The first one. BearGirl, eleven years ago today.

Photo copyright Wings, 2018; all rights reserved.

It's a winter shot, but it was always one of my favorites. BearGirl, our beautiful Newfie girl, and the first of our animals that we lost together, so to speak.

It was eleven years ago today: the Feast of San Geronimo, about a dozen minutes after 1 PM, hotter than hell and with absolutely no one available, and the man who is now our vet (well, he and his newish partner in his practice, and the same one who came out five months ago almost to the day for She-Wolf) was not on call, but he came out anyway. Ever since, this day has not been San G to me, but the day we lost our beautiful girl. It makes for a difficult end to a difficult month every single year.

Back then, we did the cremation thing, and so BearGirl and Hunter have their ashes scattered in specific places; there's no grave to visit, but we know where their spirits are. And so, at the appointed time, I did as I always do: cedar, tobacco, prayers at the relevant place. This fluffy little girl (and her little "sister," Hunter) adopted me on the spot the very first moment they saw me, literally, and simply refused to let me go. Ever. They knew better than we did.

Eleven years, and there is not a day that she is out of my mind and heart. She had a particular place in front of the skirting of the old modular home where she loved to lie in the sun — that structure was longer than this house is, and so the spot now is open earth, between the southwest corner of the house and the bank of red willows than run alongside a few feet away. And every time I go past it, I see her there staring up at me with those eyes, deep pools of the purest kind of love.

I miss her every day. I always will.

We love you, BearGirl.



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

Droughts of many sorts. Last day for September subscriptions. Sales, subscribers, and shares all badly needed.

Photo copyright Aji, 2018; all rights reserved.

Those two trees? In an ordinary year, they'd just be turning bright gold now, getting ready to show some amber and orange before going bronze. Instead, they're mostly bare, with the remaining leaves green in the center, yellowish-brown at their friable edges.

Such are the wages of a drought of this magnitude.

Lots of predictions for a hard winter and lots of snow, and normally, that would be the case, but it's hard to separate real indicators from wishful thinking anymore. Climate change has upended everything here, and we're living it in real time.

This past week has been a massive drain, physically, mentally, financially. There's a lot more to come; I'm mired in paperwork right now (and the migraine to match). This is also another marker for us, but I'll deal with that later. I have a hugely busy day (week) ahead of me, and I may not be around much. The crew won't be here, either.

As I said yesterday, we also have a lot of other stuff breathing down our necks, not least of which is the medical bills. The truck is still backfiring because it apparently also needs a new exhaust system (not surprising, given that it's probably the one thing on it, save the body, that hasn't been replaced at least once). I've got to find ways of bringing in more scratch, and I have no idea how, but it has to happen. I spend my days chasing sales and trying to figure out other ways to raise revenue, and it's wearing badly on my health at this point (as if that weren't already precarious enough). Among other things, today's the last day to get in on subscribing to my Patreon for the month of September (folks get billed tomorrow); I have a ton of pieces in the works, and no time lately to work on any of them, unfortunately, because every spare minute is spent chasing scratch. There'll be plenty more of the last today, along with everything else, and I need to get to it, so the rest is cut-and-paste.

There are a lot of ways to help out. First, obviously, is sales; purchases of Wings's work (and/or work by the other artists whose art we carry) is always the first option, and it was the baseline for the construction in the first place. [And next week will be their last, most likely, because he don't have the cash to pay them beyond that for the labor — and right now, it's virtually all labor.] Second is subscribing to my Patreon page, which gets updated regularly with really cool imagery and a good amount of really good writing; if you now for September, you won't be billed until October 1st. Below there's also a link for "coffee," which allows folks to make small donations, and a couple of wishlists for keeping the animals in kibble and filling out needs around the house. In the middle is the link to Wings's PayPal account, and no, I won't turn away any donations, because we have to get this done and I have to have some peace of mind over it because I have none over my own survival these days). The only fundraising we'll be doing is right here; nowhere else. So here are all the links; please share them around, and if you are able to purchase, subscribe, donate, whatever, we'd be profoundly grateful:

• 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).

