Innholdsfortegnelse for November/December 2021 i Victoria

Dear Friends In Shepherds Abiding, our final Victoria Classics Book Club selection for 2021, Jan Karon makes this astute observation: “Indeed, it seemed to be the wont of most people in a distracted and frantic world to blast through an experience without savoring it or, later, reflecting upon it.” As we enter the holidays, days pass even more quickly, and the challenge for each of us is to seek periods of stillness. Let this November/December issue serve as an invitation to inhale deeply the joys of the coming season. Amid the scent of fresh-cut evergreens and the sight of treasured adornments, we survey the beauty of interiors dressed for Yuletide. View Artist-in-Residence Annie Sloan’s colorful projects on page 15, and step into a Georgian home filled with heirlooms on page…

When I was writing a Mitford novel, the story often ended at Christmastime. This wasn’t precisely intentional—it’s just that the ending moved naturally to a celebration of Beginning. After the long and sometimes rocky road of writing a book, a Mitford Christmas gave the author a perk for all that hunkering over the keyboard; it was my sweet in the toe of the stocking. Ironically, the Christmases of my childhood were not the extravagant exertions of the Victorians or even the caroling merriment of the Mitfordians. My grandparents, with whom my little sister and I lived, had been through two world wars and the Great Depression. We had saved bacon grease, raised and canned our own vegetables, butchered our own hogs, and made our own sausage. “I am again in…

“MUSIC IS AN AGREEABLE HARMONY FOR THE HONOR OF GOD AND THE PERMISSIBLE DELIGHTS OF THE SOUL.”—Johann Sebastian Bach SEE RECIPE INDEX, PAGE 99, FOR RECIPE INFORMATION.…

“A VOICE, A CHIME, A CHANT SUBLIME OF PEACE ON EARTH, GOOD-WILL TO MEN!”—Henry Wadsworth Longfellow View this collection of sterling keepsakes at victoriamag.com.…

“GOLD ON HER HEAD, AND GOLD ON HER FEET/AND GOLD WHERE THE HEMSOF HER KIRTLE MEET/ANDA GOLDEN GIRDLE ROUNDMY SWEET/AH! QU’ELLE EST BELLE LA MARGUERITE.”—William Morris…

CYCLE OF LIFE It was a Christmas morning long ago. I had dreamed for weeks about the gifts I hoped to receive. Would it be that beautiful doll with the pink organdy dress, long ringlets, and eyes that opened and closed? Would it be a storybook about dogs? Surely, it would be a new nightgown and robe, and maybe, just maybe, that plaid taffeta dress that my mother and I had spied the week before in the department store window. I awoke early—actually, I probably only slept for a few hours—convinced that the appointed hour of 6 a.m. would never arrive. And then I heard my father’s voice: “Come on! Santa has been here, and you can come out.” I rushed up the stairs and entered the living room. It…

Visit our website to read this issue’s online stories and to find more of the content you love. Take a closer look at some of our favorite November/December features: Seasonal Inspiration Christmastime offers the perfect opportunity for the owners of this Georgian charmer to highlight both antiques and architecture with radiant holiday decorations. In Tribute to Beauty View the wonders of Winterthur in displays that showcase the bounty of this storied property, as well as the talents of those who tend its myriad blossoms. Hearth & Home Evergreen trimmings festooned about the mantel and a blazing fire set the scene for a winter welcome in the lovely and serene environs of this California abode. Heralding Great Joy In Phyllis Hoffman DePiano’s home, silver bells ring out the happiness of December…

Christmas is always a prismatic season for this revered decorative-paint artisan, and she spreads plenty of Yuletide cheer in her signature, color-centric way, whether it’s with traditional hues or those that fall a bit outside the box. “There are the reds and greens, which I am especially enjoying this year,” Annie relates. “For a pared-back palette, I love sage, white, and a little burnt orange, or for something luxe, I go for rich greens, blues, and golds.” After staying close to home for the last year, she plans to safely channel her desire for travel and culture through her decorations and celebrations. She’s also continuing a family tradition that began when her boys were young, one that embraces her eco-responsible philosophy—and is just plain fun for all ages. “All presents…

