I Broke the Spell

I broke the spell that held me long,
The dear, dear witchery of song.
I said, the poet’s idle lore
Shall waste my prime of years no more,
For Poetry, though heavenly born,
Consorts with poverty and scorn.

I broke the spell–nor deemed its power
Could fetter me another hour.
Ah, thoughtless! how could I forget
Its causes were around me yet?
For wheresoe’er I looked, the while,
Was Nature’s everlasting smile.

Still came and lingered on my sight
Of flowers and streams the bloom and light,
And glory of the stars and sun; –
And these and poetry are one.
They, ere the world had held me long,
Recalled me to the love of song.

“I Broke the Spell That Held Me Long” by William Cullen Bryant

Details:

Shoes: Empire: Alchemic, Luxe box January
Hair: Lamb: Widowspeak, Luxe box January
Top: Foxes: Luxe box outfit, January
Tattoo: Nanika: Mehendi henna tattoo, Cosmetic Faire gift
Nails: Kokolores: Light Nude Nails, Omega, Cosmetic Faire
Pants: MayCreations: mesh laced pants, black leather (older mesh, try demo!)
Skin: Pumec: Exclusive skin gift, Catwa applier, The Crossroads
Eyes: Lotus: Starry eyes, Brown, The Chapter Four gift

Pose: Highway65: Model Collection 9

Location: Maymay Matova's Art Island
Maymay has a Special Exhibit at Galleria Kakku currently, until end of February. She also has a shop at Whispering Hearts, near the exhibit, and a regular booth  at the gallery.

Windlight: Annyka's Soft Lavender Day

Duty

"Jam non consilio bonus, sed more eo perductus, ut non tantum recte facere possim, sed nisi recte facere non possim"

"I am no longer good through deliberate intent, but by long habit have reached a point where I am not only able to do right, but am unable to do anything but what is right."
(Seneca, Letters 120.10)

Details:

Dress: Caboodle: Fae, Fifty Linden Fridays
Hair: Elikatira: Polly 1, FLF
Socks: C'est La Vie: Jody Rib Socks, FLF

Hat: Meva: Captains Hat, Curls, Black, Silver, The Crossroads

Shoes: Sabbia: Lace up short boots, old Creators Collection Box

Choker: Bauhaus Movement: Anouk, Roulett3 gift
Eyes: Song: Fae, Light Brown, The Project Se7en gacha
Nails: Livia: Snowy Night, Christmasfy Hunt
Bracelet, ring, watch: Heartsdale: Nova Ladies Set, Kittycats calendar
Skin: Glam Affair: Lilo, Catwa / Bibi, Artic 01, old The Gacha Garden
Head: Catwa: Bibi
Body: Maitreya: Mesh Body, Lara

Pose: Poseidon: Free Running 1
(I may have gotten a bit over excited. I doubt Coastguard and such forces have time for random parkour moments).

Location: Tsurington Aerodrome SLTS
Windlight: TOR Sunset Camp Champ

Red Balloon Rising

I tied it to your wrist
With a pretty pink bow, torn off
By the first little tug of wind.
I’m sorry.

I jumped to catch it, but not soon enough.
It darted away.

It still looked large and almost within reach.
Like a heart.

Watch, I said.
You squinted your little eyes.

The balloon looked happy, waving
Good-bye.

The sky is very high today, I said.
Red went black, a polka dot,

Then not. We watched it,
Even though we couldn’t

Spot it anymore at all.
Even after that.

Red Balloon Rising by: Laurel Blossom

Details:

Skin: 7 Deadly Skins: Vision, dark pack, Oak, Designer Circle
Shoes: N-Core: Kate, Christmas Gift
Necklace: Zenith: Leather Neck Belt, all colors, We<3RP gift
Dress: Dead Dollz: Xmas Delight, The Crossroads Gift
Eyes: Song: Macy, Forest, The Crossroads
Hair: Elikatira: Nadia, Exclusives, FLF (was still there when I last checked)
Nails: Nail Me: Santa Baby, I Heart The Cart
Head: Catwa: Bibi
Body: Maitreya: Mesh Body, Lara

Pose: Pose: An Lar: The Citrine Series - Four, old We<3RP

Location: Giovanna Cerise's Sky Gallery (I got the idea from the fantastic Ziki Questi)

Windlight: Gwen's Light

Frozen wind

Huu (owl) and Hukka (husky) were very good, they hardly complained at all waiting for me to take the pictures.