That all I've got. I'm going to be back under the gun for the next several weeks. Thanks to everyone in advance. Oh, and yes: Little Bent-Beak is still rocking away. She's a tough little girl.

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.

Days of Pure Light

Photo copyright Aji, 2018; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's another of Wings's tributes to traditional styles and old ways. It's a ring wrought in classic ingot, a rolling sun for these autumnal days of pure light.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the site's Contact form. And, as always, sales re very much needed (especially now; truck needs a full exhaust system on top of everything else, and the medical bills never let up), so shares of the site links are much appreciated.



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.

Smoke plumes and backfires. Sales, subscribers, and shares all very much needed now.

Photo copyright Aji, 2018; all rights reserved.

The smoke plume was not as dark last night, and therefore not as visible, but it was there. That whole orange glow above and stretching outward from the sun? That's it. At the moment, it's a little clearer this morning, and I hope it stays that way; this week has made breathing nearly impossible, and I've had to be out and about in it far more than usual.

As I said yesterday, we also have a lot of other stuff breathing down our necks, not least of which is the medical bills. The truck is still backfiring because it apparently also needs a new exhaust system (not surprising, given that it's probably the one thing on it, save the body, that hasn't been replaced at least once). I've got to find ways of bringing in more scratch, and I have no idea how at this point. 

Lots of work to do and I'm always behind now — breathing issues and other potentially life-threatening things will do that to you, to say nothing of the constant pain and fatigue — and we'll have another smoke-filled day here that is making breathing a nightmare on its own, so the rest is cut-and-paste.

There are a lot of ways to help out. First, obviously, is sales; purchases of Wings's work (and/or work by the other artists whose art we carry) is always the first option, and it was the baseline for the construction in the first place. [And next week will be their last, most likely, because he don't have the cash to pay them beyond that for the labor — and right now, it's virtually all labor.] Second is subscribing to my Patreon page, which gets updated regularly with really cool imagery and a good amount of really good writing; if you now for September, you won't be billed until October 1st. Below there's also a link for "coffee," which allows folks to make small donations, and a couple of wishlists for keeping the animals in kibble and filling out needs around the house. In the middle is the link to Wings's PayPal account, and no, I won't turn away any donations, because we have to get this done and I have to have some peace of mind over it because I have none over my own survival these days). The only fundraising we'll be doing is right here; nowhere else. So here are all the links; please share them around, and if you are able to purchase, subscribe, donate, whatever, we'd be profoundly grateful:

• 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).

That all I've got. I'm going to be back under the gun for the next several weeks. Thanks to everyone in advance. Oh, and yes: Little Bent-Beak is still rocking away. She's a tough little girl.

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.

On Autumn Winds, Small Wings of Light

Photo copyright Aji, 2018; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's a work wrought in an old traditional style, unusual for the fact that it's sold as a set. It's a necklace and pair of earrings hammered out of ingot in vintage fashion, a tribute to our visitor here yesterday, likely the last of the year — on autumn winds, small wings of light.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the site's Contact form. And, as always, sales are very much needed (especially now; the medical stuff is endless, and the truck needs a new exhaust system on top of everything else), so shares of the site links are much appreciated.



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.

Uncontrolled burns and bills bearing down hard. Sales/subscribers/shares needed now. Badly.

Photo copyright Aji, 2018; all rights reserved.

That's the smoke plume. Allegedly, it's a controlled bur, but it seemed last night to have gotten completely out of control. Yesterday, the smoke had moved in low and close as bad as or worse than any of the days of summer wildfires. My breathing is suffering badly right now, to say nothing of congestion, burning eyes, headaches, and everything else.

We also have a lot of other stuff breathing down our necks, not least of which is the medical bills. Waiting to hear on the truck again, too. As I said yesterday, I've got to find ways of bringing in more scratch, and I have no idea how at this point. 

Lots of work to do and I'm always behind now — breathing issues and other potentially life-threatening things will do that to you, to say nothing of the constant pain and fatigue — and we'll have another smoke-filled day here that is making breathing a nightmare on its own, so the rest is cut-and-paste.

