Friday Feature: A Visionary Expanse

Photo copyright Aji, 2021;
all rights reserved.

It's our Friday Feature at The NDN Silver Blog, with a work that looks like a throwback to Sixties' psychedelia, but in fact covers a truly timeless spectrum of wisdom and prophecy. It's a collage formed of ancient images and much newer media, evoking all the mystery of a visionary expanse that afforded its subjects glimpses of the truth of the world we inhabit today.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the site's Contact form. We are still going to need to make consistent sales to make it through the rest of this terrible second pandemic-ridden spring (one that has already been bitter indeed for our communities), as well as the rest of the year, so shares of the site links are much appreciated.

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

Grounds for hope.

Photo copyright Aji, 2021; all rights reserved.

Late yesterday: first of the season of this species of bee. Grounds for hope.

At least that's how I'm taking it. We have what is very clearly an early monsoon season here, better already than we've had since 2017 at the very least, so maybe we'll soon also have plenty of bees and butterflies and dragonflies.

And right now, I need every possible basis for hope.

Last night, I had another episode, out of nowhere and entirely inexplicably, not a single trigger that I can identify, and it was a bad one. Chest pain, airway and breathing problems, balance issues, almost the whole shot. It kept me awake almost all night, and I'm still feeling it today. I don't know whether it's a response to the useless meds they've had me on (thankfully winding up now), complications from this new problem, whatever it is, or just utterly random, but it was bad. I'm wobbly today, and very slow, and even further behind now.

On the plus side, between sales and donations, it looks as though my imaging and follow-up appointment two and three weeks from now, respectively, are covered, and we are both so grateful to everyone for the help. What I don't know is what comes after. If it is bad news, then I'm going to have a hell of a lot more expense. Probably six figures' worth, given what standard treatment is, before it's all done. But I fight. And I'll raise it somehow. In the meantime, I'll cross that bridge if and when we come to it.

For now, we just need SALES. That's it; that's all; that's everything right now. It all gets put aside against the possibility that I may have to have some very, very costly surgery and long-term treatment protocols both very soon. So please, I'm begging folks:  Share our links, and if you're in the market, keep Wings's work in mind for purchases. He'll have one or two new pieces out soon, too, possibly as early as the end of this week.

I'm skipping all the rest of it because I'm tired, and frankly I don't have the focus right now for anything else. Links are here:

• Sales here; 
• Testimonials here; 
• Amazon wishlist here (priorities are LaminaSaver for Miika [she's set until August] coffee & metal/glass/dishwasher cleaners);
• Patreon here;
• Ko-fi here.

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

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

#ThrowbackThursday: The Shimmer of Sun and Moon and Stars

Photo copyright Wings, 2021; all rights reserved.

It's #TBT at The NDN Silver Blog, with a work from eleven years that resembled a full opal moon afloat in a summer sky. It was a gorgeously solid solitaire, bold and bright and open with the shimmer of sun and moon and stars, and all the beauty of the summer predawn light.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. This work obviously will never be duplicated, 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 are still going to need to make consistent sales to make it through June, as well as through all of my upcoming medical costs and the rest of this still-terrible, still-pandemic-ridden year (one that, like last year, has already been bitter indeed for our communities), so shares of the site links are much appreciated.

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

When a messenger comes for you.

Photo copyright Aji, 2021; all rights reserved.

She came for me yesterday evening. She has only been around sparingly the last several days, which is still more than usual this time of year (normally, she's not here at all between early spring and late autumn). But last night, apparently she wasn't content to hope that I'd get the message, so she came and found and made sure.

It's an amazing thing when a messenger comes for you. Even more amazing when she carries on a conversation, and then you go back inside to find there's good news.

Yes, there's bad news, too, but it's all been overwhelmed by what else has happened. I got my MRIs scheduled late in the day yesterday, finally. Not for two weeks yet, but still a couple of days earlier than what they'd previously insisted was possible. They tried very hard to push it back another week for the surgeon's convenience, but I fought, and Spirit gave me the words, and it got done properly. Imaging in two weeks; surgeon's consult in three.

Now, the latter may yet wind up being nothing more than a follow-up to say, "Welp, it's actually nothing, despite all evidence to the contrary." That would be the ideal outcome. I know the probabilities, though. So, as always, it's hope for the best and prepare for the worst.

