A squall.

Photo copyright Aji, 2026; all rights reserved.

That was this evening. They said rain around 7 PM, and we didn't believe them. We got it, though. It was a squall, most wind than rain, but it produced some spectacular clouds, and for the last evening of Pride, a beautiful double rainbow.

It's been a day, and every single thing has taken several times as long as it should have, and I'm late on everything as a result, on my heaviest work day. The guys weren't here today [one had an appointment], which was why I was hoping to get some tings done, but nope. And they'll be here bright and early tomorrow, so it all starts right back up again.

So far behind, and my pain levels are off the charts. That stupid rotator cuff is back out of place, as is the muscle attached to it, and the pain is excruciating. My hips are the same, and my thoracic spine. The permanently-dislocated joints in my feet are making standing and walking an absolute nightmare, and I don't have time for any of it, but I also don't have a choice.

I've also got to bring in enough sales to cover all this repair work, and I can't do that if I can't actually focus on my work. I've actually got to bring in a lot more sales than I expected us to need at this particular moment. And we can still use help with shares, testimonials, wishlist stuff I can't get to yet, etc. To that end, links are here:

• Sales here; 
• Testimonials here; 
• Amazon wishlist here [the current remaining priorities are the LaminaSaver for Miika, and the Farnam fly spray, which is the very last item on the list as it displays here, despite being "highest" priority, so go figure];
• Patreon here;
• Ko-fi here.

And we do still need to make those regular weekly sales, so please share all of the links. We really do need to get this year onto a better footing than the last two, a year that, so far, has been very grim.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2026; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Red Willow Spirit: The Elemental Blue of a Stormy Summer Sky

Photo copyright Wings, 2026; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's an edition of Red Willow Spirit for all the power and beauty of midsummer here, for its gifts, and for its medicine. It's two images from some 19 years ago, linked by a single work of wearable art that suits them beautifully, all reminding us of the power of the elemental blue of a stormy summer sky.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the site's Contact form. We still have to ensure that we break even on the year, and that begins with a minimum of one sale a week, without fail.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2026; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Mad doves.

Photo copyright Aji, 2026; all rights reserved.

 

You've heard of mad dogs and Englishmen, but you've never heard of mad doves. Welp. We got 'em.

Actually, they're just squinting into the sun and haze and wind, trying to keep their balance, but it makes them look furious. Of course, we get avian fury routinely here, birds squabbling over seed or suet, fledglings demanding to be fed, and this evening, a screaming hawk protecting us all from a threat.  If you're a subscriber, you'll find out what that means later.

Today's been a zoo. I've gotten a lot done and yet none of it's ever enough. tomorrow will be more of the same. And in truth, I've got to bring in a lot more sales than I expected us to need at this particular moment. And we can still use help with shares, testimonials, wishlist stuff I can't get to yet, etc. To that end, links are here:

• Sales here; 
• Testimonials here; 
• Amazon wishlist here [the current remaining priorities are the LaminaSaver for Miika, and the Farnam fly spray, which is the very last item on the list as it displays here, despite being "highest" priority, so go figure];
• Patreon here;
• Ko-fi here.

And we do still need to make those regular weekly sales, so please share all of the links. We really do need to get this year onto a better footing than the last two, a year that, so far, has been very grim.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2026; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Monday Photo Meditation: A Gathering Storm In an Indigo Sky

Photo copyright Wings, 2026; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's a Monday Photo Meditation for these hot, dry, windy days that feel nothing like summer should be here now. It's an image that dates back 19 years, if memory serves, to July of 2007 and a panoramic shot of a gathering storm in an indigo sky.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the site's Contact form. We still have to ensure that we break even on the year, and that begins with a minimum of one sale a week, without fail.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2026; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Not clouds.

Photo copyright Aji, 2026; all rights reserved..

That heavy white band behind the trees? Not clouds.

Nope; that's the smoke plume from the latest area wildfire, which has absolutely exploded this weekend thanks to these trickster winds.