There are a lot of ways to help out. First, obviously, is sales; purchases of Wings's work (and/or work by the other artists whose art we carry) is always the first option, and it was the baseline for the construction in the first place. [And next week will be their last, most likely, because he don't have the cash to pay them beyond that for the labor — and right now, it's virtually all labor.] Second is subscribing to my Patreon page, which gets updated regularly with really cool imagery and a good amount of really good writing; if you now for September, you won't be billed until October 1st. Below there's also a link for "coffee," which allows folks to make small donations, and a couple of wishlists for keeping the animals in kibble and filling out needs around the house. In the middle is the link to Wings's PayPal account, and no, I won't turn away any donations, because we have to get this done and I have to have some peace of mind over it because I have none over my own survival these days). The only fundraising we'll be doing is right here; nowhere else. So here are all the links; please share them around, and if you are able to purchase, subscribe, donate, whatever, we'd be profoundly grateful:

• 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).

That all I've got. I'm going to be back under the gun for the next several weeks. Thanks to everyone in advance. Oh, and yes: Little Bent-Beak is still rocking away. She's a tough little girl.

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.

Friday Feature: Medicine of a Pale Fire

Photo copyright Aji, 2018; all rights reserved.

It's our Friday Feature at The NDN Silver Blog, with a small but powerful work by a Pueblo master. It's Bear, one of the spirits abroad this season, and like the autumn sun itself, this one carries in his bundle the medicine of a pale fire.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the site's Contact form. And, as always, sales are very much needed (especially now; the medical bills are making life hell, and the truck's back in the shop again), so shares of the site links are much appreciated.



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.

Stairs mostly done. Truck back in the shop, and a lot piling up. Sales/subscribers/shares all very much needed now.

Photo copyright Aji, 2018; all rights reserved.

They got the stairs basically done yesterday, except for what will likely be some mild touch-up work. They also had time to put the door trim on the coat closet and pantry doors at long last. For them, the rest of it is mostly shelving and then exterior stuff, and we may not get that in before the weather gets bad (although we do have to get the deck sanded and retreated before it gets too cold to do it; that's a must). The other big, big thing is the rest of the countertops in the kitchen; that's being done with the tile we already have (the kind that matches the downstairs bathroom) and it will be MUCH less expensive than installing ordinary countertops and backsplash, but it will still be more than we can afford anytime soon.

The truck is back in the shop today, after thinking they'd gotten at the root of the problem. It may need nothing more than a timing adjustment, in which case, it won't be a lot; it may be something else entirely that costs a fortune, and if so, it'll have to wait, because we don't have the ability to pay that out right now. We also have a lot of other stuff breathing down our necks, not least of which is the medical bills. As I said yesterday, I've got to find ways of bringing in more scratch, and I have no idea how at this point. 

Lots of work to do and I'm always behind now — breathing issues and other potentially life-threatening things will do that to you, to say nothing of the constant pain and fatigue — and we have an other smoke-filled day here that is making breathing a nightmare on its own, so the rest is cut-and-paste.

There are a lot of ways to help out. First, obviously, is sales; purchases of Wings's work (and/or work by the other artists whose art we carry) is always the first option, and it was the baseline for the construction in the first place. [And next week will be their last, most likely, because he don't have the cash to pay them beyond that for the labor — and right now, it's virtually all labor.] Second is subscribing to my Patreon page, which gets updated regularly with really cool imagery and a good amount of really good writing; if you now for September, you won't be billed until October 1st. Below there's also a link for "coffee," which allows folks to make small donations, and a couple of wishlists for keeping the animals in kibble and filling out needs around the house. In the middle is the link to Wings's PayPal account, and no, I won't turn away any donations, because we have to get this done and I have to have some peace of mind over it because I have none over my own survival these days). The only fundraising we'll be doing is right here; nowhere else. So here are all the links; please share them around, and if you are able to purchase, subscribe, donate, whatever, we'd be profoundly grateful:

• 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).

That all I've got. I'm going to be back under the gun for the next several weeks. Thanks to everyone in advance. Oh, and yes: Little Bent-Beak is still rocking away. She's a tough little girl.

