Yesterday, I followed this beautiful black swallowtail around the big garden bed. I don’t remember seeing one last year. This week has brought an eastern swallowtail and a black swallowtail. Magical creatures!

We’re in the midst of air quality warnings because of the wildfires in Canada. The sky is very hazy. I’ve limited my time outside because I have respiratory issues. It’s just as well, as I have to do some prep work for my coaching job.

Although I vowed my collection was complete, I saw a particular Blythe on my feed a little over a week ago. I couldn’t stop looking at her. She was the creation of a Japanese customizer. I left a comment on the post asking if she was available and was told she was being sold on Yahoo Auctions, which operates in Japan. I went to the listing and poured over all of the details. But I was uncomfortable trying to use the auction site because non-citizens of Japan have to use a proxy to bid and then, if you win, the item is shipped to the proxy first, then the proxy ships it to you. It seemed very complicated and potentially problematic,

Honestly, I spent two full days pouring over the auction listing.

Much to my surprise, the auction ended without anyone bidding, and I received a message on IG from the artist saying she could sell her to me via PayPal and shipping via EMS which is the priority mail of Japan. I talked it over with Don. He loved her, of course. Should I? Shouldn’t I? I knew I’d never see anything like her again. So, I bit the bullet and purchased her. She arrived here in less than a week.

I promise to give you better pictures, but she arrived late in the day on Monday and this is the best I could do.

The tips of the hair are dyed a darker green. She was listed wearing this kimono and I’m a sucker for kimonos, especially red ones. The eye chips are glass and they’re mesmerizing. And the face up is one of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen.

Look at that face!

(I need to comb her hair. Oh wait, I did, you’ll see it in the following photo!)

In honor of her Japanese heritage, I named her Myoshi, after one of my favorite actresses, Myoshi Umeki. Umeki was the first Asian to win an acting Oscar. She won it for the movie Sayonara, directed by the great Josh Logan. (Don had the honor of working with Logan late in Logan’s life.) I have watched her in Flower Drum Song  over and over again.

Some rearranging of the shelves ensued as I had to figure out how to fit her in. There’s not a lot of available real estate. Mabel is now sitting in front of three girls on the bottom shelf.

Miyoshi is on a stand, asI don’t want to  crush the bow on the back of her kimono.

Lucy’s reaction to her new shelf-mate is troubling…

Anyway, I’m really thrilled to have her here. I will most likely have to sell a doll in the near future, but I dread doing it, so I’m going to wait on that decision.

Stay safe.

Happy Wednesday.