Indholdsfortegnelse for March/April 2020 i Victoria

Dear Friends Over lunch at a local bistro, conversation among our staff naturally drifted to reading. Several editors revealed an affinity for the same author, and enthusiastic banter ensued over favorite titles. Isn’t it amazing to consider the community that springs up around a pastime most often enjoyed in solitude? There is something gratifying about becoming immersed in a wonderful volume and then reemerging to share that experience with friends. “Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think,” writes Lucy Maud Montgomery in Anne of Green Gables. “It’s splendid to find out there are so many of them in the world.” We have appreciated the camaraderie developed through our Victoria Classics Book Club, carried out with free weekly emails and in a discussion forum at victoriamag.com. We…

Meadows of bluebonnets wave in the breeze blowing across the Texas Hill Country, creating a colorful welcome mat for Fredericksburg, a town that draws tourists from the world over to partake of its myriad attractions. With blossoms shaped like sunbonnets worn by the pioneer women who helped settle this part of the country, these perky flowers blanket the countryside throughout March and April in a dazzling display of spring’s botanical glory. Fredericksburg was founded by German immigrants in 1846 and was named in honor of Prince Frederick of Prussia. These early settlers were primarily farmers living on outlying acreage through the week; they built small “Sunday houses” to accommodate the family when they came in on weekends to shop and worship. Visitors will still find these charming, pint-size dwellings, along…

The idyllic community of Bonny Doon—a place every bit as picturesque as its Scottish name suggests—nestles on a gentle slope near Santa Cruz, California, with redwood forests above and coastal grasslands below. With plenty of sunshine, a temperate climate, and salt-tinged breezes drifting up from the nearby Pacific Ocean, it might be mistaken for paradise, which would explain the Eden-like garden of floral designer Teresa H. Sabankaya. Born and raised in East Texas, Teresa’s voice still carries a faint drawl, as she points out some of the lovely things blooming in her yard. Though she worked in corporate travel before having children, she was eager to spread her wings when her youngest daughter started preschool. “I had read the Victoria book A Shop of One’s Own,” she explains, “and I…

“GIVE ME PEONIES AND TULIPS, ORCHIDS OR GARDENIA. THOSE WERE FLOWERS WITH CHARACTER.”—Justina Chen…

WRITER-IN-RESIDENCE Pages 15–16: Reeve Lindbergh, daughter of aviator-authors Anne Morrow and Charles A. Lindbergh, is the author of more than two dozen books. To sample more of Reeve’s work, including her newest collection of essays, Two Lives, visit her website at reevelindbergh.com. ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE Pages 17–18: Erin Benzakein, author of Cut Flower Garden and the newly released A Year in Flowers, is the owner of Floret Farm in Washington’s Skagit Valley. To learn more about Erin’s work, visit her website at floretflowers.com. THE MUTED HUES OF ROMANCE Page 19: Mayflower Wallpaper: Christopher MF5001, $70, Verona MF81604, $70, Garden Linen MF21104, $70, Sakonnet MF71408, $70, Paper Rose MF41606, $70; 401-824-6968, mayflowerwallpaper.com. Page 20: Eastern Accents: Adare Manor Lace Trim Pillow, $203; Matouk: Panama White Duvet Cover, $324; from Three Sheets, 205-871-2337, threesheetslinen.com.…

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 March/April features: Floral Expressions Become fluent in the language of flowers with guidance from florist Teresa Sabankaya, who shares a how-to on crafting a sentimental arrangement. Plus, find signed copies of The Posy Book. An Easter Delight Charm guests with our festive Coconut Nest Cake, a classic three-layer dessert dressed with toasted coconut, speckles of chocolate, and candy eggs. In the Heart of Texas The history-steeped city of Fredericksburg beckons guests to the Lone Star State with a unique blend of German heritage and American pioneer spirit. Idyllic Settings Delve troves of china collected by Vanessa Gilbreath, proprietor of Vintage English Teacup, and garner inspiration…

“NATURE ALWAYS WEARS THE COLORS OF THE SPIRIT.”—Ralph Waldo Emerson…

In the early morning of April 29, 2011, Vanessa Gilbreath and her friends gathered at her Marietta, Georgia, home to watch the fairy-tale wedding of Britain’s Prince William and his bride, Kate Middleton. As a native of Guildford in Surrey, this English expatriate knew the occasion called for a grand fête, and the tables were dressed to perfection with treasures inherited from her grandmother and her great aunt. Vanessa’s guests were delighted to dine on such exquisite dinnerware and asked their hostess, “Why don’t we do this more often?” That simple question sparked an idea for a business, and as soon as her companions bade her goodbye, she sat down at the computer to explore her options. While many companies rented tableware for events, Vanessa couldn’t help but notice it…

