Storm comin'.

Photo copyright Aji, 2025; all rights reserved.

Storm comin'.

At least in theory. Given what it's done most of the last few nights, I'd say it's a safe bet. Which is good, because the forecast predicts not much for the next week or so, which is bad.

None of it's helping with the pain that's ratcheting up daily, though, nor with the vicious cycle of insomnia. Two nights now with almost no sleep, five straight days of an unrelenting headache that is not a migraine, and the continual damage to my joints and connective tissue. I'm skipping tomorrow's chemo dose to try to get a handle on whether that need adjusting down [or up], and by tomorrow night, I might feel a tiny, tiny bit better, or I might feel very, very much worse. The way my luck goes, it'll probably be the latter, and I have no idea what I'll do then, because this is not sustainable.

Last day of an incredibly difficult month, and the biggest problem, one that now dates back almost six full weeks to June, is still not fixed. It's this stupid well issue. Wings finally spoke with the driller last Friday morning, and he says he should be out sometime this week, but it's Thursday now, and not a peep out of him. Just pray that the pressure pump holds out in the meantime. It's looking, feeling, and sounding worse by the day now.

And all that expense to come, whenever it actually comes, means that we still need shares, and we most definitely still need sales, several grand's worth of sales, until I can get everything covered that has to get covered. Which means I have to get caught up on the work somehow, but the problems we've had to deal with all year and the pace we've had to maintain are putting us both constantly behind. Links are here:

• Sales here; 
• Testimonials here; 
• Amazon wishlist here (current priorities are, first and foremost, the sly spray for Miika at the top, and secondarily the Soapbox soaps, which I can't get locally); 
• Patreon here;
• Ko-fi here.

After such a grim year last year, and the first half of this one at least as bad, we urgently need to move 2025 onto a better footing, because taxes to this Nazi administration have already tapped us out and we still owe more anyway, 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.                         

#TBT: Dusk Fire Falling From a Rainy Silver Light

Photo copyright Wings, 2025; all rights reserved.

It's #ThrowbackThursday at The NDN Silver Blog, with a #TBT featured work that dates back a dozen years nearly to the day. It's a pair of earrings that were the embodiment of one of this season's great gifts, of dusk fire falling from a rainy silver light, and became an object lesson in the blessing that is an unhesitatingly generous spirit, too.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. This work will never 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.  We have had huge expenses looming over us, including the replacement of our well tank  as soon as humanly possible [it was supposed to be (again) this week, but it's Thursday and still no word, so . . .]. We need to bring in consistent sales each and every week to cover it all.

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.    

To-do-list overload.

Photo copyright Aji, 2025; all rights reserved.

Beautiful morning. Those clouds rose, coalesced, turned blue-black, lowered again, and now have vanished. Supposedly we'll get real rain after 3 PM, but right now, everything that was building seems to have blown apart.

We did get a beautiful rain last night, though, an initially ferocious storm that then subsided and stalled overhead, bringing us intermittent soft showers well into the early hours of this morning. The land can breathe again, and that's always a good thing.

Now, if only I could do the same. Almost no sleep again, and when I did wake up this morning, my eyes were puffy and I'm sniffling and sneezing and coughing. It's the late-summer weeds flowering early, and so that means today is a steroid day. It also means the usual steroid headache, but then, my allergies have given me a constant, unrelenting headache the last three days anyway, so I might as well at least not be sneezing all the time.

Our nephew is here helping out today, which is also good. He's supposed to come back on Monday to help with more of the stuff that I can't do anymore. Meanwhile, I'm in my usual state of to-do-list overload, with no end in sight.

The biggest obstacle is this well problem. Wings finally spoke with the driller last Friday morning, and he says he should be out sometime this week, so I hope that proves true. But it's Wednesday, and yes, I'm counting, and no, we haven 't heard a thing. Just pray that the pressure pump holds out in the meantime. It's looking, feeling, and sounding worse by the day now.

