Irritants, and new work on multiple fronts.

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

Yeah, I'm just posting that one again because I like the view. By the way, all those aspens out the window? Those all cropped up after the old manufactured home was hauled out from under us. We now have an extra stand right behind the house.

Today was irritating in the extreme. River, the kid who works helping Wings with heavy labor, couldn't make it due to a time-consuming (for Wings) mix-up. Ice just simply never showed up. I really dislike being in forced wait mode only to have it be for nothing, especially when I have this much shit to do and I'm this far behind on all of it. Three other people aren't responding in any kind of timely fashion (or at all), and I'm about ready to have some words for some folks. Fortunately, Sherm is not among them, and he and his crew will be here tomorrow, hopefully to finish up the interior plaster this weekend. 

On the plus side, I got all the rest of the corn planted, and most of the beans and squash. The rest will have to wait until later, because tomorrow will be crazybusy. On the minus side, the day was so screwed up that I only just now got a shower (although I was here doing seriously grubby stuff all day long, so it's uncomfortable, but not, you know, all that big a deal). On the sort of break-even side, there's been no appreciable change in Ginger's condition: still egg-bound, which is bad; a little more mobile and alert, which is good. It's going to be touch and go until (unless) she passes it, though, and there are no guaranteed outcomes for this sort of thing. Which is to say, she can use any good vibes ya got right now.

Tomorrow, Wings's site will likely feature an existing piece, unless our schedule changes drastically. If it does change, tomorrow will have an all-new work, and it's absolutely fabulous, and there are one or two of you out there who are going to hear its song from the moment you see it, I promise (no, no siren and no dashing upon the rocks; just beauty and spirit). But expect it more likely for Sunday.

Now, back to work for me. I hope by Monday I have some materials photos to show here. If I do, it should be pretty cool, although it'll be a lot cooler yet once they're all installed. Love and thanks to everyone.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Friday Feature: Open to Transformation

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

It's our Friday Feature at The NDN Silver Blog, with a pair of small works that bring us full circle from the beginning of the month. It's two tiny traditional pots by the same artist, a pair that seem to be of a piece even as they differ, a stark illustration of what it means to be open to transformation.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries 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 Aji, 2017; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

The smoke is back. Progress is slow, but it's happening.

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

That's from yesterday — the trimwork on the west window in my writing refuge. Nothing new to show today, because no one was here — including us, because we spent the day in town running errands too long delayed. Among them, kibble for our dogs and for the two starving ones that show up daily like clockwork. It's been crazybusy, and the smoke is back with a vengeance, and all Wings could say all day is "Your eyes are so red!"  They itch like crazy, and it's the smoke causing it. Can't breathe right, either.

I was so beat last night that I never got to the materials orders, so I'm taking care of that tonight ::crosses fingers::. The guy who was supposed to cut and bale has apparently himself bailed (since the idea was for him to work off his 4-figure debt that way), and so we've had to make new arrangements, which means paying for it, and which means delaying it and hoping we beat the rain. In the meantime, I'll be trying to get most of the rest of the garden in tomorrow ::crosses fingers again::. Please, please none of this smoke ish tomorrow, mmmkay?

If all goes as planned, we'll have all the flooring by Monday, and Floyd and Gary can start the downstairs. Sherm and his crew will be here all weekend, so we might — might — have the interior plaster all done by Monday. Or not. Ice is supposed to come tomorrow to take care of the texture touchup on the stairwell, and then I can paint it next week. 

For now, we still have preggo pup and her man coming over twice a day (at least); the teenage magpies are learning to fly (and this morning, in one case, to swim); the chipmunk has shown up at the bird feeder for three days straight now (we've always had them, but never seen them); and Ginger is still egg-bound, but moving a bit better today after we worked on her this morning (trust me; it's TMI, and you don't want to know). And the man's birthday is coming up, and I have to decide what to give him besides the horribly off-key rendition of "Happy Birthday" that he demands every year.

