Victoria March/April 2020

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 invite you…

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 for mixing delicate petal-strewn pieces. We love your…

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…

In my part of the country, spring is a gloriously beautiful season, but its arrival is unpredictable, to say the least. I’ve lived in northern Vermont for many decades, and much of the time I’m completely content to be here. For a good part of the year, the gently rolling landscape around us is as verdant and luscious as any Eden. The people are friendly, the traffic on our roads is negligible compared to what it is like further south, and life seems comparatively free of stress. There is just one thing I can complain about, and I do. Every year, we have to wait, and wait, and wait for winter to be completely over and for spring to arrive. Yes, I know from long experience that spring will eventually come…

Of all the seasons, spring is by far my favorite because it is filled with so much hope. After a long, dreary winter, it’s always a thrill to watch life return to the garden and to once again begin filling my house with flowers. The bees arrive right on cue and make quick work of pollinating our fruit trees, and on sunny days the air is filled with a light aroma along with the sound of thousands of tiny workers buzzing away. Soon after, blossoms give way to young fruit, and the once-bare branches are cloaked in a new set of leaves. In the hedgerows lining our field, wild roses start to flower just as the peonies and earliest perennials arrive. Behind our old house sits a one-car garage that I’ve transformed…

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