The parade of horribles that is every day now.

Photo copyright Aji, 2025; all rights reserved.

Look at that. The whole top section of the giant blue spruce is nothing but cones.

That's not a good thing.

This is a classic indicator of drought. And this is the worst I've ever seen on this tree; it's been getting fuller and fuller of cones for the last year-plus now, so that's saying something.

Just one more terrible thing in the parade of horribles that is every day now. 

It's been a rotten week. I had planned to spend only one day on errands and so forth, and instead, it's been two full days and counting, and my body literally feels like it's breaking apart. The pain is excruciating, and there's nothing I can do about it. And, of course, it was made much worse today by the arrival of the spring trickster winds. I supposed, given yesterday's 70-degree high, that it was inevitable, but it's killing the land, and it feels like it's killing me. 

At least a few members of Congress have finally gotten the memo that it's not acceptable to allow this horror show to continue while they just tweet that someone needs to do something. Too bad our own senators have neither courage nor convictions, since they'd both voted to confirm Nazis. As I said yesterday, we're both glad of the decisions that we made a good while back, the only decisions our consciences would allow. Going forward? For those types, not another vote, not another cent. Not ever. People in our communities are dying while they play good Germans.

Meanwhile, we have to worry about those communities, about our relatives [both of whom are disproportionately affected by this illegal "funding suspension"], . . . and about us. Last year was indescribably bad on pretty much every single front, especially sales. This year, already a month into it, and it's not appreciably better. I have GOT to make some sales, since we've had only two so far in this new year, and we're already in the second month. It takes at least one sale a week [sometimes more] just for us to break even on the year, and last year? We didn't even do half that. We're going to have to replace the well pressure pump, without question. Taxes are coming. My laptop apparently will have to wait yet another year [assuming I can keep this alive that long, which I can't assume for a moment, actually]. So now would still be a good time to buy. TONS of new and fabulous work on the site, and tons more on the way, too. But I've got to sell something, for the love of all that's holy. I won't survive another awful year like last year. Every day I wake up to pain that was worse than the day before. I also wonder what will happen to us if it gets so bad that I can't even do this much every day. Lately, that day is seeming like it's maybe not so far off now, and that scares the hell out of me. Today's pain level makes me worry that it might be nearer than I know, and I don't know we'll to do if that happens.

Links are here:

• Sales here; 
• Testimonials here; 
• Amazon wishlist here (Amazon cards are probably most useful at this point); 
• Patreon here;
• Ko-fi here.

After such a grim year, this one far worse than the last, we urgently need to begin 2025 on a better footing before taxes take every cent, so please share all of the links. 

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2025; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.                                                 

A Sacred Earth In Need of Renewal

Photo copyright Aji, 2025; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's a masterwork wrought in tribute to ancient styles and timeless symbols — sacred directions, sacred earth, and the winds arriving with a message that the world must heed. It's a talismanic work for dark days and dangerous times, one to inspire us and remind us of our obligations, for ours is a sacred Earth in need of renewal, and it needs us to act now.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the site's Contact form. We have enormous repair costs ahead and it's already February. We urgently need to get 2025 under way on a much better footing than last year, so shares are very much needed and much appreciated.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2025; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.     

Worse is that they're succeeding.

Photo copyright Aji, 2025; all rights reserved.

Red skies; no snow. 

It hit seventy today, and it was both lovely and also hellishly uncomfortable. It should never be seventy degrees here in February. Or in March.

The peaks are mostly bare of snow again, just gray tundra. And there's not really any real chance of anything more in the forecast for the next fifteen days. Meanwhile, all the stupid water-sucking overdevelopment and sky resort expansion and drought-deepening air traffic continue to increase apace. Bad enough that they're determined to kill everything. Worse is that they're succeeding, being enabled by those whose job it is to halt this crap.