And with that, I have to get back to work. No rest for the . . . something. Many thanks and much love to everyone.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

#ThrowbackThursday: From Night's Cocoon

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

It's #TBT at The NDN Silver Blog, with a throwback only to a week or two ago. It's a commissioned work that became, inadvertently, part of a series that might be regarded as caterpillar, chrysalis, and butterfly, with this final work assuming the form of a wingéd spirit, emerging from night's cocoon to touch the dawn.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. This one is sold, obviously, and will not be duplicated, but if the general 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 much needed, so shares of the site links are much appreciated.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Woodwork and wiring and crappy phones and hay-cutting and sick chicks and pregnant pups.

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

First three doors, stained and sealed.

It has been a day. No sleep last night; nothing but derailments all day long. Ginger the chicken is badly egg-bound, and I spent part of the morning holding her in a warm-water bath in a small horse feed tub. She hasn't passed it yet, but she is the most stubbornly bad-tempered of them all, and if anyone can beat it, it should be her.

Victor was going to come today instead, but then he wanted to bump it to tomorrow, which won't work, so we had to go around and around on that. They finally settled on next Tuesday, which is the fourth, so I'm guessing it won't happen then, either.

Then we lost four hours (in other words, the whole afternoon) dealing with Verizon for Wings, because his phone's been barely functional for weeks. Between us, that's eight work hours, and I. am. not. happy. He has been through this them three times already, and it keeps crapping out, and we don't have a full day's work to waste on this bullshit.

And then the guy who was supposed to cut our hay didn't show.

So. Yeah. And it's still 83 degrees at 8:10 PM, with light smoke haze everywhere, and I can't breathe.

I hope tomorrow goes a little more smoothly.

On the plus side, the guys got that up there done, plus some of the downstairs window casings and sills:

Photo copyright Aji, 2017;
all rights reserved.

Yeah, I know; the lighting's not great for photos at that time of day. But that's the east window in the utility room, right above where our old dryer will go. [Yes, we have an old washer, dryer, and fridge, so that's going to save us some money on appliances.] I chose this one rather than the north one, because here you can see the gloss on the sill.

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

And that is the north window in the kitchen, where they've just gotten the first coat of stain on it. That's what it looks like with the window itself removed. Reynaldo, bless his heart (and I say that with absolutely no sarcasm whatsoever; I mean it) came back about six o'clock tonight to rehang the window. Certainly not something we ever expected him to do.

Tomorrow is potentially another day devoted to materials. Or to dropping the hay — I mean, who the hell knows? He may show up; may not. 

For today, I managed to get my first-ever photos of a mourning cloak, and first of a blue darner mating with a green darner. None of the chipmunk who last night discovered the bird feeder, and returned tonight. But little preggo girl has apparently moved in; she now thinks this is her home, too:

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

So does her boy Smoky, who we assume is the baby daddy-to-be, but Raven gets extra-turfy with a young unfixed male pit bull pup, so he can only eat over here when we're able to get Raven indoors. Yes, they've both come over and been fed tonight already; apparently this is my new job.

::Shrug:: whatever else goes on wherever they supposedly live, they'll get food and water here consistently.

Speaking of food, I need to check on dinner. Thank you all for everything.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

A Time for Metamorphosis

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's the butterfly's song, with a message the rest of the world needs to hear. It's a song of the spirit, and also a warning that it is a time for metamorphosis, if our world is to survive.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries 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 Aji, 2017; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Electric pushed to next week. Progress on the downstairs details, though.

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

Apparently Victor got delayed on an out-of-town job, so he had to reschedule. We're having him come out on Monday instead. Which now also turns out to be the same day the horse vet will be out to do a blood panel on Shade, because she's having inflammatory reactions that, with her genetic and medical history (a mother with severe founder and Cushing's, and laminitis in her own right front), mean that we need to keep on top of the risk of both Cushing's and insulin resistance.

In the meantime, the progress may not look like much from the outside, but the guys began a couple of big things today. First, they put the first coat of stain on the first two of the interior doors, and Tony also began staining the window trim in the ground floor interior. Second, they did this:

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

Yeah, I know; to most people, it probably looks no different from the last image I posted showing the downstairs bath plasterwork. But see that darker edge around the doorway? That's the brand-new door frame that they built today. They got the one for the utility room done, too, and got them both stained.