Long before the first poinsettia heralds the arrival of the season, there is an interesting botanical subterfuge going on in the basement beneath a cottage on horticulturist Henry Francis du Pont’s former Wilmington, Delaware, estate, which now functions as a much-visited garden, museum, and library. Countless stems of flowers are slipped over clotheslines or tucked into boxes of silica gel, their still-prismatic petals undergoing a drying process that will preserve them for an upcoming project. For the last 36 years, this acclaimed property has presented Yuletide at Winterthur, a festive celebration that lights up the house. Undoubtedly, the biggest draw is the Dried Flower Tree, which holds sway in the capacious Conservatory. This focal point is a design masterpiece, to be sure, but it is also an ingenious way to…

“I LOVE SNOW FOR THE SAME REASON I LOVE CHRISTMAS. IT BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER WHILE TIME STANDS STILL.”—Rachel Cohn…

HARMONY OF FLAVORS Begins on page 43 Open-Faced Tea Sandwiches p.45 Makes 16 1 medium head garlic1 tablespoon olive oil4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream¼ teaspoon kosher salt8 slices thick white bread, crusts removed1 medium radish, thinly sliced1 small cucumber, thinly sliced¼ Asian pear, thinly sliced2 ounces prosciutto, cut into strips2 tablespoons red onion, thinly sliced1 tablespoon fresh dill sprigs1 tablespoon chopped fresh chivesGarnish: micro greens, edible flowers 1. Preheat oven to 400°. 2. Cut ¼ inch off top of garlic head. Drizzle with olive oil; wrap in foil. 3. Bake until tender, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes. Squeeze garlic pulp from garlic. 4. In a medium bowl, combine roasted garlic, cream cheese, cream, and salt. Stir until smooth. (Keep at room…

When I was young, we lived in a wonderful, rambling Victorian. I loved my bedroom at the top of the stairs, with its hardwood floors, gabled ceiling, and tiny Juliet balcony. My mother sewed beautifully, but arthritis made it too difficult for her to sew by hand. Knowing my love of all things pink and old-fashioned, for Christmas one year, she secretly arranged for a friend to sew the loveliest quilt that was perfect for me and my bedroom. The coverlet was made of wild rose pink and cornflower blue printed cotton squares and backed with a blush-toned flannel sprinkled with darker rosebuds. I kept that quilt well into adulthood and was very thankful for its comfort and memories after my mother passed. Sadly, it was lost during a move,…

FRANKLIN, TENNESSEE British accents take on a decidedly Southern drawl in Franklin’s annual Dickens of a Christmas, an event that celebrates its 36th anniversary this year. With the town’s historic district as the enchanting setting, favorite characters featured in A Christmas Carol, from the adorable Tiny Tim to the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge, join musicians and dancers for a seasonal street party brimming with Victorian charm. In keeping with that era, Father and Mother Christmas hand out treats to delighted children, ensuring that everyone is, as the enlightened Mr. Scrooge said, “as merry as a schoolboy.” SEASIDE, FLORIDA From the magnificent glittering tree in the center of the Seaside Amphitheater and the twinkle light–draped Coleman Pavilion to the tiny post office wrapped in garlands and bows, this coastal enclave dresses in…

When Bonnie McIlvaine moved from her native Pennsylvania to the sunny climes of California, she purchased a “little tumble-down concrete-block house” in the city of Vista. Since the half-acre property was zoned for horses, she fulfilled a childhood wish by buying a Morgan stallion. With perfect weather and plenty of room for her beloved dogs to roam, Bonnie was quite content—until a trip to England had her rethinking her contemporary quarters. “When in the Cotswolds, I realized that I would love to live in a charming stone cottage with a steep slate roof—and that was that!” the former teacher explains. After she retired in 2001, Bonnie asked a friend, architect J. Patrick Sheehy, to design a house more in tune with her revamped vision. Though the slate roof and stone…

WRITER-IN-RESIDENCE Pages 13–14: Jan Karon is the #1 New York Times best-selling author of twenty-five books. The Mitford Museum in Hudson, North Carolina, pays tribute to the novelist and her beloved Mitford series. To learn more about Jan, visit her website at mitfordbooks.com. For information regarding the museum, call 828-726-8871 or visit themitfordmuseum.org. ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE Pages 15–17: Annie Sloan, a decorative painter, invented and manufactures Chalk Paint®. She has written 26 books and produces The Colourist, a bookazine dedicated to her passion for color. To learn more about Annie’s work, visit her website at anniesloan.com. ENDOWMENTS OF EMERALD Page 21–22: Iittala: Essence White Wine Glasses, $85/set of 4; from One Kings Lane, 332-333-6412, onekingslane.com. Kate Spade New York: Todd Hill Gold 5-Piece Flatware Set, $90; from Lenox, 800-223-4311, lenox.com. Merry by…