Just like those genocidal monsters in D.C. We are living in a time of pure, genuine evil, and the response is not at all encouraging. Yes, some members of Congress finally pulled their heads out of their asses today and showed some fire in public, but the leadership is still its typical milquetoast Vichy bullshit. And every one of that crew needs to be ousted forthwith, and permanently. They're paid out of our tax dollars to do the right thing, and are too chickenshit or too compromised [or both] to bother, so we can't be bothered either. They made what should have been one of the hardest decisions of my life into one of the easiest ones with their cowardice and venality, and I am glad that we made the decisions that we did. Going forward? For those, not another vote, not another cent. People in our communities are dying while they play good Germans.

Meanwhile, we have to worry about those communities, about our relatives [both of whom are disproportionately affected by this illegal "funding suspension"], . . . and about us. Last year was indescribably bad on pretty much every single front, especially sales. This year, already a month into it, and it's not appreciably better. I have GOT to make some sales, since we've had only two so far in this new year, and we're already in the second month. It takes at least one sale a week [sometimes more] just for us to break even on the year, and last year? We didn't even do half that. We're going to have to replace the well pressure pump, without question. Taxes are coming. My laptop apparently will have to wait yet another year [assuming I can keep this alive that long, which I can't assume for a moment, actually]. So now would still be a good time to buy. TONS of new and fabulous work on the site, and tons more on the way, too. But I've got to sell something, for the love of all that's holy. I won't survive another awful year like last year. Every day I wake up to pain that was worse than the day before. I also wonder what will happen to us if it gets so bad that I can't even do this much every day. Lately, that day is seeming like it's maybe not so far off now, and that scares the hell out of me.

Links are here:

• Sales here; 
• Testimonials here; 
• Amazon wishlist here (Amazon cards are probably most useful at this point); 
• Patreon here;
• Ko-fi here.

After such a grim year, this one far worse than the last, we urgently need to begin 2025 on a better footing before taxes take every cent, so please share all of the links. 

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2025; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.                                                 

Red Willow Spirit: An Ancient Wisdom from an Ancient Land

Photo copyright Wings, 2025;
all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's an edition of Red Willow Spirit for days fifty degrees too warm and the attendant early thaw, and for the rich and impossibly ancient earth already showing through the remnant snow. It's two photographic images linked by a single phenomenal all-new work of wearable art, all of them reminding us that we have access to an ancient wisdom from an ancient land now.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. As always, his photos are available in any of the usual three formats; simply inquire via the site's Contact form. We have enormous repair costs ahead and it's already February. We urgently need to get 2025 under way on a much better footing than last year, so shares are very much needed and much appreciated.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2025; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.    

A short month, but a hard one.

Photo copyright Aji, 2025; all rights reserved.

The melt is proceeding apace, but the snow is lasting a lot longer than I expected in these temps. Which tells me that it must've been deeper out there than I knew [I never actually went out and measured it; just guessed by way of what the depth was up closer to the house]. 

Which is good. Slower melt means the ground can absorb more. It also means less mud, and with the dogs running around out there, that's always a good thing.

Speaking of dogs, it's the eleventh anniversary of losing our Big Guy, Major.  It was just a bit after noon on a day that was colder and somewhat grayer than this one; snow on the ground then, too. He's resting between his sibs under the giant blue spruce [the one that's still alive]. Hunter's and Cree's anniversaries are coming up in a couple fo weeks, too; it's a short month, but a hard one.

Made all the harder by the absolute deviltry going on in D.C. This is demonic behavior, pure evil. And for those who are paid out of a tax dollar to do the right thing, and are too chickenshit or too compromised [or both] to bother? Not another vote, not another cent. People in our communities are dying while they play good Germans.

Meanwhile, we have to worry about those communities, about our relatives [both of whom are disproportionately affected by this illegal "funding suspension"], . . . and about us. Last year was indescribably bad on pretty much every single front, especially sales. This year, already a month into it, and it's not appreciably better. I have GOT to make some sales, since we've had only two so far in this new year, and we're already in the second month. It takes at least one sale a week [sometimes more] just for us to break even on the year, and last year? We didn't even do half that. We're going to have to replace the well pressure pump, without question. Taxes are coming. My laptop apparently will have to wait yet another year [assuming I can keep this alive that long, which I can't assume for a moment, actually]. So now would still be a good time to buy. TONS of new and fabulous work on the site, and tons more on the way, too. But I've got to sell something, for the love of all that's holy. I won't survive another awful year like last year. Every day I wake up to pain that was worse than the day before. I also wonder what will happen to us if it gets so bad that I can't even do this much every day. Lately, that day is seeming like it's maybe not so far off now, and that scares the hell out of me.

