Drought.

Photo copyright Aji, 2021; all rights reserved.

By seven-thirty in the morning, the sun's already high in the sky here. It gets hot early, and even if we get clouds late to cool it off, before sunset it's sweltering again. And as you can see, the drought robbed us of the aspen on the right; it's killed half of another, and smaller amounts of several more, while all of the willows are struggling just to survive now.

If you wonder why we want rain every day, this is why. Twelve-hundred-year drought now, indeed.

Sales drought, too, and I need to find more hours in the day to work on fixing that. I have fewer than two weeks to come up with about $3,500 to cover everything, and I haven't even begun. July is second only to January in terms of one- or two-off expenses, and it's always our second-most costly month of the year, mostly because of quarterly taxes, vehicle insurance/registration renewals, and Web hosting fees. But I also have a lot more than that this year, because I have an exceedingly costly blood draw coming up on Tuesday, which is going to set me back several hundred dollars, possibly more. Under three weeks from now, I will have to shell out a similarly large bundle for the punch biopsy, and probably a whole lot more yet for the path analysis. 

The last two months have been hellaciously expensive, with all of the imaging and doctor's appointments I've had to pay for just to have them rule out something extremely nasty; what it IS has everyone stymied now, and it's likely going to cost even more to rule whatever that is in, but it has to be done. I'm also down 3-4 Patreon patrons since May 1st, which puts a BIG dent in what covers our monthly bills. And as of July 1st, I've had to stop posting every single day on Patreon, because I don't have the time and my health can't take it, so I expect to lose more. And my Patreon is what pays our utilities and other monthly bills, so, yes, I'm worried. I'm also exhausted after the last week, and barely functional, so here we are.

But as I said, Wings will have several new pieces out soon, too, possibly as early as tomorrow or mid-week: at least one major necklace posted last week here, and a minimum of four new Warrior Woman (three actually; one's already sold, but the others will likely be ready and posted tomorrow) and three new Pueblo pins (those last three, with a very cool new twist, and the third one's been done most of this week, but I only had time to get it posted last night, here). I posted the first two Pueblo pins last week; one has already sold, but you can see the other here. Seriously, go check out the necklace; it's incredible. There's also, unexpectedly, a brand-new sterling silver cuff that I also got posted last night, also here; it's simple, but absolutely dazzlingly beautiful.

I'm skipping all the rest of it because I'm tired constantly, and frankly I don't have the focus right now for anything else. One thing: The mosquitoes are out in force now thanks to the rain, and as you know from the loss of Wings's nephew last year to West Nile, they can be deadly for folks like us. Wings has to spend an inordinate amount of time outdoors right now, and he needs to be able to take repellents with him that are not toxic, so I've added a bunch of them to the wishlist, and they are urgent, especially the 2nd and 4th items on the list. Links are here:

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

And if you've been contemplating a purchase? This would be a very, very good time to do it; I've got to 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.                                                  

A Space of Second Chances and Prayers Answered

Photo copyright Aji, 2021; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's a work for a season of turning points and turning over, of the elemental truth that our path will come around to a good way once more. It's the sacred hoop made manifest in beautifully bejeweled form, emblematic of a space of second chances and prayers answered where medicine is always possible.

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 year (one that 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.    

I've been promising these all week: two new works by Wings

Photo copyright Aji, 2021; all rights reserved.

Yes, I know it's late. I've been on the run for two solid weeks now, but I've been promising these all week:  two new works by Wings.

The first is a solid sterling silver cuff. It's made of a heavier gauge, with a beautiful taper and spare, elegant traditional stampwork. It's called Finding the Way, and you can read its full description (and see photos of it from all angles) here.

The second work is that third Pueblo pin that he's had in the works for a while:

Photo copyright Aji, 2021; all rights reserved.

This one is slightly different from the other two; instead of a ladder made with lengths of fine-gauge sterling silver wire soldered together, the ladder is cut entirely freehand from a single piece of silver, then overlaid like the others. This one is called Dreams Under a Desert Moon, and you can read its full description (and see the way the colors of the rainbow moonstone cabochon refract differently in different lights) here.

