Tuesday, June 30, 2020

Even the weeds are dying.

Photo copyright Aji, 2020; all rights reserved.

Even the weeds are dying early. Those things normally don't start turning red until October.

We spoke with our friend in local rescue about pups. There are some things in the works, although probably not before late July. IN the meantime, Esiban was back this morning, and Cricket is much calmer having a friend around even if it's only for a little while at a time.

Aside from that, though? Everything's terrible. And the load I'm carrying trying to keep everything balanced and upright is taking a toll by the day. No rain, and none in the forecast, and the ground is dry as bone. No rain of the other sort, either, and I don't know what I'm going to do come July, which is tomorrow, because forget the well problem, I'm running out of time to cover all of this other stuff. Wings dropped three new and fabulous pairs of earrings a few days ago and another last night; selling all four would cover one quarter's worth of taxes and about a half of the second (and both have to be paid by July 15th). There's also the plumber and getting the flues cleaned. I HAVE to come up with the tax money. That's non-negotiable. I have to bring in $3K in the next few days, or we're screwed.

And by August? Enough to cover the drilling of that damn well, all the pumps and piping, and construction of the well house.

I'm so tired, and I can't conjure money out of nothing. So much stress. So much pain. Just. so. tired.

WE. NEED. SALES. BADLY. So please. The links are here:
[Also, the wishlist is back in force. There are things I absolutely cannot get except through Amazon, and I can't add that stress onto all the others now. It's breaking me.] Please share everything. Thanks.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2020; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Red Willow Spirit: Backcountry Medicine

Photo copyright Wings, 2020;
all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's an edition of Red Willow Spirit to heal spirits in a time of danger and drought. It's a reminder, too, of the importance of finding that healing where we can, of honoring the land and its unoccupied space, of acknowledging and giving thanks for the indigenous gifts, for heart and spirit too, of backcountry medicine.

The post is here. Wings's main page is hereAs always, his photos are available in any of the usual three formats; to order them or the wearable art shown, simply inquire via the site's Contact formAnd, as always, sales are very much needed (In the next two weeks, I have to cover the chimney cleaners, the plumber, and the first two quarters of our taxes (this last urgent and immediate), and lay the groundwork for paying for a new well come August), so shares of the site links are much appreciated.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2020; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Monday, June 29, 2020

One More New Work Tonight

Photo copyright Aji, 2020; all rights reserved.

I've been saying that Wings has multiple pieces in various stages of completion on his workbench right now, several pairs of earrings plus a few other items. I didn't really expect these to be done today, but I have one more new work tonight. I've been waiting for these, anxious to see how they were going to turn out. They're fire, flame-colored spiny oyster shell in sterling silver. These are called An Illuminating Love, and you can read their full description here.

Wings's main page is hereInquiries via the site's Contact formAnd, as always, sales are very much needed (In the next two weeks, I have to cover the chimney cleaners, the plumber, and the first two quarters of our taxes, and lay the groundwork for paying for a new well come August), so shares of the site links are much appreciated.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2020; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Cricket can't be alone any longer.

Photo copyright Wings, 2020; all rights reserved.

Yesterday we saw Cricket happy for the first time in . . . well, in what will be four weeks tomorrow morning. No, the dogs have not come home, and after what's been essentially a month missing, we're losing hope. But yesterday, Esiban, the neighbor dog, came over to visit. [I have no idea what her given name is, but that's what we've call her; it means "Raccoon" in my language, for the little black bandit mask around her eyes. She answers to it.] Cricket raced around her in huge circles, literally bouncing with joy, and finally persuaded her to play chase with him. When we left to run our errands, he didn't try to follow us, because she settled down in the shade to stay. 

So. We're officially in the market for a pair of pups, one male, one female, to be his new little sibs. We miss them terribly, too, and it was so nice to have Esiban come bounding up to us, a wiggling little bundle of love, but she has a home (and a mate, and two adult pups of her own). But Cricket can't be alone any longer. [And when I say in the market, I mean we're looking for either a shelter pair or another pair that need rescuing; we don't believe in buying dogs when there are so many already in need of a home.] And if the best possible thing happens and someone turns Chinook and KitFox in for the reward? Well, it still wouldn't be the largest pack we've had here, not by a long shot.