Links are here:

• Sales here; 
• Testimonials here; 
• Amazon wishlist here (Amazon cards are probably most useful at this point); 
• Patreon here;
• Ko-fi here.

After such a grim year, this one far worse than the last, we urgently need to begin 2025 on a better footing before taxes take every cent, so please share all of the links. 

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2025; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.                                                 

Monday Photo Meditation: Sheltering Earth

Photo copyright Wings, 2025; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's a Monday Photo Meditation for days of early thaw and what the snow leaves behind. It's reflection of the nature of one of the great gifts of season and place, of the sheltering earth that protects us as literally as it does metaphorically here.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the site's Contact form. We have enormous repair costs ahead and it's already February. We urgently need to get 2025 under way on a much better footing than last year, so shares are very much needed and much appreciated.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2024; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.       

This is February now, apparently.

Photo copyright Aji, 2025; all rights reserved.

Still lots of snow this morning, but it's melting fast. A high of 56 will do that. It's supposed to hit around 60 later this week, and that's not good at all, but there's nothing we can do it about it.

This is February now, apparently.

The news out of D.C. remains horrifying. Also enraging. And the people whose actual, taxpayer-funded job it is to halt it? Busy tweeting about Super Bowl pizza prices, thrones, and their deep, deep concern worthy of Susan Collins's trademarked fakery.

Not another vote, not another cent. People in our communities are dying while they play good Germans.

Meanwhile, we have to worry about those communities, about our relatives [both of whom are disproportionately affected by this illegal "funding suspension"], . . . and about us. Last year was indescribably bad on pretty much every single front, especially sales. This year, already a month into it, and it's not appreciably better. I have GOT to make some sales, since we've had only two so far in this new year, and we're already in the second month. It takes at least one sale a week [sometimes more] just for us to break even on the year, and last year? We didn't even do half that. We're going to have to replace the well pressure pump, without question. Taxes are coming. My laptop apparently will have to wait yet another year [assuming I can keep this alive that long, which I can't assume for a moment, actually]. So now would still be a good time to buy. TONS of new and fabulous work on the site, and tons more on the way, too. But I've got to sell something, for the love of all that's holy. I won't survive another awful year like last year. Every day I wake up to pain that was worse than the day before. I also wonder what will happen to us if it gets so bad that I can't even do this much every day. Lately, that day is seeming like it's maybe not so far off now, and that scares the hell out of me.

Links are here:

• Sales here; 
• Testimonials here; 
• Amazon wishlist here (Amazon cards are probably most useful at this point); 
• Patreon here;
• Ko-fi here.

After such a grim year, this one far worse than the last, we urgently need to begin 2025 on a better footing before taxes take every cent, so please share all of the links. 

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2025; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.                                                 

A Healing Gift for a Slumbering Ground

Photo copyright Aji, 2025' all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's a work for the extreme conditions of a hard place and harsh season, and of the wildlands medicine that keeps our world alive. It's a cuff animated by a distinctly Indigenous Art Deco Spirit and set with an extraordinary stone, manifest as a healing gift for a slumbering ground now. 

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the site's Contact form. We have enormous repair costs ahead and it's already February. We urgently need to get 2025 under way on a much better footing than last year, so shares are very much needed and much appreciated.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2025; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.     

Not the right weather for February first.

Photo copyright Aji, 2025; all rights reserved.

A few more elk tracks on the north side last night [or, more likely the early hours of this morning]. You can see the lanes they made in the snow just beyond the ProPanel fence. There's still plenty of snow on the ground, albeit less than half of the total accumulation.  It hit something like 46 yesterday, and it's up over 50 today, so it's melting fast. Melting fast on the peaks, too.

Not the right weather for February first.

