrill of fresh air and gardening. Thank you for such a joyful blog. 💖
Good for you Peggy, getting all that hard stuff out of the way, feeling good again, enjoying nature! Medicine is amazing these days! I’ve always heard the same thing, hips are easy, but the KNEE? Definitely another story! I’m sorry you lost your job . . . so much change lately . . . sometimes I feel like I’ll be getting out of here in the NICK of time. I think I’m pretty good at change . . . but this is waaaay too much all at once, and it never holds still long enough to learn it before they put in something else!! Especially electronics and AI and no cursive and weather changes and kids shot at school. Not good at that. So I understand what you’re saying. But interestingly, as much as Mark Twain enjoyed LIFE, was a life LIVER, he did a LOT of complaining about modernity and was dismayed at “progress” by the time he died in 1910 ~ he HATED the phone, so my guess is that it’s normal to feel like this as we age. Isn’t it funny, we’re always guessing!!🤣 No one told us how to do this! And for those of us who still feel 27, it’s definitely a surprise, but funny in its own way!
You are creating another piece of Paradise….everything is beautiful! This property is so very different than your New England house…do you miss it…
I would guess, you don’t miss all the upkeep!
I miss it a little, but not as much as those girlfriends of mine!!! What a wonderful bunch of friends, I will love them forever!
My cup runneth over after reading this delightful post! 🌹🧡💚🌱🪻🪺🐦🐛🦋🐞🐝 . Except for 🐍. Happy June!!
Absolutely glorious! Blessings🥰🤗
Again, thank you for the wonderful look in your life and home. Love all the positive and inspiring things you share. Makes me want to run outside and hug a tree and listen to the bird songs! So looking forward to the new summer book.
Always love your uplifting colorful news! I’m sure the original Willard letters were so fun
too.
I think I ordered your new Summer book. Anyway to check?
You will always be a sweet breath of fresh air💕thanks for the garden tour and updates,,keep on enjoying Life🌻✌🏻😎
What a grand piece of land! 🌳 I love the five spot wildflower!! Does it have any other name? Is it purple or cobalt blue?
OXOX
Margot B.
Great blog Susan ! Glad to hear you and Joe are loving California .Your property is amazing and it shows how much you love it .
Dear Sue, we’ve had a rainy Spring here in NE, but forecasts for a hot summer! I miss knowing that your aren’t here anymore but so very happy for your new chapter you’re living in SLO. I’m excited for your new summer book, have three copies of the original! I’m sorry you’re still waiting to sell your VH home, but you know it has to be the right person, just like when you found it! Good vibes being sent for a new pool for you! Thank you for keeping us all updated. You know we all “Anticipate” hearing from you and bringing all your positivity to this space!
Absolutely LOVED the singing! You go, girls!
Oh Susan, I do believe you are living in Paradise 💗
Oh, Susan I needed this Willard so much. I’ve been going through a difficult season of my life and this was equivalent to sinking down into a soft featherbed and saying, “Aaahh.” Your climbing roses are breathtaking. They remind me of some you’d find growing in an English cottage garden. And sweet peas! I envy you the ability to put seeds in the ground and end up with sweet peas. The summers here are too hot and I’ve never been successful with them here. It’s so funny that you talked about the Merlin bIrd call app. We’ve been hearing the prettiest bird song in our neighborhood. It starts out as an ordinary sounding bird call, but then it ends up with a gorgeous cascade of sound. I downloaded the app just a few days ago to check it out. It says it’s a little northern wood thrush. Such a tiny body to hold so much song! Thank you again for this most timely Willard. Happy summer wishes from another one of “the fun people!”
Beautiful garden pictures! Lucky you with those sweet peas! I’m an avid gardener and am now solely focused on Native gardening to help the pollinators, birds and our environment in general (no fertilizers required, lower pest issues, great for watering reduction and protecting the soil from erosion issues plus greatly reduced maintenance!) I buy plugs from mail order specialty nurseries that propagate and grow their own plants and sell natives for specific regions. I highly recommend you consider native plants and especially the books and many great YouTube videos of Prof. Dr. Doug Tallamy. The guru of American native plant movement. Was that a mocking bird on your video?I’m a birder and also use Merlin but it sounded like a mocking bird doing Western US bird calls.