Aside from that, though? Everything's terrible. And the load I'm carrying trying to keep everything balanced and upright is taking a toll by the day. No rain, and none in the forecast, and the ground is dry as bone. No rain of the other sort, either, and I don't know what I'm going to do come July, which is two days off, because forget the well problem, I'm running out of time to cover all of this other stuff. Wings dropped three new and fabulous pairs of earrings a few days ago (and I may have another pair or two to post today, or maybe not); selling all three would cover one quarter's worth of taxes and about a third of the second (and both have to be paid by July 15th). There's also the plumber and getting the flues cleaned. I HAVE to come up with the tax money. That's non-negotiable. I have to bring in $3K in the next few days, or we're screwed.

And by August? Enough to cover the drilling of that damn well, all the pumps and piping, and construction of the well house.

I'm so tired, and I can't conjure money out of nothing. So much stress. So much pain. Just. so. tired.

WE. NEED. SALES. BADLY. So please. The links are here:
[Also, the wishlist is back in force. There are things I absolutely cannot get except through Amazon, and I can't add that stress onto all the others now. It's breaking me.] Please share everything. Thanks.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2020; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Monday Photo Meditation: Where the Earth Meets the Sky

Photo copyright Wings, 2020; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's a photo meditation for the heavy, hazy days when the summer heat finally hits its stride and the drought deprives the land of rain. It's a reminder of the need to broaden our focus, to get out of the telescoped worldview that reduces our vision to the dot of our daily lives, and to see the gifts of this world from a panoramic perspective, out where the earth meets the sky.

The post is here. Wings's main page is hereAs always, his photos are available in any of the usual three formats; simply inquire via the site's Contact formInquiries via the site's Contact formAnd, as always, sales are very much needed (In the next two weeks, I have to cover the farrier, the plumber, and the first two quarters of our taxes, and lay the groundwork for paying for a new well come August), so shares of the site links are much appreciated.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2020; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Sunday, June 28, 2020

Rifts

Photo copyright Aji, 2020;
all rights reserved.

Ash and bone. That's what the land looks like now, cracking open into rifts like this. With no rain, all we can do right now is water the garden from the hoses and try to keep the wild creatures alive.

No rain of the other sort, either, and I don't know what I'm going to do come July, because forget the well problem, I'm running out of time to cover all of this other stuff. Wings dropped three new and fabulous pairs of earrings day before yesterday (and I may have another pair or two to post today, or maybe not); selling all three would cover one quarter's worth of taxes and about a third of the second (and both have to be paid by July 15th). There's also the plumber and getting the flues cleaned.

And by August? Enough to cover the drilling of that damn well, all the pumps and piping, and construction of the well house.

I'm so tired, and I can't conjure money out of nothing. So much stress. So much pain. Just. so. tired.

WE. NEED. SALES. BADLY. So please. The links are here:
[Also, the wishlist is back in force. There are things I absolutely cannot get except through Amazon, and I can't add that stress onto all the others now. It's breaking me.] Please share everything. Thanks.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2020; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Carried By Wings of Summer Light

Photo copyright Aji, 2020; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's a pair of works, sold as a set, wrought to honor some of the most important small spirits of summer, spirits notably absent now. It's a vintage-style ingot necklace and earrings adorned with freehand images of Dragonfly, here to remind us that we are still held aloft, still carried by wings of summer light.

The post is here. Wings's main page is hereInquiries via the site's Contact formAnd, as always, sales are very much needed (In the next two weeks, I have to cover the farrier, the plumber, and the first two quarters of our taxes, and lay the groundwork for paying for a new well come August), so shares of the site links are much appreciated.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2020; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Saturday, June 27, 2020

Lonely little dog.

Photo copyright Aji, 2020; all rights reserved.

Cricket is such a lonely little dog now. Every night, he cries to me for his lost sibs, and it breaks my heart because I can't fix it. We're going to have to get him a couple of young companions soon. He's lost more in his young and too-painful life than any dog should ever have to lose.

Not today, though. Not much of anything today; a massive migraine, and thanks to the pollen count with drought-resistant things blooming way out of season, my pain levels are so far off the charts that nothing touches it. It's humid again today, but again, no rain.

No rain of the other sort, either, and I don't know what I'm going to do come July, because forget the well problem, I'm running out of time to cover all of this other stuff. Wings dropped three new and fabulous pairs of earrings day before yesterday (and I may have another pair or two to post today, or maybe not); selling all three would cover one quarter's worth of taxes and about a third of the second (and both have to be paid by July 15th). There's also the plumber and getting the flues cleaned.