And all that expense to come, whenever it actually comes, means that we still need shares, and we most definitely still need sales, several grand's worth of sales, until I can get everything covered that has to get covered. Which means I have to get caught up on the work somehow, but the problems we've had to deal with all year and the pace we've had to maintain are putting us both constantly behind. Links are here:

• Sales here; 
• Testimonials here; 
• Amazon wishlist here (current priorities are, first and foremost, the sly spray for Miika at the top, and secondarily the Soapbox soaps, which I can't get locally); 
• Patreon here;
• Ko-fi here.

After such a grim year last year, and the first half of this one at least as bad, we urgently need to move 2025 onto a better footing, because taxes to this Nazi administration have already tapped us out and we still owe more anyway, 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 Medicine of Light In the Dark

Photo copyright Aji, 2025; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's a masterwork for these troubled times, reminding us that the sun still shines in the dark. It's a necklace wrought in an old traditional design, simple, spare, and classically elegant, manifest as the medicine of light in the dark.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the site's Contact form. We have had huge expenses looming over us, including the replacement of our well tank as soon as humanly possible [Wings was told Friday morning that it should be sometime this week, but this is Wednesday, and still no word, so . . . ]. We need to bring in consistent sales each and every week to cover it all.

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 mix.

Photo copyright Aji, 2025; all rights reserved.

More work in progress, a mix of commission and inventory pieces. There are a lot more of both types in various stages on his workbench; the problem right now is getting enough studio time on any given day.

I've abandoned all thoughts of having time for the things I planned to get done this summer; it's more than half over, and I've been able to make less than zero progress because of everything else going on. The biggest obstacle is this well problem. Wings finally spoke with the driller last Friday morning, and he says he should be out sometime this week, so I hope that proves true. Tomorrow's Wednesday, and yes I'm counting. Just pray that the pressure pump holds out in the meantime. It's looking, feeling, and sounding worse by the day now.

And all that expense to come, whenever it actually comes, means that we still need shares, and we most definitely still need sales, several grand's worth of sales, until I can get everything covered that has to get covered. Which means I have to get caught up on the work somehow, but the problems we've had to deal with all year and the pace we've had to maintain are putting us both constantly behind. Links are here:

• Sales here; 
• Testimonials here; 
• Amazon wishlist here (current priorities are, first and foremost, the sly spray for miika at the top, and secondarily the Soapbox soaps, which I can't get locally); 
• Patreon here;
• Ko-fi here.

After such a grim year last year, and the first half of this one at least as bad, we urgently need to move 2025 onto a better footing, because taxes to this Nazi administration have already tapped us out and we still owe more anyway, 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: A Magical Last Light

Photo copyright Wings, 2025; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's an edition of Red Willow Spirit to honor the gifts of the summer rainy season that we used to have, and their more modest manifestations now. It's two images linked by a spectacularly apt work of wearable art, all of them the embodiment of this season's twilit mystery, a portal formed of a magical last light.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the site's Contact form. We have had huge expenses looming over us, including the replacement of our well tank as soon as humanly possible [Wings was told Friday morning that it should be sometime this week, so fingers crossed]. We need to bring in consistent sales each and every week to cover it all.

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.         

Just sound and fury.

Photo copyright Aji, 2025; all rights reserved.

That up there is what's overhead right now. So it appears that we will get at least a little rain, and right on schedule per the forecast. So far, though, it's only a few scattered drops; just sound and fury, albeit plenty of that.

Three days of no rain was enough to dry everything out and turn the grass to sharp spikes again. So I hope we get something more than just a lot of trickster wind. And I hope the wind doesn't take out the grids here, because we all know how absurdly unstable they are. If nothing else gets finished today, you'll know why.

I also hope we get this damn well tank replaced soon. Like, say, tomorrow? Wings finally spoke with the driller Friday morning, and he says he should be out sometime this week, so I hope that proves true. Just pray that the pressure pump holds out in the meantime. It's looking, feeling, and sounding worse by the day now.

And all that expense to come, whenever it actually comes, means that we still need shares, and we most definitely still need sales, several grand's worth of sales, until I can get everything covered that has to get covered. Which means I have to get caught up on the work somehow. He's got a lot in the works, both inventory and commissioned items, but the problems we've had to deal with all year and the pace we've had to maintain are putting us constantly behind. Links are here:

• Sales here; 
• Testimonials here; 
• Amazon wishlist here (current priorities are, first and foremost, the sly spray for miika at the top, and secondarily the Soapbox soaps, which I can't get locally); 
• Patreon here;
• Ko-fi here.

