For starters, you need some . . . Frank! MUSICA Only Five Minutes more . . . or maybe we’ll take the whole weekend!
How are you? Everything is good here . . . this music makes me so happy! I’m still chugging away on the new book. The first one goes to the printer on June 15 ~ we’ll see if I make it! I’m still painting and adding photos and art to the pages. I decided yesterday it’s a very good sign that when I find the perfect quote for the perfect spot, I get tears in my eyes (sort of like I do at the end of a really good movie). I can’t wait to show it to you! ♥
But in the meantime, I thought we’d let our drawing for the giveaway go for a few more days . . . we have lots of books to give away! I just want to make sure everyone’s had a chance to sign up. So, if you haven’t, be sure to leave a comment, we’re giving away 10 of my new book, coming in August called THE FAIRY TALE GIRL ~ you can read all about it in the post just below this one. By the way, did you catch it ~ on the edge of the new cover? That the flowers are all missing a petal? “He loves me, he loves me not . . .” It’s a little clue.♥
In the meantime, I thought I’d share somemore Vineyard spring. Birds are frolicking in our birdbath. So fun to watch. Only one out of three of those is real ~ the one surrounding himself in water drops.
Joe’s favorite flower is in bloom, the Lily of the Valley . . . thank you again to Mrs. Bowditch, the woman who owned our house from 1949 to 1980 ~ she left such a treasure for us. Funny how you can get to know a person like I’ve gotten to know the Bowditches, from the things they’ve left behind.
I always have to bring in a little bouquet for the kitchen table . . . so we can bury our noses in them every so often.
Like little bells . . .
Yes, when I get a good subject, I take a zillion photos!
Today is the official start of summer here on the Island, no matter what the calendar says. It’s Memorial Day Weekend, and literally overnight our town turns from a quiet little country outback into Vacation Central . . . people come from everywhere . . .
Boat after boat arrives . . .
We like it . . . it’s a wonderful change from the quiet winter. Plus we know it isn’t a year-round thing, so it’s always fun to see them come, and it’s always nice to see them go! The best of all worlds. We have a weekend guest of our own to welcome off the boat today! The guest room is ready with Lily of the Valley as a welcome greeting.
And this is the event that happens every year on the Friday before Memorial Day ~ today! A wonderful old tradition called The Children’s Walk to the Sea ~ it’s been going on here since the 1870s. The Vineyard Haven Grammar School is just up the street from our house, so we get a birds-eye view of the parade every year as it passes by our house. Isn’t it adorable? First comes the kindergarteners, followed by the 1st grade, on up to the 8th graders, and all their teachers too.
And it comes complete with a marching band and George M. Cohan musica!
And, adorable children, carrying flags and bouquets of flowers. They march through town, down to the water, where they throw their flowers into the sea in memory of those who have fought and died for our country.
Girl Kitty keeps an eye out for the kids!
And here’s our kitchen garden . . . Joe’s been raking and getting it ready while I’m inside “directing” from my studio window! We’ll have strawberries soon if the catbirds leave us some! Time to plant tomatoes and lettuce and lemon thyme . . .
Our garden, though small, always makes us happy ~ it’s just enough to give us that “thank goodness it’s spring” feeling. You can read more about it HERE: Here are the basic elements that made it happen:
And look at this perky little goldfinch outside our kitchen window. Hmm, he says, I taut I taw a puddy cat.
Oh yeah. No doubt about it.
Jackie keeps a watch.
So a little reminder for the holiday weekend, be spontaneous and keep it simple and have a WONDERFUL time. Here’s a delicious potato salad recipe made with roasted potatoes you might like to try . . .
I’m going back to work in Fairy Tale Land ~ and guess what’s coming on TCM in about 10 minutes? Pride and Prejudice! The old one with Greer Garson and Laurence Olivier! Perfection! So lucky! Have a great day Girlfriends. Don’t forget, if you haven’t signed up for the drawing, be sure to leave a comment . . . we’ll do it next week. Let Vanna frolic for the weekend! You too! XOXO Bye for now!
Here’s the sky view, lilacs are everywhere on the Island right now ~ it smells wonderful outside!
So here’s more of what’s been happening around here. Besides the fact that we have two new baby squirrels coming to the feeders ~ who won’t hold still for six seconds so I can take their picture, but they are adorable! The tiniest ears in the world.
tree up and died, and I’ve mourned it ever since. I know Mrs. Bowditch was looking down from heaven saying, “Susan, Put it back. It’s your job.” It took three years to find the right kind here on the island to replace it with. I wanted the exact same variety. But they didn’t seem to carry it in our nurseries ~ only other varieties, with different flowers. In addition, I find it hard to trust the name tags on the trees, I trust them more if there is a flower I can see.
without you! You are kind of IT. 
I’ve been doing this 
changing autofix to “outfox.” Stop helping me outfox!) 
I know, but it’s true. And this isn’t even all of them! So, of course I’m scared to death! But counting on the fact that
photographs like this one, laying out my pages in the book with them so you can see what I’m writing about ~ and painting the art so you can go on a little virtual journey with me back to the 1900s. What do you think? A novel with pictures!
And now, because I’ve been away so long, and because that was bad, I want to make it up to you by GIVING AWAY the first ten copies of 
for your support ~ love you Girls.