What a lovely Paradise you two have created!!!!!!!!
Happy Summer!!!
Oh my – laughed out loud about gophers! The bane of our yard, dirt driveway and garden. So happy when the dogs accidentally catch one but have to take them away quickly – thats the yucky part. Your garden and wildflower orchard are inspiring. Our neighbors are fixing the fence kin the field next door where their horses eat down the dry remains from winter hay. The wire fence was not enough to hold them back from eating flowers planted along the fence on our side. Super excited to finally have a place to sow my wildflower seeds. Definitely a work in progress!
Can’t wait for the book signing in SLO – so happy to hear that. Will be waiting for the deets! Happy summer to you in Huasna!
Hi Susan,
I love how you are shaping your new home and property into the special world we all love that is uniquely YOU! Thanks for taking us on your walk. And letting us hear and see the birds. You encourage me to love Houston, TX where we now live, when my heart misses Canada, where we loved living for 35 years. It just goes to show that you can love the place you are, no matter what it’s like. I have trouble finding the comment sections now, but I finally did tonight. I also wanted to tell you how wonderful I think your new shutters are! And your front porch. If you build it, I feel pretty sure your garden club will come! I would 🙂
This was such a balm for my soul. I love to see you nesting and gardening and settling in. It’s all just so wonderful! I’m going to be between homes for a while so I shall live vicariously through you and remember to keep dreaming.
When you are into Oregon you MUST stay at the McCall house bed and breakfast in Ashland. It is done in Bella Note linens and decorated so beautifully. It’s only a block away from the plaza and the town is very charming. Next get off the freeway Grants Pass, where I live, and this is a very very good old fashioned charming town. Clark Gable came often and stayed at the Weasku Inn. On the famous Rogue River. Go down 6th street to the river and have lunch at Tap Rock. It’s on the left. Just wanted to share some of my wonderful Oregon with you!!!💕💕💕💕
Susan, the work you and Joe are doing is making your place a heavenly retreat. Sending hugs to you across the miles. DeLynn
I enjoyed this blog post so much. Seeing the mountains and all your beautiful gardens, I can see why you chose to move to this area. Just reading this, I could feel your joy and happiness. I am happy for you both.
What a gorgeous Willard! It’s green and blooming and beautiful here in Southern Indiana too. Like you, Susan, I love to see what’s blooming in the gardens each morning. In 1993 I started a conversation with 6 other garden-loving gals in my area and the St. Philip Garden Club was born. At that time we toured each other’s gardens trading seeds and starts of plants. Now 32 years later, we are family as we are so entwined in each other’s lives. It’s been the most wonderful journey! So – do start that Garden Club. You will have so much fun!
“And the Nut was happy” I think that was just the best! 😄. Oh what a treat to be shown around your garden, to join you in tiramisu tasting (me dear ole Aussie dad calls it “Timmy Sue”). Head bumps with Jack (I do the same to my precious Tuxedo Purrlick who moved all the way from Novi, Michigan with me and my fam to Brisbane, Australia…you made me fall in love with tuxedos 🥰thank you). Your Willards are always well worth any wait and in the meanwhile I’m working my way through the rest of your lovely blog..
What a Beautiful Willard!! You are so infectious with your enthusiasm over gardening, birds, walks, meeting with friends and family. Thank you, Dear Lady, for “infecting” me.
My only complaint is no action on selling our house. The double whammy of being hit by 2 hurricanes last season, and the Total Chaos from the White House causing people to stop spending. So, we’re considering our options.
I just read over this Willard again, and realized my mouth was grinning, ear to ear. Really looking forward to new Summer book, and I’ll get several to gift to SB fans among my Maine friends.
