Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2017 i Victoria

October arrives with the bluest of skies; leaves in shades of red, russet, and yellow; and the sort of crispness in the air that signals an end to summer. What a wonderful time of year! With the coming of the gathering season, pumpkins appear at every farm stand and grocery market. So my fascination with these plump orbs continues. In recent years, we have seen the introduction of pumpkins with skins that range from pure white to pale green to gray-blue to wonderful striped varieties. I like finding these newcomers in home décor, but the well-loved golden orange continues to signal autumn for me. Browse the pages of our delightful pumpkin story, beginning on page 57, to find new ideas for creating seasonal vignettes in your home. Decorating is easy…

“ As the day of the yard sale arrived, the invisible net of human connections that runs beneath the surface of the town held fast. ” Not long ago, while waiting for my groceries to be charged at Cross Brothers Market, I remembered that I didn’t bring any money for the newspaper I wanted to pick up at the nearby 7-Eleven. Tommy Willis was packing my bags. “Do you think,” I asked him, “you could add fifty cents to my bill so I could get one?” Tommy shook his head. “We can’t do that,” he said, but he simultaneously reached into his back pocket, took a dollar bill from his wallet, and handed it to me. That was the same day the manager of Henry Clay Appliances kept the store…

“PILLOWS ARE THE JEWELRY FOR A ROOM, AND THEY HAVE TO BE PERFECT.” —Rebecca Vizard At the end of a gravel road, with a cotton field on one side and a pecan orchard on the other, sits a farmhouse that appears to have been there for centuries, although it was built in the 1980s. A massive live oak tree reaches skyward, partially obscuring the façade, while Lake Bruin stretches out in back, shimmering in the early October sun. This peaceful setting seems an unlikely spot for the headquarters of a bustling textile company that ships its products the world over, and yet, indeed, it is. After several years of living in New Orleans, designer Rebecca Vizard and her husband, Michael, built a home on her grandfather’s property in the…

In the early 1800s, when the United States was young and reveling in its newfound independence, the majority of the country was unspoiled wilderness, with spectacular vistas as far as the eye could see. The new nation’s burgeoning art community yearned to present this magnificence in a way that was purely and unabashedly American. The movement found its leader in Thomas Cole. A painter who had emigrated from Lancashire, England, at the age of seventeen, Cole had surrendered to the breathtaking allure of the Catskill Mountains and the Hudson Valley of New York while working as an itinerant portrait artist. In 1825, he began interpreting these scenes on canvas in a dramatic style that was a departure from the usual pastoral images. There was compelling eloquence in every stroke…

That the home is a family’s most cherished place is a central belief for Gil Schafer, whose love for design originated from a nostalgic childhood spent at his grandmother’s house. From these experiences, Schafer works tirelessly to design the best environment for every client. As an architect, he values the deep connection people have with their interiors and the way construction, furnishings, and décor can flow together for the creation of a beautiful living space. Schafer addresses the ambience and decoration of a dwelling, including finer details such as those in mouldings, stairwells, and doors. One piece of wisdom he offers is that contrast serves a space well, especially mixing styles—blending elegant with simple or traditional with modern. Homeowners are encouraged to consider the roles landscaping and natural lighting play…

Take a closer look at some of our favorite October features: Golden Threads Behind the scenes at B. Viz Design, Rebecca Vizard’s atelier reflects her inspirations through a lovingly curated collection of treasured textile remnants. Pumpkins on Parade In homes brimming with the bounty of the season, lovely florals and vibrant pumpkins lend natural splendor to interiors and exteriors. A Festive Gathering From appetizer to dessert, our harvest feast offers a banquet of plenty for your fall table, when the idyllic autumnal beauty rewards entertaining en plein air. Brushed with Artistic Heritage Influential Hudson Valley painter Thomas Cole’s legacy is memorialized not only through his masterworks, but also through his home and museum. We love your ideas! Do you have any suggestions about something you’d like to see in the…

Carolyne Roehm will tell you that the gardening gene skipped her mother, who, when she pointed out the overabundance in Carolyne’s vegetable garden, made it clear that her talents lay in other areas. Her mother’s suggestion—not only to donate the surfeit to the community, but also to tailor the gardens to provide plenty for the local food banks and soup kitchen—made good sense, and not just in a recession. “My garden, Mom decreed, would contribute to them all,” Carolyne writes in At Home in the Garden. With a new director at its helm, the yield turned from “froufrou—i.e., small batches of gourmet greens [to] abundant lettuces and vegetables that would be of better use to hungry families.” Even in Carolyne’s vegetable plots, charm and symmetry find balance with practical utility:…

“THE ESSENTIAL JOY OF BEING WITH HORSES IS THAT IT BRINGS US IN CONTACT WITH THE RARE ELEMENTS OF GRACE, BEAUTY, SPIRIT, AND FIRE.” —Sharon Ralls Lemon SEE MORE ON THE WEB at victoriamag.com SEE RECIPE INDEX, PAGE 89, FOR RECIPE INFORMATION.…