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.

#TBT: A Fire Uncoiling In the Spirit

Photo copyright Wings, 2018; all rights reserved.

It's #ThrowbackThursday at The NDN Silver Blog, with a work from eight years ago that was part of one of Wings's small signature series. This one was a pendant in the form of an overlay, one featuring hand imagery and a spiraling copper accent that summoned the forces of identity and existence, of survival and the kind of immortality that links to ancestors and future generations alike via a fire uncoiling in the spirit.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. This one sold a decade ago, of course, but if the style speaks to your spirit, simply inquire via the site's Contact form; Wings can create a version uniquely your own. and, as always, sales are very much needed (especially now; medical bills and winter prep expenses and the truck back in the shop twice in one week), so shares of the site links are much appreciated.



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

Unreported fires, and fires of other sorts. Medical bills weighing heavily now. Sales/subscribers/shares all badly needed.

Photo copyright Aji, 2018; all rights reserved.

What our air looked like last night (and all day, although mostly yellowish-gray during the day). It presumably started overnight night before last, since the smoke plume was already present before moonset at dawn yesterday. Very near, and unreported, apparently. Not good for my breathing, either.

Today is going to be a difficult one. I'll have to be offline for most of the rest of it, probably until late afternoon or early evening. A lot going on, and a lot of expense, and of course, the medical bills are weighing heavily; I never get a moment's rest, and I'm so frigging tired I can barely hold my head up some days. Like today. I've got to find ways of bringing in more scratch, and I have no idea how at this point. 

Lots of work to do and I'm always behind now — breathing issues and other potentially life-threatening things will do that to you, to say nothing of the constant pain and fatigue — so the rest is cut-and-paste.

There are a lot of ways to help out. First, obviously, is sales; purchases of Wings's work (and/or work by the other artists whose art we carry) is always the first option, and it was the baseline for the construction in the first place. [And next week will be their last, most likely, because he don't have the cash to pay them beyond that for the labor — and right now, it's virtually all labor.] Second is subscribing to my Patreon page, which gets updated regularly with really cool imagery and a good amount of really good writing; if you now for September, you won't be billed until October 1st. Below there's also a link for "coffee," which allows folks to make small donations, and a couple of wishlists for keeping the animals in kibble and filling out needs around the house. In the middle is the link to Wings's PayPal account, and no, I won't turn away any donations, because we have to get this done and I have to have some peace of mind over it because I have none over my own survival these days). The only fundraising we'll be doing is right here; nowhere else. So here are all the links; please share them around, and if you are able to purchase, subscribe, donate, whatever, we'd be profoundly grateful:

• 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).

That all I've got. I'm going to be back under the gun for the next several weeks. Thanks to everyone in advance. Oh, and yes: Little Bent-Beak is still rocking away. She's a tough little girl.

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.

Red Suns and Harvest Moons and Praying For the Light

Photo copyright Aji, 2018; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's a pair of Wings's recent works, ones simple, spare, and well-suited to this autumn season. They embody gifts so valuable at this time of year, those of warmth and illumination, of guidance and protection, of red suns and harvest moons and praying for the light.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the site's Contact form. And, as always, sales are very much needed (especially now; more big expenses coming down the pike today, and medical bills still accumulating), so shares of the site links are much appreciated.



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.

Eagle, Colorado.

Why are you back here again?

I'm not here for stalking.

Stairs almost done. A lot to go on a lot of fronts. Sales/subscribers/shares all very much needed now.

Photo copyright Aji, 2018; all rights reserved.

Almost done. This part of it, I mean. This is from yesterday: Rails and balusters up, moldings up where they will fit, and now it's finish work, basically. They'll have the stairs done tomorrow, and possibly a couple of other finish-work things left undone, too. Then we stop again until we can afford the next thing.

The rest of the week is going to be just as hectic as these two days, albeit for a variety of other reasons. Lots looming financially that has to get taken care of, not least the medical bills, and I have no idea how we're going to do it. 

Lots of work to do and I'm always behind now — breathing issues and other potentially life-threatening things will do that to you, to say nothing of the constant pain and fatigue — so the rest is cut-and-paste.