Tony's off next week; he has family coming into town. Reynaldo will be here to continue the woodwork, though. We'll also likely have Sherm's crew, unless they get it all finished this weekend; Victor, to finish off the wiring; and if we can get all the flooring yet this week, Floyd and Gary will do the downstairs tile. And once again, it'll start looking very different very fast.

For tonight, I've got to get a jump on some of the week's posts for Wings's site. I need to spend all of tomorrow trying to get the rest of the gardens in (or as much as humanly possible, anyway), and I have to get caught up on a bunch of other tasks, too.

Many thanks to all. More updates tomorrow, if all goes well.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Red Willow Spirit: Hope Transforms

Photo copyright Wings, 2017; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's this week's edition of Red Willow Spirit, with a look at small transcendent summer spirits. This week, our teacher is Butterfly (and her cousin, Moth), wingéd messengers of love here to remind us that even in the darkest, most dangerous hours, hope transforms. 

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. It's all photos today, a combination of Wings's and my own, and as always, his 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, 2017; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Silver on the Sky Road

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

I walked out this morning to let the larger chickens out, and discovered that Silver had left us. We were just noticing last night how happy, content, and comfortable she looked on the top of the coop with her girls. This morning, she was in a different spot on top of it, slumped forward, gone just long enough for rigor to have set in. She had a piece of straw clamped firmly in her beak, as though she'd been rearranging her makeshift nest when her little heart just gave out.

This one is a bit harder than most of the others. She was the last of our old guard, our first group of chickens that we acquired in 2012. Her sister died of wry neck just days after hatching, but she was tougher. She would prove to be both a little skittish and fairly dominant, but she was always my beautiful girl, not too fond of being held, but willing to have her feathers stroked.

Silver outlasted all the others from that first round, and all of those from the second group we got a few weeks later, too. The only remaining one of her cohort had been Sky, who we lost suddenly a few months ago, and Silver took it hard; she mourned her openly, looking into the distance out the fence every evening, as though she expected her very skittish sister to come barreling up, squawking all the way. It took weeks for her to come to terms with it, but eventually, she settled back into her role as matriarch and alpha, and again began socializing with her younger siblings (the ones who joined us as hatchlings in 2014). A few weeks ago, when we finally brought the new chicks over to the coop to integrate them, she was the first to intermingle with them openly without much overt dominance, and unlike the younger reds and blacks, she seemed mostly comfortable being among the shrieking ankle-biters. Perhaps it was the fact that six of them are her distant cousins, Silver-Laced Wyandottes like herself.

At any rate, she survived a little over five years, which for a free-range hen not being shot full of artificial substances is a pretty good run. She had been slowing noticeably in recent months, and until a couple of weeks ago, had ceased laying entirely. Since then, she's given us a few more light brown eggs, small and so pale they're not far off ivory — her final tangible gift, I suppose, to us. But she seemed to have no pain or discomfort, and last night, she seemed perfectly happy, and so it appears that she went the best way possible: simply went to sleep and didn't awaken again.

She's buried at the edge of the west garden, next to her beloved sister Sky — as always, with everything she'll need. And we both miss her terribly.

We love you, Silver. You'll find Sky again, and your twin Star, along the Sky Road where you'll truly be able to fly.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

The last of the moulding. Not much to show, but a lot in the works.

Photo copyright Aji, 2017;
all rights reserved.

Not much visible progress to report today, but a lot of stuff in the works. That up there is the tangible result from Tony and Reynaldo, the last of the mouldings; they'll only be able to put one of them up for now, though. The other two have to wait until 1) Ice gets here and finishes the texturing on the back wall of the stairwell, which will likely be next week; and 2) I then get it painted, which involves more episodes of me hanging off a ladder on top of a scaffold.

Miguel apparently works another job most weekdays, so he and Sherm will probably not be back until the end of the week to finish off the interior plaster. But we've got the final round of pigment ready to go, and they'll be able to pick up whatever else they might need in the way of Structo and Red-Top.