Sending Mucho Love,
Debbie still on Ballast Point
Wonderful post Susan. I really love how you have so much land out there in California with such a great walking path within your property. Here in North Texas I am only able to walk around our neighborhood on concrete side walks. The only saving grace is that I am able to admire other people’s gardens on my walks. Our neighborhood participates in Yard of the Month and over the last 10 years, I have earned that title twice! I’m getting older though (77) and not able to get down on the ground to plant stuff like I used to. I have to rely on getting a local landscaper to do the hard stuff. I keep most of the planting I am able to do to containers and hanging baskets. May and June is the month the plantings explode especially with all the rain we’ve been getting lately.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! For the walk, the photos, the music, the recommendations (I’m reading the good life excerpt right now), and the stories. I feel like I’ve had a little visit to paradise this morning and cannot thank you enough! Blessings upon your land, your home, your dear self and all you love!
Dear Susan…
At first I was disappointed when you moved from Martha’s Vineyard. I loved the stories and pictures of your beautiful old house and life on the island. But,
lo and behold, your California house is being transformed into a gorgeous fairytale place too, with it’s own character and I am falling in love with it!
You are so creative and so connected with nature and you inspire me and so many others. Please keep on sharing it all with us. The day a new Willard comes is always a happy day!
I’m so glad. I’m falling more in love every day! Thank you for the kind words Pam! xoxo
You are a true kindred spirit! P.S. I love sweet peas and bluebirds too. You know how to live.
It’s figure-out-able!💝🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷
Hi Susan…
It’s always a joy to read a new Susan Branch blog! Your garden is coming along quite well. I think garden tours would be fun but always hard work to prepare.
You may have heard about the recent Miranda Mills vlog. She talked about Cottagecore Book recommendations and half way through her talk she brought out her Susan Branch Summer Book and I gasped. She said that she was a huge fan of Susan Branch, loved her style and that her (your) books match the Cottagecore theme. She showed some of the pages and says she wants to make your Blueberry Bread pudding. Miranda Mills lives in York, England. I do hope you can take a peek at the vlog.
Have a happy summer! Sincerely, Pauline
She and I are a mutual admiration society! She’s done so much for reading! And did you see? She just wrote her own first book! The Country Commonplace Book is what it’s called ~ all kinds of subjects are covered, with the most wonderful quotes from the literary world!💝💝💝
Such a lovely update heading into June. We’ve had so much rain here in middle Georgia that we may not burn up to a crisp by August this year. Everything is lush and green …. wildflowers are just beginning to pop. I look forward to checking out Etoile. Sirens is something else.
Oh I bet it’s BEAUTIFUL!!! Green is a wonderful color!! xoxo
I love all the tea things you’ve put in the new Summer Book (which I’ve ordered and wait for patiently)! I’m enjoying watching the progress of your California garden/farm/home/hotel. And learning so much from your experiences and experiments! Thank you for your joie de vivre.
Story of life isn’t it . . . change is hard, but it’s exciting, and there are ways to look at it that make it better … you should have seen me last night, working until twilight tearing dead flowers from my giant alstroemeria, trying not to take the healthy ones. I have PILES of old stuff to put in the burn pile. Came inside, fed the kitties, feeling VERY satisfied. With what? Dirt! And sweat. I’m lucky at my age I feel good enough to do it. I was just walking by outside and saw that alstroemeria and couldn’t STAND it looking like that, the attack began and didn’t end until there was nothing left to rip out! xoxoxo
So glad to finally see a blog post from you again – you were missed! Your life is so charming; I swoon when reading about it. Your beautiful house and gardens, working on your book, your walks, your visitors and having fun, Jack, etc etc. And the area you live in is just sooo beautiful, makes me want to live there!
Just a little PS: Etoile is on Amazon Prime, not Netflix. 😉
xoxo
Thank you Melanie . . . glad to be back again. I just had TOO MUCH trying to get that book into the printer, plus, you know, LIFE! But it’s there and all is well and here I am! Thank you for the sweet words and YES, it’s on Amazon Prime … so sorry for giving the wrong streamer, but happy you found it!👏
Oh Susan! What a sweet surprise to see your new post!!! I have been MIA – we had a frozen pipe last January 6th (yes, note the date) in our new house back in Indiana and we were in Texas awaiting Little #11. Our downstairs basement and our main floor master suite was flooded. We only lost one antique Jenny Lind bed (it was our first auction and we paid $40 for it complete with mattress). Anyway, the basement is just being finished and the contents have been returned (they were in storage all this time).
