Felicity & Elizabeth

"Elizabeth?" the redhead asked, looking over to the girl doing her sewing.

"Yes, Felicity?" she responded, setting down her needle and thread and looking towards her friend.

"It's a wonderful day, we should go outside," Felicity proposed, a smile spreading across her face. She loved to run around the field, picking flowers and climbing trees. The warm sunny day was especially inviting, and she did not want to be stuffed up indoors.

"That sounds nice," Elizabeth said. "Just let me get my bonnet and shoes and I'll be right out."

"Lizzie, you don't need those! No one is watching," Felicity said, eager to get outside. She gave the blond a pleading look.

"Oh, all right." Elizabeth gave in after a bit of thought and followed Felicity out the door and into the fresh air. Lissie could always end up convincing her. She really was a bad influence, breaking most of the rules set forth, but the two always wound up having a good time and nothing else seemed to matter.

Outside, the girls were free to do as they wish. Running around barefoot with the sun on their cheeks, because they were in their own world having fun where nothing was expected of them.{A short tribute of sorts to these two lovely ladies. Word on the street is they're being archived. D': I didn't want to do the usual "OMG they're gone!" post, but something that embraces the dolls' characters and history, etc. and does not focus on the archival, but the dolls themselves. If that makes any sense. Something tells me I've put too much thought into this. -Brooke}

School

I couldn't think of a wittier title at the moment, I'm just so out of it. It seems to sum up everything anyways. I've been in my pajamas for days, doing nothing but reading by the window sill and sneaking éclairs from the kitchen.

The sky reflects how I feel at this moment. Bleak. Gray. Dull. Depressed. Threatening to rain. Except in my case, it would be tears.

You may remember my post about Rosenbrock Academy and the orientation all the way back in May. It seems so long ago! Well, not much was heard about it on the blog after that, but Ruthie's recent post kind of brought back all the memories. (All the linking is over now, I promise.)
I made the decision to attend Rosenbrock, at least for the first semester to see how things go. I have to say it was the hardest decision I've had to make, except for agreeing to come to the United States when I was nine for school in the first place. But that choice was sort of made for me. This one was all my doing... and, I went for it. I took a risk by accepting, and I just hope it pays off.

My friends are mad at me. I don't have many to begin with, and I haven't been doing much with them lately, but I still consider Ivy, Nellie, and even Erin as friends. And they all seem to hate me for leaving them. Well, it's Ivy and Erin who are outright mad. But it's Nellie's... almost disappointment that gets to me the most. She's not the type to be angry, but I'd almost rather she was instead of this. I'm not abandoning them, I'm just going to a new school! But they don't seem to understand. I'd like to think that nothing would change between us, but I know it's foolish to believe that as well.

I got my schedule today.

Homeroom: Grade 9 V-Z - Mr. Vineyard
First Hour: Biology - Ms. McKinder
Second Hour: English - Mr. Stockwell
Third Hour: Gym - Ms. O'Brien
Fourth Hour: Geometry - Mr. Armstead
A Lunch
Fifth Hour: History - Mrs. Bravermann
Sixth Hour: Orchestra - Mr. Julian
Dorm 109

I met a few of the teachers in orientation, but most I do not know. I will be officially moving out of my Mondale dorm within the week, and moving in to Rosenbrock's. It's the strangest feeling, really quite sad, to be around things so familiar for what could be the last time. Yet, at the same time it's also so exciting. But that part is dulled by the sadness, unfortunately.

Yours Truly,
Avery-Marie Voisin

Evening Sun

Is there nothing better than the lighting at early morning or late evening? Nope! :) This was really an impulse photo shoot. I saw the great light when I got home and scrambled to get some pictures taken! You know you're a little obsessed when you can't pass up an opportunity to photograph your dolls. :/

Elizabeth and Ruthie time traveled for this photo shoot! If you haven't noticed already, I'm not very strict about keeping my dolls in their time periods. I do try, but they always end up in colonial gowns or a t-shirt and jeans at some point.

They're both wearing dresses made by Heritage Dolls Fashions. Elizabeth has a recreation of Samantha's icecream dress, which was seen in book illustrations. The red dress Ruthie is wearing is called the Toy Soldier. It's not explicitly made for the 1904 time period, but I thought it fit well enough.

