Bridges, Portals, Thresholds, Interstices: A Knock at the Door

Photo copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved.

It’s the spirits who knock at the door in the dark.

They may only be confused, or they may simply have a message to deliver. But sometimes, the message is one that, like the night air that leaves you breathless, strips you of your soul.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

The Dawn Horse and a Threshold of the Spirits

Photo copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, at long last, it's today's featured work, one that summons more powerful spirits on a night when souls walk, perhaps to help their earthbound namesakes. So we can hope, anyway; the post is late because we spent the majority of the day working with the injured horse currently boarding here for care, on a day when she was in crisis. After several hours, she's much improved, but she has a very long road ahead of her, and she needs all the help she can get. Perhaps this one will serve as her own spirit guide.

The post itself is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the Contact form. And, as always, sales are much needed (especially now), so shares of the site links are much appreciated.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Update on the New Girl

Photo copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved.

UPDATE TO THE UPDATE: Well, we've spent the day so far dealing with her. As though she didn't have enough to try to survive already, she colicked this morning — a situation that was, of course, only a matter of time anyway, given the gases that have been building up in her system all this time as a result of the infection — and so we've been trying to tamp that down. Two Banamine doses and a hell of a lot of walking and a great deal of agony and her part later and she's back to what passes, for her now, for normal. This is going to be touch and go every damn day.

I know some folks have been wanting on update on the horse (and other things). I have a mile-long to-do list today, including things that have had to be deferred the last two days because of pouring rain, so this will be quick and dirty. Also, the posts at Wings's site and mine will be late; with a little luck, at his will be the first of a new set, but that's not a given yet.

To get it out of the way, the house project: We're waiting to meet with Lorenzo regarding blueprints, cost estimates, etc. That was originally sated for a few days ago, but circumstances intervened on both sides, so it's deferred a bit longer. I had hoped to launch Stage 2 of the crowdfunding tomorrow, the first, but we won't have estimates yet, so it'll have to wait. Doesn't mean that people can't still give through the original page (or the PayPal button above right); just that we don't have a dedicated page for it yet.

Now, the horse: One of our tasks for this weekend is contact a friend who heads up the local rescue community, to see what she can do by way of ginning up assistance. The owners have not been heard from since the day she was dropped off, although we've been out their, cold and wind and rain and night, taking care of this girl. It's ugly, unpleasant work, too, and painful for her. We cannot afford to pay her vet bills (and will have to be reimbursed for the supplies we've already shelled out for), and so arrangements will have to be made somehow.  

Now, here's what we know so far: There is no obvious healing going on yet, because of the nature of the damage and the length of time it was allowed to fester. There is sepsis and necrosis, and so cleaning  becomes a de facto form of debridement right now. The smell will knock you back a foot. If the swelling has gone down enough by Tuesday, the vet will do a more "formal" debridement, but right now, I can't tell that there's been enough decrease in it for her to be able to do that. 

She also has an injured left hind ankle. I saw it when they first brought her over, but wasn't entirely sure that it wasn't just a result of an awkward stance from the pain of the fistula. It's not; there was a definite injury, no doubt as a result of the same incident. I've let the horse vet know; that will have to be looked at on Tuesday, too. This little girl will never be able to be around that (or any) stallion again. Assuming, of course, that she makes it.

The good news: She's finally getting proper water and she's put huge dents in a new mineral block; she was terribly deficient in both.  She's getting good hay, her meds, consistent cleansing with Betadine, and moisturizing with mineral oil. Her eyes are now clear (no more clouding from what must have been utterly unspeakable pain), and when we showed up in the rain yesterday evening with the syringe and the Betadine sponges, she took off at a trot, because she'd, you know, just had enough of it all right then. But she let me catch her, halter her, let us medicate and clean her once again. She's a good girl, and a strong one.

She had no name. We tried out several, including the names of the raptors who seem to watch over her daily. The only name that got a noticeable response is Ogichidaakwe.

It means "Warrior Woman."

[Note: There's no fund set up for this little girl, not yet, anyway. You can still give if you so inclined, via the PayPal link above. You can also start your holiday shopping early via Wings's site, and/or encourage your networks to do likewise (which is what we actually prefer, anyway — sales, not donations). Besides the hay and board and labor, we're already shelling out for grain, probiotics, mineral blocks, mineral oil, medicated cleansing materials, etc., etc. And those are just the barest minimum that will be involved in saving this girl's life.] 

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Bridges, Portals, Thresholds, Interstices: The World Below the Earth

Photo copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved.

There are portals in the earth, beneath the waters, in the sky.