“MANY PEOPLE SHOWCASE THEIR PUMPKINS LIKE ART OBJECTS OF PORCELAIN OR POTTERY.” —Eddie Gordon Watching guests choose pumpkins is nothing short of fascinating, says Eddie Gordon, co-owner of Gordon Skagit Farms in Mount Vernon, Washington. His family’s 240-acre property unfolds across the picturesque Skagit Valley, an arid basin surrounded by a distant ring of snowcapped mountains. The ground is fertile for crops, including more than seventy varieties of gourds. October promises a month-long celebration in this bucolic setting, with bounty brimming from vines in the field and piled high in elaborate vignettes. “It’s a special time of year when we have interaction between our customers and what we grow,” says Eddie. Along with the season’s brilliant foliage and crisp, cool weather come visitors eager to experience a full…

“WHEN WE TUG AT A SINGLE THING IN NATURE, WE FIND IT ATTACHED TO THE REST OF THE WORLD.” —John Muir From its hilltop vantage point overlooking the rock-rimmed shores of Maine’s Penobscot Bay, a circa-1780 post-and-beam farmhouse has watched centuries of autumns come and go. Original pumpkin-pine floors gleam in the front rooms, and the adjacent barn still holds the chassis of an old hay wagon in its rafters, a nod to its agrarian past. There is a timeless quality in the structures, a characteristic also interwoven in the products made by the business now occupying these spaces. Founded in 1992 by John and Caroline Grace, Swans Island Company takes its name from the original location—a nearby island with a history of sheep farming. The couple began…

Let our seasonal ensembles be a guide as you deck the halls in Yuletide splendor. Serene acreage gives way to the Hills & Dales Estate, home to faithfully preserved nineteenth-century gardens and the classic architecture of a luxurious home. Enjoy a slice of Thanksgiving history with our inspired desserts. London at Christmastime is a city of elegance, where the loveliest celebrations are centered on tea, that most British of traditions.…

Sally invited me to her house on the Maine coast in the fall, after she had picked her pumpkins and flung the vines over the fence. I call her Barefoot Sally because she’s always without shoes or socks. “We’re going to make wreaths today,” she said cheerfully over the phone. “I’ve got all the fixings.” She wasn’t talking about those fragrant, weighty Christmas wreaths. She meant the sublime dried-flower creations that spring from garden plants that have died back and dried out, what horticulturists call “everlastings.” Those wreaths have always been the ones that scare me most. They look so delicate and unforgiving to hands like mine, accustomed to ropes of balsam and fir. But I said, “Sure, Sal. I’ll give it a try.” Before I left, words from Carl…

“I a am transported—an ordinary person, an ordinary life , enhanced bby extraordinary things to lift the spirits high and create a h happy, iinspirational atmosphere in my oown home.” —Marlys Jensen Victoria has always fed my soul, from its very beginning. Thank you for bringing this wonderful magazine back to life and making it better than ever! Your latest issue was sublime; I never wanted it to end! Page after page of beautiful homes, gardens, and antiques just sang to me. Now, in the autumn of my life, I find I must downsize, which means getting rid of many cherished antiques and collections. Fortunately, Victoria has shown me how to incorporate what I will keep into a warm, cozy, and welcoming—though smaller—home. For that and all else, I thank…

FOR BAKING, the smooth, sweet flesh of Winter Luxury holds up well to roasting and yields perfect pies. White webbing distinguishes the exterior of this variety, introduced in 1893. FOR CARVING, Cinderella is a classic choice for its red-orange skin, wide girth, and dramatic lobes. Another exemplary jack-o’-lantern, Phat Jack stands taller and is noted for its thick handle. FOR DISPLAY, size and hue are often deciding factors. The petite Casperita retains its clean white appearance and green stem through the season, while the slightly larger Baby Bear boasts vivid orange color. With the potential to reach twenty pounds, One Too Many draws attention with an alabaster shell laced with delicate red veining.…

WRITER-IN-RESIDENCE Pages 13–14 : For more information about author and teacher Phyllis Theroux, visit her website, nightwriters.com. ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE Page 15 : To learn more about Carolyne Roehm, visit her website, carolyneroehm.com. ALL THAT SHIMMERS Page 17 : Elisabeth York: Ribbon Mesh Pillow in Sandstone, $85, Graphite Stripe Pillow, $85, Abha Euro Sham, $60, Abha Throw, $90; 888-889-9868, cnfei.com/ Elisabeth-York, available at plumandpost.com. Legna by SDH: Classic king pillowcase in cappuccino, $108, Classic king fitted sheet in cappuccino, $464, Classic king flat sheet in cappuccino, $464; The Purists by SDH: Allegro Coverlet, $1,710; Silver beaded pillow, $365; from Three Sheets, 205-871-2337, threesheetslinen.com. Zestt: Organic Cotton Comfy Knit Throw in gray and white, $128 each; 866-673-1773, shopzestt.com. Henry Handwork: Leaves Silver Hand Towel in white cotton, $25, Leaves Gold Hand Towel in…