And by August? Enough to cover the drilling of that damn well, all the pumps and piping, and construction of the well house.

I'm so tired, and I can't conjure money out of nothing. So much stress. So much pain. Just. so. tired.

WE. NEED. SALES. BADLY. So please. The links are here:
[Also, the wishlist is back in force. There are things I absolutely cannot get except through Amazon, and I can't add that stress onto all the others now. It's breaking me.] Please share everything. Thanks.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2020; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Cradled In the Light

Photo copyright Aji, 2020; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's a work of shimmering surfaces and spare and graceful lines. It's a finger cuff wrought of hammered silver in anticlastic style to remind us the are always cradled in the light.

The post is here. Wings's main page is hereInquiries via the site's Contact formAnd, as always, sales are very much needed (In the next two weeks, I have to cover the farrier, the plumber, and the first two quarters of our taxes, and lay the groundwork for paying for a new well come August), so shares of the site links are much appreciated.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2020; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Friday, June 26, 2020

Destructive.

Photo copyright Aji, 2020; all rights reserved.

Those rotational winds the other night ripped down some of the smaller branches. They also tried to rip the roof off the studio on the north side, so that's going to have be re-nailed. Rain, though? Notsomuch. The drought continues to destroy everything: the fields, the land, the trees. The trees are browning; so are the vines. The fields are burning up. This is a destructive year.

No rain of the other sort, either, and I don't know what I'm going to do come July, because forget the well problem, I'm running out of time to cover all of this other stuff. Wings dropped three new and fabulous pairs of earrings yesterday; selling all three would cover one quarter's worth of taxes and about a third of the second (and both have to be paid by July 15th). There's also the plumber and getting the flues cleaned.

And by August? Enough to cover the drilling of that damn well, all the pumps and piping, and construction of the well house.

I'm so tired, and I can't conjure money out of nothing. So much stress. So much pain. Just. so. tired.

WE. NEED. SALES. BADLY. So please. The links are here:
[Also, the wishlist is back in force. There are things I absolutely cannot get except through Amazon, and I can't add that stress onto all the others now. It's breaking me.] Please share everything. Thanks.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2020; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Friday Feature: Held Aloft By Hope

Photo copyright Aji, 2020; all rights reserved.

It's our Friday Feature at The NDN Silver Blog, with a work by a friend who specializes in vintage-style carving, summoning the spirit from the spare lines of the stone. It's Eagle, beak open and tilted upward, perhaps seated before the spirits to deliver our prayers in a time when they, and we, and our earth itself are held aloft by hope.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the site's Contact formAnd, as always, sales are very much needed (In the next two weeks, I have to cover the farrier, the plumber, and the first two quarters of our taxes, and lay the groundwork for paying for a new well come August), so shares of the site links are much appreciated.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2020; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Thursday, June 25, 2020

Three new favorites just dropped.

Photo copyright Aji, 2020; all rights reserved.

I've been promising new earrings for a while now, and a three new favorites just dropped. [There may another pair or two later today, but they might not be done until tomorrow or Saturday.] These are called The Heart of the Rain, and you should see them on. Sterling silver and Bisbee turquoise throated heart cabs, with hand-made pendants.

Photo copyright Aji, 2020;
all rights reserved.
These are called Storm and Fire. This second pair is lapis/copper composite, with hand-made copper pendants.

Photo copyright Aji, 2020; all rights reserved.
The third pair is called Ribbons of Rain. Fitting for a pair of freeform ribbon turquoise cabs; the host rock is ever so slightly lighter than it appears in the photo, but the blue is more brilliant.

You can order any (or all!) via the site's Contact form. You can find our full current inventory starting with Wings's main page hereAnd, as always, sales are very much needed (In the next two weeks, I have to cover the farrier, the plumber, and the first two quarters of our taxes, and lay the groundwork for paying for a new well come August), so shares of the site links are much appreciated.




All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2020; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Trickster out of season.

Photo copyright Aji, 2020; all rights reserved.

Trickster out of season: Coyote, trotting casually across the land, rolling joyously in something before continuing confidently on his way.

Trickster weather last night, rotational winds and spiraling walls of dirt, but no rain to speak of.

Meanwhile, the drought continues to destroy everything: the fields, the land, the trees. No rain. No sales. No cessation of the pain that bedevils my every literal moment. And still no dogs, even though weve updated all the postings and are still distributing new flyers that are headed with the reward amount. No, we can't afford that, either, but what are we supposed to do, abandon them? They're family.