And it's been a lousy day thanks to those winds; there is no weather phenomenon that jacks my symptoms into the stratosphere as thoroughly as high winds. I've spent the entire feeling half-dead, trying to slog through all my work and failing miserably because of it. I've only begun to feel even marginally functional in the past quarter-hour or so, and that's only because the wind is finally dying down [but not gone completely].

And I'm so dreading tomorrow, when the pace starts up again and none of my time will be my own because everybody else will expect me to be available at any given moment for . . . what? whatever. It doesn't matter; it never matters. My work only pays the bills, but it never matters enough for anyone to show it enough respect to let me do it. And in truth, I've got to bring in a lot more sales than I expected us to need at this particular moment. And we can still use help with shares, testimonials, wishlist stuff I can't get to yet, etc. To that end, links are here:

• Sales here; 
• Testimonials here; 
• Amazon wishlist here [the current remaining priorities are the LaminaSaver for Miika, and the Farnam fly spray, which is the very last item on the list as it displays here, despite being "highest" priority, so go figure];
• Patreon here;
• Ko-fi here.

And we do still need to make those regular weekly sales, so please share all of the links. We really do need to get this year onto a better footing than the last two, a year that, so far, has been very grim.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2026; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

 

Blue Skies and Wind, Petals and Light

Photo copyright Aji, 2026; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's a work for the arrival of full summer and of the wildflowers we are missing now, like the anemones they call daughters of the wind. It's a pair of earrings hand-milled in a floral pattern, red brass the perfect gently glowing backdrop for sponge coral, together manifest as summer's blue skies and wind, petals and light.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the site's Contact form. We still have to ensure that we break even on the year, and that begins with a minimum of one sale a week, without fail.

 

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2026; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Very different view.

Photo copyright Aji, 2026; all rights reserved.

Very different view compared to this time yesterday. No rain today, and one in the forecast, either. Unfortunately, what we do have is lots of wind, high winds, and plenty of dust and dirt and pollen.

And smoke. 

You can't see the smoke in that view, but it's behind us to the west. There's a new fire start, apparently, near Hopewell Lake. With winds like these, that's a very bad thing. And tomorrow, of course, is supposed to be more of the same. There's a complete burn ban in the count right now, but people always think they should be exempt. And no, it's not going to have been lightning, not there and not today.The vast majority of wildfires here are human-caused. 

Apparently Utah is fast burning to a cinder; I read that they have had 355 separate wildfire starts this fire season alone, counting through last night. Compared to them, we're lucky, I guess.

Which is good, because neither of us has the time for dealing with staving one off now. I mean, there's never a good time for that, but some are less so than others, and this falls into the "less so" category by a good mile. I've got too much to get caught up, and so does he, and he's got new stuff in the works, too. And in truth, I've got to bring in a lot more sales than I expected us to need at this particular moment. And we can still use help with shares, testimonials, wishlist stuff I can't get to yet, etc. To that end, links are here:

• Sales here; 
• Testimonials here; 
• Amazon wishlist here [the current remaining priorities are the LaminaSaver for Miika, and the Farnam fly spray, which is the very last item on the list as it displays here, despite being "highest" priority, so go figure];
• Patreon here;
• Ko-fi here.

And we do still need to make those regular weekly sales, so please share all of the links. We really do need to get this year onto a better footing than the last two, a year that, so far, has been very grim.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2026; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

When the First Wild Petals Open to the Light

Photo copyright Aji, 2026; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's a work for the necessity of hope, as dark days and hard times find their antidote in the full emergence of summer. It's a pair of earrings, big and bold, hand-milled in a subtle but strong floral pattern and set with large cabochons of natural sponge coral, the very embodiment of that moment of beauty and medicine when the first wild petals open to the light.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the site's Contact form. We still have to ensure that we break even on the year, and that begins with a minimum of one sale a week, without fail.

 

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2026; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

No nonsoon today.

Photo copyright Aji, 2026; all rights reserved.