When you see a ghostly runner at the mouth of one of these portals, one leading to the world below, do not run toward him. He has a job to do, and so do you; yours is to lead the spirits at his heels away, safely aboveground in this world.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Friday Feature: A Spirit of Discipline

Photo copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's our last Friday Feature of October, and one suited to this week ending in All Souls' (Halloween for most of you out there). It's a spirit being who is not scary in the spooky sense, but he's certainly intimidating, serving as a strict disciplinarian.

The post itself is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the Contact form. And, as always, sales are much needed, so shares of the site links are much appreciated.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Bridges, Portals, Thresholds, Interstices: Great Yellow Bird

Photo copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved.

The only bridges in this place are ladders; they bisect the sky of a world on fire.

Sometimes the ladders lead out of the dark; sometimes, into a place beyond the dark. And sometimes, still darker things find a way up them into the light, to fling themselves against the glass of a world on fire.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

#ThrowbackThursday: Gifts of the Spirit, and of Their Muses

Photo copyright Wings, 2015; all rights reserved.

It's #TBT at The NDN Silver Blog, and today, it's a trip back in time almost a decade, to one of my all-time favorites. It's a piece that embodies the gifts of the spirits, and of the muses that inspire Wings's tribute to them.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. This work sold eight years ago, but It's part of one of his ongoing signature series. If it speaks to you, or for a loved one, he can certainly create a unique version all the wearer's own; simply inquire via the site's Contact form. And, as always, sales are much needed, so shares of the site links are much appreciated.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2015; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner. 

Sky Spirits and Second Chances

Photo copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved.

Only yesterday, I was lamenting the fact that, thanks to the presence of the new girl in the round pen, the hitching post in it would go unused as a perch for raptors and other birds. It's one of their favorite spots, particularly for the one I call Nimishoomis. But when there's a horse in the pen, they tend to shy away.

So imagine my surprise when I went out to the studio with the camera to get shots of Wings's latest work, only to see in the distance a bird sitting atop it. It's not clear from the photos, but despite the clouds, I was facing directly into the sun in the southern sky, and the glare was impossible to navigate. I couldn't tell what sort of bird it was until I snapped the photo.

It's the one I call Grandfather.

Yes. The one who afforded us the fastest of glimpses two days ago, as he flew directly over my head to vanish into thin air. The one who, up to that point, I had not seen here for a month or more.

He was very decidedly, deliberately, seated atop the post, looking down on the new girl:

Photo copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved.

Rather than steering clear, he seemed to be watching over her.

I moved closer, trying to get a better shot, and he flew off, not seeming to need to gather himself at all, nor spring onto the air, before heading southward.

I also could not see him circle back around, but a split second later, he was north, not south. He had seated himself atop the giant blue spruce, where he could keep an eye on horse and me and the world at large:

Photo copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved.

After a few minutes, he tired of balancing there, and headed briefly westward. Just long enough, actually, to spiral upward in great sweeping circles, the glare too bright for me to find him anywhere against the dove-gray sky.

I took a shot, and took a shot, so to speak:

Photo copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved.

And there he was, so high that he seemed tinier than a hummingbird. He circled several more times, then suddenly zoomed straight toward me. He hovered a moment just overhead, then flew off in the direction of the mountains to the east, where he danced in and out of the peaks and valleys before vanishing, once again, seemingly into thin air.

Apparently, we are supposed to care for this horse.

Photo copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved.

She seemed better today, although "better" is very much a relative term. It's like the difference between being told you're dying and being told you'll probably die, but there's a chance they might save you: The survival instinct grabs onto every tiny shred of hope it can.

It's no less true for her.

We dosed her morning and evening with her meds, gave her her supplement, cleaned her up with Betadine, moisturized the horribly damaged tissue with spritzes of mineral oil, watched her go to town for a full quarter of an hour on a brand new salt-and-mineral block all for her.

We were her only human contact.

The sky spirits seem ed to take an interest in her, however.

Photo copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved.

This is the week of All Souls, a time when the spirits walk, when the ordinary course of days is upended, when day is night and down is up and east is west.

Tonight, east was most definitely west, with a stellar sunset the likes of which neither of us has ever seen . . . in the eastern sky above the peaks.

It feels like a benediction on the new girl, a chance at salvation for her. And for our grandfather spirits who have returned, as well. 

And, it would seem, for us.


All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Bridges, Portals, Thresholds, Interstices: The Eye

Photo copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved.

She doesn’t just burn bridges; she dynamites the motherfuckers.

You can burn bridges in this world all you want, but the bridge to the other world is out of reach of ordinary fire and flame. If you forget, occasionally the sky opens its great unblinking eye to remind you.




