The one thing that grew this year.

Photo copyright Aji, 2021; all rights reserved.

There for the picking, and I can't even get the time (or physical ability to do it). The pears were the one thing that grew this year. Nothing else; the rest of trees seem hell-bent on dying, along with the red willows and most of the flowers. If I could get time, I could pick them and put up jars of pear butter to give away, but . . . no time, and also with my body the way it is right now, I couldn't do either task if I tried. It would also be nice to get a few before the magpies get them all, but so far, nope.

Yesterday was brutal; so's today. It began yesterday afternoon with trying to guide a young magpie to the exit of the chicken coop where it had gotten trapped, by which I mean it got confused and terrified and couldn't find the open gate. I barely touched the post where the gate latches, but that's all it took for a big splinter to drive itself into my palm, and while I managed to extract it this morning, the inflammatory response will be around for a few days yet.

That was the easy part.

Last night, I went to unload the dryer; open the door, started to lean forward (I mean literally started, didn't even have a real bend under way yet) and BOTH sacroiliac joints slipped out of place simultaneously, then seized. I couldn't move. Couldn't bend; couldn't straighten up; nothing. It was a very painful night, to say the least. The right joint has slipped a little closer back into place (you have to understand, these subluxes are mostly nothing more than hairline dislocations, but that's all it take, and the pain is excruciating), but it's not there yet. The left? Haha, no. And my right shoulder and bicep are still partially out of place, both hands and wrists sublux routinely, and my left Achilles tendon is still a mess.

And I woke up with an asthma attack. Fall's here, never mind what the stupid calendar says, and the chamisa and everything else is in full bloom two months early. I can't even function. And I'm getting a little desperate, because I can't work with all this.

Meanwhile, the bills have to be paid, and we have to find a way to survive in the face of the constant pain and all the willful colonial greed and death and destruction. If I could sell Wednesday's featured work, we'd be good for most of the rest of the year, barring medical or other catastrophe. Might even be able to get on the fall drill list for the well. If I could sell any combination of Wings's new pieces, it would get us out of this month and well into September. But I've got way too much to do and too few hours and other resources to do it. Pain is out of control, which means so is the fatigue. I have to push everything down to make sales, and there's always something or someone else demanding money. 

I can't do this alone. I can't.

Wings has A LOT of new work, and I'd be grateful to everyone who shares all of it, and of course, if you're in the market, keep us in mind for purchases. After paying our taxes the last week plus some other bills, I really do need to build up some reserves to get us just a tiny bit ahead of the eight-ball of bills.

I did get Wings's brand new ring up, posted here Saturday, and the other new cuff, up a few  days ago, is here. You do want to see all the images of that one, too. We still have to make it through the month, never mind the rest of the year, and there are also far too many folks who need help (which we did the other day and will be doing more of next week, in addition to having had to pay for the farrier and for an upcoming firewood delivery; fall's here already). Anyway, links are here:

• Sales here; 
• Testimonials here; 
• Amazon wishlist here (priorities are all the mosquito-prevention items, especially the portables and the patio-surface ones, because Wings can take them around the land with his as he works);
• Patreon here;
• Ko-fi here.

And if you've been contemplating a purchase? This would be a very, very good time to do it; I've got to make up this staggering outlay somehow. There's lots of fabulous new work, so please watch for all of it and share all of the links. 

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2021; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.