Anyway, I love love love this post and all the lovely gardens! I ordered the solar birdhouse for my husband for Father’s Day – do you have the bird feeder with a camera? He got that a couple of years ago. It is solar and it identifies the bird eating seeds!
Have you ever looked into raising Monarchs? There is a critical loss of butterflies – I think you have more in Cali than we have in Indiana. But they have a better survival rate if we raise them and release them. I did this about 5 years ago – I have a dear Monarch Mama friend who taught me how to raise them. I raised over 100 that year! My Littles love to see them come out of their cocoons and then they release them. I have sent them to the Montessori preschool to release. It is hugely satisfying and really pretty ethereal when the Monarchs emerge from their chrysalis. I am sure you can find some local info. If not PM me and I can give you some book titles. I planted milkweed and other butterfly garden flowers and am looking forward to them!
I must run – our Littles from Texas arrive on Monday for a 3 week stay – we are all staying at our eldest daughter’s home not far away since I have no bathroom completed in the basement – we have the trundle beds and baby beds for the Littles but no sheets! (they are packed in some box, maybe)
It’s all good. We are blessed to have total coverage for the renovation. It has just been challenging living here during the renovation. But we have an excellent contractor and my husband’s Spanish has really gotten a lot better answering questions for the huge work crews coming through our house! They love it that he speaks Spanish. They are such hard workers and so pleasant! He learned Spanish while in AZ (where I grew up) and we were in college at Arizona State. I took a lot of French in high school and college so I am no help!
Have a wonderful weekend! xo
Special hugs!
Great comment Pam! Loved it. I will look at Google and raising Monarchs . . . I’m definitely giving them the things they love here, and hope lots and lots of butterflies will settle in and make “Hotel California” their home! Sounds like you’ve made the best of a very difficult situation at home! Keeping busy with lots of babies will do that for you! xoxoxo
Your blog was wonderful… Your new summer book looks great!!! Can’t wait ♥️
Have a lovely weekend
Yah!!! A book signing!!! Can’t wait from Atascadero!!!
I wanted to say that in the last few Willard’s, when I click on the musica link it comes up with some Chinese girl playing a guitar. I don’t know if anyone else has had these problems or not. I look so forward to hearing what song you are featuring because it is the music that I listen to and love, so it’s disappointing that it hasn’t worked. I am on an iPad reading it, if that helps. Also I have gone on Netflix and can’t find the Etoile series. Is it by another name? Always love your recommendations.
Thanks,
Carol Johnson
HI CAROL! I hear that iPad might have a problem with the musica! I’ve not heard about the Chinese guitar player from anyone before. Can you read it on a computer? And yes, I blew it, not on Netflix, it’s on Amazon!!! Don’t give up because it’s WONDERFUL!!! ♥️
Oh! That’s funny! I also saw/heard an Asian girl playing the guitar. .. but I thought that’s what I was supposed to be hearing!😂 😂Never dawned on my that it was some crazy glitch!😂
Here’s some music I stumbled upon. I thought it was an excellent cover. Always loved this song… 😊
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That’s so funny – I get the Asian girl playing a guitar, too… only I thought that’s what I was supposed to be seeing!😂😂😂
That is the same thing I have been experiencing for months. I had emailed about getting the same female guitar player previously but no resolution. I just don’t bother to try to get musica anymore. I am not using an IPad but an android tablet.
I think the tablet-pad situation causes this, so sorry Pam … probably has to be done on a computer. Two windows have to be open at the same time.♥️
Hi Susan
Love your blog /books/walks/talks and inspiration et al !
I’m a wee sad tho – even tho I’ve been a subscriber 4ever I’m not get blog emails, Willards etc from you. I don’t have you blocked and you’re in my address log. I’ stumped!