Tomorrow, Victor comes to start the work of finishing up the wiring. We'll also be calling to order the stucco for the color coat of the exterior plaster, which is slated to begin on July 7th, weather permitting. I also have to place a few online orders for materials, we need to get over to Olguin's (the local sawmill) to figure out which posts we need for the decking, and very soon we'll be heading to Lowe's and Home Depot to pick up tile for the downstairs and wood for the upstairs. There's a lot more to do, too, but I'm wiped and can't think of what it is right now.

Tomorrow, I should have more substantive info, and possibly better images, too. For now, I have to finish up here and get to work plotting out the order of the materials orders.

It's a nice problem to have.

Many thanks and much to love everyone for all your help getting us to this point.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Monday Photo Meditation: A World Transformed

Photo copyright Wings, 2017;
all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's a photo meditation for a transformative and transcendent season and the spirits who inhabit it. It's also a reminder that in a world transformed rapidly, often dangerously, there are still blessings to be found in its changes.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. As always, Wings's 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, 2017; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

The best kind of house-related post.

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

Your hint is in the tags, or rather, what's not in them.

Okay, okay.

There will be no request for link shares in this post. We have been blessed beyond belief this weekend. Avilyn's post sparked contributions beyond anything we could have imagined, and today, we were afforded yet another blessing by the universe: a loan arrangement that, combined with the funds raised, will permit us to finish off the construction under repayment terms that we can manage. I've already told folks to take us off various fundraising lists, so that no attention will be deflected from the folks on them who still need help. And we will, of course, be right there with everyone as soon as we can, giving when and where we can. It will be small amounts, true, but we will, as always, pay forward while we're paying back.

Yes, I've spent time weeping tears of joy and sheer relief. I'm still mostly speechless; I can't quite believe that I'm not just asleep and dreaming all of this, because it's been so elusive for so many years. But it is real, and we are blessed, and we are profoundly grateful to every single person who has helped us along the way, with everything from donations to art purchases to wishlist items to link shares to kind words and good vibes.

This is also a moment of celebration for me for the very simple reason that I won't need to write these repetitive fundraising posts every night. What I will do is post daily updates, so those folks who want to see the progress can do so. It's going to move very fast now, as fast as physically and logistically possible.

To all of you who have been with us the nearly two years of this process (and some of you, the nearly seven years we've been without a real home), chi miigwech and ta'a. You have given us nothing less than a life, one with a decent shot at health and safety, and there are not words in any of our languages to express to our gratitude adequately.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Love Creates

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's a work that summons small summer spirits to their work. It's also a reminder to us to do our own work, because for them, for us, and for the world, love creates.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries 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 Aji, 2017; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Still no words, but lots of activity lined up.

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

I still have no words.

Folks have continued to kick in, and come Monday, we'll be able to have the crew start work on some things we've had to delay up until now. Someone who owes us a sizeable amount is going to work it off by cutting and baling our hay, and they'll drop it on Wednesday. And today, our most recent sale cleared, which enabled us to pay for and pick up a materials order, and pay one of the guys for a day he worked early in the week (he's been off dealing with family stuff since then, but this way, he's paid up for the week).

Today was a very different day from yesterday.

We are mounting the next all-out push to get as much done as we can with the resources raised, beginning on Monday. Which mans that we'll both be swamped all week, but it'll be the productive kind of swamped, at least. And very soon, we'll have to run down to Lowe's and Home Depot to trade in gift cards for as much flooring as we can. In the meantime, if folks would continue to share the links on a consistent basis, we'd both be grateful. I know there are a lot of folks in need out there, but getting the sales and wishlist links in front of new folks will always be helpful (the Home Depot and Lowe's cards are especially useful, because they free up cash to go for labor and the materials that have to be bought locally, and a lot of those kinds of purchases will be coming up in the next two weeks). Here they are (it's all cut and paste):

• First, to donate, the PayPal link is here. 

• Second, for sales (which we really need to make, and I'll be highlighting some of his high-end stuff on the site this week), the link to Wings's site (preferably with a testimonial, if you have some of his work), because sales are gonna keep this thing rolling. 

