Miko Kajiyama/Treasures

The following is an incomplete list of treasures associated with Miko on the Purple Moon website.

Miko's Butterfly Lamp
"My paper lamp is beautiful... Especially at night, like when it's turned on and my bedroom has this golden kind of glow. One time, a butterfly flew behind the lamp and cast an incredible shadow. Those sorts of moments make you want to write poetry…Maybe something like 'beauty is as hard to capture as a butterfly's shadow behind a lamp.' That sounds like I'm really old and wise, doesn't it? Hah!"

Miko's Makeover Mirror
"There are days when I get totally sick of looking at the same me in the mirror. I mean, is that really who I am? Some boring, skinny stick-girl who wins chess matches and always gets an "A" on her exams? Good little Miko, smart little Miko, teacher's pet…Yuk! Maybe if I just dressed a little differently, people would see there are lots of "me's" inside…like the one who recites angry poems on a coffeehouse stage…or the one who hikes Mt. Everest and sticks a flag at the very top…or the one who flies a plane at an air show and makes people gasp with envy at my fantastic loops. I have all those kinds of dreams. And I could totally look like any of those people I want. Don't you think so? Hai!"

Miko's Bonzai Tree
''"Bonzai" means "tree in a tray" in Japanese. That's because bonzai are grown in small pottery trays or containers. And they're not really miniature trees, either, did you know that? They are regular trees that started out a little smaller than normal, whose seeds were used to grow more extra-small trees like them. But the reason they stay really tiny is because their roots are forced to stay inside these small pots -- and because they are specially trimmed and shaped all the time to keep their tops small, too. Some types of bonzai have been grown in China and Japan for thousands of years. I don't know if I can be a really good bonzai gardener -- but I like looking at my cherry tree, especially when it blooms."''

Miko's Art Project
"Ta-Da!! Thank you, thank you, yes it IS fantabulous, isn't it? Worth major awardage, if I say so myself. Rarebit assigned us a portrait as our latest project. I can't help it if I found him to be my muse d'art...and it's NOT sucking up, no matter what DStC says! I just happened to have some snaps of teach from our last field trip, that's all. No big. But I bet I get an "A" for awe-inspiring, anyway!"

Miko's Raven Chess Queen
"I finally got to play chess with that new girl, Felicia Ravenswood. And she was as good as she said she was! It was totally awesome to have someone challenging to play with -- not like most of the radish brains around here, who can't cope with anything more complex than checkers! So right now we're 5-3 in her favor, but I don't mind. I'm trying to get her to join my chess club after school..."

Miko's Binoculars
"If I were stranded on a desert island, I'd want some binoculars, so I could get a good look around. I'd be able to see if someone else landed on the island, like maybe pirates or something, from a long ways away! Then I could hide. I'd also have field books on the different kinds of animals and plants, so I'd know what NOT to touch or eat -- that's very important! And then I'd want my chess set, the wooden one, so I'd have something to pass away the time. Chess is the kind of game you can play against yourself, even, because there's so much strategy involved. And last, I'd take my cellular phone, even though it might not work on a really remote island. But you never know! I could maybe call somebody to come get me…"

Rats
"No serious story about kangaroo rats-- they're just cute! I saw them hopping on the path I took through the desert. They mostly come out at night, or on winter days when it's cooler."

Cactus and Lizard
"The cool thing about learning is that you start to see a connection between school and life. The lesson of the cactus and lizard is really about biology and chemistry -- but it's also, like, some sort of deeper truth: even in the driest, hottest, emptiest places, life will find a way to blossom and grow. That means there's hope for just about anyone, right?"

Pansy (Miko)
"There are a lot of gushy meanings behind flowers, but pansies mean "you occupy my thoughts." I think it's totally important to have your thoughts occupied by interesting stuff that makes you feel good about yourself at the same time. Like for instance, finding out about strong women who've been able to achieve great things, even when it was practically impossible. It's completely inspiring when you find out about their lives! Oh, and of course, I love the way pansies look -- with deep, totally awesome colors -- and the way they feel, all velvety and stuff. Even if that IS just to attract insects!"

(Part of the Girl Garden collection, sponsored by Smackers.)

Lost Treasures

 * Necklace_anim.gif"This necklace came from summer camp..."
 * Pencils_anim.gif"I like to collect cool pencils."
 * Peony_anim.gif"A peony is part of my family history."
 * Sacajawea_anim.gif"This medallion shows a famous woman adventurer."