Which includes hellish out-of-pocket costs. The MRIs are $3,440, unless I can pay cash up-front the day of, in which case they whack it by 50%. That's still $1,720. And thanks to the efforts of my Sister friend and a whole bunch of folks last night, I am looking, stupefied, at $1,750 in our PayPal account today, and weeping with gratitude. Yes, there's still the surgeon's consult bill a week later, I'm guessing $200-300. I'll worry about that then; I know we have one sale coming in between now and then. In the meantime, I can pay them for the imaging on the day of, and there's even a little extra for gas money and so forth. And I cannot thank you all enough. It was one month ago tonight that I first had the inkling that something was very wrong, and since then, things have progressed very fast, and the stress has been indescribable. This just took care of one big source of it. We love you all.

Yes, if it's bad news afterwards, then I'm going to have a hell of a lot more expense. Probably six figures' worth, given what standard treatment is, before it's all done. But I fight. And I'll raise it somehow. In the meantime, I'll cross that bridge if and when we come to it.

For now, we just need SALES. That's it; that's all; that's everything right now. So please, I'm begging folks:  Share our links, and if you're in the market, keep Wings's work in mind for purchases. He'll have one or two new pieces out soon, too, possibly as early as the end of this week.

I'm skipping all the rest of it because I'm tired, and frankly I don't have the focus right now for anything else. Links are here:

• Sales here; 
• Testimonials here; 
• Amazon wishlist here (priorities are LaminaSaver for Miika [she's set until August] coffee & metal/glass/dishwasher cleaners);
• Patreon here;
• Ko-fi here.

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

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

The Glow of Mystery and Medicine

Photo copyright Aji, 2021; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's a masterwork to honor that singular gift of the monsoon season, the light in the storm. It's a perfect work for this day at the birth of June,  hauntingly beautiful beneath the clouds that carry all the wild promise of the rain, and the glow of mystery and medicine to come.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the site's Contact form. We are still going to need to make consistent sales to make it through the rest of this terrible second pandemic-ridden spring (one that has already been bitter indeed for our communities), as well as the rest of the year, so shares of the site links are much appreciated.

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

Heavy weather.

Photo copyright Aji, 2021; all rights reserved.

All right, UPDATE:  I called, and I waited, and I argued, and I pushed, and I eventually forced the issue.  It'll be 2 weeks yet, because that's the first available opening, and that's still two days earlier than what they originally insisted they could do. And they tried to force it back a third week because the surgeon is accustomed to seeing patients after the MRIs on the same day, but there were no openings for another whole week. And stress or no, I refused to back down, and I got them to give me the first open MRI slot and then the doctor's appointment a week later. Oh, and did I mention that the MRIs bill at more than $3,400? IF I can pay cash on the barrelhead the day I show up for it, they'll whack that to $1,720. Plus another $200-300 a week later, most likely, for the surgeon's visit, even if they find nothing. So I need to make a couple of grand's worth of sales between now and then.

Yesterday's storm: heavy weather, badly needed. There might be a little more this evening, and the rest of the week. 

Other kinds of heavy weather, though, too — not welcome, and certainly not needed, but dangerous all the same. It looks as though I'm going to have to fight for just basic care, which in this case amounts to MRIs. Very expensive MRIs, I might add, what are reputed to be to the most expensive type in this region. I have no idea how I'm going to pay for it, even at half off if I pay it all up front, in cash. But it has to be done, and every day it's not is a day that potentially puts my life at greater risk. 

So. We need SALES. That's it; that's all; that's everything right now. So please, I'm begging folks:  Share our links, and if you're in the market, keep Wings's work in mind for purchases. He'll have one or two new pieces out soon, too, possibly as early as the end of this week.

I'm skipping all the rest of it because I'm tired, and frankly I don't have the focus right now for anything else. Links are here:

• Sales here; 
• Testimonials here; 
• Amazon wishlist here (priorities are LaminaSaver for Miika [she's set until August] coffee & metal/glass/dishwasher cleaners);
• Patreon here;
• Ko-fi here.

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

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

Red Willow Spirit: A Sculpted Light

Photo copyright Wings, 2021; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's an edition of Red Willow Spirit for the first day of June, with a mix of imagery and wearable art to honor the medicine of the monsoon season already in full swing. It's a set of three photos and two works in silver and stone that evoke the artistry of the sky spirits now, their media a mix of water and air and a sculpted light.

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. With the economy dead courtesy of a year's worth of uncontrolled pandemic, we are still going to need to make consistent sales to make it through the season (one that has already been bitter indeed for our communities) and the rest of the year, so shares of the site links are much appreciated.

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