We're supposed to hit 55 tomorrow and 56 Monday, but if we're already near that now, my guess is it'll make it up to the 60s. That's not good [and that's an understatement if ever there were one]. But everything else seems to fall into the "not good" category right now, so why should this be any different, I suppose . . . ? There is a cop, complete with open looting, occurring right now, and no one with the possible exception of Ron Wyden is doing a damn thing about it. Congress is worse than useless; they're actively enabling all of this, so that they can be "collegial."

You know what's not "collegial?" Enabling a complete fascist takeover while people die.

It's bleeding over into everything. The USAID.gov site no longer exists. Elon musk has his people wading through everyone's Social Security numbers and more right this very moment.  Reportedly, their stupid fucking [faux] government efficiency agency [I refuse to use that little Nazi shit's favorite acronym] has minors wandering around on the payroll. And where is Congress? Oh, that's right: Voting to confirm more fascists.

Meanwhile, I have to worry about our communities, about our relatives. [both of whom are disproportionately affected by this illegal "funding suspension"] . . . and about us. Last year was indescribably bad on pretty much every single front, especially sales. This year, already a month into it, and it's not appreciably better. I have GOT to make some sales, since we've had only one so far in this new year. It takes at least one sale a week [sometimes more] just for us to break even on the year, and last year? We didn't even do half that. We're going to have to replace the well pressure pump, without question. Taxes are coming. My laptop apparently will have to wait yet another year [assuming I can keep this alive that long, which I can't assume for a moment, actually]. So now would still be a good time to buy. TONS of new and fabulous work on the site, and tons more on the way, too. But I've got to sell something, for the love of all that's holy. I won't survive another awful year like last year. Every day I wake up to pain that was worse than the day before. I also wonder what will happen to us if it gets so bad that I can't even do this much every day. Lately, that day is seeming like it's maybe not so far off now, and that scares the hell out of me.

Links are here:

• Sales here; 
• Testimonials here; 
• Amazon wishlist here (Amazon cards are probably most useful at this point); 
• Patreon here;
• Ko-fi here.

After such a grim year, this one far worse than the last, we urgently need to begin 2025 on a better footing before taxes take every cent, so please share all of the links. 

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2025; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.                                                 

The Blues of Life and Breath

Photo copyright Aji, 2025; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's a work for the magic of this week's weather and the mystery of when the water comes. it's a work to honor the great gifts granted to us here in recent days, the blues of life and breath that we are bound to preserve and protect.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the site's Contact form. We have enormous repair costs ahead and it's already February. We urgently need to get 2025 under way on a much better footing than last year, so shares are very much needed and much appreciated.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2025; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.     

Elk tracks.

Photo copyright Aji, 2025; all rights reserved.

Last night, Wings said, "I think our family might come to visit tonight." He meant the elk, and he was right. All those long, thin lines of tracks, look like runner tracks? Those are what elk tracks look like in the snow.

Actually, they were here by 11 PM, because the dogs asked to go out, and just as I opened the door I realized, too late, why — they both took off like a shot. So I grabbed the flashlight and turned it on the east field, and the beam picked up a pair of glowing golden eyes staring right at me. I do what I always do, greet them in the old language, tell them they're welcome here and to stay off the highway, and the dogs came back and the elk went on with whatever forage they were finding under the snow. An hour later, though, they were gone; I could hear some big engine rumbling constantly from somewhere, and that likely scared them off back upslope.

Yesterday was a hard day, between the weather and the medical stuff and getting home late and having to navigate a foot and a half of accumulation during evening chores, but at least all that's in the rear-view. We've both done some shoveling today, Wings much more than I, obviously, but most of what absolutely has to be done is done. And hopefully, I can spend the weekend getting caught up on a few things, because I'm certainly way behind now. Among other things, I need to get that new cuff posted; it's been done for about three days, and I just have had zero time for anything of that nature.