Summer is on its way – til then Spring! Looking fwd to my new “Summer” book!
Mary
I’ll send your comment to Kellee and see if there is anything she can do! xoxoxo
Thank you for the recommendation of Etoile (on Prime, not Netflix). I loved it! Sorry to say I binged it, because now it’s over 😢 but I’m recuperating from surgery and it was exactly what I need to brighten my day.
Yeah, I had to SLOW IT DOWN … I was going way too fast. Now I have to wait forever for another season. Wasn’t it smart? And beautiful? I loved it … and thank you . . . it is Prime, not Netflix!👏
Happy Saturday in May dear Sue! Remembering years of reading your blog, and loving the memories of Saturday mornings waking up to a new Willard ~ joining you at your Homestead of Creativity where the 5:00 am sunrise poured a particularly magical light into your kitchen while you made tea for Joe and shared your plans for the day ~ those words and photos just came alive and always made the perfect start to my own day. Seeing your freshly-washed prettily painted glasses drying on a darling embroidered tea towel inspired me to fill the kitchen sink with my pretty glasses and special dishes for a lovely bubble bath ~ which naturally leads to oiling my wooden spoons and cutting board (you taught me how) and on and on until my kitchen was sparkling and the pots and pans were shining, looking happy hanging from their under-cupboard hooks.
Also, you can make me laugh out loud, especially when something you say/do is exactly what I’ve said/done when I lived in my little house in the country, sharing the land with spiders and mice and who-knows-what!! “Just please, I beg silently, do not come up in the toilet” (through the pipes & drains into the tub & sink😨)
Walking around your California homestead with you this morning was heavenly💚 ~ I love all the views of your flowers ~ they frame your home so beautifully ~ sweet pea views inside and out are perfectly perfect ~ the roses are inviting your friends to draw near ~ the wild flowers are joyous and mysterious all at the same time. And thank you for including the birds singing ~ no garden is as happy as when the birds add their music.
Thank you for sharing your happinesses, dear Sue. Love you💞
You are a beautiful writer Christie! I loved reading that . . . Lovely, as always and forever, to see you here! Exciting news from American Carrie these days ~ I’m sure you already know she’s moving to York, at least for a while! What a dream come true for her. They will LOVE her over there!♥️
You certainly have a way with words Christie, do you have anything published?
I love reading your Willards, they make me feel so relaxed. I just noticed this morning, one of my 12 Crepe Myrtle trees is starting to bloom. In our Bakersfield heat, they do pretty good. If I was closer I would join your garden club.
Lots of good things DO grow in heat! Something out there for everyone. Magical planet! xoxoxo
I waited so long for you to do a signing in Northern California … and now that you might, I won’t be there. I moved a couple years ago to Idaho. You could come to SE Idaho (Boise or Eagle or Meridian) … it’s close to the border of Oregon. Just a thought ….
I might just do that! Tell me if you have a good local independent bookstore I could go to and I’ll put it on my list!
Awesome!!! Here are two .. Rediscovered Books in downtown Boise and Shared Stories (smaller bookstore) in downtown Caldwell. Fingers crossed that one of these will work out! 🙂
I so enjoy your Willard’s!! I read and then reread them!! Thank you for sharing your life with all of us!! ❤️
Such a lovely home and garden! And the blessings of bird song! xo
I loved this Willard. So great to see your beautiful cottage garden and all the wildflower seeds popping up. I’ve pre-ordered the Summer Book. Don’t trip over those gopher holes on your walks. Those barn cats are sleeping on the job! 🩷🩷
I DO trip on them! But I’ve put on my Cruel Shoes and this shall not continue. I hope!
Thank you so much for mentioning the Merlin bird app. There is a bird song that I have been hearing but could never see the bird that was singing. The app told me it was a Carolina Wren. No wonder I couldn’t see who it was – that’s a small bird and with all the trees in my yard he was well hidden. We tried putting out a feeder with meal worms for the bluebirds. Unfortunately the starlings, when they migrated through, scarfed down the mealworms. I’ve now ordered a feeder that will allow bluebirds but not bigger birds. Fingers crossed that it works. Thanks for the “labor of love” that you put into the newsletter. It’s always so exciting to get the email saying there’s a new Willard.