• And finally, the link to our wishlist (which badly needs updating), with an emphasis on the Lowe's gift cards, because those are what will help us pay for all the stuff that will make this place liveable, like a water heater and flooring and so forth. A note here: To tile the downstairs, we'll need to go to Home Depot, which doesn't sell gift cards through Amazon; they can be purchased through the company's Web site here (and thank you to the generous folks who sent the e-card version a little while ago).

Many thanks and much love to everyone for getting us this far. Still a lot of smoke free-floating in the air, but tomorrow we're supposed to get rain, which should tamp some of that down again. And as I said last night, y'all have pulled me up out of complete despair and made me think that, yes, maybe we can do some more of this, after all. Thank you, from both of us, from the bottom of our hearts.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

A Summer's Love

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's a work that embodies the aerial genius of a small spirit of the summer wind and waters. It's a pair of earrings, aslant like Dragonfly's wings, articulated and animated by their own message, perhaps of a summer's love.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries 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 Aji, 2017; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Well, this is a fine turn of events. Literally.

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

Yes, an old photo, because my image issues are still not resolved. In fact, I was without my laptop, e-mail, almost everything all day long; major crash, after a week of constant intermittent ones. Partially handled but still a long way from fixed, so please bear with me.

The title up there. Yesterday, I was about as low as it's possible to get. Tonight? We can call the crew back, thanks to a whole bunch of people to whom we owe such profound thanks that I have no words for it. I have wept so many times this evening; sometimes tears are the only language of gratitude. This came about because Avilyn posted a diary on our behalf this evening, and Friday summer night notwithstanding, a lot of folks stepped in and . . . well, I'm just so relieved that in the very short term, we'll be able to pay the guys to finish the interior plaster (and some other stuff). 

Some folks put up matching funds, and people blasted right through that, and now someone else has put up a $1K match, and we're at . . . I think we're at $277 to go as of this moment, but best to double-check with Avilyn, because her math is more reliable than mine at this point. So please T&R and share her diary here, and our links below: 

• First, to donate, the PayPal link is here. 

• Second, for sales (which we really need to make, and I'll be highlighting some of his high-end stuff on the site this week), the link to Wings's site (preferably with a testimonial, if you have some of his work), because sales are gonna keep this thing rolling. 

• And finally, the link to our wishlist (which badly needs updating), with an emphasis on the Lowe's gift cards, because those are what will help us pay for all the stuff that will make this place liveable, like a water heater and flooring and so forth. A note here: To tile the downstairs, we'll need to go to Home Depot, which doesn't sell gift cards through Amazon; they can be purchased through the company's Web site here (and thank you to the generous folks who sent the e-card version a little while ago).

Many thanks and much love to everyone for getting us this far. As an added bonus, the smoke cleared up until the last hour or so, and so until now, breathing's been easier in the literal sense. But it's a LOT easier in the metaphorical sense right now. In 24 hours, y'all have pulled me up out of complete despair and made me think that, yes, maybe we can do some more of this, after all. Thank you, from both of us, from the bottom of our hearts.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Friday Feature: Seeds of Love

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's our Friday Feature, with a look at a work that allows us to follow Dragonfly's lead in pollination. It's one of my favorite small clayworks, one that permits us, like the small wingéd spirits of the summer wind and waters, to sow seeds of love.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the site's 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, 2017; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Enforced Hiatus

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

That's as far as we're going to get, apparently. We've canceled the weekend crew for the plasterwork; we'll be doing the same for the other two for next week. In fact, if nothing changes suddenly and drastically, we'll be canceling all work for at least a month, maybe more, and all we can do is cross our fingers and pray that we can get the crews back after that to finish it. They may very well have moved on to other jobs, and there's nothing we can do about that, because they need to survive, too.

To say that I am devastated at this point is a masterpiece of understatement. We needed to have it [mostly] done by late July, and we're not going to be anywhere near that point. we're probably not going to have any more progress on it between now and then. And we are stuck, for yet another summer (a hot and to-date especially smoke-filled one), in this toxic tin can, with no air and no circulation and no respite from the wildfire smoke or the heat. But after 20 months of this, I can't keep up the money chase. My health is suffering badly, and I don't want to risk Wings's health, either. So we go on as we have been for nearly seven years now, and while our health remains at risk, it takes the immediate pressure of paying crews off, even though we're stuck in the heat and the formaldehyde and the mold indefinitely. But I am not sleeping, my pain levels are increasing, and I'm getting sicker by the day, and it's the stress of nearly two years of all-out effort that's doing it. We are thousands and thousands of dollars away from moving in, and I can't do it anymore right now.