Wings's main page (and the start of our full current inventory) is here. You can order either of these (or both!) 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 year (one that 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.        

So: more work.

Photo copyright Aji, 2021; all rights reserved.

Wings's latest project: making his own stamps. He's always wanted to do that anyway, but it's become a necessity now; he has an idea for a gorgeous new big piece, and creating it will require stamps in shapes and sizes that 1) he doesn't have, 2) are hard to find, and 3) if you do happen to find them, are staggeringly expensive. So: more work.  

Meanwhile, I need to find time for the kind of work that involves chasing sales, and the last several days have been spectacularly unhelpful. Part of it is less than an hour's sleep night before last, which buries me under an autoimmune response for days, with all the attendant raging pain and fatigue that accompanies it. Part of it is the dogs having gotten themselves prairie dogs last night, with entirely predictable results, which wouldn't have been so bad had it not occurred at three in the morning. So another night of sleep disruption, more cleaning up the immediate mess at that ungodly hour, and then this morning, under oppressive heat and humidity, both of us scrubbing both the indoor and outdoor crates, the tarps, blankets, floor, deck, etc., etc., you get the idea. There's more of it to do, and I'm already hobbling from pain, and that's WITH pain meds and anti-inflammatories.

Also, no blood draw today, which I guess today was fortunate, if a ridiculous hours'-worth time-wasting mess yesterday for me. Now it's set for Tuesday, supposedly. The one thing I do know is that it's going to set me back several hundred dollars, possibly more. Three weeks from now, I will have to shell out a similarly large bundle for the punch biopsy, and probably a whole lot more yet for the path analysis. I have GOT to make some sales, preferably starting today, and I have no time . . . and I have to bring in about $3,500 over the next two weeks to cover all of it.

Because in addition to paying all of the medical people for all of this nonsense, there were vet and farrier last Thursday, chimney cleaners Friday, Web site hosting is due today and vehicle insurance and quarterly taxes by next week, and of course all the usual monthly bills and expenses. And I have no idea how to cover it all, given that I just shelled out more than $1,700 cash four days ago on the imaging. I'm also down 3-4 Patreon patrons since May 1st, which puts a BIG dent in what covers our monthly bills. And as of July 1st, today, I am having to stop posting every single day on Patreon, because I don't have the time and my health can't take it, so I expect to lose more. And my Patreon is what pays our utilities and other monthly bills, so, yes, I'm worried. I'm also exhausted after the last week, and barely functional, so here we are.

But as I said, Wings will have several new pieces out soon, too, possibly as early as tomorrow or mid-week: at least one major necklace posted last week here, and a minimum of four new Warrior Woman (three actually; one's already sold, but the others will likely be ready and posted tomorrow) and three new Pueblo pins (those last three, with a very cool new twist, and the third one was done day before yesterday, but I haven't had enough hours in the day to get it posted yet). I posted the first two Pueblo pins last week; one has already sold, but you can see the other here. Seriously, go check out the necklace; it's incredible. There's also, unexpectedly, a brand-new sterling silver cuff that I'm hoping to get up later tonight or tomorrow; it's simple, but absolutely dazzlingly beautiful.

I'm skipping all the rest of it because I'm tired constantly, and frankly I don't have the focus right now for anything else. One thing: The mosquitoes are out in force now thanks to the rain, and as you know from the loss of Wings's nephew last year to West Nile, they can be deadly for folks like us. Wings has to spend an inordinate amount of time outdoors right now, and he needs to be able to take repellents with him that are not toxic, so I've added a bunch of them to the wishlist, and they are urgent, especially the 2nd and 4th items on the list. Links are here:

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

And if you've been contemplating a purchase? This would be a very, very good time to do it; I've got to 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.                                                  

Friday Feature: A Time of Summer Smoke and Ceremony

Photo copyright Aji, 2021; all rights reserved.