I tried to feed peanuts to the bluejays to get them away from my bird feeders, but the crows scarfed them all up. 🤣
I just heard on an NPR show that what you recommend and are doing is being referred to as “Land Snorkeling.” Walk, look, listen, smell, etc. Thanks for taking us along. I especially enjoyed hearing your mockingbird. We don’t hear them in WI, but catbirds are similar and we have one of those in our woods.
Catbirds are so sweet. In Martha’s Vineyard they would come to visit when I was working in the garden. The person who taught me to SEE was Gladys Taber … I found one of her books left behind in the house I bought in 1982 … It was called Stillmeadow Sampler . . . I read it, and never saw the world the same again! It was LIT for me, with bird song, clouds, moving ethereal fog, bees buzzing in a tree you could hear across the garden . . . the change of seasons, the smell of the ocean as I was hanging clothes on the line, then the taste of things, the feel of things . . . . it’s made life so much MORE!! WOW, what a beautiful world!
Hello! It sounds like your days are full and happy! That’s really what we all should strive for. Thanks for the link for the bench pad. I’ve been looking for them and they are so expensive so I’m happy to see this alternative. We bought new hanging bird baths and I’ve learned that bees drink water and often drown in bird baths. I didn’t know this and I want the bees to thrive! So we bought these handy little things for our bird baths which help the bees land and drink. They’re on Amazon called the Bee Pontoon (we bought the ones in the shape of a 🐝!). 😀 Always something new to learn and a new way to help nature along her way.
So happy when I get a notification of a new Willard! Take care Susan. Happy days and nights to you and Joe!
I learned the same thing about the bees and drowning, so far I’ve been putting rocks in shallow bowls. I read a new idea this morning, using wine corks because they float . . . I’ll check out those pontoons! Thank you Jenny!
That tiramisu looked so good. That just may be my favorite dessert!
I really enjoyed this beautiful post! Your gardens are simply amazing. You’ve become a true Californian again. Life on the Central Coast is so fun. Jack looks happy too!
I just can’t believe the sunny cool weather! We only got maybe 2 or 3 days like this, & only in the fall on Marth’s Vineyard, where the sun is warm and the air is cool … I describe it like when you’re eating ice cream and hot apple crisp. It is the BEST feeling. And it’s day after day here in CA. I think between having my mom and grandma as such huge influencers, both of them born in Iowa, my early days in California, my dreams coming true in New England and Olde England, I could not ask for one bit more out of this life.♥️ Jack is doing great too . . . I can’t tell for sure, but I think he might be making friends with the other cats!
Your Willard was so beautiful and inspiring. You and Joe have made your property into an amazing park – you could charge admission!
I hope that your MV island home sells this summer – you may want to try this website – st-josephstatue.com. It’s a little nutty, but some people say that it helped them to sell their home.
I hope your book tour brings you to New Jersey – I would love to meet you!
Comes in a kit! Well, I hope ours kicks in soon! The first thing our realtor did is have us bury a St Joseph statue in the back yard. I love stuff like this, I mean how could it hurt?!🙏
Hi Susan,
As always, Love anything that you post! Feels like another girlfriend visit and that you wrote this just to me! I have all your books and have been saving them to relish “one day”. Well the time is now because I just retired in April and there’s no time like the present! I’ve been reading A Fine Romance in my hammock and vicariously visiting England again along with you! Sometimes the dates I’m reading actually lined up with when you were there! You inspired me to want to make that trip as I followed along the blog when you were last there. I was excited that you were planning another trip there this year, but not sure of when my retirement date was. I was sad but relieved that you didn’t actually go 😔because then I might be available for the next trip! Dream it and make it so! Love you so much! Love all the things you share, your ideas, quotes, artwork, handwriting, and your life with us all❣️I continue to be an adoring girlfriend forever😘🥰
Hope we can do it Melissa!!!🎵🎶🎵