Which is not good, because I have GOT to make some sales, since we've had only one so far in this new year. It takes at least one sale a week [sometimes more] just for us to break even on the year, and last year? We didn't even do half that. We're going to have to replace the well pressure pump, without question. Taxes are coming. My laptop apparently will have to wait yet another year [assuming I can keep this alive that long, which I can't assume for a moment, actually]. So now would still be a good time to buy. TONS of new and fabulous work on the site, and tons more on the way, too. But I've got to sell something, for the love of all that's holy. I won't survive another awful year like last year. Every day I wake up to pain that was worse than the day before. I also wonder what will happen to us if it gets so bad that I can't even do this much every day. Lately, that day is seeming like it's maybe not so far off now, and that scares the hell out of me.

Links are here:

• Sales here; 
• Testimonials here; 
• Amazon wishlist here (Amazon cards are probably most useful at this point); 
• Patreon here;
• Ko-fi here.

After such a grim year, this one far worse than the last, we urgently need to begin 2025 on a better footing before taxes take every cent, so please share all of the links. 

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2025; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.                                                 

Friday Feature: We Welcome the Blues of Winter

Photo copyright Aji, 2025; all rights reserved.

It's our Friday Feature at The NDN Silver Blog, with a single old-style masterwork shown from four different perspectives. It's a traditional collar-style necklace with five separate pendants in one graceful, striking whole, all them combining to reflect the truth that we welcome the blues of winter, and the medicine they bring.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the site's Contact form. We have enormous repair costs ahead and we urgently need to get 2025 under way on a much better footing than last year, so shares are very much needed and much appreciated.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2025; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.       

#TBT: The Atmospheric Blues of the Storm

Photo copyright Aji, 2025; all rights reserved.

It's #ThrowbackThursday at The NDN Silver Blog, with a #TBT featured work that dates back seven months almost exactly, one of a group of five works commissioned by a dear friend. It's a hair cuff wrought using multiple traditional techniques and set with an extraordinary cabochon of royal lapis, in a design that embodies the atmospheric blues of the storm. 

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. As always, this work 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. We have enormous repair costs ahead and we urgently need to get 2025 under way on a much better footing, so shares are very much needed and much appreciated.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2025; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.       

Out of order again.

Photo copyright Aji, 2025; all rights reserved.

Yes, we got snow! Real snow. But combined with other things, it's made for a very busy and very late day for us, so everything's going to appear out of order again tonight. I'll get the easy[ish] things posted first, and the NDN Silver post [and its various threads] will be last.

We had our follow-up appointments today, which is to say, our initial appointments, because today was our first visit with the new practitioner since our doctor took over the administrative side of the practice for the year [and thus is not seeing patients]. She's our doctor's P.A., and she's wonderful, and everything went well and our appointment cycles are now back on schedule. Wings's numbers were also great, so that's always a good thing.

But occurring as it did in the middle of a day with this kind of weather, it's set my own work way back. They had predicted eight inches for our area, but we had that before dawn and then some . . . and it was still snowing. In fact, it was still snowing at 1:00 this afternoon; I don't think it actually quit out here where we are [above a couple of snow lines between us and town] until just before we got home, which I think was around 2:30. I know one area I measured this evening [after plenty of melting had already occurred] was 14", so I think we must have gotten around 16-18" total? Best snow in years.

Too bad it'll all be gone by the weekend. Yup. Supposed to hit 44 tomorrow, 56 by Monday, and I expect that almost all of this will be gone by sometime Saturday. Which means that everything will be MUD.

But it's better than these drought-driven dust storms we've been getting.

It's also a lot of work. You can see him up there plowing the gate area [which was buried under two feet of the stuff when we got home, courtesy of the snowplows on the highway]. both this morning and this evening required me to do some of the heavy labor that my body doesn't handle well anymore [sweeping snow, hauling firewood in this stuff, etc., etc.] and I am absolutely beat. Several subluxes to my hands and wrists later, it'll be a miracle if I get through all of the writing work I still have to do tonight.

But it has to be done, because I have GOT to make some sales, since we've had only one so far in this new year. It takes at least one sale a week [sometimes more] just for us to break even on the year, and last year? We didn't even do half that. We're going to have to replace the well pressure pump, without question. Taxes are coming. My laptop apparently will have to wait yet another year [assuming I can keep this alive that long, which I can't assume for a moment, actually]. So now would still be a good time to buy. TONS of new and fabulous work on the site, and tons more on the way, too. But I've got to sell something, for the love of all that's holy. I won't survive another awful year like last year. Every day I wake up to pain that was worse than the day before. I also wonder what will happen to us if it gets so bad that I can't even do this much every day. Lately, that day is seeming like it's maybe not so far off now, and that scares the hell out of me.

