My heart inhabits some enchanting homes. In every season, it discovers a stately dwelling place, combining the dignity of grand traditions with the delights of domesticity.

My Victorian Autumn, the fourth seasonal addition to my series of idyllic family retreats, visits an imposing Victorian mansion in the fall of the year.A handsome, gabled roof flanks the massive brick chimney, which trickles smoke from the hearth into the cool evening air. Light pours through the rectangular windows, providing a glimpse of the comfortable family life unfolding within. Though we don’t actually see parents or children, we sense the busy, active, satisfying lives they lead in this tranquil setting.

The change of seasons is well underway, and nature is blessed by the abundance of color it displays when summer begins to fade into fall. The near foliage is lavish with the last blossoms of summer, the reds, pinks, blues, and purples of a floral bouquet, while the trees have already begun to flame red and gold with the vibrant hues of autumn. Victorian Autumn is an idyllic spot from which to savor the ripe pleasures of this most fruitful season of the year. I invite you to join me in savoring this joyful home where our hearts can reside among God’s quiet blessings.