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.
Flower Drum Song one of my favorite movies. The eyes are interesting.
Thanks, Trina.
Stay safe.
welcome, miyoshi!
i’m happy that miyoshi came to your home as she did … faster, easier, less potential trouble and less worry that way. lucy will adjust. and i hope you don’t have to part with any of them.
the butterflies are beautiful. glad you saw them so you know they are around. often see bees and wasps, but rarely see butterflies around here. hope to change that by planting daisies and pollinator-specific lovelies next spring.
nice dark sky and very soft rain falling right now. love it. between monday and tuesday, i had a routine doctor appointment (annual skin check … went fine), went to four stores to find a new pair of walking shoes, brought things over from apartment, bank, haircut (i do that myself), got some food, did two loads of laundry, did more sorting, fed earl and the birds twice, went on walks and did other things … so today (with earl+ fed and the walk finished just as it started ro rain) i am staying in here. :)
hope you, don and everyone else have a good day and stay safe.
kathy
ps … did your love for red kimonos start with a role in the mikado or …?
I was in The Mikado and I wore a kimono but I can’t remember what color it was.
Stay safe, Kathy.
What a beauty! Oh, I would hate that you might have to sell one of your girls! I haven’t seen Flower Drum Song in YEARS so now I need to see that once again. I have a wedding kimono I was given by a dear friend in 1992, when she and her husband stationed in Okinawa. I was getting married and that was her wedding gift to me – the kimono still a cherished item in my home, that marriage long gone. Anyways, Myoshi is lovely and oh, I do love that kimono and oh my, those eyes !!!
How lovely to have a wedding kimono, Dawn!
Thanks so much.
Stay safe.
I haven’t seen a great number of butterflies this year…but we do have quite a lot of dragon flies.
We’ve also been dealing with the smoke for the last week…I think it’s helped keep out temps down.
…and there’s always room for one more, isn’t there? Miyoshi is lovely…that kimono is gorgeous. Enjoy your day! ;)
The haze is so heavy here we can’t even see the mountains.
Stay safe, Donnamae.
Myoshi is wonderful! I love her little face and green hair and her eyes are mesmerizing. Enjoy her!
Thank you, Judy. I will!
Stay safe.
Myoshi is beautiful in her lovely red kimono. I can see why you fell in love with her. Hopefully your new gig will make it possible for you not to have to sell one of your girls. Enjoy the new addition to your family. Hugs, Elaine
Thanks so much, Elaine.
She’s a beauty.
Stay safe.
Welcome Myoshi….so pretty….delicate.. Yes, I remember Myoshi Umeki in Sayonara. She was so sweet and gentle and I remember that Red buttons played her American GI husband. Their storyline was central to the movie. I think her name in the movie was Katsumi. Her voice was sweet and childlike.
I have been getting dizzy from the polluted air we are currently getting….not sure why it affects me so much. Just trying to do so many things and I just do not have the energy. The mind is there but the body….not so great.
Good luck Claudia on your new coaching work. I know how much you miss it….
Red Buttons also won an Oscar for that role.
Yes, the air has really affected me, as well.
Stay safe, Maria.
I love her! I am very, very happy that you got her.
The butterfly is exquisite, thank you for the photo.
Take Care,
Kaye
You’re most welcome, Kaye.
Stay safe.
You have a coaching job? I missed something somewhere. Fill us in (or me!).
Myoshi is charming. I’m sure the girls will make her feel welcome. I love her kimono!
Horrible smoke here, too. I’m inside a lot.
Yes, I wrote about it a week ago. An adaptation of an Agatha Christie story. Darko adapted it and asked me to coach the dialects. It’s being done at a smallish theater in NJ. I’ll have several days of work, which is good.
Stay safe, Jeanie.
Myoshi is beautiful, lucky you!!
Thank you, Irene.
Stay safe.
She is beautiful!
The intense haze has halted my weeding schedule. My weather report says the number is down to 29 so I’ll go out today. Let’s hope that means it’s over. I worry about our planet and the future generation.
I do, too.
Stay safe, Betsy.
Claudia, she is a beauty! I love her name. I watched Flower Drum Song so many times! My Dad was stationed in Japan in the 50’s and brought home many gifts including a Kimino for me and I would dress up in it until I outgrew it. Memories!
How lovely, Linda!
My cousin was stationed in Korea and brought back a Japanese doll for me. I wish I could find her!
Stay safe.