All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

A Gift of the Spirits Who Dwell Among the Stars

Photo copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's not the item I thought we would bring you today, but it is Wings's newest. He has a major work still in process, and life has simply not been cooperative with regard to affording him studio time. Today's featured item, however, is a beautiful work in its own right, one made with four very old stones, and evoking even older symbols and stories.

The post itself is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the Contact form. And, as always, sales are very much needed, so shares of the site links are much appreciated.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

New Girl

Photo copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved.

This is the new girl.

No, she's not a permanent addition; she's actually very, very temporary. She is badly injured, and needs special care, and the hope is that she will heal enough here to make it.

Yes, it's that bad.

Photo copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved.

She is skinny, underweight and malnourished, in large part from the infection now ravaging her body. She belongs to Wings's brother-in-law, and we only found out a little over a week ago that she was in such dire straits. We hadn't seen the horse at that time — not until about noon today, actually, when he brought her here — but based on his description of her condition, we sent him home with five days' of antibiotics we had on hand, plus probiotics and some other supplies. Those ran out long ago, of course.

Sight unseen, but based on what they described to me, I thought I knew what had happened, and said so: an attempt by a small but dominant stallion at mounting, gone horribly, horribly wrong. Based on what she saw today, the horse vet agrees.

This poor little girl has a fistula, a rectal-vaginal tear that has become horribly infected and inflamed. It should've been treated immediately, but it's been months, and we didn't even know there was anything up with his horse until ten days or so ago. I had to take photos of it to e-mail to the vet this morning; I've spared you those horrors in favor of her beautiful face.

Photo copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved.

She is skittish and scared, and in pain, but she trusts us instinctively. She has no real name, but she responds to what I choose to call her, especially in the old tongue; the animals know the old languages better than we humans do. We will be medicating her, cleaning the wound, for a week; next Tuesday, the vet will return for debridement and trimming, assuming the swelling and inflammation have subsided sufficiently, and then we'll know what we have. If it's small, there's an outside chance it could heal itself, given time and proper care; more likely, it will require surgery. How they'll pay for that, we have no idea, but in the meantime, we'll give her the best care we can here. We're hoping that she survives.

She will get what we can give her, here. Including love.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

He belongs to this place and he has returned, . . .

Photo copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved.

a great Grandfather Spirit — little brother to the Thunderbirds, carrier of plume and name — who brings his wishes to us and works his will.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Jewels and Gems: A Stone of Salt and Seas and Stormy Skies

Photo copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's this week's entry in our Tuesday series on Jewels and Gems. In this edition, we look at a stone of salt and seas and stormy skies, one that manifests mostly in my favorite color, indigo's pure and archetypal blue.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Currently, only the small cabochon pictured is in Wings's inventory of stones, but he can create a work to suit with it, or order stones of larger size or more typical blue; simply inquire via the Contact form. As always, sales are much needed, so shares of the site links are much appreciated.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Flying Through the Thresholds

Photo copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved.

It's been a day of opposites: of warm sun and dark cold rain and wind; of frustration and irritation alternating with joy and laughter; of an entire afternoon wasted on a project that, upon completion, proved to be built upon defective raw materials that will need to be exchanged for something different, and of the transcendent transference of liftoff, watching familiar spirits take flight as they allow me to capture it.

Or not.

After a month-long absence, Nimishoomis visited today. To be clear, that is not him above, no, although that was a gift in itself: A flicker has been haunting me for days, just out of sight — calling, singing, commanding attention, yet unwilling to show himself. Until this evening, when he alighted in the top of the old cottonwood across the road, then leapt onto the winds heading westward. It is the first time I've caught a real shot of one in flight.

A magpie gave me an in-flight shot shortly thereafter, albeit from a great distance. He sprang from the top of the small twisted tree at the south fence, lifting off like a rocket, shoulders raised around his head and wings draped elegantly behind him. He is tiny in the photo, yet pure grace.

Then, of course, there was the spirit I've taken to calling Uncle Ferruginous, although he is more grandfather spirit than uncle. He appeared early in the day, but refused me a photo; tonight, he hovered repeatedly to allow me to capture two. In the second, he is centered directly in the light, his great beak peeking below the center of this tailfeathers.

All of these were messengers of joy, but not like the one whose image I didn't catch. Not only was a photo impossible, but I barely had a chance to see him racing away toward the mountains.

Nimishoomis. 