There are a lot of ways to help out. First, obviously, is sales; purchases of Wings's work (and/or work by the other artists whose art we carry) is always the first option, and it was the baseline for the construction in the first place. [And next week will be their last, most likely, because he don't have the cash to pay them beyond that for the labor — and right now, it's virtually all labor.] Second is subscribing to my Patreon page, which gets updated regularly with really cool imagery and a good amount of really good writing; if you now for September, you won't be billed until October 1st. Below there's also a link for "coffee," which allows folks to make small donations, and a couple of wishlists for keeping the animals in kibble and filling out needs around the house. In the middle is the link to Wings's PayPal account, and no, I won't turn away any donations, because we have to get this done and I have to have some peace of mind over it because I have none over my own survival these days). The only fundraising we'll be doing is right here; nowhere else. So here are all the links; please share them around, and if you are able to purchase, subscribe, donate, whatever, we'd be profoundly grateful:

• 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).

That all I've got. I'm going to be back under the gun for the next several weeks. Thanks to everyone in advance. Oh, and yes: Little Bent-Beak is still rocking away. She's a tough little girl.

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.

Red Willow Spirit: Shadows Fall, Autumn Light

Photo copyright Wings, 2018; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's an edition of Red Willow Spirit for a week of harvest moons and feasting, for saint's days and shadows that foretell the season to come. It's a tribute to the clarity and illuminating power of this time, too, in both spiritual and tangible terms, a reminder that when shadows fall, autumn light shows us the way to and through the coming winter.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. It's all photos again today, several that, along with yesterday's, were part of an informal autumn series of several years ago, and as always with his work, they're available for purchase in any of the usual three formats; simply inquire via the site's Contact form. Also as always, sales are very much needed (especially now; medical bills still mounting and other expenses ahead of winter, too), so shares of the site links are much appreciated.



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

Color change and a hectic pace, with a lot of medical bills wreaking havoc with my health. Sales/subscribers/shares all needed now.

Photo copyright Aji, 2018; all rights reserved.

That's across the highway, but it's indicative of the pace of color change here now. Generally speaking, our own trees are always the last to go, but I've already noticed crisping around the edges of the leaves of those that don't have any, or at least much, yellowing yet.

Fraught day here today in terms of time and pace, and the rest of the week looks to be more of the same. Wings took the truck in this morning, but the mechanic said he likely won't have it on the hoist until mid-afternoon. A cursory glance told him a couple of things already, but I have no idea at this point whether we'll be looking at something better than the last guy's estimate, or worse. In the meantime, the guys are here working furiously to get the stairs done. They won't be finished today, but they'll be close, in relative terms; most of the big stuff will be done, and it'll largely be detail work left.

As I said yesterday, we still have huge expenses looming, particularly the medical ones. Those are not going away any time soon (nor is the hounding that accompanies them). And now, I have to get to work — with my health issues and the level of stress I'm carrying these days, I'm always behind — so the rest is cut-and-paste.

There are a lot of ways to help out. First, obviously, is sales; purchases of Wings's work (and/or work by the other artists whose art we carry) is always the first option, and it was the baseline for the construction in the first place. [And next week will be their last, most likely, because he don't have the cash to pay them beyond that for the labor — and right now, it's virtually all labor.] Second is subscribing to my Patreon page, which gets updated regularly with really cool imagery and a good amount of really good writing; if you now for September, you won't be billed until October 1st. Below there's also a link for "coffee," which allows folks to make small donations, and a couple of wishlists for keeping the animals in kibble and filling out needs around the house. In the middle is the link to Wings's PayPal account, and no, I won't turn away any donations, because we have to get this done and I have to have some peace of mind over it because I have none over my own survival these days). The only fundraising we'll be doing is right here; nowhere else. So here are all the links; please share them around, and if you are able to purchase, subscribe, donate, whatever, we'd be profoundly grateful:

• 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).

That all I've got. I'm going to be back under the gun for the next several weeks. Thanks to everyone in advance. Oh, and yes: Little Bent-Beak is still rocking away. She's a tough little girl.