Details:

Skin: Izzie's: Catwa Applier, Brooke sunkissed
Dress: Blueberry: Show Time, Heart Breaker, gacha #8, The Arcade
Boots: Fri: Greta, Brick, The Arcade

Scarf: Moon Amore+Cureless: Xmas Owl, The Arcade Gift

Eyes: Angelica: Brown Sugar Eyes, The Kawaii Project
Earrings: Slipper: Holiday, Gold, The Frozen event

Nails: Vengeful Threads: Christmas Snow, Slink & Omega Nails, The Frozen gift
Hair: Vanity Hair: Where Silver Dawn. The Crossroads gift

Jacket: Meva: Curls, Red Gold, The Crossroads

Head: Catwa: Bibi
Body: Maitreya: Mesh Body, Lara

Pose: Verocity: Marion 4 R, Hello Tuesday

Pet: Jian: Holiday Huskies 9. Companion Pup Grey, The Arcade

Location: Winter Trace

Friends with talent

I met Virginia, and we became friends, when I went to her HP Lovecraft readings (Tuesdays 5pm SLT) at Innsmouth. She became one of the artists featured at Galleria Kakku. Through her I heard of this exhibit at The Red Gallery, benefiting Team Diabetes of SL. It will open on the 20th. I really love the pictures she made for it. There will be a lot of artists featured and the proceeds go to an important cause. John Brianna (Johannes1977) is also one of the Galleria Kakku artists, and is the 2016 SL coordinator of the charity. He runs The Windlight Art Gallery and works for the Kultivate magazine. You can see, why I had to share this event, I am very happy they are doing such a great event.

Details:

Hair: Ohmai Salon: Tako, Dark Browns
Eyes: Lotus: Emotivi 23 RARE, Dreamful Event
Skin: Birth: Eden, Tone 05 - 2, The Gacha Garden
Shoes: ChicChica: Helena, Berry, The Crossroads, gift
Sweater, scarf and bonus skirt: Hilly Haalan: Cassia, Pattern Knits (16 Textures), Hello Tuesday
Nails: CNZ: Natural Nails, Sixty Linden Weekends
Head: Catwa: Bibi
Body: Maitreya: Mesh Body, Lara

Pet: Black Bantam: My Black Leopard Cubs & Halo Pack, The Dressing Room

Location: The Red Gallery (SLurl) Exhibit in benefit of Team Diabetes, opens November 20, 2016 at 3pm slt

Windlight: Bryn Oh's Condos in Heavens Sky

We carry all the power we need inside ourselves

We do not need magic to transform our world.
We carry all the power we need inside ourselves already.
We have the power to imagine better.

- J. K. Rowling, Harvard Commencement Address, 2008

Details:

Eyes: Inkheart: Master, Grey, Masters of Style Hunt (Thanks InkHeart!)
Tattoo: Facade: Tears, Sad November, free gift
Dress: Cute Poison x Kenvie: Nu-Coven #1, RARE, The Coven
Hair: Wasabi Pills: Nahia, Browns, The Crossroads
Skin: E. Vary: Nadia, India, The Old Fair
Shoes: Vale Koer: Special Force, black, The Mens Dept
Nails: Meva: Claws Dark, We<3RP
Head: Catwa: Bibi
Body: Maitreya: Mesh Body, Lara
Pose: Awkward: stray dog, set one, set then, old FLF

Location: Build by Stranger Nightfire

Windlight: Annan adored dark red sky

Also I want to recommend these texture sets by Miss Mattie of Black Magnolia Imports, which are up for My 60L Secret Sale this week.
**BMI** Metallic Bead Stud Textures BOXED
**BMI** Round Metallic Bead Fabrics BOXED

Speak the word that sets me free

Laden Autumn here I stand
Worn of heart, and weak of hand:
Nought but rest seems good to me,
Speak the word that sets me free.

- William Morris

Details:

Eyes: Inkheart: Insipya, Sand, Dirty Little Secret Hunt 7 (Thanks InkHeart!)
Dress: Purple Moon: Agnes, black, Designer Showcase (I really love this dress.)
Hair: Mina: Farah, Light brown, Fameshed
Nails: ZOZ: Lynn Bold Polish, Cosmopolitan
Shoes: ChicChica: Felicity Night, The Crossroads
Accessory: Astralia: Lace Arm Warmers, The Coven
Headband: AvaWay: Cat Ears #1, The Gacha Garden
Head: Catwa: Bibi
Body: Maitreya: Mesh Body, Lara
Pose: An Lar: The Citrine Series - Five, We<3RP

Location: ~Nouvelles Aventures~ (SLurl)

Windlight: Tor: Brilliant Sunrise