Well, no nonsoon today; this evening, we got a literal banger of a storm. Thunder, lightning, wind, rain, hail: the whole shot. But the rain came down so hard and so fast that the rain barrel was overflowing in a matter of minutes. Even here, you can see it hitting with such force that it  bounced off the roof of the studio and Miika's stall, so dense that it looked like steam or fog. The water was pooling all over the ground, little lakes and rivers in the fields, but by the time it was done, it had all soaked in already. That's a measure of how dry everything genuinely is, and how much damage this drought has done.

And before sunset, the sun was out again. The light was positively otherwordly, but no rainbow — which is really, really strange here.

We both spent most of the day thinking it was Saturday, which I suppose has the added benefit of making it feel like a three-day weekend again. I got a few things done yesterday, one or two more today, but nowhere near what I need to do to get caught up. And in truth, I've got to bring in a lot more sales than I expected us to need at this particular moment. And we can still use help with shares, testimonials, wishlist stuff I can't get to yet, etc. To that end, links are here:

• Sales here; 
• Testimonials here; 
• Amazon wishlist here [the current remaining priorities are the LaminaSaver for Miika, and the Farnam fly spray, which is the very last item on the list as it displays here, despite being "highest" priority, so go figure];
• Patreon here;
• Ko-fi here.

And we do still need to make those regular weekly sales, so please share all of the links. We really do need to get this year onto a better footing than the last two, a year that, so far, has been very grim.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2026; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Friday Feature: Love Draws the Blooms From the Hardest Ground

Photo copyright Aji, 2026; all rights reserved.

It's our Friday Feature at The NDN Silver Blog, with a single work shown from three perspectives that reassures us of the fundamental truth that love flowers from an iron heart. But this is a work explicitly for these dangerous times, one that moreover reminds us that love draws the blooms from the hardest ground.  

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the site's Contact form. We still have to ensure that we break even on the year, and that begins with a minimum of one sale a week, without fail.

 

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2026; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Certainly a nonsoon.

Photo copyright Aji, 2026; all rights reserved.

All those beautiful dark clouds; no rain. Okay, so we got a few scattered drops. You couldn't even call it rain, just a few sprinkles, even though the forecast was for multiple thunderstorms. Now, they're saying no chance of rain overnight . . . and there's a huge system right on track to hit us.

Which could still spin out before it gets to us. Or not. I guess we'll see, but really, we need this supposed monsoon season to find it's groove. And I just accidentally hit the "m" instead of the "n," which is frankly all too apt, because so far, this is certainly a nonsoon. 

Speaking of rain and lack thereof, I need to bring in more sales. Hard to do when I can't get any time to do my own work properly; harder still when I feel this terrible every second of every day. I don't know how cancer patients do it; even at this low dose, I'm going to have to cut the chemo back again, I think. I'm tired of feeling like death. Not even warmed over; just death.

And in truth, I've got to bring in a lot more sales than I expected us to need at this particular moment. And we can still use help with shares, testimonials, wishlist stuff I can't get to yet, etc. To that end, links are here:

• Sales here; 
• Testimonials here; 
• Amazon wishlist here [the current remaining priorities are the LaminaSaver for Miika, and the Farnam fly spray, which is the very last item on the list as it displays here, despite being "highest" priority, so go figure];
• Patreon here;
• Ko-fi here.

And we do still need to make those regular weekly sales, so please share all of the links. We really do need to get this year onto a better footing than the last two, a year that, so far, has been very grim.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2026; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

#ThrowbackThursday: Monsoonal Blooms

Photo copyright Aji, 2026; all rights reserved.

It's #TBT at The NDN Silver Blog, with a #ThrowbackThursday work that dates back only to April of this year, and one of a trio of matching works commissioned by a dear friend. It's a pendant set with a form of rhyolite that manifests in desert-landscape patterns, perfect for the monsoonal blooms of earth and sky that we expect from summer here.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. This work will never be duplicated exactly, but if the style or stone speaks to your spirit, simply inquire via the site's Contact form; Wings can create a version uniquely your own.  We still have to ensure that we break even on the year, and that begins  with a minimum of one sale a week, without fail.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2026; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Lots and lots of gale-force wind.