Links are here:

• Sales here; 
• Testimonials here; 
• Amazon wishlist here (Amazon cards are probably most useful at this point); 
• Patreon here;
• Ko-fi here.

After such a grim year, this one far worse than the last, we urgently need to begin 2025 on a better footing before taxes take every cent, so please share all of the links. 

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2025; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.                                                 

Actual snow.

Photo copyright Aji, 2025; all rights reserved.

Earlier and elsewhere this afternoon I used the phrase "roiling sky," and that up there? That is it, the very definition of the phrase. This morning it was all sky blue with bands of white fog around the horizon, then the stormy gray, and now? Now, actual snow is falling outside. And collecting. They said eight inches, and I still very much doubt we'll get anywhere near that, but if we have ground cover? That will be a very, very good thing right now.

One bright spot in an otherwise mostly terrible week.

I don't feel as flatly ill as I did yesterday, but I don't feel much better, either. We've both got medical bills, the cash out of pocket kind, coming up at the end of the week, but they're not the kind that will make any difference to my pain levels. I think there's probably nothing that will do that, short of being drugged into oblivion, and that's not possible for a whole host of reasons. But with everything else in the world being such unrelieved horror, I could do without the disease progression now. Yeah, I know; the Stones said it over half a century ago.

But there's an existential horror to each day now, the knowledge that the planet is being killed around us, that all manner of evil is being done at ever greater levels in our names and with our tax dollars, and the hopelessness of doing anything about any of it when our so-called leadership is so cowardly and venal. Right now, I also have to worry about us, medical and dental and other fronts, and most of all right now, about lack of sales, since we've had only one so far in this new year. It takes at least one sale a week [sometimes more] just for us to break even on the year, and last year? We didn't even do half that. We're going to have to replace the well pressure pump, without question. Taxes are coming. My laptop apparently will have to wait yet another year [assuming I can keep this alive that long, which I can't assume for a moment, actually]. So now would still be a good time to buy. TONS of new and fabulous work on the site, and tons more on the way, too. But I've got to sell something, for the love of all that's holy. I won't survive another awful year like last year. Every day I wake up to pain that was worse than the day before. I also wonder what will happen to us if it gets so bad that I can't even do this much every day. Lately, that day is seeming like it's maybe not so far off now, and that scares the hell out of me.

Links are here:

• Sales here; 
• Testimonials here; 
• Amazon wishlist here (Amazon cards are probably most useful at this point); 
• Patreon here;
• Ko-fi here.

After such a grim year, this one far worse than the last, we urgently need to begin 2025 on a better footing before taxes take every cent, so please share all of the links. 

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2025; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.                                                 

The Blues of Winter Storm and Shadow

Photo copyright Aji, 2025; all rights reserved,

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's a masterwork for the cold season, and for what we once could rely on as an elemental truth, that from the clouds, the rain [or snow] will fall. It's an extraordinary necklace wrought in an old traditional style and set with gems that are the Earth's own phenomenal artistry, all of the perfect for this that has brought us the blues of winter storm and shadow, in the company of real snow.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the site's Contact form. We have enormous repair costs ahead and we urgently need to get 2025 under way on a much better footing than last year, so shares are very much needed and much appreciated.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2025; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.       

It's been a terrible day.

Photo copyright Aji, 2025; all rights reserved.

Yeah, beautiful "clouds." Mostly not actual clouds, but whatever. It's been a terrible day.

Mostly because of the illegal acts of this illegitimate administration, which are terrible for everybody. But also because I've been sicker than the proverbial dog all day, my joints are seizing up in terrible, painful ways, and I've had to allow myself to be derailed repeatedly all day long onto other things, which means I'll be up working until midnight. Meanwhile, the wind is absolutely howling outside, so loud that we can hear it even through the adobe walls, and that's going to mean a lot more pain, too. 