I was in the middle of feeding the dogs, the sky purple with stormclouds, when Wings suddenly pointed overhead, a smile on his face. He kept saying, "Look," and I kept asking, "What?" because my hands were full, but his expression convinced me to drop everything and turn around. "It's Grandpa!" he said, and I could hear joy in his voice, too. He said the bird came literally from nowhere, just materialized, flying directly above my head on a low flight path.

I caught the briefest of views: silvery-gray wings, white underneath.

It flew on a trajectory from west to east, toward the fenceline and the peaks. And as we watched, it vanished into thin air. It was not beyond our line of sight, not high enough to be blocked by a cloud, not yet near the fence or any other obstruction, just . . . gone. There, and then not. Less than smoke.

He has been absent, or at least invisible, for a month, and I thought he had moved on. It left an unmistakable, undeniable void. Wings says that he came for me, that he just wanted me to see him, to know that he is watching over me. 

This is a week when the lines between the worlds are thin, when thresholds and interstices are no longer solid, when the strongest spirits come and go at will, flying between and across and through. It can be a forbidding time.

Somehow, this year, it suddenly feels not merely unforbidding, but safer than the week just past.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

His task is not always to carry a name, or the storm, . . .

Photo copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved.

for he is also a spirit who can appear at will, who can hover in in place until his message is seen and understood and then vanish, in less than a beat of his powerful wings, into the light itself.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Monday Photo Meditation: A Season of Sun and Shadow

Photo copyright Wings, 2015; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's a photo meditation for a moody Monday, one that reflects on the season's play of sun and shadow. There are lessons and principles that transcend cultures and the boundary lines of lands, just as the Father Sun lends his gaze to them all as he travels across the sky.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. As always, 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 much needed, so shares of the site links are much appreciated.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2015; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner. 

He watches, not waiting, . . .

Photo copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved.

a fully present spirit, name and namer, of this land and land of him, like the man who holds and is held by land and hawk alike.




All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

To Channel the Lightning at the Moment of the Storm

Photo copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's one of Wings's newer works, and a companion of sorts to the one featured yesterday. These are among my favorites in their category, both for the beauty of stones (including those old Bisbee drops) and for their seeming ability to harness the power of the storm.

The post itself is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the Contact form. And, as always, sales are much needed, so shares of the site links (especially with testimonials) are much appreciated.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

An archetype of Clan and Spirit, . . .

Photo copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved.

with the confidence to compete with the Thunderbirds, the power to bestow a name, and the wisdom to carry a grandfather spirit.


All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

The Ebb and Flow of Autumn

Photo copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's not what we had intended to bring you today, but it's a beautiful and relatively recent alternative that continues this week's theme of water in the desert. Life does not respect art (nor writing) overmuch, and circumstances beyond our control this week have conspired to prevent him from completing what we thought would be today's featured work. Suffice it to say that when it is done, it will take your breath away; for now, though we have a beautiful alternative, and one with substance in both shape and spirit.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the Contact form. And, as always, sales are much needed, so shares of the site links are much appreciated.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Prepping for Stage 2

Photo copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved.

We are delayed on Stage 2 just a bit, because we're working with a family member with expertise in this area, to make sure it's done right. That means working around his schedule, because he has, you know, a life, and his own obligations, and all of that is exactly as it should be. In the meantime, we've spent this week on a crazybusy amount of other work, including changes to the gallery. There will be more of that to come. 

For now, here's where things stand: We'll be meeting, sometime in the next few days, to redraft the blueprints and to lay out exactly what will be needed to get the plumbing excavation and other work done before the ground freezes solid. My birthday coincided with the first snow on the peaks, and they are now capped entirely in white, but there are several snow lines between them and us (and a couple between us and town), and so all we've gotten here so far is freezing rain and a little sleet yesterday and a little ice and crunchy grass in the mornings. We're allegedly slated for a small warm-up in the coming week, and we still have some time yet before a genuinely deep freeze.

Once we have the plumbing work laid out, and have gotten all of the estimates we need, I'll launch Stage 2 on the youcaring site. I don't actually have any current feel for what this will entail in terms of actual dollars, but I suspect that it will be higher than the last stage. Once the plumbing stage is complete, it'll be on to Stage 3, which will be a hybrid: the foundation, the basic frame, and the pallets of adobe bricks for the walls. If we're able to get these stages completed by the end of the year, we'll be doing well.