Photo copyright Aji, 2026; all rights reserved.

Today's windstorm. Precious little rain at any point, but lots and lots of gale-force wind. Which means lots of dirt. Lots of pollen. Lots of smoke, because half the west is one fire now.

And, it seems, half the planet is shaking apart with earthquakes.

I'm exhausted. We both are. The guys are gone until next week; they made a lot of progress this week, but I certainly haven't. It doesn't help that I feel like absolute hell. I don't know if it's a reaction to the wind and the smoke and the heat and everything else, or from having to raise my chemo dose again the last two weeks, or both or neither, or something else. But It's been a good while since I've felt this bad, and it's literally making it impossible for me to function.

It's certainly making it impossible to get my work done. And I've got to make enough sales to cover al this repair work. In truth, I've got to bring in a lot more sales than I expected us to need at this particular moment. And we can still use help with shares, testimonials, wishlist stuff I can't get to yet, etc. To that end, links are here:

• Sales here; 
• Testimonials here; 
• Amazon wishlist here [the current remaining priorities are the LaminaSaver for Miika, and the Farnam fly spray, which is the very last item on the list as it displays here, despite being "highest" priority, so go figure];
• Patreon here;
• Ko-fi here.

And we do still need to make those regular weekly sales, so please share all of the links. We really do need to get this year onto a better footing than the last two, a year that, so far, has been very grim.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2026; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

As the Rain Falls, the Flowers Rise

Photo copyright Aji, 2026; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's a work for the summer season here, for the appearance of cherry blossom and a red flower rain. It's one of Wings's older pieces, wrought in big, bold, traditional style, built around an extraordinary focal stone and stampwork pattern than reminds us that as the rain falls, the flowers rise to meet it in a hoop of life and beauty and medicine.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the site's Contact form. We still have to ensure that we break even on the year, and that begins with a minimum of one sale a week, without fail.

 

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2026; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Fire season.

Photo copyright Aji, 2026; all rights reserved.

That was tonight, just before full dark. It's the eastern end of the northerly ridgeline, and those clouds?

Aren't behaving like clouds. 

It looks like a smoke plume; If that's the case, then there's a fire on the other side of the peaks. And while a few years ago, that location would've meant that we were safe, that's no longer true; we've had plenty of winds from the north and east in recent weeks [completely out of character here], and plenty of rotational winds, too.  It's fire season year-round now, and people are still fucking reckless.

Speaking of fire season, today was hellishly hot, too, near if not at the 100-degree mark here. Every day, the forecast says it will be cooler than the day before, and every day, it's 10 to 15 degrees hotter than the predicted high [and at least 3-5 degrees hotter than the day before, too]. I can't be out in that kind of heat anymore. It's dangerous for everyone, but there's a much greater degree of risk for me now. Fortunately, the house is cool, but I still had to be outside a bit; a friend came over for a couple of hours today, and one of the things we had to do was look at some supplies Wings has that she needs. Unfortunately for both of us [because she has the same issue], we had to walk a good ways out into the south field to do that. At least now they're saying thunderstorms tomorrow afternoon and Thursday afternoon, too. Maybe this week-long heat-exhaustion headache will finally break, too.

But the guys are back working this week, and there are a lot of other repairs that have to get done, too, which means that I have got to bring in a lot more sales than I expected to need at this particular moment. And we can still use help with shares, testimonials, wishlist stuff I can't get to yet, etc. To that end, links are here:

• Sales here; 
• Testimonials here; 
• Amazon wishlist here [the current remaining priorities are the LaminaSaver for Miika, and the Farnam fly spray, which is the very last item on the list as it displays here, despite being "highest" priority, so go figure];
• Patreon here;
• Ko-fi here.

