Leesburg Oatlands Get-Together - December

All six of the Take Joy Society members were able to get together to celebrate Christmas in Leesburg, Virginia.  Edie, who had started off her married life here in 1972 showed us the downtown area.  

Leesburg was dressed up for Christmas. . . .

❤️ of the Home - December

Frederick Get-Together - November

The Take Joy Society's third town to explore is familiar to three of us since we live on the outskirts of Frederick.  But we made some new discoveries as we parked the car and took to the sidewalk.  Our first stop was the public library.  Debra took us to the Children's Department to see a fun mural in a room I'd not been in. . . .

❤️ of the Home - November

Susan Branch's illustrations capture Autumn at its best.  By November Autumn is well on its way to becoming winter in the northern climes.  We start thinking about Thanksgiving, making our menu, preparing bedrooms for our guests. . . .

Waterford Fair Get-Together- October

This month, on the 6th, the Take Joy Society attended this year's Waterford Fair in Waterford, VA .  Click on music link to hear Donna Nomick, one of the vendors at the Fair, play "Si Bean Locha Lein" and come back here to read along with the music.

♫Hammered Dulcimer♫

Only Cindy and I were able to make this get-together so we brought our husbands along and met at the Fair.  Ken and I took the back roads whenever we could for the 35-minute drive, passing lovely farm scenes like these. . . .

❤️ Of the Home - October

Hagerstown Get-Together

The Take Joy Society begins its third year this month.  We had a gorgeous day to begin our theme this year of exploring different nearby towns.  Four of the six members got together to check out a new project recently completed in Hagerstown, MD called the Cultural Trail.  We met at the Washington County Fine Arts Museum, which I featured last year in our January get-together, to view the art pieces by member Cindy in the exhibit "The Art of Life:  Celebrating 85 Years of Art Education". . . .

❤️ of the Home - September

❤️ of the Home - August

❤️❤️A monthly post dedicated to Susan Branch❤️❤️

Growing herbs is fun because you can grow them in pots near your kitchen door. . . .

Norwegian Get-Together

Yesterday we met at member Chris's home to get a taste of Norway--a country she has visited several times and from which her ancestors migrated.  We started the afternoon with cold cantaloupe soup--especially refreshing since the temperature was in the 90s. . . .

❤️ of the Home - July

 July 4th is a BIG holiday in America--our Independence Day.  It represents all that we hold dear about America--our freedoms for ALL.  Susan proudly hangs her flag. . . .

Surreybrooke House/Garden Tour Get-Together

This month's Take Joy Society get-together was to tour Ron and Nancy Walz's  civil-war-era house and personal garden at Surreybrooke on the Open Days Tour sponsored by the Garden Conservancy.  Open Days features private gardens throughout the country.  There may be one in your area, so check the Garden Conservancy link above.  Unfortunate for the others, Cindy and I were the only one's able to make it today.  We got to see the modern addition as well as the original part of the house. This is looking back down the walk we came up to get to the new addition.  In the distance is the mountain range I live on.  You will see Catoctin Mountain in the background in many of the photos. . . .

❤️ of the Home - June

June is the month you get out of prison--otherwise known as school.  Even as a parent I looked forward to the end of the school year so that I could have my children home with me.  What I didn't look forward to was the heat and humidity.  Susan Branch writes about how she dealt with hot summer days when she was a child. . . .

❤️ of the Home - May

Northern Neck Virginia House & Garden Get-Together

Edie invited the Take Joy Society members to her vacation home on the Northern Neck of Virginia so that we could go on the Northumberland County House & Garden tour during Virginia's Historic Garden Week.  There were four of us in all who were able to get away for three days and two nights.  Unfortunately photos were not permitted inside the houses, but I will be telling you a bit of their history.

We set out in the rain mid-morning on Tuesday. . . .

❤️ of the Home - April

Now that March winds have simmered down we can look forward to April showers bringing May flowers. . . .

Shoe Cutting Party Get-Together

The Take Joy Society members attended a Shoe Cutting Party at member Carol's house today to do our part for Sole Hope. . . .

Sole Hope

❤️ of the Home - March

March is a transition month.  It's the month that can't make up its mind between Winter and Spring!  Susan Branch's March 2017 calendar page encourages us to keep a diary, which is a good way to deal with fickle March because it gives us a way to express our feelings. . . .

❤️ of the Home - February

    

          

February is the L❤️VE month because of Valentine's Day.  Susan Branch shares her recipes for a romantic dinner for two HERE.  Click on the recipe title to go to it.

Great Britain Adventure Get-Together

The Take Joy Society met this month at Edie's cabin to experience a British afternoon tea followed by a slideshow of her visit to England and Wales last September.  Edie shows us the box of Yorkshire tea she brought back from England. . . .

❤️ of the Home - January

How do you bring in the new year?  This year on the first of each month I'm featuring Susan Branch's ❤️Heart of the Home❤️ sensibilities using illustrations and quotes from her calendars and books.  She is an author/illustrator, and whether she intended to be or not, a lifestyle maven for her many followers, affectionately known as Friends of Susan Branch (F.O.S.B.)   She keeps in touch with her "friends" via her BLOG, FACEBOOK page, and TWITTER.  Do not be surprised if she responds to your comments because she values hearing from us all.  You will soon feel as though you ARE a friend!

Besides her many cookbooks and memoirs she has calendars, scrapbook pages/stickers, journals, stationery, and a host of other things which can be found HERE on her website's shopping page.  And while you're at her website print out this year's Full Moon Bookmark found on her FREE STUFF page. . . .