Stubbornness and spite.

Photo copyright Aji, 2021;
all rights reserved.

When you find your match in the wild raspberry patch.

One small patch had worked its way under the fence and begun to grow up among the logs at the edge of the woodpile. Up until now it's been just stalks, leaves, and hard pale buds, no fruit, but that had all changed by yesterday. They're as stubborn as I am, apparently.

In a world that keeps trying to kill us all, stubbornness and spite is keeping us, and the earth, alive.

But it's not enough. This messed-up system of social control requires a lot more resources than are available to the likes of us. We've spent last night and today scrounging every spare penny from every available source (and borrowing some of it from another relative) to give to an elder who has to keep a heart appointment in Santa Fe tomorrow and had no way to pay for it. Wings is on his way back from taking the funds to him as I write this.

That doesn't include what we will need to get out of this month, because bills are still due, including my medical loan, quarterly taxes, and so much else, and the last round of aid to folks in our community last week wiped us out. And then there's the well. Everything's dying around us, and that's literally the only way we're going to save it.

But even apart from the well, if we don't make some sales, we don't even make it out of this month in one piece. The relatives part of it has had us entirely tapped out in the first week of this month. Given that my pain has reached such a disabling point that some days I can barely walk, there's not much I can do to bring in anything except chase sales online. I posted 4 pairs of silverwork earrings on social media last night, but completely forgot to post them here, so I'll be getting to that shortly. Sunday night I posted Wings's newest pair of silver-and-stone earrings and one complete group (necklace/earrings/coil) of gemstone bead jewelry; they're all fabulous, and you can see them all here. Monday, I posted the second three-piece gemstone bead collection, which you can see here; later tonight, I should have his three new silverwork earrings pairs posted. He also  has five new pieces that I posted last Monday: three Warrior Woman pins, two absolutely incredible new cuffs. If I could sell them, or any combination of any of his other newish pieces, it would get us out of this month. If I could sell one of the big ones, like one of the belts, maybe I could get us on the drill list. But I've got way too much to do and too few hours and other resources to do it. I am so tired, all the time, but the quarterly taxes coming due, AND I have to cover at least my eye stuff (which will set me back a smooth grand before I'm done, since I need new lenses and so forth besides), because this is a drug that can take your vision if you happen to be one who is genetically susceptible, and we won't know the answer to that until I can get the testing done. All of that means that I have to bring in some sales now, and FAST. We won't make it through this month otherwise; we're already down to the bone. 

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

Anyway, links are here:

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

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

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