And over the next two weeks, and on into August, I have to find a way to cover some staggering expenses. This week, it's the farrier and the plumber. Next week, two quarters' worth of taxes, to the tune of some $3K. That one is nonnegotiable, and I don't have it. Then it's the chimney cleaners.

By August? Enough to cover the drilling of a new well, all the pumps and piping, and construction of the well house.

I'm so tired, and I can't conjure money out of nothing. So much stress. So much pain. Just. so. tired.

WE. NEED. SALES. BADLY. So please. The links are here:
[Also, the wishlist is back in force. There are things I absolutely cannot get except through Amazon, and I can't add that stress onto all the others now. It's breaking me.] Please share everything. Thanks.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2020; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

#TBT: The Shelter of a Summer Storm

Photo copyright Wings, 2020; all rights reserved.

It's #ThrowbackThursday at The NDN Silver Blog, with a work from some eight years ago that marked an elevation in Wings's style of freehand stampwork. It's also a piece holding much in common with yesterday's all-new work, one symbolizing all the protection and power of the rainy season and the shelter of a summer storm.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. This work obviously will never be duplicated exactly, but if the style speaks to your spirit, simply inquire via the site's Contact form; Wings can create a version uniquely your own. And, as always, sales are very much needed (In the next two weeks, I have to cover the farrier, the plumber, and the first two quarters of our taxes, and lay the groundwork for paying for a new well come August), so shares of the site links are much appreciated.




All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2020; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Wednesday, June 24, 2020

Storm fronts.

Photo copyright Aji, 2020; all rights reserved.

Storm fronts. Mostly they bypass us, but we got two short heavy rains yesterday, so at lest it's something.

But if we're going to get the howling winds and the thunder, we could at least be granted something that will keep things alive. The same holds true on the financial front now; a massive front of storms in the way of immediate expenses camped out on my shoulder demanding my attention, but no sales to cover them. 

Meanwhile, the drought continues to destroy everything: the fields, the land, the trees. No rain. No sales. No cessation of the pain that bedevils my every literal moment. And still no dogs, even though weve updated all the postings and are still distributing new flyers that are headed with the reward amount. No, we can't afford that, either, but what are we supposed to do, abandon them? They're family.

And over the next two weeks, and on into August, I have to find a way to cover some staggering expenses. This week, it's the farrier and the plumber. Next week, two quarters' worth of taxes, to the tune of some $3K. That one is nonnegotiable, and I don't have it. Then it's the chimney cleaners.

By August? Enough to cover the drilling of a new well, all the pumps and piping, and construction of the well house.

I'm so tired, and I can't conjure money out of nothing. So much stress. So much pain. Just. so. tired.

WE. NEED. SALES. BADLY. So please. The links are here:
[Also, the wishlist is back in force. There are things I absolutely cannot get except through Amazon, and I can't add that stress onto all the others now. It's breaking me.] Please share everything. Thanks.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2020; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

The Lodge of Summer

Photo copyright Aji, 2020; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's Wings's newest masterwork, with a full band of powerful motifs summoned from the surface of a solid sterling silver cuff. It's a bit of seasonal regalia of extraordinary power and beauty, one infused with the spirit and the way of ceremony and the lodge of summer itself.

The post is here. Wings's main page is hereInquiries via the site's Contact formAnd, as always, sales are very much needed (In the next two weeks, I have to cover the farrier, the plumber, and the first two quarters of our taxes, and lay the groundwork for paying for a new well come August), so shares of the site links are much appreciated.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2020; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Tuesday, June 23, 2020

Everything's dying.

Photo copyright Aji, 2020; all rights reserved.
Everything's dying. We were supposed to get rain today, which, so far, has translated to a dozen drops, maybe two. Meanwhile, the leaves are going yellow and brown (those that turned green in the first place; there are plenty that never did); the soil is dry as ash and bone, and I woke up this morning to witness a new round of lateral and colonial violence online leveled at a BIWOC who is now literally seeing her family endangered by this nonsense. It's rooted in an ugly and dangerous envy, an essential anti-Blackness, and a thoroughly colonized mindset that perpetuates anti-Indigeneity while pretending to be its opposite. People who believe their own hype, who think they can appoint themselves leaders? Our peoples have always known that y'all are the dangerous ones.