It's our Friday Feature at The NDN Silver Blog, with a classic work wrought in the old way, created by one of Wings's oldest friends. It's a replica of an old traditional pipe, fully functional and perfect for this season of celebration and observance now, a time of summer smoke and ceremony.

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.     

Like an omen.

Photo copyright Aji, 2021; all rights reserved.

This is what appeared to us las night, just before dark. The rain had been done for a while, but the light wasn't ready to say goodbye just yet.

In light of yesterday's news, it felt like an omen.

It doesn't mean the storm's over, health-wise, for me. I have a lot of very expensive testing ahead of me yet, and probably a lot of long-term lack of clarity while we try to figure this out. But at least we have a potential direction, and it's presumably going to be one that doesn't involve an incredibly grim prognosis with a short-term life expectancy. 

Of course, I was supposed to get the blood drawn today, and no go. It cost us two hours of our morning to go in and wait only to find out the lab guy not only hadn't shown but also hadn't called, and no one knew where he was or whether he'll be there tomorrow or even next week. That's why everything's so late today, and no, I'm NOT happy about losing two valuable hours out of what for me is an even busier day than usual, but here we are. So I don't know whether I'll be able to get it done tomorrow, or next week, or what. The only thing I do know is that it's going to set me back several hundred dollars, possibly more. Three weeks from now, I will have to shell out a similarly large bundle for the punch biopsy, and probably a whole lot more yet for the path analysis. I have GOT to make some sales, preferably starting today, and I have no time.

Because in addition to paying all of the medical people for all of this nonsense, there were vet and farrier last Thursday, chimney cleaners Friday, Web site hosting is due today and vehicle insurance and quarterly taxes by next week, and of course all the usual monthly bills and expenses. And I have no idea how to cover it all, given that I just shelled out more than $1,700 cash four days ago on the imaging. I'm also down 3-4 Patreon patrons since May 1st, which puts a BIG dent in what covers our monthly bills. And as of July 1st, today, I am having to stop posting every single day on Patreon, because I don't have the time and my health can't take it, so I expect to lose more. And my Patreon is what pays our utilities and other monthly bills, so, yes, I'm worried. I'm also exhausted after the last week, and barely functional, so here we are.

But as I said, Wings will have several new pieces out soon, too, possibly as early as tomorrow or mid-week: at least one major necklace posted last week here, and a minimum of four new Warrior Woman (three actually; one's already sold, but the others will likely be ready and posted tomorrow) and three new Pueblo pins (those last three, with a very cool new twist, and the third one was done day before yesterday, but I haven't had enough hours in the day to get it posted yet). I posted the first two Pueblo pins last week; one has already sold, but you can see the other here. Seriously, go check out the necklace; it's incredible. There's also, unexpectedly, a brand-new sterling silver cuff that I'm hoping to get up later tonight or tomorrow; it's simple, but absolutely dazzlingly beautiful.

I'm skipping all the rest of it because I'm tired constantly, and frankly I don't have the focus right now for anything else. One thing: The mosquitoes are out in force now thanks to the rain, and as you know from the loss of Wings's nephew last year to West Nile, they can be deadly for folks like us. Wings has to spend an inordinate amount of time outdoors right now, and he needs to be able to take repellents with him that are not toxic, so I've added a bunch of them to the wishlist, and they are urgent, especially the 2nd and 4th items on the list. Links are here:

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

And if you've been contemplating a purchase? This would be a very, very good time to do it; I've got to 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: A Season of Visionary Extremes

Photo copyright Wings, 2021;
all rights reserved,

It's #TBT at The NDN Silver Blog, with a work from one of the signature series closest to Wings's heart, a throwback almost to this very day nine years ago. It's an unusual entry in his collection known as the Warrior Woman, one that held within herself the heart of the storm and thereby of medicine, too, perfect in a place and a season of visionary extremes.

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 all of our expenses to come in 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.