And we do still need to make those regular weekly sales, so please share all of the links. We really do need to get this year onto a better footing than the last two, a year that, so far, has been very grim.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2026; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Red Willow Spirit: Blossoms Beaded With Water and Light

Photo copyright Wings, 2026; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's an edition of Red Willow Spirit for the flowering beauty of the summer season here. It's three related images linked by a single work of wearable art shown from two perspectives, illustrating both the fact and the effects of blossoms beaded with water and light.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the site's Contact form. We still have to ensure that we break even on the year, and that begins with a minimum of one sale a week, without fail.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2026; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Progress.

Photo copyright Aji, 2026; all rights reserved.

Progress. On the cuff, anyway. On a few other things, too, including the work the guys are doing.

Just not much on my part. 

I actually had a decent day on Saturday, the best I've had in months in terms of pain and fatigue and so forth. And by Sunday, it was all gone, back to feeling half-dead all the time. Today wasn't an improvement. Talk about a cruel joke. To add insult to injury, my rotator cuff had started to knit itself back together slowly, and somewhere along the line today, I torqued it again. I have absolutely no memory of doing it; I think I reached for something, but not any kind of big stretch. I've spent the last several weeks expressly trying not to do that. At any rate, it's back to the kind of pain it was three or four weeks ago, and I can't use it for anything at all now.

I'm so tired. And the guys are back working this week, and there are a lot of other repairs that have to get done, too, which means that I have got to bring in a lot more sales than I expected to need at this particular moment. And we can still use help with shares, testimonials, wishlist stuff I can't get to yet, etc. To that end, links are here:

• Sales here; 
• Testimonials here; 
• Amazon wishlist here [the current remaining priorities are the LaminaSaver for Miika, and the Farnam fly spray, which is the very last item on the list as it displays here, despite being "highest" priority, so go figure];
• Patreon here;
• Ko-fi here.

And we do still need to make those regular weekly sales, so please share all of the links. We really do need to get this year onto a better footing than the last two, a year that, so far, has been very grim.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2026; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Monday Photo Meditation: A Rose For a Summer's Night

Photo copyright Wings, 2026; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's a Monday Photo Meditation for the flowers that bloom now, and for the ones we've lost. It's a photo that dates back just a little shy of nine full years, to 2017, and to the jewel-toned richness and gentle touch of a rose for a summer's night.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the site's Contact form. We still have to ensure that we break even on the year, and that begins with a minimum of one sale a week, without fail.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2026; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

 

It all starts up again tomorrow.

Photo copyright Aji, 2026; all rights reserved.

Currently in progress. Overlay, multiple layers of hammerwork, stampwork, and bezel-/stonework.  It looks rather butterfly-like which would've been perfect for last week, but whatever. It's going to be incredible when he's done with it.

It's been a weird weekend, what with the legal holiday on Friday and everything else. We both spent Thursday thinking it was Friday, Friday thinking it was Saturday, and yesterday and today have just been . . . who knows? 

And it all starts up again tomorrow. I'm so tired. But the guys will be back, bright and early, to get back to work on replacing the rotted wood. There are a lot of other repairs that have to get done, too, which means that I have got to bring in a lot more sales than I expected to need at this particular moment. And we can still use help with shares, testimonials, wishlist stuff I can't get to yet, etc. To that end, links are here:

• Sales here; 
• Testimonials here; 
• Amazon wishlist here [the current remaining priorities are the LaminaSaver for Miika, and the Farnam fly spray, which is the very last item on the list as it displays here, despite being "highest" priority, so go figure];
• Patreon here;
• Ko-fi here.

And we do still need to make those regular weekly sales, so please share all of the links. We really do need to get this year onto a better footing than the last two, a year that, so far, has been very grim.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2026; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

The Flowers of Day and Night Are Medicine

Photo copyright Aji, 2026; all rights reserved.

 

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's a work built around a rare material that reminds us, perfect in this first post-solstice week, that the sun still shines in the dark.  It's a necklace set with rare Nipomo marcasite resting in a radiant petaled setting, a reminder, too, that the flowers of day and night are medicine.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the site's Contact form. We still have to ensure that we break even on the year, and that begins with a minimum of one sale a week, without fail.

 

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2026; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Always working.

Photo copyright Aji, 2027; all rights reserved.