After such a grim year last year, and the first half of this one at least as bad, we urgently need to move 2025 onto a better footing, because taxes to this Nazi administration have already tapped us out and we still owe more anyway, 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: Breath and Power in the Light

Photo copyright Wings, 2025; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's a Monday Photo Meditation for a week slated to see the rains' return, and for the gifts of the First Medicines they will bring. It's an image that dates back some 18, to August of 2007, if memory serves, and a reminder that there is life in the water of the storm, and breath and power in the light.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the site's Contact form. We have had huge expenses looming over us, including the replacement of our well tank as soon as humanly possible [Wings was told Friday morning that it should be sometime this week, so fingers crossed]. We need to bring in consistent sales each and every week to cover it all.

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.         

Both kinds of rain.

Photo copyright Aji, 2025; all rights reserved.

Looks like a stairway to heaven.

Looked, rather. Now it's a much bigger cloud mass, but it's still all on the other side of the ridgeline. Nothing here for us today, they say, and I have no reason to doubt that.

That's all supposed to change tomorrow, with a week of monsoonal-pattern storms. I hope they're right.

And I hope we get both kinds of rain this week.

The last few weeks have been just a mess, and the pressures just don't let up. Wings finally spoke with the driller Friday morning, and he says he should be out sometime this week, so I hope that proves true. Just pray that the pressure pump holds out in the meantime. It's not looking, feeling, or sounding very good today.

And all that expense to come, whenever it actually comes, means that we still need shares, and we most definitely still need sales, several grand's worth of sales, until I can get everything covered that has to get covered. Which means I have to get caught up on the work somehow. He's got a lot in the works, both inventory and commissioned items, but the problems we've had to deal with all year and the pace we've had to maintain are putting us constantly behind. Links are here:

• Sales here; 
• Testimonials here; 
• Amazon wishlist here (current priorities are, first and foremost, the sly spray for miika at the top, and secondarily the Soapbox soaps, which I can't get locally); 
• Patreon here;
• Ko-fi here.

After such a grim year last year, and the first half of this one at least as bad, we urgently need to move 2025 onto a better footing, because taxes to this Nazi administration have already tapped us out and we still owe more anyway, 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.                      

There Is Mystery In the Light

Photo copyright Aji, 2025; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's a work for the rainy season to remind us that we are always held in the light. It's a pair of naja-style earrings set with luminous gray moonstones that possess a subtle but extraordinary color shift, shown from three perspectives to remind us that in the night, in the storm, there is mystery in the light, and medicine too.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the site's Contact form. We have had huge expenses looming over us, including the replacement of our well tank as soon as humanly possible [Wings was told Friday morning that it should be sometime this week, so fingers crossed]. We need to bring in consistent sales each and every week to cover it all.

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.         

Constantly behind.

Photo copyright Aji, 2025; all rights reserved.

Click on the photo to enlarge it, and look at that tree just left of center. Like a bunch of others around here, both across the highway and on our own side, the leaves are already yellow. It's not the "going gold" of fall; it's the drying dynamic of drought.

In a twelve-hundred-year drought [and one that's deepened from the 500-year version that has plagued this region all the way back to the mid-'90s], no amount of rain in a single season will reverse it, or even really ameliorate it. It's why we need those in authority and control to reverse course, but they won't, which means that this will only get worse.

Not something we need when everything else is so terrible, but here we are.

It's been a hell of a busy week [month, year], and the pressures just don't let up. Wings finally spoke with the driller yesterday morning, and he says he should be out sometime next week, and I hope that proves true. Just pray that the pressure pump holds out in the meantime.

