Saving wounded creatures. Rain still mostly passing us by. Sales and subscribers very much needed, and shares, too.

Photo copyright Aji, 2018; all rights reserved.

Yesterday. That's our injured raven, with a piece of kibble in her beak. She knows where to come now for food and water (although she has to contend with the competition from the massive grackle and blackbird clans to do it). Her left foot is no longer merely injured, but withered, so it looks like this is going to be a permanent challenge for her. We'll take care of her as best we can.

The pups stayed put today, and the horses weren't given a chance to start anything. They're mellower anyway; I think they shocked themselves and scared each other. We are not, however, going to attempt integration again immediately, although we'll likely swap them out (WRT the sides of the pen they're on) so that she doesn't start feeling proprietary about Miskwaki's home space, either.

Speaking of Miika, her initial vet visit is scheduled for Thursday, the day after tomorrow. Think of it as a well-baby visit, but for a 7- to 14-year-old horse: general check-up, shots, deworming, etc. WE should also find out whether she is indeed preggers; I'm guessing not, because both of us have noticed weight loss around her belly in the not-quite-week since she arrived. Her skin is in better shape, too, not hanging in folds around her joints, because she's hydrated properly. She is passing a great deal of manure, and while she's eating a lot (A LOT), we think that the proper nutrition and hydration have begun to move what was probably getting impacted as a result of dehydration. That would explain the bloating sufficient to make her look several months' pregnant; horse digestive tracts include a cecum but no provision for a cud, and so digestion in that miles-long tract relies heavily on enzymatic activity. If food gets stuck in the cecum or any other low-lying spot, it begins to ferment, and then to rot, which is why colic is so deadly, whether gas or impaction. And lack of sufficient water creates just that nightmare scenario. If we're right about that, we may have rescued her just in time.

Speaking of water, the clouds moved in an hour ago . . . and passed us right on by. We did get some more rain late last night, but nowhere near enough; we're supposed to get some tonight, too, but we know better than to depend on it by now. Not much rain of other sorts, either; like I've said, I'm still not sleeping, and still dealing with jacked pain levels and repeated small episodes like what happened to me in November. This is not letting go, and I don't know how much of it is related to this ungodly heat and how much is something else, and no way to find out. It makes it a lot harder to deal with the autoimmune pain, though, to say nothing of my worthless left wrist. I'm also not worth much in terms of anything physical, and having only one really functional hand makes me even less useful. All this puts me way behind, as always, so here comes the cut-and-paste. We very much, very badly need sales and new Patreon subscribers, and if you subscribe today, you won't be billed until August 1st. We have got to make some sales, though. The last big tourist even of the season, the Fiesta, is over, with very little trade accompanying it for anyone. Business is nonexistent all over town, and without those sales and subscribers, I honestly don't know how we get through this drought, both literal and metaphorical, with no tourist trade and not much else, either. Here are the links and a request to share them:

• My new Patreon, The Interstices (Writing Between Worlds);
• Wings's site, for sales, with new items posted;
• Wings's direct PayPal link;
• A way to buy me coffee (which actually goes to all of our medical bills, which continue to mount);
• Amazon wishlist, which mostly consists of animal and household stuff;
• Partial registry #1, from Bed, Bath and Beyond. There are new kitchen-y things on it now, stuff that I didn't realize we'd need to replace (either because the RV ruined it or because we gave it away when we had to downsize).

I had said that I'd really like to raise another $500 in subscriptions before July is out, just to have a little more to throw to the medical wolves that are constantly at my throat. That never ends, either, and the stress is not helping with the cardio stuff. Now, we've got a lot more that needs to be done, too, and I'm damned if I know how. The truck was more than enough to throw a wrench in the works (and that's still unfixed, for the most part, given that just the one part is more than $1,200, so . . . ), but this thing with Shade? Out of left field. And once you're in it, you have to keep going; there's no way out but forward, whatever the result. So please, please share the links. Thanks to everyone for the prayers and kind words and other help for Shade. I know she was better off for it, and I know she appreciated that. Miskwaki, too, and now his new girl, who never knew how good life could be until now.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2018; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.