I don't know whether I'll continue to post this nightly or not. I'm so disheartened right now that I want to get away from it all, but we can't even get away from here for a day, so that's a fool's errand if ever there was one. I may; I may not. I just don't know. I do know that I don't feel like having a conversation about any of it right now.  I may just post links and leave it at that. Speaking of which, here they are, in the form of a copy and paste of what I said last night:

I am one month out from a big deadline and I have no way of getting it all done. Certainly not without shares, and not without raising a WHOLE LOT more money, whether via donations or sales. I am up against it now and at my wits' end, what little I have left, anyway, and I can expect very little sleep for the next four weeks. We need help, and badly, to make a lot of this stuff happen. It's not just the $2,500 for materials/labor next week; it's $1,700 for the electric, and ungodly amount for the flooring, $4K for the exterior top coat, and none of that includes the kitchen appliances and cabinets, water heater, or the disaster that is the septic system. 

Here are the links, because we are going to need shares every single day just to put a dent in it all. Please, PLEASE share them, consistently:

• First, to donate, the PayPal link is here. 

• Second, for sales (which we really need to make, and I'll be highlighting some of his high-end stuff on the site this week), the link to Wings's site (preferably with a testimonial, if you have some of his work), because sales are gonna keep this thing rolling. 

• And finally, the link to our wishlist (which badly needs updating), with an emphasis on the Lowe's gift cards, because those are what will help us pay for all the stuff that will make this place liveable, like a water heater and flooring and so forth. [Shout-out also to the generous person (tm, maybe?) who bought the molasses, which is how we medicate the horses, and to the three folks who sent Lowe's gift cards.] A note here: To tile the downstairs, we'll need to go to Home Depot, which doesn't sell gift cards through Amazon; they can be purchased through the company's Web site here.

Many thanks and much love to everyone for getting us this far. I'm sorry we can't get all the way there right now, and I have no idea how long it'll be before we are.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

#TBT: Fertile Visions and Love Medicine

Photo copyright Wings, 2017; all rights reserved.

It's #ThrowbackThursday at The NDN Silver Blog, with a look back some seven to nine years ago at a tiny messenger from one of Wings's signature series of collectibles. This one seemed to emerge from the spirit world carrying fertile visions and love medicine, dispatched by powers greater than our own to fly with the waters and pollinate the earth.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. This one sold years 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. Also 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 Wings and Aji, 2017; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Bad winds, but no rain. No time, either, & too many expenses. Shares needed, and badly.

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

Yes, I've used that photo before, too. Still no time to deal with the computer issues.

No time for anything, actually, but that doesn't stop anyone else for demanding labor (or money). I have gotten absolutely nothing done today that was on my list, and that's the same as the rest of this month, because no matter how hard I try, I cannot get 1) sufficient resources to turn people loose to do their thing, and 2) cannot get other people to go to do their thing and quit expecting us to do their work for them. Yes, I'm extremely crabby right now; I just spent the last hour battling bad storm winds (tornado weather that ultimately seems to be bypassing us, at least for the moment) that produced only a couple dozen raindrops. It managed to tear plenty of stuff apart, though.

I'm at the point where I'm losing my mind: We're so close, and yet so damn far from being able to move into the house, and every single second I spend in this toxic tin can is driving me that much closer to the edge. It's hotter than hell, dusty, smoky, moldy, miserable; I have no space and no useable, functional fixtures and appliances; and coming up and seven years of this is about six years too long. I have got to get us out of here, but we can't do it without other folks sharing our links. Because I have hours' worth of more work ahead of me, I'm cutting and pasting from last night from this point forward, and I really, really need people to share the links:

I am one month out from a big deadline and I have no way of getting it all done. Certainly not without shares, and not without raising a WHOLE LOT more money, whether via donations or sales. I am up against it now and at my wits' end, what little I have left, anyway, and I can expect very little sleep for the next four weeks. We need help, and badly, to make a lot of this stuff happen. It's not just the $2,500 for materials/labor next week; it's $1,700 for the electric, and ungodly amount for the flooring, $4K for the exterior top coat, and none of that includes the kitchen appliances and cabinets, water heater, or the disaster that is the septic system.
Here are the links, because we are going to need shares every single day just to put a dent in it all. Please, PLEASE share them, consistently:

• First, to donate, the PayPal link is here. 

