No, no rain.

Photo copyright Aji, 2026; all rights reserved.

 

That's the surviving giant blue spruce. See all those pale pink tips? Those are cones. Already forming, this early in the year. On virtually every single branch.

That's not a good sign. It's what they do in terrible drought. Which is, of course, what we have, what we've had for more than thirty years now, although it's been much, much worse the last eight. It hit nearly ninety today. No, no rain.  

None of the other kind, either, and the number of things I have to find a way for us to cover over the next six weeks is absolutely staggering. We've got a bunch of discrete costly expenses coming up this month and next, about five of them in the $400-$600 range each. Most are one-offs, but they still have to get paid, and right now? There's no way. Not as bad as sales have been. And we've got to maintain it, because we've also got those other big costs [the side exterior door, for one; the flue cleanings for another; and a set of tires for the truck for a third] immediately ahead. So I have got to get us caught up on this awful year in terms of sales, but there's no getting blood, or money, from a stone. Those two new pairs of earrings I am determined will go up later tonight [::sigh:: no, they're STILL not up, because see above], and there's a ton of newish work on the site. To that end, links are here:

• Sales here; 
• Testimonials here; 
• Amazon wishlist here [priorities are the chile and traditional wild rice, both of which are at the top];
• Patreon here;
• Ko-fi here.

And we do still need to make those regular weekly sales, so please share all of the links. We really do need to get this year onto a better footing than the last two, and so far, it's been very grim.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2026; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Red Willow Spirit: Reflections On the Thaw, and In It

Photo copyright Wings, 2026; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's an edition of Red Willow Spirit for exactly this point in the year, or at least what it should be now. It's three images linked by two views of a single newish work of wearable art, all of them designed to inspire reflections on the thaw, and in it.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the site's Contact form. We're two weeks into May already, and we have got to get some movement on sales if we're going to make it through this already-grim year. That begins with a minimum of one sale a week, without fail.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2026; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

A metaphor for *something*.

Photo copyright Aji, 2026; all rights reserved.

Teaching the younger generation the importance of cleaning one's beak. Meanwhile, all the fledgies want is for big brother to feed them. They're not too sure yet about this whole flying thing, and they're really not liking the idea that they should have to feed themselves.

They're starlings, which are invasive, and they're everywhere. Definitely a metaphor for something, LOL. So is the outsized sense of entitlement.

It's been a hell of a few days. I hate Mother's Day, for what should be obvious reasons to anyone who actually knows me; today would've been the 73rd birthday of the sister who hated me simply for being born, so that's two days in a row of being reminded what it means not to be wanted. Most of the time, I can shove it out of my mind, but the commercial bullshit around yesterday makes it impossible. The fact that it and this day are pretty much always paired? Yeah, not my favorite time of year.

Add to all that the fact that today was chemo day, that I'm also adjusting [with difficulty] to the newest med, that my dominant shoulder is slightly dislocated, and that my pain and fatigue levels have been unmanageable for months, and it's been a bad week.

And it's only Monday. 

Meanwhile, all the other stresses are still here. We;ve got a bunch of discrete costly expenses coming up this month and next, about five of them in the $400-$600 range each. Most are one-offs, but they still have to get paid, and right now? There's no way. Not as bad as sale have been. And we've got to maintain it, because we've also got those other big costs [the side exterior door, for one; the flue cleanings for another; and a set of tires for the truck for a third] immediately ahead. So I have got to get us caught up on this awful year in terms of sales, but there's no getting blood, or money, from a stone. Those two new pairs of earrings I am determined will go up later tonight [::sigh:: no, they're STILL not up, because see above], and there's a ton of newish work on the site. To that end, links are here:

• Sales here; 
• Testimonials here; 
• Amazon wishlist here [priorities are the chile and traditional wild rice, both of which are at the top];
• Patreon here;
• Ko-fi here.

And we do still need to make those regular weekly sales, so please share all of the links. We really do need to get this year onto a better footing than the last two, and so far, it's been very grim.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2026; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Monday Photo Meditation: The Soft Gray Post-Thaw Sky

Photo copyright Wings, 2026; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's a Monday Photo Meditation for the softer edges of May, for the end of the thaw and early rains and gentle new green. It's an image that dates back twelve years exactly, to the very day, caught by Wings on our trip down to Santa Fe beneath the soft gray post-thaw sky.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the site's Contact form. We're two weeks into May already, and we have got to get some movement on sales if we're going to make it through this already-grim year. That begins with a minimum of one sale a week, without fail.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2026; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

First bumblebee.