There are so many things that need to be done in this country, and the only people willing to do them, it seems, are the ordinary people who are most at risk. In a country populated by people whose privilege means they can afford to pretend that "lack of being positive" is the REAL problem here? Well, let's see; today here it got up to something like 56 degrees when it should be no more than 16. The planet is being killed off around us. HUD, WIC, VA, Medicaid, tribal funds, research funds, all gone [yes, I know about the supposed injunction, and I also know these people think no law applies to them but what they want; who's going to enforce it?]. ICE is detaining Native people and refusing to acknowledge their tribal IDs as legit, all while their bosses are arguing in court that Native people are not birthright citizens, and the locals who voted for that evil motherfucker are busy screaming at the rest of us that we're liars, that none of it is happening, absolute fascist disinformation treated as fact. And I keep getting children in my mentions yapping at me for being insufficiently pure on one front or another, and I'm going to start blocking first and not responding at all, because I am sick unto death of the way people feel like they can speak to me without consequence. And not a one of them is doing anything except sitting there playing Internet edgelord.  I have fucking work to do.

And, of course, I have to worry about us, medical and dental and other fronts, and most of all right now, about lack of sales, since we've had only one so far in this new year. It takes at least one sale a week [sometimes more] just for us to break even on the year, and last year? We didn't even do half that. We're going to have to replace the well pressure pump, without question. Taxes are coming. My laptop apparently will have to wait yet another year [assuming I can keep this alive that long, which I can't assume for a moment, actually]. So now would still be a good time to buy. TONS of new and fabulous work on the site, and tons more on the way, too, including the ones I posted yesterday: a pair of dancing heart earrings at a lower price point than most of his work; an extraordinary new cuff set with an incredible giant specimen of violet-blue sodalite; and an equally spectacular old-style necklace, big and bold and created in a traditional four-directions design. That dino-bone cuff should be coming yet tonight, I hope [it's done; the problem is not having any time to do my own work today.] But I've got to sell something, for the love of all that's holy. We're already down three sales on the year so far, and that trend CANNOT continue again. I won't survive another awful year like last year. Every day I wake up to pain that was worse than the day before. I also wonder what will happen to us if it gets so bad that I can't even do this every day. Lately, that day is seeming like it's maybe not so far off now, and that scares the hell out of me.

Links are here:

• Sales here; 
• Testimonials here; 
• Amazon wishlist here (Amazon cards are probably most useful at this point); 
• Patreon here;
• Ko-fi here.

After such a grim year, this one far worse than the last, we urgently need to begin 2025 on a better footing before taxes take every cent, so please share all of the links. 

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2025; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.                                                 

Red Willow Spirit: The Sky's Deep and Sheltering Blue

Photo copyright Wings, 2025;
all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's an edition of Red Willow Spirit for a day rent by terrible news and the prospect of terrifying consequences to come, and for a world that must step up now. It's two images linked by a single all-new work of wearable art, all of them examples of shield and storm, power and medicine, of the need for us to be strong and brave beneath the sky's deep and sheltering blue.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. As always, his photos are available in any of the usual three formats; simply inquire via the site's Contact form. We have enormous repair costs ahead and we urgently need to get 2025 under way on a much better footing than last year, so shares are very much needed and much appreciated.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2025; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.    

No snow. It's fifty-three degrees. In January, at 8K feet.

Photo copyright Aji, 2025; all rights reserved.

Look at that. No snow. It's fifty-three degrees. In January, at 8K feet.

Haze from a fire somewhere, though.

No snowpack. That means no thaw. That means no water flowing into the watersheds in spring; not that "spring" per se matters, since these are late April/early May temps already.

They say we'll get a little snow Wednesday night into. Thursday morning, but they say that a lot, and the result is nothing, so folks will understand if I'm not convinced. We need the weather to break in our favor, which is to say, in the land's favor, because trees are dying around us daily, the soil is aridifying constantly, and it's literally killing this place.

I also need this week to be very much better than the last one [last several ones] on multiple fronts. Part of it is my complex of illnesses/conditions; my joints are getting very much worse, and it's been a rapid acceleration, so I also have to be concerned about organ damage now. That feeds into concern about being able to get things done, because i'm way behind on literally everything . . . and also about whether I'll simply be able to do things at all, and for how long yet.