Even the colors were nice in these; with Elizabeth's bright blue eyes, Ruthie's stunning red dress, and the black-eyed susan's in the background, I decided to put the photos in a sepia tone with a dark brown vignette. That's another one of my "obsessions" black and white/sepia photography. I just love old time feel.So Elizabeth and Ruthie ran around outside while I snapped pictures of their excursion. I'm pretty pleased with how they turned out, actually. I've kind of been looking in to getting a DSLR camera of some sort, but the price is scaring me a little, even though I know it would be a good investment. But my little Kodak digital camera seems to be doing just fine, even though it will act up on occasion.

I'd also like to thank everyone for all the super-nice comments I've been getting lately. I'm glad you guys like the descriptive stories that sometimes accompany my photos. I was thinking that it might be a little too much, but it seems I'm wrong! Sorry that I couldn't have one of those stories for this post as well, my muse is rather low at the moment.

Ranting aside, I hope you enjoy the post! Yeah, I've posted three times within the week! Unbelievable, right? I guess I've been re-bitten by the blogging bug.

-Brooke

Mystery at Midnight

As the clock tower chimed twelve in the small town of Yorkshire, a dark, cloaked figure stepped into the dim light cast by street lamps. The cobbled streets were deserted, fortunately, for if they weren't it would look entirely suspicious. The mysterious person hurriedly made their way across town, stopping every so often to lurk in the shadows of a building or alley. Scurrying down Main Street, the person looked around before crossing over to Williams Avenue, where they continued their journey.

At the very last building, a shop that had been abandoned for years, the figure stopped and waited. A minute passed before another body approached, pausing at the same place. They nodded at each other before getting down to business.

"Agent Parkington, the file?" the newest arrival asked in a voice so quiet it was barely audible. The young woman who was addressed pulled out a single, manila folder from the depths of her cloak and handed it to her acquaintance.

"Very well," the other agent whispered, and in exchange they too pulled out a file, though this one much thicker, from their trench coat. A gloved hand held it out to Agent Parkington, and the brunette quickly grabbed it and stashed it away.

Not another word was said, and with another curt nod, they both went their separate ways, the quiet steps the only sound to break the night silence. After turning a corner, the other agent was out of sight and Agent Parkington, as she was known, quickly went from a brisk walk to a full out run. Finally she reached the safety of headquarters and slipped inside. A sly smile formed on her lips. Another successful mission completed.

{A mysterious, yet fun, post with no real meaning. Interpret it as you wish.}

Reminiscing with Jess

Jess here, everyone.
A few years back, I went with my parents on a trip to Belize and boy did I love it! My mom and dad are both archeologists, so I accompanied them on a dig. It was so interesting to learn about the Mayan people that once lived there. I even made I friend, Sarita Bol, and we had quite a few adventures together. Even though we're not close anymore, we occasionally write to each other.

Thinking about Belize makes me a little homesick. It wasn't my home, technically, but it had been for a whole summer and that's the only way I can think of to describe it. I miss the weather, the culture, the people I met while I was there. Staying at home for the whole vacation seems boring in comparison. Nothing here is like the rain forests of Belize! I included an old snapshot of me while we were there. Looking at it makes me want to go back! Maybe someday...

-Jess Akiko McConnell
Guest Blogger

Retour à partir de Paradis

{return from paradise}

That's right, I took an unannounced leave, not that you all noticed anyways since I've been horrible about posting lately. But I have returned from this impromptu rendezvous, which was wonderful might I add. And the destination is, you may ask? After a fifteen minute boat ride from the mainland and I arrived on Mackinac Island.

It is literally one of the most beautiful places I have ever been, despite all the tourists and fudge shoppes! The scenery was absolutely breathtaking, the architecture amazing, and the whole "atmosphere" was just incredible. It was an absolutely stunning place to be, chock full of history and gorgeous, undisturbed, nature. Eighty percent of the island is national park, and I biked around the entire circumference (8.2 miles). Almost all motor vehicles are banned on the island, with the exception of a firetruck or two, so to get around you have to bike, or ride in a horse and buggy. I did both, haha! The island actually has more horses than people; there are only just over five hundred year round residents, compared to 475 horses owned by just one company (there about two others, plus independently owned!). Another interesting fact is that is completely illegal to pick any flowers! You can be fined up to one hundred dollars for each flower, depending on the kind. You can also get a speeding ticket on a bicycle! A few things that I found intriguing that I would share.