There's an ongoing example of that here locally right now, and it's inflicting colonial violence on Wings's people while it seeks to undo more than three decades of Indigenous labor for the benefit of white colonizers and other outsiders' personal gain.

No, I do NOT support your bullshit. I never will. Neither of us ever will.

Meanwhile, the drought is destroying everything: the fields, the land, the trees. No rain. No sales. No cessation of the pain that bedevils my every literal moment. And still no dogs, despite yet another reported sighting of Kit yesterday, and an hour spent searching that area, to no avail. Wings took our trash to the compacting center today, and he dropped off a bunch of new flyers that are headed with the reward amount. No, we can't afford that, either, but what are we supposed to do, abandon them? They're family.

And over the next two weeks, and on into August, I have to find a way to cover some staggering expenses. This week, it's the farrier and the plumber. Next week, two quarters' worth of taxes, to the tune of some $3K. That one is nonnegotiable, and I don't have it.

By August? Enough to cover the drilling of a new well, all the pumps and piping, and construction of the well house.

I'm so tired, and I can't conjure money out of nothing. So tired. So much stress. So much pain. 

WE. NEED. SALES. BADLY. So please. The links are here:
[Also, the wishlist is back in force. There are things I absolutely cannot get except through Amazon, and I can't add that stress onto all the others now. It's breaking me.] Please share everything. Thanks.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2020; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Red Willow Spirit: An Elemental Embrace

Photo copyright Wings, 2020;
all rights reserved.
Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's an edition of Red Willow Spirit for what is, in this place, perhaps a perfect summer's day. It's a tribute, too, to the gifts of this season's spirits — earth and sky, wind and water, storm and light conspiring to hold our small world here in an elemental embrace.

The post is here. Wings's main page is hereAs always, his photos are available in any of the usual three formats; to order them or the wearable art shown, simply inquire via the site's Contact formAnd, as always, sales are very much needed (In the next two weeks, I have to cover the farrier, the plumber, and the first two quarters of our taxes, and lay the groundwork for paying for a new well come August), so shares of the site links are much appreciated.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2020; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Monday, June 22, 2020

The tiniest leaves of hope.

Photo copyright Aji, 2020; all rights reserved.

All we have are the tiniest leaves of hope. That's the first of the squash.  If we do get rain tomorrow, it and the corn and the herbs may make it to the next hurdle. But there's a lot of summer left, and the extended forecast is terrible.


Our dogs are still missing. We're pulling out all the stops, everything we can do via social media, a MASSIVE reward offered with no questions asked, because they didn't run away; they were taken. And they're not the only ones. There's a huge spate of missing dogs over the last few weeks, and one family actually saw their dog being abducted from their driveway but couldn't get out there in time. Worse, it's a dog that needs specialized kidney medication on a regular basis, so these thieves? Are risking killing the dog with this bullshit. But something like a dozen dogs that I know of have gone missing in our area alone since the first of June. And the fact that the roamer, Cricket, was here and traumatized, but the two friendly ones were gone? Yeah, they were taken. And of course we can't afford it, but what are your family members worth to you? We'll pay it. 

And over the next two weeks, and on into August, I have to find a way to cover some staggering expenses. This week, it's the farrier and the plumber. Next week, two quarters' worth of taxes, to the tune of some $3K. That one is nonnegotiable, and I don't have it.

By August? Enough to cover the drilling of a new well, all the pumps and piping, and construction of the well house.

I'm so tired, and I can't conjure money out of nothing.

WE. NEED. SALES. BADLY. So please. The links are here:
[Also, the wishlist is back in force. There are things I absolutely cannot get except through Amazon, and I can't add that stress onto all the others now. It's breaking me.] Please share everything. Thanks.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2020; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Monday Photo Meditation: Beneath a Sheltering Summer Sky

Photo copyright Aji, 2020; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's a photo meditation for hot hazy days and a world on fire. It's a reflection on old teachings and the reassurance they provide, a reminder that we still live beneath a sheltering summer sky, and that safety, abundance, life are still possible.

The post is here. Wings's main page is hereAs always, his photos are available in any of the usual three formats; simply inquire via the site's Contact formInquiries via the site's Contact formAnd, as always, sales are very much needed (In the next two weeks, I have to cover the farrier, the plumber, and the first two quarters of our taxes, and lay the groundwork for paying for a new well come August), so shares of the site links are much appreciated.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2020; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.