I'm not sure what to call the season we're currently in.  "Sprinter?" (Spring/Winter).  "Wring?" That certainly describes what the weather is doing to my sinuses.  Yesterday, I left my sweater in the car whilst running errands.  (Note the word "sweater" in the first place - usually at this time of year in Maryland, if I venture out, it's bundled in my heaviest winter coat.)  Today we were braced for snow.  It didn't happen here, but it's now about 25 degrees outside.

I know that folks north of the Mason-Dixon line are having no difficulty identifying this as winter, but here, we're wondering -- where's the ice?  Usually the ponds freeze in January and don't thaw until March.  This year, we've seen, well, films of ice lightly glazing the ponds for a brief time.  Even the geese seem a bit confused.

In the English countryside in Victorian days, February was the season of mud rather than snow, but things were beginning to bloom.  If you're in Britain, you're probably looking forward to the first primroses of the season.  It won't be long here before we see crocuses and daffodils.  And it won't be long after that when we start complaining that it's too hot and wouldn't it be nice to see winter again!  (Assuming we ever see it at all!)

And now, here's what we have for February:

• Bank of England Notes (The Strand, 1894) Bank notes took many forms before becoming the standard "paper currency" we know today!
• Lord Mayors' Shows Past and Present (The Strand, 1895) For pomp and pageantry, few celebrations could compare to the inauguration shows of London's Lord Mayors!
• Storm-Bound Sparrows (St. Nicholas Magazine, 1889) How a family cared for a family of New York sparrows downed by a winter storm.
• Valentines (GOP, 1882) On some of the variations of Valentine customs to be found throughout Victorian Britain.
• How American Bread is Made (CFM, 1885) One might ask what American bread is, as opposed to any other sort! This article offers recipes for Rice Bread, Buttermilk Bread and Muffins, Boston Brown Bread, Potato Scones, Soda Biscuits, and Corn Bread, to name just a few "American" varieties.
• The Impressions of a Noticing Eye: Characters in Backs (CFM, 1886) What a discerning eye can learn about a person by looking at them from the back!
• Japanese Fans (CFM, 1877) In 1875, Japan exported new fewer than 3 million fans around the world; here's a look at their design and manufacture.
• Crazy China: What It Is and How to Make It (GOP, 1895) An artistic use for broken crockery.
• Candies (GOP, 1896) Tips on making a variety of sweets, including raspberry rock and cream toffee.
• A Pretty Pianoforte Back (GOP, 1897) Another beautiful Fred Miller pattern that could be applied to many other things.
• February: Preludes of Spring (CFM, 1875) A monthly series on the seasons in the English countryside - the birds, beasts, and flowers to be seen, along with tips on what to do in the garden, and natural history notes.
• Precious Stones: Their Homes, Histories and Influence (GOP, 1894) An eight-part series on the lore and history of precious stones. For February: The Diamond.
• Things in Season, in Market and Kitchen (GOP, 1899) Suggested menu for the month, based on what is to be found in the market, and what is appropriate for the weather.
• Mantles, Cloaks and Outdoor Garments (The Strand, 1892) Pictorial feature.
• Fiction: Edwin's Razor (The Strand, 1901)A housewife discovers many interesting uses for the straight razor her husband accidentally leaves behind while traveling.

Visit http://www.victorianvoices.net/VT/issues/VT-1702.shtml to download this issue!

Or download it directly from DropBox: https://www.dropbox.com/s/rctynnql85q3zm6/VT-1702.pdf?dl=0

Color Me Victorian!

I am thrilled to announce -- woo-hoo and fanfare! -- my very own coloring book from Dover's Creative Haven collection!  And yes, it's Victorian.  Elegant Designs of the Ages is a collection of 31 designs based on Victorian books of design, art and architecture.  Its images are adapted from designs throughout the ages, from ancient days to the Victorian era.  (It even has a design by Fred Miller from The Girl's Own Paper!) 

In this gorgeous collection (if I do say so myself), you'll find Chinese peonies, Japanese koi, patterns based on medieval church windows and traceries, tiles, historic fabric designs, and more.  You'll find mandalas--well, in coloring book land, if it's circular, it's called a mandala, even though in reality one of these is a Victorian design for a milking stool!

If you love coloring and you love Victoriana, you'll love this collection.  It's available for pre-order from Amazon.com; it will be officially "in print" on February 15.  (What a nice Valentine's Day gift for someone special!)  It's also available from Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.ca and apparently every other branch (I was even able to find it at Amazon.co.jp).

And of course, since it's a Dover coloring book, you know it's printed on quality paper, on one side of the page, with perforations for easy removal.

Can't wait?  Download a pair of free sample patterns now from Dropbox! 

 Happy Valentine's Day!