The much greater concern, though, is about lack of sales, since we've had only one so far in this new year. It takes at least one sale a week [sometimes more] just for us to break even on the year, and last year? We didn't even do half that. So now would still be a good time to buy. TONS of new and fabulous work on the site, and tons more on the way, too, including the ones I posted yesterday: a pair of dancing heart earrings at a lower price point than most of his work; an extraordinary new cuff set with an incredible giant specimen of violet-blue sodalite; and an equally spectacular old-style necklace, big and bold and created in a traditional four-directions design. But I've got to sell something, for the love of all that's holy. We're already down three sales on the year so far, and that trend CANNOT continue again. I won't survive another awful year like last year. Every day I wake up to pain that was worse than the day before. I also wonder what will happen to us if it gets so bad that I can't even do this every day.

Links are here:

• Sales here; 
• Testimonials here; 
• Amazon wishlist here (Amazon cards are probably most useful at this point); 
• Patreon here;
• Ko-fi here.

After such a grim year, this one far worse than the last, we urgently need to begin 2025 on a better footing before taxes take every cent, so please share all of the links. 

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2025; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.                                                 

Monday Photo Meditation: A Hard Blue Winter Beauty

Photo copyright Wings, 2025;
all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's a Monday Photo Meditation for a midwinter's week that has begun amid far too warm and dangerously dry conditions. It's also a meditation on hope, for the snow forecast for the days to come, and for a hard blue winter beauty that these lands need us to restore to it now.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the site's Contact form. We have enormous repair costs ahead and we urgently need to get 2025 under way on a much better footing than last year, so shares are very much needed and much appreciated.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2024; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.       

More work under way.

Photo copyright Aji, 2025; all rights reserved.

More work under way. He's been trying to cadge every spare minute in the studio, but there are so many interruptions and derailments, always so much that needs to be done outside. I have the same problem, only mostly indoors, which is why this is as late as it is now.

What he's working on there is a cuff, one that will be set with a trillion-cut cab of fossilized dinosaur bone, and it's going to be magnificent. I also posted those new dancing heart earrings and the new giant sodalite shield cuff already today; with a little luck, I'll also have the photos edited and posted and the description written for the giant Four Sacred Directions necklace, and get that live, too.

It's all absolutely incredible work, and I need to sell all of it. 

I also need this week to be very much better than the last one [last several ones]. It was not off to a promising start; I did not get to sleep until the early hours of this morning, thanks to multiple subluxes in my neck and the attendant agonizing pain they cause. No, nothing works. I just have to wait until exhaustion kicks in sufficiently to let me sleep, so that at least I don't have to be consciously aware of it for a while. My joints are getting very much worse, and it's been a rapid acceleration, so I also have to be concerned about organ damage now.

And on top of everything else I had to do today [all the NDN Silver stuff, including the photography and descriptions; some printing; dishes and laundry and vacuuming and bringing in wood for the stove; getting the chile going for buffalo enchiladas for dinner tonight; running a mechanical problem to ground and then finding the right thing to order for it; on and on and on] I need to chase sales daily. It takes at least one sale a week [sometimes more] just for us to break even on the year, and last year? We didn't even do half that. So now would still be a good time to buy. TONS of new and fabulous work on the site, and tons more on the way, too, including the ones I mentioned up above. But I've got to sell something, for the love of all that's holy. We're already down three sales on the year so far, and that trend CANNOT continue again. I won't survive another awful year like last year. Every day I wake up to pain that was worse than the day before. I also wonder what will happen to us if it gets so bad that I can't even do this every day.

We need sales. We're already down by three on the year, and it's barely begun. Links are here:

• Sales here; 
• Testimonials here; 
• Amazon wishlist here (Amazon cards are probably most useful at this point); 
• Patreon here;
• Ko-fi here.

After such a grim year, this one far worse than the last, we urgently need to begin 2025 on a better footing before taxes take every cent, so please share all of the links. 

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2025; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.