And all that expense to come, whenever it actually comes, means that we still need shares, and we most definitely still need sales, several grand's worth of sales, until I can get everything covered that has to get covered. Which means I have to get caught up on the work somehow. He's got a lot in the wokrs, both inventory and commissioned items, but the problems we've had to deal with all eyar and the pace we've had to maintain are putting us constantly behind. Links are here:

• Sales here; 
• Testimonials here; 
• Amazon wishlist here (current priorities are, first and foremost, the sly spray for miika at the top, and secondarily the Soapbox soaps, which I can't get locally); 
• Patreon here;
• Ko-fi here.

After such a grim year last year, and the first half of this one at least as bad, we urgently need to move 2025 onto a better footing, because taxes to this Nazi administration have already tapped us out and we still owe more anyway, 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 Resilient Growth of Beauty and Medicine

Photo copyright Aji, 2025; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's a pair of pairs, traditional floral concha earrings manifest as glistening peyote and blue flax blossoms in the summer rain and light. it's a tribute to the gifts of this season here, in a land still blessed with the resilient growth of beauty and medicine.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the site's Contact form. We have had huge expenses looming over us, including the replacement of our well tank as soon as humanly possible [Wings was told yesterday morning that it should be sometime next week, so fingers crossed]. We need to bring in consistent sales each and every week to cover it all.

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.         

Glad it's the weekend.

Photo copyright Aji, 2025; all rights reserved.

First morning in a while with almost no clouds in the sky. They're here now, of course, in the afternoon, but not likely to bring us any rain here. 

Beautiful day, though, and I'm glad it's the weekend.

It's been a hell of a busy week [month, year], and the pressures just don't let up. Wings finally spoke with the driller this morning, and he says he should be out sometime next week, and I hope that proves true. Just pray that the pressure pump holds out in the meantime.

And all that expense to come, whenever it actually comes, means that we still need shares, and we most definitely still need sales, several grand's worth of sales, until I can get everything covered that has to get covered. Which means I have to get caught up on the work somehow. Links are here:

• Sales here; 
• Testimonials here; 
• Amazon wishlist here (current priorities are the Soapbox soaps, which I can't get locally); 
• Patreon here;
• Ko-fi here.

After such a grim year last year, and the first half of this one at least as bad, we urgently need to move 2025 onto a better footing, because taxes to this Nazi administration have already tapped us out and we still owe more anyway, 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: Watching the World Grow

Photo copyright Aji, 2025; all rights reserved.

It's our Friday Feature at The NDN Silver Blog, with a pair of works in summer blues and greens that seem made for each other, even though they were created entirely independently. Its a spectacular pendant and a slender cuff, both invoking a bird's eye view of watching the world grow.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the site's Contact form. We have had huge expenses looming over us, including the replacement of our well tank as soon as humanly possible [Wings was told this morning that it should be sometime next week, so fingers crossed]. We need to bring in consistent sales each and every week to cover it all.

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.        

One of *those* days.

Photo copyright Aji, 2025; all rights reserved.

One of those days. Which is why everything's late; everything took longer than planned, and we had several derailments along the way.

The one good thing that was not a derailment was finding Bodega open. It's a bodega, run by a local couple originally from Brooklyn, and it's got all kinds of cool stuff that we wouldn't be able to find anywhere else, so we stocked up on some things. It also meant that I got to meet one of local FB mutual-aid group members in person finally, and she's wonderful. 

Everything else today was just a mess, but at least we got some good food and seasonings out of it.

And I still haven't had a chance to try to track down the driller about the well tank, and that's a problem.

And all that expense to come, whenever it actually comes, means that we still need shares, and we most definitely still need sales, several grand's worth of sales, until I can get everything covered that has to get covered. Which means I have to get caught up on the work somehow. Links are here:

• Sales here; 
• Testimonials here; 
• Amazon wishlist here (current priorities are the Soapbox soaps, which I can't get locally); 
• Patreon here;
• Ko-fi here.

After such a grim year last year, and the first half of this one at least as bad, we urgently need to move 2025 onto a better footing, because taxes to this Nazi administration have already tapped us out and we still owe more anyway, 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.                      

#ThrowbackThursday: Growth, Even On the Downward Slope of Summer

Photo copyright Aji, 2025; all rights reserved.