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.

Monday Photo Meditation: A Little Autumn Clarity

Photo copyright Wings, 2018; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's a photo meditation for these first, fast-moving days of fall. It's a contemplation, too, of the nature of the light in this place and season, and its value in this equally fast-changing world, when a little autumn clarity might help us better foresee what waits in winter's shadow.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. As always, his photos are available for purchase in any of the usual three formats; simply inquire via the site's Contact form. Also as always, sales are very much needed (especially now, with the truck in the shop and medical and other expenses looming hard and fast), so shares of the site links are much appreciated.



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

Bent-Beak, back to free-range. A miracle, and the crew's coming back, but truck repair/medical/other stuff looming. Sales/subscribers/shares still needed

Photo copyright Aji, 2018; all rights reserved.

Little Bent-Beak, out ranging yesterday with the rest. Of all the Americaunas, she was the one who had the most perfect tail: high, full, broadly fanned, expressive. All gone. Most of her comb, too. She's got a long recovery ahead of her, and there are still no guarantees. But she's mobile, pecking and scratching, drinking lots of water, willing to let me pick her up and hold her briefly, and she's made herself a little nest in the north corner of the inner coop to stay warm at night (her balance isn't good enough yet, at least, to hop up on top with the other girls). We're doing everything we can to make sure she makes it.

Good news on the construction front: Thanks to a big sale yesterday and some help from another quarter, the crew will back to work tomorrow. We're hoping they can get the stairs completely finished this week. There's a lot more to do on the house, but the stairs were a safety issue (and one that couldn't be done until we could have the doors wide open to deal with the dust and sealer). The rest is important, but most (not all, but) of it can likely be pushed into next year without it being an issue with regard to insurance, etc. Thank you to everyone who made it possible for us to keep them on the job another week. I can't describe how it feels — the prospect of having safety railings and balusters at the top so that I don't pitch over when my balance fails me (as it has done innumerable times both on the stairs and at the top, so I've had to give the edge a very wide berth). 

All that said, we still have huge expenses looming, particularly the medical ones. Those are not going away any time soon (nor is the hounding that accompanies them), and the truck is going into the shop tomorrow morning to find out exactly what's going on (and see if we can get a lower estimate than Wings's regular mechanic gave us). We know it'll be expensive; the question is just how bad it's going to be. And now, I have to get to work — with my health issues and the level of stress I'm carrying these days, I'm always behind — so the rest is cut-and-paste.

There are a lot of ways to help out. First, obviously, is sales; purchases of Wings's work (and/or work by the other artists whose art we carry) is always the first option, and it was the baseline for the construction in the first place. [And next week will be their last, most likely, because he don't have the cash to pay them beyond that for the labor — and right now, it's virtually all labor.] Second is subscribing to my Patreon page, which gets updated regularly with really cool imagery and a good amount of really good writing; if you now for September, you won't be billed until October 1st. Below there's also a link for "coffee," which allows folks to make small donations, and a couple of wishlists for keeping the animals in kibble and filling out needs around the house. In the middle is the link to Wings's PayPal account, and no, I won't turn away any donations, because we have to get this done and I have to have some peace of mind over it because I have none over my own survival these days). The only fundraising we'll be doing is right here; nowhere else. So here are all the links; please share them around, and if you are able to purchase, subscribe, donate, whatever, we'd be profoundly grateful:

• 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).

That all I've got. I'm going to be back under the gun for the next several weeks. Thanks to everyone in advance. 

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.

At the Angle of the Flame

Photo copyright Aji, 2018; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's one of Wings's recent works, manifest in the colors of this [officially] new fall season. It's a ring in the shade of autumn fire, at the square of the sun and at the angle of the flame.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the site's Contact form. And, as always, sales are very much needed (especially now; big expenses looming, including the ever-present medical bills), so shares of the site links are much appreciated.



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.

Trees already going bare. Unless something changes today, completion of stairs gets canceled. Sales badly needed, and shares and subscribers too.

Photo copyright Aji, 2018; all rights reserved.

Autumn arrives tonight, and some of the trees are already half-bare.