That's him; always working. I swear, he never stops, not until he's in for the evening, and not always even then. He works harder, and doing heavier labor, than most guys 50 years younger.

I keep the same kind of pace, but it's not as visible because I can't do the physical labor anymore. A decade ago, I would've been out there doing all of it with him. Now, my illness has worsened [I had it then, too; I was just enough younger and with enough less damage from it to push it down and do the heavy stuff when I had to]. Can't do any of that anymore. Which you would think would make me less busy, but no; the stuff I have to do indoors, work, house, group, all of it just keeps expanding to fill every second.

No wonder we're both always tired. We're too old for this nonsense.

It would be nice, though, if the winds would stop. Also nice if my symptoms would lessen again. Maybe that's not possible. I don't know anymore.  But I had hoped to get caught up this week on a lot of things, and instead I just feel further behind than ever. We've made several sales over the last few weeks, and we should be in much better shape going forward, and so I'm grateful beyond words, but it also still involves a huge amount of work on a bunch of different fronts right now. And unfortunately, we've got one enormous wrench just thrown into the works: On top of the repair of the rotting wood going on right now, we've just discovered that that massive storm the other day has created a leak in one of the walls ia spectacularly bad spot, where the breaker is. We're going to have to get the electrician out, and it will problem mean replastering, too, and all I can see are the bills climbing.  For now, I've begun drying it out from in here, and Wings is going to seal the lintel and deckline and window frame again. But it's a safety issue, so now we have no choice, which means that I have got to bring in a lot more sales than I expected to need at this particular moment. And we can still use help with shares, testimonials, wishlist stuff I can't get to yet, etc. To that end, links are here:

• Sales here; 
• Testimonials here; 
• Amazon wishlist here [the current remaining priorities are the LaminaSaver for Miika, and the Farnam fly spray, which is the very last item on the list as it displays here, despite being "highest" priority, so go figure];
• Patreon here;
• Ko-fi here.

And we do still need to make those regular weekly sales, so please share all of the links. We really do need to get this year onto a better footing than the last two, a year that, so far, has been very grim.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2026; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

When the Spirits of the Summer Solstice Emerge

Photo copyright Aji, 2026; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's a work for the beauty and joy and love of the season, for hearts aflutter and wings adance in the warmth and light. It's Butterfly as you've never seen her before, an extraordinary vintage-style necklace to mark the moment when the spirits of the summer solstice emerge, for this day, and for the season to come.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the site's Contact form. We still have to ensure that we break even on the year, and that begins with a minimum of one sale a week, without fail.

 

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2026; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Birthday children.

Photo copyright Aji, 2026; all rights reserved.

The birthday children with their presents. They were born [so we were told] on June 19th, 2020, so they're six today. And they act more like six months than six years. Wings brought turkey necks home for them. And don't worry; Cricket's out of the shot behind the lens, but he got one, too. As a feral who just showed up here more than eight years ago, we have no idea of his actual birth date [probably November, possibly October, of 2017], but he gets to have his at the same time as these two now.

And they got through them in a matter of minutes.

A little rain today, but nothing like yesterday evening's wild weather. In theory, possibly more tonight; the wind's been rising out there again. I just hope it continues through the summer.

It would be nice, though, if the winds would stop. Also nice if my symptoms would lessen again. Maybe that's not possible. I don't know anymore.  But I had hoped to get caught up this week on a lot of things, and instead I just feel further behind than ever. We've made several sales over the last few weeks, and we should be in much better shape going forward, and so I'm grateful beyond words, but it also still involves a huge amount of work on a bunch of different fronts right now. And unfortunately, we've got one enormous wrench just thrown into the works: On top of the repair of the rotting wood going on right now, we've just discovered that that massive storm the other day has created a leak in one of the walls ia spectacularly bad spot, where the breaker is. We're going to have to get the electrician out, and it will problem mean replastering, too, and all I can see are the bills climbing.  For now, I've begun drying it out from in here, and Wings is going to seal the lintel and deckline and window frame again. But it's a safety issue, so now we have no choice, which means that I have got to bring in a lot more sales than I expected to need at this particular moment. And we can still use help with shares, testimonials, wishlist stuff I can't get to yet, etc. To that end, links are here:

• Sales here; 
• Testimonials here; 
• Amazon wishlist here [the current remaining priorities are the LaminaSaver for Miika, and the Farnam fly spray, which is the very last item on the list as it displays here, despite being "highest" priority, so go figure];
• Patreon here;
• Ko-fi here.