It's #TBT at The NDN Silver Blog, with a #ThrowbackThursday featured work that dates back to separate points last year: spring, when it was commissioned, and fall, when, after much trial and error, it was finally completed.  It's one of two matching works in a set, necklace and pair of earrings commissioned by a dear friend to match specific outfits and other works in her extensive collection, along a gradient of greens and blues and purples that speak now of life and breath and growth, even on the downward slope of summer.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. This work will never 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.  We have had huge expenses looming over us, including the replacement of our well tank  as soon as humanly possible [we had hoped two weeks ago, then last week, and now we're at four and a half weeks with no word on the tank, so . . . ::shrugs::]. We need to bring in consistent sales each and every week to cover it all.

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.    

More work in progress.

Photo copyright Aji, 2025; all rights reserved

More work in progress. I think this one he's planning as a collar necklace/gorget. it could be a cuff, but it would only fit larger wrists, given the sizes of those stones. That's sodalite in the center, and azurite flanking it, imported from either Africa or India, I forget which.

No surprise; my brain has been absolutely fried all day. I would've thought that getting a decent night's sleep last night would've been enough, but nooooooo. Today's been a slog all the way through, and tomorrow will likely be more of the same.

I didn't even get a chance to try to track down the driller about the well tank, and that's a problem.

And all that expense to come, whenever it actually comes, means that we still need shares, and we most definitely still need sales, several grand's worth of sales, until I can get everything covered that has to get covered. Which means I have to get caught up on the work somehow. Links are here:

• Sales here; 
• Testimonials here; 
• Amazon wishlist here (current priorities are the Soapbox soaps, which I can't get locally); 
• Patreon here;
• Ko-fi here.

After such a grim year last year, and the first half of this one at least as bad, we urgently need to move 2025 onto a better footing, because taxes to this Nazi administration have already tapped us out and we still owe more anyway, 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.                      

From the Bluest Waters Grows the Greenest Earth

Photo copyright Aji, 2025; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's a work for the electric hues of the hot season here, and for the greatest gifts that summer can bestow. It's a pendant built around an extraordinary stone, a perfect embodiment of the truth that from the bluest waters grows the greenest earth.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the site's Contact form. We have had huge expenses looming over us, including the replacement of our well tank as soon as humanly possible [we had hoped two weeks ago, then last week, and now last week's over with no word on the tank, so . . . ::shrugs::]. We need to bring in consistent sales each and every week to cover it all.

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 one constant.

Photo copyright Aji, 2025; all rights reserved.

Today's gathering storm. When it finally hit, it was a real thumper, too. But the earth is happy, which means so are we.

It's also the anniversary of the day we met, all those many, many years ago. Hard to believe we've been together as long as we have; the years have just flown, and every year goes by faster than the last. But they're still the best years of our lives, for both of us, and whatever else happens, we have each other. That's been the one constant for a very long time now.

On every front, though, it's been one of those days where nothing has gone to plan; constant interruptions and derailments, all ultimately mostly to no avail, but that's the way is goes sometimes. Still no word on the well tank, so I have to make a concerted effort to run that to ground tomorrow, because this pump is failing fast.

And all that expense to come, whenever it actually comes, means that we still need shares, and we most definitely still need sales, several grand's worth of sales, until I can get everything covered that has to get covered. Which means I have to get caught up on the work somehow. Links are here:

• Sales here; 
• Testimonials here; 
• Amazon wishlist here (current priorities are the Soapbox soaps, which I can't get locally); 
• Patreon here;
• Ko-fi here.

After such a grim year last year, and the first half of this one at least as bad, we urgently need to move 2025 onto a better footing, because taxes to this Nazi administration have already tapped us out and we still owe more anyway, 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 Land Where the Blue Corn Grows

Photo copyright Wings, 2025;
all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's an edition of Red Willow Spirit for the very heart of summer here, and for its gifts of sustenance and medicine. It's two related images linked by a perfectly apt work of wearable art, all of them reminders that we are blessed to live in the land where the blue corn grows.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the site's Contact form. We have had huge expenses looming over us, including the replacement of our well tank as soon as humanly possible [we had hoped two weeks ago, then last week, and now last week's over with no word on the tank, so . . . ::shrugs::]. We need to bring in consistent sales each and every week to cover it all.

