i.g.nova

This story is inspired by the fact that Lucifer and Venus are the same celestial object (the Morning Star). On a fateful day in the distant past, Yahweh announces the creation of a being with the blessing of this contrary and conflicted planet. Beautiful and brilliant, Brother Lucifer is hailed as Yahweh's perfect being, the culmination of His vision of Creation. But what happens when you put the soul of Aphrodite in the body of an angel? A conflict that ends up rocking the kingdom, when 'Brother' Lucifer defies God's will. Down on Earth, our story opens in a sleepy early modern town, where the young Eleanor Stevens fears that she has been possessed by a demon. When a mysterious and beautiful stranger falls to Earth outside her window, Eleanor believes her prayers have been answered—but she soon discovers that she has found more than she bargained for, as sinister events begin to engulf the town. In an interwoven narrative that moves across place and time, Venus Verticordia is a psychological novel that explores questions of faith, morality, love, and the freedom to choose one's own path.

Find it on AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/62147545/chapters/158967184

the show is still running tomorrow (May 17, 2026) so it's still possible to see these beauties in person, if you're so inclined: https://torontobonsai.org/

my favourite was this Korean hornbeam, which (according to the TBS 60th anniversary photo book) has been in training for an estimated 40-60 years.

on a whim, i pruned this little aeonium to see how it would respond to bonsai techniques. interestingly, it has produced some aerial roots that give it the illusion of a buttressed trunk. it may never become anything other than an 'interesting plant' but i kind of like it. as a bonus, any rosettes i prune off are easily propagated and added to planters, or given to friends. if grown in full sun, the colour of the leaves will turn yellow, with red tips. this plant is grown indoors under grow lights, so the leaves are green. (below is a picture of a rosette from the same plant, grown in full sun.)

Synopsis:

This story is inspired by the fact that Lucifer and Venus are the same celestial object (the Morning Star). On a fateful day in the distant past, Yahweh announces the creation of a being with the blessing of this contrary and conflicted planet. Beautiful and brilliant, Brother Lucifer is hailed as Yahweh's perfect being, the culmination of His vision of Creation. But what happens when you put the soul of Aphrodite in the body of an angel? A conflict that ends up rocking the kingdom, when 'Brother' Lucifer defies God's will.