At the height of spring, the streets of London are bathed in botanical beauty. Petals from flowering trees flutter through the air like robins in search of breakfast, floral dis-plays are prepared in attempt to mirror the city’s splendor, and romance seems to appear around every corner. Author and photographer Georgianna Lane, a Victoria reader and contributor, perfectly captures England’s capital at springtime in her new book, London in Bloom. Preceded by volumes featuring Paris and New York, this visual masterpiece is a passion project many years in the making. Over the course of her career, Georgianna has captured myriad images of the beloved British city, which she has called home at various times throughout her life. However, she spent several additional months living amongst Londoners in order to perfect…

The Reading Life Each of us has a story, and that story is entwined with the stories of others. People we love, places we cherish, and memories of the past converge as we inscribe our own narrative. Certainly, the stories we read and take with us influence who we will become. In fact, reading is more than a hobby, more than entertainment, even more than education; it is a way of life. My love for reading started early. My connection to words was as necessary as air and water. Reading was also a strong motivation to become a teacher, since I could read all sorts of literature, select the works I liked best for exploration and discussion, and still make a living. As a young child, I memorized and recited…

The oar dipped methodically into the wateras my dad guided our canoe across the shimmering lake. Sunshine warmed my bare shoulders, and I listened in rapt attention while my mom read from the volume in her hands: “The birches in the hollow turned as golden as sunshine ….” The words mingled irresistibly with the gently lapping water and struck a chord deep within me. Although my brother, sister, and I were lined up rather unromantically in the canoe, ensconced in the bright orange life vests that had a way of chafing our chins, I was keenly aware that I was experiencing one of those perfect moments in life. I sensed at once its beauty and brevity; my sensitive little heart ached over the connection between the two. My mom closed…

“WHAT YOU SURROUND YOURSELF WITH SHOULD BRING YOU PEACE OF MIND AND PEACE OF SPIRIT.”—Stacy London…

“’TWAS EASTER-SUNDAY. THE FULL-BLOSSOMED TREES FILLED ALL THE AIR WITH FRAGRANCE AND WITH JOY.”—Henry Wadsworth Longfellow SEE RECIPE INDEX, PAGE 103, FOR RECIPE INFORMATION. Visit victoriamag.com for festive Easter recipes. “WELL PLEASETH ME THE SWEET TIME OF EASTER THAT MAKETH THE LEAF AND THE FLOWER COME OUT.”—Bertran de Born…

While Jackie Marro was growing up in Vermont, she often stitched clothes for her three younger sisters’ dolls, an activity that inspired a lifelong love of sewing, which in turn led her to a career in the fashion industry. In her position as a designer for a junior-clothing manufacturer, she particularly enjoyed the aspect of choosing fabrics, trims, and buttons and turning them into stylish apparel. She later taught design, pattern making, and merchandising at a university before owning a retail shop. As retirement edged nearer, Jackie looked forward to pursuing all the hobbies her busy work schedule had not permitted, including sewing doll clothes, crafting découpage boxes, and building miniature houses. An avid collector, she had amassed a wonderful assemblage of dolls and dollhouses, paper dolls, and more, and…

For collector Courtney Hildebrand, there is magic in a sterling ring box. The precious metal, which she’s gathered for decades, is familiar to her, like the smile of an old friend. The stories each piece could share, however, are a mystery she constantly pursues. “It looks like a piece of candy to me,” Courtney says. She discovered the collectible in the pages of Victoria before procuring her first at a Memphis flea market. To this day, that initial find is her most precious. Manufactured by Birks, the standard-setter of Canadian jewelry, this 1930s antique was marked with a Royal Warrant of Appointment from the Prince of Wales—an indication of the royal family’s patronage, which makes the box all the more valuable. Most of Courtney’s collection dates to the early twentieth…

“I LOVED RHUBARB, THAT HARDY, UNDERAPPRECIATED GARDEN SURVIVOR THAT LEAFED OUT JUST AS THE WORST OF WINTER MELTED AWAY.”—Judith Fertig SEE RECIPE INDEX, PAGE 103, FOR RECIPE INFORMATION.…