A Garden of Virtues

Johnny's Homecoming, 5/11/05 Henry senses disruption. Christmas, '06 Johnny in the cabin, holding ptarmigan feather. (Alaska/May '07) Johnny watches me risk my life while taking his picture in a small waterfall, Alaska. Exploring boreal forest, Exit Glacier, Alaska. Spring afternoon in the woods, '08. And here's to many more. ^__^

The days are growing shorter. Gusts of wind blow away the last bits of red and golden leaves clinging to the trees. Ophelia walks through the garden, her heavy, curling blonde hair falling behind her suspended in a kerchief. In her arms is a basket of gourds. A hand snatches her from behind. She turns and meets a mirthful gaze. "Shelley!" She scowls unpleasantly. "Don't bother me." Ignoring her, he binds her hands, forcing her to drop her basket. The gourds roll around the hem of her threadbare skirt. "How quickly it's grown cold. Isn't it invigorating, this wind?" "Stop this nonsense. See what you've made me do? You'll have bruised squash for dinner." "My love, can't you stop a moment and look over the river? Look at the golden trees, touched with the very last bit of daylight. Have you ever noticed how they grow orange before it gets dark?" "I've never had a mind to look. And I am not 'your lo...

This is one of the best R&D fan sites I've seen!

Dream of Doll - Tender Too and Bee-a . Shelley and Ophelia, childhood sweethearts. - Any sisters or brothers? Tender Shall , the kinky nun, as Anne Sullivan, Ophelia's governess. Dollmore - Dollmore Calvin . My darling child, Johnny. - Older sister? Orlando Ray is fascinating, and she looks uncannily like Calvin. She's not too popular on the forum and people sand her nose down. Figures. Gets the same abuse as Calvin. But she looks like she would eat Johnny for dinner. The more I look at her, the more intrigued I become. That story. XD What a mystery! Orientdoll - Orientdoll Tae. My dear Irish Tarquin (I know Tarquin is not an Irish name...). - Needs a companion (Tarquin is sort of asexual). Orientdoll has not developed their line very far. I love the clothes of Special Cheong , and of the girls, I like her face the best. There does not seem to be a single person on the forums with this doll. I am really glad I didn't get Special Tae's clothes. That would not h...

"What do we have here?" Shelley put on his gold-rimmed glasses and started leafing through my notes. "Well, I'm typing up some old notes from my novel  A Raven for a Lark . I'm thinking of revising it." "I haven't read that one yet," he said, scanning my outline with interest. "What's it about? Let me guess. Romance, plantations, scandal. And a duel." "No, there's no duel, but there's a scoundrel." Shelley looked up with interest. "Tell me more." "His name's Hennessy. That's right. It was what I was going to name you. However, I decided against it, because I didn't want to associate you with a specific fictional character. Well, at the end of the story, Hennessy kidnaps Jenny and carries her to her childhood home. He sets it on fire, but Jenny escapes. Hennessy dies in the end." "Or so it seems, right?" Shelley's green eyes peered at me over his gol...

Shelley and Ophelia posed on a rare overcast morning in River Legacy Park. It was wild and overgrown, and we were literally hidden by the tall grass around us. Ophelia is wearing her "Kathleen" wig from Global Dolls and brown acrylic eyes. Shelley's wearing a default Tender Zen wig from Dream of Doll and his blue glass eyes. A pair of lovers, forever and ever, in a Texas grassland wilderness.

That damn thing. Now it has drawn my blood. Well, I bought it one ill-starred night off eBay because I remembered it from childhood, and I thought it would be precious for my dolls. With white wood and little strawberries. I loved the idea of cross-stitching strawberry pillows and linens for Ophelia, and finding Strawberry Shortcake accessories for her. The seller undermined the piece's flaws. I feel like to say it needed a new coat of paint would imply the paint was worn, but it had been re-painted in patches at least once with a beige paint, sloppily. Both paints would need to be removed for the bed to be painted again. I sanded the bed. I painted it white, not really knowing what I was doing, and it looked terrible. The paint was too thick, and it leaked onto the strawberries. In trying to correct it, I smeared the strawberry headboard. Now there was nothing for me to do but strip the paint. I stripped the footboard today, shoving something or other under my fingernail in th...