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.   

*Bright* today.

Photo copyright Aji, 2025; all rights reserved.

It's bright today. Not so great when you've had zero sleep. My eyes are so puffy; big dark circles underneath them.

Yup. Zip; zero; nada; not a single second's worth of sleep. Three of the last four nights have just been an insomniac nightmare. Part of it's pain, sure, but most of it is just the way autoimmune disease rewires my brain so that it literally can't fall asleep.

And I am so, so tired.

No word on the tank. No word on Wings's helper, who was supposed to be here an hour ago. I hope none of this is an omen for the week, because the last several have been bad enough already; we don't need another one.

And all that expense to come, whenever it actually comes, means that we still need shares, and we most definitely still need sales, several grand's worth of sales, until I can get everything covered that has to get covered. Which means I have to get caught up on the work somehow. Links are here:

• Sales here; 
• Testimonials here; 
• Amazon wishlist here (current priorities are the Soapbox soaps, which I can't get locally); 
• Patreon here;
• Ko-fi here.

After such a grim year last year, and the first half of this one at least as bad, we urgently need to move 2025 onto a better footing, because taxes to this Nazi administration have already tapped us out and we still owe more anyway, 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: Of Birth and Growth and Life Sustained

Photo copyright Wings, 2025;
all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's a Monday Photo Meditation for the very heart of the summer growing season, and for the gift of The First Sister. It's an image that dates back between 17 and 20 years ago [pushed, I'd say July of 2007], one of a small series that Wings shot on film depicting that symbol of birth and growth and life sustained in tangible form.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the site's Contact form. We have had huge expenses looming over us, including the replacement of our well tank as soon as humanly possible [we had hoped two weeks ago, then last week, and now last week's over with no word on the tank, so . . . ::shrugs::]. We need to bring in consistent sales each and every week to cover it all.

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.    

Present Growth and Future Abundance

Photo copyright Aji, 2025; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's an all-new work by Wings completed just today, one to honor the gifts and goals of the growing season. It's one of three new entries in his series of gemstone-bead earrings, this one a tribute to the worldviews and work handed down to us, ways that ensure present growth and future abundance.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the site's Contact form. We have had huge expenses looming over us, including the replacement of our well tank as soon as humanly possible [we had hoped two weeks ago, then last week, and now last week's over with no word on the tank, so . . . ::shrugs::]. We need to bring in consistent sales each and every week to cover it all.

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.        

There are days, and then there are *days*.

Photo copyright Aji, 2025; all rights reserved.

That was this morning; those clouds are much bigger now. Much grayer, too. In theory, we're supposed to get rain after 4 PM; we'll see. For now, it's just hot.

::Sigh:: there are days, and then there are days.

This whole year has seemed like the latter kind. Today was guaranteed to go sideways because for the second time in three days, I'm operating on no sleep. No, it's not anything that can be fixed; it's what this disease does. But it means that all the things I was going to get caught up on today? Yeah, no. 

Then again, it's been nonstop bullshit all day anyway. I've been running [hobbling, but whatever] enough that I didn't even get to finish my coffee. No wonder I feel like shit. And yes, everything's out of order today, because Wings is trying to finish up two more pairs of the new earrings [plus a gorget he's had in process for weeks, which will be several days yet], and he got to the end of the second pair, and had to redrill some of the beads. When they're commercially drilled, it seems reasonable to me to expect them all to have roughly the same size holes, enough to hold that very thin wire, but apparently not. So now I have lapis dust ground into the cracks of my hands from helping hold them [so does he, for that matter]. But it's put us both way behind on everything today, because one of those pairs is [theoretically, anyway] going to be today's feature.