Endless nature trails combined with a historic downtown section and a fort from the late 1700's make for one magnificent area. I took many a photograph, the best two of which I will share. I'm not the greatest at photography and I know these aren't the best, but it was a blast going around taking pictures even if it made it obvious that you were a "fudgie" (what locals call tourists).

The first photo you see is of Arch Rock, my personal favorite location within the entire island. It is absolutely magnificent to see in person, pictures really do not do it any justice. The view is literally breathtaking, and humbling as you stand there looking out onto the lake, with no sounds except the crash of waves and the occasional bird chirp. It was especially neat because some brave soul headed into the water and assembled stones in the shape of a heart. It is a little hard to see in this smaller but photo, but the larger version is on my flickr.
Arch Rock stands 146 feet above the water, and is composed of limestone, which is rare for a natural bridge since it is not the best material for stability. Yet the rock still stands.
Just a note; there is extremely little editing done to this photo, nothing more than a simple crop, re-sizing, and a few little tweaks. These are the true colours captured, first hand they are even more stunning but the water was really all those shades of beautiful blue.

The next picture is in front of the Grand Hotel, my second favorite place. Construction began in 1886 and it was finished in well under a year (I remember reading something that said somewhere along with line of three months with over 300 workers, but can't verify that), which was quite a feat for a building of that size in that era. It has the longest covered porch in the entire world at over 660 feet. Five presidents have stayed there over the years along with Thomas Edison and Mark Twain. This particular shot was actually taken while I myself was on a horse and carriage ride. We were passing by the hotel and I just happened to get a quick picture in, and I love the way it turned out. The colors were nice, but it looks especially nice in black and white, I think.

Sorry if this has bored you to death, and sorry that it is extremely off topic, but I'm pretty interested and enthusiastic in these sorts of things, if you couldn't tell.
-"Brooke"
{^For those of you wondering, it is indeed a pseudonym.}

PS: I'm thinking of taking this blog in a new direction. Higher quality posts, more pictures, etc. There's a new layout/design to go with this, do you like it?

Blueberry Picking - Cueillette De Bleuets

Outside in the sun
Fruit ripe, ready for picking
Hair blows in the breeze

It is a wonderful day, the perfect kind; sunny but not humid, warm with a cool breeze. What better to do than to get outside with such fine weather! Mia noticed that the blueberries were beginning to ripen about a week ago, and went back to check them today to find them ready to pick! The tangy but sweet blue fruits are Miss St. Clair's favorite, so she found it especially pleasing when moving here to learn that Mondale had its own bushes out back for a continuous supply of berries throughout the late summer months.

This is the first 'harvest' that many have been looking forward to! Mia has a whole basket full of blueberries, perhaps we'll bake a pie later?

---

On another note, I (Brooke) am getting very fed up with flickr/picnik. I keep trying to re-size photos and it destroys the quality of them. :/
I don't know if it's a setting on my camera or what, but it is getting really frustrating, so that is part of the reason there is a lack of pictures lately. I hope that made sense.

-Brooke

Au revoir

Adieu mes amis!

Goodbye, everyone! We will be gone today {20 July} til probably Sunday {25 July}. There are no scheduled posts, because I'm lazy. :P But there was a big picture post just a day or two ago, so I hope that compensates. Sorry that we won't be able to update, comment, or read other blogs for the next five days.

-Avery and friends

Sonali's voyage à l'étang

{Translation: Sonali's journey to the pond}

There is a little known place here in Yorkshire, the name is Wickham Pond. Most people don't know of its existence, even the locals. If they have indeed heard of it, few have ventured out that far into the wood. A complicated series of directions has you head deeper and deeper into the mysterious forest. Many turn around before they arrive. Only a few have been there, one of them being Mondale's own Kit Kittredge. The resident explorer, she came across the pond one day. With directions from Kit, Sonali thought she would do the same and try to find the area.