And we do still need to make those regular weekly sales, so please share all of the links. We really do need to get this year onto a better footing than the last two, a year that, so far, has been very grim.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2026; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Friday Feature: Spirits of Harmony, Messengers of Hope

Photo copyright Aji, 2026; all rights reserved.

It's our Friday Feature at The NDN Silver Blog, with a single masterwork shown from four perspectives that embodies the beauty and power of summer's illuminating skies, and the butterflies that appear here now. It's an old traditional style, a butterfly concha belt, strung with 26 separate silverwork pieces, 13 of which embody these tiny spirits of harmony, messengers of hope, and signs of a world in harmony.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the site's Contact form. We still have to ensure that we break even on the year, and that begins with a minimum of one sale a week, without fail.

 

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2026; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Beautiful, and eerie.

Photo copyright Aji, 2026; all rights reserved.

That was the sky to the south/southeast this evening. No filters; no edits. That was the actual sky. Thunder, lightning, wind, rain, one leg of a rainbow, and a sky that looked like it was on fire.

Beautiful, and eerie. 

With regard to the latter, all the more so since we were supposed to get no rain today; the forecast this morning ranged between 1% and 3% chance. Of course, the forecast high was supposed to be between 81 and 83, and it was already 91, even officially, before noon. The storm whipped itself up this evening, the wind circling around and around, and I have no doubt that there were some funnel clouds somewhere in that blue-black mass in the sky. Just not here, thank all that's holy.

The guys are gone until Monday morning, so hopefully I can get caught up on work [getting caught up on rest seems unlikely in the extreme] between now and then. We've made several sales over the last few weeks, and we should be in much better shape going forward. I'm grateful beyond words, but it also still involves a huge amount of work on a bunch of different fronts right now. And unfortunately, we've got one enormous wrench just thrown into the works: On top of the repair of the rotting wood going on right now, we've just discovered that that massive storm the other day has created a leak in one of the walls ia spectacularly bad spot, where the breaker is. We're going to have to get the electrician out, and it will problem mean replastering, too, and all I can see are the bills climbing.  For now, I've begun drying it out from in here, and Wings is going to seal the lintel and deckline and window frame again. But it's a safety issue, so now we have no choice, which means that I have got to bring in a lot more sales than I expected to need at this particular moment. And we can still use help with shares, testimonials, wishlist stuff I can't get to yet, etc. To that end, links are here:

• Sales here; 
• Testimonials here; 
• Amazon wishlist here [the current remaining priorities are the LaminaSaver for Miika, and the Farnam fly spray, which is the very last item on the list as it displays here, despite being "highest" priority, so go figure];
• Patreon here;
• Ko-fi here.

And we do still need to make those regular weekly sales, so please share all of the links. We really do need to get this year onto a better footing than the last two, a year that, so far, has been very grim.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2026; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

#TBT: With the Strength of the Butterfly's Spirit

Photo copyright Wings, 2026; all rights reserved.

It's #ThrowbackThursday at The NDN Silver Blog, with a #TBT featured work from the signature series perhaps closest to Wings's heart. It's the Warrior Woman, created for and then in honor and memory of his mother, this one dating back 16 years almost to the day and the end of June in 2010 — a work to remind us to meet the world with resilience and bravery, with the strength of the butterfly's spirit, . . . and thus, with hope.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. This work will never be duplicated exactly, but if the style or stone speaks to your spirit, simply inquire via the site's Contact form; Wings can create a version uniquely your own.  We still have to ensure that we break even on the year, and that begins  with a minimum of one sale a week, without fail.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2026; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.