Photo copyright Aji, 2026; all rights reserved.

Sometimes you get the shot. Our first bumblebee of the season, and decidedly unbothered by my presence. then again, he had the catmint blossoms all to himself, so I suppose that's a pretty good incentive.

One of a few such bright spots in a day that I dread every year. Not enough of them to make it a good day, but it's something. This is one of the worst days of the year for me, always, and I always envy the people who have good memories around it. I don't, and I never will. It doesn't help that it always occurs on or around the 11th, and that date, tomorrow, is another marker I'd rather not have to remember.

But tomorrow, at least, I expect to be a lot busier in other ways, and there won't be all the commercial reminders everywhere, shoving it in my face. 

Meanwhile, everything still has to get paid, and after paying out taxes in cash, in full, and now the last couple of week's costs? We've got to recover a lot of that if we're going to make it through the year. And we've got to maintain it, because we've also got big costs [the side exterior door, for one; the flue cleanings for another; and a set of tires for the truck for a third] immediately ahead. But I have got to get us caught up on this awful year in terms of sales. Those two new pairs of earrings I am determined will go up later tonight [::sigh:: no, they're STILL not up, because see above], and there's a ton of newish work on the site. To that end, links are here:

• Sales here; 
• Testimonials here; 
• Amazon wishlist here [and I'm going to be adding new items, because we are literally tapped out; right now, we're almost out of chile and traditional wild rice, both of which are at the top and top priority];
• Patreon here;
• Ko-fi here.

And we do still need to make those regular weekly sales, so please share all of the links. We really do need to get this year onto a better footing than the last two, and so far, it's been very grim.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2026; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

A Time For Sacred Medicines

Photo copyright Aji, 2026; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's a work for spring, but also for hard times, and for sacred medicine the outside world knows as bearberry. It's a reminder of our obligations to tend such plants and keep them thriving, especially in these increasingly dark and dangerous times, always a time for sacred medicines.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the site's Contact form. We're two weeks into May already, and we have got to get some movement on sales if we're going to make it through this already-grim year.. That begins with a minimum of one sale a week, without fail.

 

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2026; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

A beautiful day, if a slightly eerie one.

Photo copyright Aji, 2026; all rights reserved.

Today's skies. Absolutely incredible, powerful . . . but no rain. Okay, maybe three, four drops, nothing more.

Made for a beautiful day, if a slightly eerie one.

A day spent playing catch-up on all kinds of things, for both of us. Not that I'm anywhere near actually caught up; I think I could live to be 102 and I still wouldn't be caught up. But that's life. And I doubt the planet as we know it will last that long anyway, at this rate.

So many pressures, so little time or resources. It's not just us; it's everyone. Things are grim here, and everywhere, and there's frankly so little we can do anymore about any of it. So we just do the next right thing, and the next, and the next. And curse the monsters who've brought the world to this pass, and do it profanely and thoroughly.

At least we've made a couple of sales in the last week, so there's that. I just can't get any time to do my work. Because all the work has to get done: the housework, the paperwork [including some bureaucratic bullshit that we shouldn't be having to deal with, but the state is nothing if not venal], the sales work, everything. And everything still has to get paid, and after paying out taxes in cash, in full, and now this past week's costs? We've got to recover a lot of that if we're going to make it through the year. And we've got to maintain it, because we've also got big costs [the side exterior door, for one; the flue cleanings for another; and a set of tires for the truck for a third] immediately ahead. But I have got to get us caught up on this awful year in terms of sales. Two new pairs of earrings going up hopefully later tonight [::sigh:: no, they're STILL not up, because see above], and there's a ton of newish work on the site. To that end, links are here:

• Sales here; 
• Testimonials here; 
• Amazon wishlist here [and I'm going to be adding new items, because we are literally tapped out; right now, we're almost out of chile and traditional wild rice, both of which are at the top and top priority];
• Patreon here;
• Ko-fi here.

And we do still need to make those regular weekly sales, so please share all of the links. We really do need to get this year onto a better footing than the last two, and so far, it's been very grim.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2026; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.