Bent-Beak is doing well; I am not. Truck goes into the shop for an estimate Monday, and completion of the stairs gets canceled, unless something changes drastically today.

The rest is cut-and-paste.

There are a lot of ways to help out. First, obviously, is sales; purchases of Wings's work (and/or work by the other artists whose art we carry) is always the first option, and it was the baseline for the construction in the first place. [And next week will be their last, most likely, because he don't have the cash to pay them beyond that for the labor — and right now, it's virtually all labor.] Second is subscribing to my Patreon page, which gets updated regularly with really cool imagery and a good amount of really good writing; if you now for September, you won't be billed until October 1st. Below there's also a link for "coffee," which allows folks to make small donations, and a couple of wishlists for keeping the animals in kibble and filling out needs around the house. In the middle is the link to Wings's PayPal account, and no, I won't turn away any donations, because we have to get this done and I have to have some peace of mind over it because I have none over my own survival these days). The only fundraising we'll be doing is right here; nowhere else. So here are all the links; please share them around, and if you are able to purchase, subscribe, donate, whatever, we'd be profoundly grateful:

• 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).

That all I've got. I'm going to be back under the gun for the next several weeks. Thanks to everyone in advance. 

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.

A Golden Sun and a Changing Earth

Photo copyright Wings, 2018; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's one of Wings's more recent works, a piece that embodies the blessings of summer even as it reflects the transformational qualities of this threshold day of autumn. It's a work manifest in the shape and shade of our last few summer wildflowers, and on this day, perhaps a reminder to appreciate the season's gifts of a golden sun and a changing earth.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the site's Contact form. And, as always, sales are very much needed (especially now; truck goes into the shop on Monday, and if nothing changes between now and tomorrow afternoon, we'll be canceling the remaining work on the stairs again), so shares of the site links are much appreciated.

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

After a terrible day, the chicken still lives. I'm hanging on by my fingernails. Sales badly needed now, and subscribers and shares, too.

Photo copyright Aji, 2018; all rights reserved.

Last night, near the end of a long and terrible day. Today . . . ? I don't know.

Bent-Beak (that's her nickname, derived from the fact that, when they were a few days old, one of her sisters apparently stepped on her head at the bottom of a chick pile, and her face and beak have always been slightly off-kilter) is still alive. She's moving around, but too traumatized to come out from beneath the coop. They tore off most of her comb, too. She's responsive to my voice, and her eyes are clear and alert; I don't think she's in as much pain physically as she is psychologically. I know I'm still traumatized from witnessing it.

Chasing them yesterday threw me into a relapse, and I woke up sometime after midnight with a raging migraine on top of it all. And as I said yesterday, on top of all of that, Wings came home with the truck dying, and I don't even know whether we can finish off the stairs next week, much less fix the truck. Replacing it's out of the question. I can't get the medical care I need, I don't know whether I'm going to live or die from one day to the next, and I am being hounded constantly by bill collectors and I just can't anymore. I don't think we're going to be able to get the stairs finished next week, and I'm at my wits' end about all of it.

The rest is cut-and-paste.

There are a lot of ways to help out. First, obviously, is sales; purchases of Wings's work (and/or work by the other artists whose art we carry) is always the first option, and it was the baseline for the construction in the first place. [And next week will be their last, most likely, because he don't have the cash to pay them beyond that for the labor — and right now, it's virtually all labor.] Second is subscribing to my Patreon page, which gets updated regularly with really cool imagery and a good amount of really good writing; if you now for September, you won't be billed until October 1st. Below there's also a link for "coffee," which allows folks to make small donations, and a couple of wishlists for keeping the animals in kibble and filling out needs around the house. In the middle is the link to Wings's PayPal account, and no, I won't turn away any donations, because we have to get this done and I have to have some peace of mind over it because I have none over my own survival these days). The only fundraising we'll be doing is right here; nowhere else. So here are all the links; please share them around, and if you are able to purchase, subscribe, donate, whatever, we'd be profoundly grateful:

• 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).

That all I've got. I'm going to be back under the gun for the next several weeks. Thanks to everyone in advance. 

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.