• Second, for sales (which we really need to make, and I'll be highlighting some of his high-end stuff on the site this week), the link to Wings's site (preferably with a testimonial, if you have some of his work), because sales are gonna keep this thing rolling. 

• And finally, the link to our wishlist (which badly needs updating), with an emphasis on the Lowe's gift cards, because those are what will help us pay for all the stuff that will make this place liveable, like a water heater and flooring and so forth. [Shout-out also to the generous person (tm, maybe?) who bought the molasses, which is how we medicate the horses, and to the three folks who sent Lowe's gift cards.] A note here: To tile the downstairs, we'll need to go to Home Depot, which doesn't sell gift cards through Amazon; they can be purchased through the company's Web site here.

Many thanks and much love to everyone. I have to go back to work now; in for another long day, and very long night. I'm out for a good long while dealing with all this stuff.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Love Dancing

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's a work that embodies the small spirits who returned to us yesterday, a gift from spring outgoing to a summer already here. It appears with a work that, while not created to match, is nonetheless consonant with it both in style and in spirit, works suited to this time of planting and pollinating, of love dancing.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the site's 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, 2017; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Up against it. Please, PLEASE share the links.

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; 
all rights reserved.

That up there? That's not on the floor anymore. No, it's not a new shot; still having the same issues with space and memory and download. But it was all woodwork today, and except for a little bit with regard to the mouldings in the stairwell and my sanctuary space, and the trim on the west window in the same area, it's basically done. No Sherm today, though; apparently his kid was trying to keep up with the big kids, tried jumping out of a tree, and injured his ankle. So the plaster on the vigas is delayed.

Tomorrow is the first day of summer (and writing about the dragonflies the last two days apparently summoned them — they're here!), and I am one month out from a big deadline and I have no way of getting it all done. Certainly not without shares, and not without raising a WHOLE LOT more money, whether via donations or sales. I am up against it now and at my wits' end, what little I have left, anyway, and I can expect very little sleep for the next four weeks. We need help, and badly, to make a lot of this stuff happen. It's not just the $2,500 for materials/labor next week; it's $1,700 for the electric, and ungodly amount for the flooring, $4K for the exterior top coat, and none of that includes the kitchen appliances and cabinets, water heater, or the disaster that is the septic system.

Here are the links, because we are going to need shares every single day just to put a dent in it all. Please, PLEASE share them, consistently:

• First, to donate, the PayPal link is here. 

• Second, for sales (which we really need to make, and I'll be highlighting some of his high-end stuff on the site this week), the link to Wings's site (preferably with a testimonial, if you have some of his work), because sales are gonna keep this thing rolling. 

• And finally, the link to our wishlist (which badly needs updating), with an emphasis on the Lowe's gift cards, because those are what will help us pay for all the stuff that will make this place liveable, like a water heater and flooring and so forth. [Shout-out also to the generous person (tm, maybe?) who bought the molasses, which is how we medicate the horses, and to the three folks who sent Lowe's gift cards.] A note here: To tile the downstairs, we'll need to go to Home Depot, which doesn't sell gift cards through Amazon; they can be purchased through the company's Web site here.

Many thanks and much love to everyone. I have to go back to work now; in for another long, long night.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Red Willow Spirit: A Message That Feels Like Love

Photo copyright Wings, 2017; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's this week's edition of Red Willow Spirit, with a look at small, often mostly invisible indigenous spirits that serve as life-renewing messengers. Too long absent, they are slowly returning, and today, theirs is a message that feels like love.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. It's a combination of his photos and mine today, and as always, his 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 (especially now), so shares of the site links are much appreciated.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2017; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.