She stepped outside and found the followed the first step Kit had told her, head to the back of the last acre of land at Mondale, where the forest begins. Students aren't normally allowed back that far, for fear of being lost, but the girl quickly sneaked out and ran back. With a little looking at the trees' edge, she found the dark entrance to a path, like Kit had said there would be. She followed the winding trail through a birch tree grove. Sonali maneuvered through the thicket, heading down the dirt path that was not trodden down from the travels of feet, but beginning to become overgrown with grasses. Coming to a fork in the trail, she remembered to go left as her new friend had told her. Continuing on her journey, she spotted the landmark Kit had mentioned, a dilapidated old cabin that had been abandoned for years. It was here that Sonali stopped to catch her breath, taking a seat on the old porch. It was slightly early with nothing else sitting there except a rusty old watering can, and silent except for the sound of birds and the other various creatures that inhabited the area. She quickly moved on.

A little spooked at being all alone, she went on hastily and her pace quickened. Straining her ears, Sonali thought she could hear the distant trickle of water, a sound that became stronger and stronger as she continued on. Her mood brightened considerably after this, where there is water, there should be a pond! Coming out of the deep woods, there was a stone pathway leading to an old wooden bridge that stretched across a clear stream. It was quite old, and Sonali wasn't even sure if it could hold her! Kit had reassured the girl that it was safe enough to walk over, but she was still a little skeptic of the idea. Splashing and swimming in the water would be fun, but not when she was wearing a white sundress! After testing its stability, Sonali gave in, seeing it as the only way to the pond, and scampered across. She came to the other side, the stone path leading back into the woods then ending abruptly, leaving more dirt trail to travel.

Sonali progressed along the trail, all the while looking around at the tranquil, undisturbed forest. Soon the trees began to thin, and she came to a clearing of tall grasses and brightly colored wild flowers. Being the school girl that she is, she began skipping through the meadow and thoroughly enjoyed herself for a few minutes, completely forgetting the purpose of the journey as she let her imagination run free. Remembering that she still needed to get to the pond, Sonali started walking towards the other side of the pasture and came to a passage through the trees. It was a shorter distance this time, and the girl could see light coming in from the end. Stepping out into yet another clearing, she saw the pond! Stones surrounded the edges along with water plants, ferns, and more flowers. The pond's surface was as smooth as a sheet of glass. She perched herself on the edge, quickly taking off her shoes and splashing in the cool, clear water.

Sonali could tell that not many people had been here, which made it all the more special.

La Fin

---

So, this is the celebratory post dedicated to my 73 followers! Thank you so much, everyone, I really appreciate you all.
I know, this post is pretty lame and not really as special as I'd like it to be. It's probably fairly boring with the copious amounts of text, and I wouldn't blame you if you just skimmed through and glanced at the (sadly mediocre) photos. But, you guys asked for outdoor, garden pictures with couture (she's wearing a Heritage Doll Fashions/Heritage Clothesline dress), and a photo story, so that's what I tried to give you! I tried putting this into a 'scrapbook' format, but I was having a tough time finding a website that was free, etc.
I hope you like it! Thanks everyone.

-Brooke

Avery-Here Celebrates 70 Followers!

Yep, we did it! Thank you so much everyone! I can't believe how many people read this blog, it's really quite surprising. All of you who read and comment mean so much to me. No seriously, you do! This blog has really given me a place to share my interest with others who "get it", through posting photos and telling stories. Thank you all so much for putting up with me over a year and a half now. :P Looking back on old posts, I can see how much I've grown, as a writer, photographer, and person in general.

Now, moving on from that mushy-gushy stuff above. Who's ready to partayyy?!? :) Haha, I know I am! If you have suggestions for things to do to celebrate (example: stop motion, photo story, Q & A) please post them as a comment here. < That post also explains it a little more, plus it's easier to keep it all organized in just one post. I'll try to do as much as I can for you guys. Suggestions will be closed by July 16.

Thank you all so much!
-Brooke

*Please excuse my horrible handwriting ;)