For now, everything else proceeds apace, which is to say, too much to do and too little time. The days are now incredibly short, and our unseasonal weather means that the sun is functionally down shortly after six. There are fence repairs to be done to keep the horses safe; Cree's forefeet continue to require close management; and Shade came up lame yesterday, which will require heavy monitoring. In her case, it may simply be a frog issue rather than a new flare, but we won't know that for a couple of days yet, at least. And for those of you wondering about Wings's knees, the short version is that IHS, as usual, waited too many years, and now there's nothing that can be done but pain management (which, I might add, they tried to deny him up until last week). He has no cartilage left. We're going to be looking into the possibility of knee replacement, but that will entail a similarly pitched battle, if it's even doable, and it will likely have to wait for spring now; it's not wise to embark on that sort of thing during our winters, if it's at all avoidable. I need to stop here, because my anger level over this defies description, and I will say many things undoubtedly better left unsaid.

I'm doing my best, despite my own added physical problems right now, to pick up as much of the slack as I can. Today's posts will be late, probably very late, in part because I'm waiting to see whether he has the opportunity to complete some of what's in process on his workbench. If not (and it may yet be ready tomorrow), for today, we'll feature something else of his. But among my many other tasks, and in between crowdfunding stages for the house, we still need to keep things going on a day-to-day basis, which, for us, means generating sales. So I'm going to ask folks to keep sharing the link to Wings's site. If you have testimonials to offer, those are good, too. And finally, for those of you who plan on commissioning holiday gifts: Now is the time to get your orders in. The creative process takes time, and we're fast heading into the time of year when he spends far too many hours tied to his workbench as it is. If you're planning on ordering something that's not already in inventory, something custom-made, please hit that Contact form now and let us know what you have in mind, so that he can have time to work with you on designing something to your specific needs. And again, please share his site links.

Thanks.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Tied to this place, to its earth and air, its fire and water, . . .

Photo copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved.

he is a spirit who flies with the Thunderbirds and carries the plumes, and therein lies his message.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Friday Feature: One Bright Rainbow of Sustaining Spirits

Photo copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's our Friday Feature highlighting local spirits. This week, it's one that is truly seasonal, a twinned sustaining spirit that manifests in a full spectrum of color.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the Contact form. This particular katsina is overdue for finding a permanent home, so shares of the site links are much appreciated.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

He hovers, soars, swoops, strikes upon the storm, . . .

Photo copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved.

he carries both a message and a spirit who watches over his own.




All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

#TBT: Water Is Life, No Matter the Month or Season

Photo copyright Wings, 2015; all rights reserved.

It's #ThrowbackThursday at The NDN Silver Blog, and today, it's a trip back a decade or so, to what I have always regarded as the most perfect piece among one of Wings's earlier signature series. It's a tribute to the Corn Maidens, usually a summer spirit, but one whose bounty we reap during this harvest season, as well. In this incarnation, she's also a reminder that here, no matter the month, the season, or the year, water is life.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. This piece, of course, sold long ago, as did the other entries in the series, but if it speaks to your spirit, he could easily create a new version all your own; simply inquire via the Contact form. We need to make sales right now in this lead-up to the holiday season, so shares of the site links are much appreciated.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2015; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner. 

Young and yet very old, . . .

Photo copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved.

a spirit wise and knowing, far beyond our own perceptions, one with a message of recognition, of challenge.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

A Song of Thunder, a Lightning Dance

Photo copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's Wings's newest work, and it is truly extraordinary. This is one of those pieces that I cannot help but covet, but it's meant for someone else, someone who needs to harness and hold the power of the storm.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the Contact form. As always, sales are much needed, and so shares of the site links are much appreciated. And if you're planning on commissioning work for holiday gifts, now is the time to place your orders.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

A messenger . . .

Photo copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved.

of grandfather spirits for this time and place, a reminder of who we are and why we are here.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Jewels and Gems: A Piece of Mother Earth

Photo copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's this week's edition of our ongoing Tuesday series on Jewels and Gems. In light of the date, I indulged myself in a feature of one of my favorite stones, one that manifests in various shades of my two favorite colors, blue and green. 

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the Contact form. And, as always, shares of the site links are much needed and much appreciated. 

Also, a reminder: If you're planning on commissioning work for holiday gifts, now is the time to place your order, so that he will have enough studio time to get everything done and shipped before the date of your preferred celebration.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Section I, Chapter 7; First Line:

There will be no cowrie shell to tell her they’ve found their home.

A forced migration, one not of the spirit, is void of the signs that mark a destination as home. But there are other roads to take, paths of mind and spirit, that sometimes provide other guides.



Note: This will be the last of these for a while. Tomorrow will mark a return to images; thereafter . . . [shrug]. Some histories contain too much pain to wade through and come out the other side, and I cannot afford to get trapped right now. There are other stories that need to be told, other spirits who should not be forgotten. Perhaps it's their turn.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2015; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.