I also got fed up and rejected 8 or 9 requests to join the local mutual-aid group, because people apparently think the rules don't apply to them, and wow, did they ever pick the wrong person to try that bullshit on, especially right now. There are three short questions to establish residency and intent, and a requirement to agree to the rules. It's not onerous. But they seem to think that I'll pass them on through without doing that bare minimum, and fuck that, because besides being disrespectful of me, my time, and my work, I don't have time to chase down whether they live here or not [it's open to locals only], and I'm not going to borrow problems by letting people pretend they're exempt from the rules right off the bat. And if you're reading this and getting pissed off because you're one of them? I do this ALL VOLUNTEER.  I don't get paid a cent; it fucking costs me money and time. So sit down. [I've only ever removed one person, for repeatedly violating them in the course of a single argumentative attempt to force me to let her continue to violate them. One person out of now more than 400 is not a bad record for nine months.]

Today is also the 18th anniversary of the day my father walked on, and that's one more thing to make this a difficult day. If you know me at all well, you how . . . problematic he was. And this is just one more reminder of a lot of stuff I'd really rather not remember. God, this fucking day . . . .

And, of course, the new replacement well pressure pump is still failing, and of course, no word on the tank, never mind when they'll be out to dig, and I'm at my wits' fucking end. It's been over a month. Now I have to worry about losing water again on top of all the scheduling, and I've spent the last four weeks chasing people around to organize everything related to it, and I'm tired. Add no sleep, repeatedly, and the constant accelerating pain, and what I was so hoping would be a good start to a good week is exactly the opposite.

And all that expense to come, whenever it actually comes, means that we still need shares, and we most definitely still need sales, several grand's worth of sales, until I can get everything covered that has to get covered. Which means I have to get caught up on the work somehow. Links are here:

• Sales here; 
• Testimonials here; 
• Amazon wishlist here (current priorities are the Soapbox soaps, which I can't get locally); 
• Patreon here;
• Ko-fi here.

After such a grim year last year, and the first half of this one at least as bad, we urgently need to move 2025 onto a better footing, because taxes to this Nazi administration have already tapped us out and we still owe more anyway, 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.                     

Sometimes, you get a breakthrough.

Photo copyright Aji, 2025; all rights reserved.

Well, it's raining again. Hard. The way the forecast holds and yet doesn't has been  strange this week; originally, it was for a brief light shower after four, and instead, it's been rainign heavily almost nonstop for the last hour.

Unexpected things sometimes turn out to be good.

Speaking of unexpected, sometimes, you get a breakthrough. That up there? That's Cricket, our feral . . . locked up inside the dog run for the first time ever. And the kicker? He went into on his own. This is a massive development for him. 

It came about because we needed to lock up the pups for a few minutes; not long; maybe 20-30 tops. Happens when we're going somewhere, or when someone's coming over, or when we need to have the gate open temporarily for whatever reason. [It's also bigger than what you see here.] Anyway, when that happens, all I do is say "Dog run!" and Sunny and Stormy run right over into it. They love it; it's one of their safe spaces, they have plenty of shade [and warmth in the winter] and everything they need, and they also know it generally means a Milk Bone or jerky treat will be materializing momentarily. This time? Cricket went in, too, right after Sunny but before Stormy.

And he let me lock him in.

He looks grumpy in the photo, but he's actually just giving me that stare that says, "Okay, I'm trusting you, so everything better be fine." And it was! He also let me walk much closer to him than he usually does twice today, without flinching or running away. It's only taken 7.5 years. [Which is not to say that he's going to start letting me pet him suddenly, or come in the house and be a lap dog. But for this poor traumatized boy, this is a big breakthrough.] 

Now, if we could just get a breakthrough in a few other things, like the well tank. no, no word yet; I'm seriously hoping that changes on Monday, because today is a month since it failed and Monday will be a month since he was out here to replace the pressure pump temporarily.

At least I'm a bit more mobile today.

But of course, all that expense to come, whenever it actually comes, means that we still need shares, and we most definitely still need sales, several grand's worth of sales, until I can get everything covered that has to get covered. Which means I have to get caught up on the work somehow. Links are here:

• Sales here; 
• Testimonials here; 
• Amazon wishlist here (current priorities are the Soapbox soaps, which I can't get locally); 
• Patreon here;
• Ko-fi here.

After such a grim year last year, and the first half of this one at least as bad, we urgently need to move 2025 onto a better footing, because taxes to this Nazi administration have already tapped us out and we still owe more anyway, 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.