Feather Afield

Rummaging in my  archives, this feather, based on a true story, laid out in a field of linen,  suggests it might be floating a millimetre above the sharp and soft folds of what you will need to take my word for is an antique pillow sham. It will be up to you to imagine the lace edge just out of view.

Faceted, waisted, brooding

Rummaging through my photo files, this glass epiphany from Sculpture by the Sea in 2013, does everything, re-scales the landscape, encapsulates the sea, out-towers the clouds and wavily echoes the breakers. Curvaceous and sinuously totemic, finger print personal and reflectively universal, I don't know if you can be more heroic.

Strange perfume and a giddy profusion of purple

This spider orchid has built a subtle web of scent, luring me in at dawn and dusk. Is it musk and vanilla, something as darkly floral  as a flower gets? Tonight a head count shows that with sixteen blossoms resplendent and sixteen holding out, the fulcrum of exuberance is about to tip into excess.

Spanish for Peas in a Pod?

The Pod, the perfect filing systems for green peas, works as a lovely visual metaphor for cooperation in Spanish. It's best  not to look into this too closely as we can say for sure that Podemos sounds and looks nothing like tres guisantes en una vaina. The only reasonable question is which pea, cual guisante, do you like best.

Fine Shades of ID

 A stroll down the main boulevard in Himeji offers surprisingly succint shadows. Here the stone wall is provides a fine grained substrate for curlicues and what might be called a Shadow Vane.

Implements of Deconstruction

This collection, a royal flush of spades, on a station between Hakuba and Takayama, suggests that snow is available in spades. Do the shovels outnumber station hands?Are they colour coded for days of the week?  It does show that one shovel doesn't make a winter.

A Peleton of Poles?

This tribe of textile totems in recycled kimono fabric design is a welcome surprise for visitors to Ayashiyama Railway Station,  along with the Hot Foot Baths. For a while I thought the latter was a mistranslation but no,  a special foot spa for foot weary traveller, though Ayashiyama is a place that needs no consolations.

Ground Control to White Crane

Himeji Castle is known as the White Crane, and this symbol, so elegantly down to the ground, sedges its bets, wavers a little, reflecting something of the sky as it covers up a few more earthly matters of the town.

The Tale of the Jenga -Missives to Aqua Alpine Part 3

 Hi!
It has come to my attention that two of my characters from The Tale of the Jenga ! have escaped from my manuscript and are seeking refuge in your hotel disguised as film extras, This is way off my plot and if they don't come back I will unthink them- and they will re-invent as idle speculation and two smudges of ink! However, if you would like to take up a licence option and perhaps redeploy them into a gritty new anime plz contact my agent Carol Jenkins,
Yours
Lady Murasaki the Eleventh

Re: The Archer - In kogusoku - Missives to Aqua Alpine Part 2

Hi!
My spies have told me you might be harbouring an escape archer! Hi! This too bad for you! Hi! If you don't send him back, now! Hi! I will be up to walk mud all over the DINING ROOM! And steal the food from the oven with my Oven Mitt Hand! Hi!

General Mai Hem

Re: My Application - Missives to Aqua Alpine Part 1

Hello My Archery Rival,

I know you'll be expecting me to arrive for our arrow shooting game, but I've been detained in a costume museum in Kyoto , twanging to keep off evil spirits for Lady Asai. All the other dolls here won't speak to me, too bad hey when I am such a natty dresser!
I'm applying for a transfer to LOTR , though my straw leggings go against me,

Your Friend,

One Pi