diff --git a/src/backend/sdl.c b/src/backend/sdl.c
index 2bf9bc8..b9ed7ca 100644
--- a/src/backend/sdl.c
+++ b/src/backend/sdl.c
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #include "../backend.h"
 #include "../ctxt/theme.h"
+#include "../ctxt/window.h"
 #include "../util.h"
 #include "../util/region.h"
 #include "../concurrent/msgq.h"
@@ -12,6 +13,8 @@
  * Backend type
  * -------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
+struct window_list;
+
 const char* ax__backend_impl_name = "SDL";
 size_t ax__backend_desired_region_size = MEDIUM;
 
@@ -19,6 +22,7 @@ struct ax_backend {
     struct rgn* rgn;
     struct msgq* inbox;
     bool shutdown;
+    struct window_list* windows;
 };
 
 /* -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -48,6 +52,7 @@ int ax__backend_new(
     bac->rgn = init_rgn;
     bac->inbox = msgq_new(init_rgn);
     bac->shutdown = false;
+    bac->windows = NULL;
 
     if (out_bac != NULL) {
         *out_bac = bac;
@@ -82,7 +87,7 @@ bool ax__backend_is_shutdown(struct ax_backend* bac)
 void ax__backend_wait_for_event(struct ax_backend* bac)
 {
     (void) bac;
-    usleep(1000 * 1000);
+    usleep(1000 * 100);
 }
 
 /* -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -95,21 +100,32 @@ struct font_list {
     size_t cat;
 };
 
-static void load_fonts(
-    struct ax_backend* bac, struct font_list* fonts);
+struct window_args_list {
+    struct window_args_list* next;
+    struct ax_window* win;
+    const char* title;
+    uint32_t width, height;
+};
+
+static void load_fonts(struct ax_backend* bac, struct font_list* fl);
+static void make_windows(struct ax_backend* bac, struct window_args_list* wl);
+static void render_windows(struct window_list* wl);
 
 void ax__backend_step(struct ax_backend* bac)
 {
     struct rgn tmp_rgn;
     rgn_init(&tmp_rgn, SMALL);
+
     struct font_list* fonts = NULL;
+    struct window_args_list* windows = NULL;
+    size_t nmsg = 0;
 
     msgq_begin_recv(bac->inbox);
-
     MSGQ_RECV_ALL(bac->inbox) {
 
         ON(ax_msg_shutdown,
            {
+               nmsg++;
                (void) m;
                bac->shutdown = true;
                break;
@@ -117,6 +133,7 @@ void ax__backend_step(struct ax_backend* bac)
 
         ON(ax_msg_load_font,
            {
+               nmsg++;
                struct font_list* l =
                    ralloc_typed(&tmp_rgn, struct font_list, 1);
                l->next = fonts;
@@ -126,16 +143,33 @@ void ax__backend_step(struct ax_backend* bac)
                break;
            });
 
+        ON(ax_msg_make_window,
+           {
+               nmsg++;
+               struct window_args_list* l =
+                   ralloc_typed(&tmp_rgn, struct window_args_list, 1);
+               l->next = windows;
+               l->win = m.dst_win;
+               l->title = rstrdup(&tmp_rgn, m.title);
+               l->width = m.width;
+               l->height = m.height;
+               windows = l;
+               break;
+           });
+
         default:
+            nmsg++;
             printf("Got a weird message: `%s'\n", ax__msg_name(mqr__type));
             break;
     }
-
     msgq_end_recv(bac->inbox);
 
     load_fonts(bac, fonts);
+    make_windows(bac, windows);
+    render_windows(bac->windows);
 
     rgn_cleanup(&tmp_rgn);
+    // printf("ping. %zu message(s)\n", nmsg);
 }
 
 /* -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -180,3 +214,86 @@ static void load_fonts(struct ax_backend* bac, struct font_list* fl)
 fail:
     ASSERT(rv == 0, "error loading font: %s", err);
 }
+
+/* -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ * Window management
+ * -------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
+
+struct window_list {
+    struct window_list* next;
+    struct ax_window* win;
+    struct window_handle* handle;
+};
+
+struct window_handle {
+    SDL_Window* win;
+    SDL_Renderer* rnd;
+};
+
+static void cleanup_window_handle(struct window_handle*);
+
+static int new_window_handle(
+    struct rgn* rgn,
+    struct window_args_list* args,
+    struct window_handle** out_wh,
+    const char** out_err)
+{
+    struct window_handle* wh = ralloc_typed(rgn, struct window_handle, 1);
+    wh->win = NULL;
+    wh->rnd = NULL;
+    rgn_pin(rgn, wh, (void*) cleanup_window_handle);
+
+    int rv;
+    if ((rv = SDL_CreateWindowAndRenderer((int) args->width,
+                                          (int) args->height,
+                                          SDL_WINDOW_SHOWN,
+                                          &wh->win, &wh->rnd)) != 0) {
+        *out_err = SDL_GetError();
+        return rv;
+    }
+
+    SDL_SetWindowTitle(wh->win, args->title);
+
+    *out_wh = wh;
+    return 0;
+}
+
+static void cleanup_window_handle(struct window_handle* wh)
+{
+    SDL_DestroyRenderer(wh->rnd);
+    SDL_DestroyWindow(wh->win);
+}
+
+static void make_windows(struct ax_backend* bac, struct window_args_list* args)
+{
+    int rv = 0;
+    const char* err;
+    struct window_handle* wh;
+    struct window_list* wl;
+
+    for (; args != NULL; args = args->next) {
+        if ((rv = new_window_handle(bac->rgn, args, &wh, &err)) != 0) {
+            goto fail;
+        }
+
+        wl = ralloc_typed(bac->rgn, struct window_list, 1);
+        wl->win = args->win;
+        wl->handle = wh;
+        wl->next = bac->windows;
+        bac->windows = wl;
+    }
+
+fail:
+    ASSERT(rv == 0, "error: %s", SDL_GetError());
+}
+
+static void render_windows(struct window_list* wl)
+{
+    for (; wl != NULL; wl = wl->next) {
+        // SDL_Window* sdl_win = wl->handle->win;
+        SDL_Renderer* r = wl->handle->rnd;
+        SDL_SetRenderDrawColor(r, 255, 255, 255, 255);
+        SDL_RenderClear(r);
+        SDL_RenderPresent(r);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/ctxt/window.c b/src/ctxt/window.c
index 03a6d8d..ea273c3 100644
--- a/src/ctxt/window.c
+++ b/src/ctxt/window.c
@@ -31,7 +31,6 @@ struct ax_window* ax__window_builder_finish(
 {
     struct ax_window* win =
         ralloc_typed(dst_rgn, struct ax_window, 1);
-    win->handle = NULL;
     pthread_mutex_init(&win->mx, NULL);
     rgn_pin(dst_rgn, &win->mx, (void*) pthread_mutex_destroy);
 
diff --git a/src/ctxt/window.h b/src/ctxt/window.h
index 8697bda..e116405 100644
--- a/src/ctxt/window.h
+++ b/src/ctxt/window.h
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ enum ax_window_flags {
 };
 
 struct ax_window {
-    struct ax_window_h* handle;
     pthread_mutex_t mx;
 };