365 All Over Again

From Arenys de Mar the Mediterranean in the distance.

On July 1st I started another 365 project. This time I picked an object to carry around a bit smaller than a life size skeleton. Something very close to my heart. Bob's dragon logo that we had made via water jet cutting into a a tool a few months ago. I had some cut out of copper and bronze for jewelry and key chains. I wear the copper one around my neck all the time now.  I can pop it off and take a photo with my cell phone. Cell phones have improved since I did the Sam project.  I hope it will be more spontaneous. I also have a stainless steel non jewelry version for opening bottles around the world.  Here we go!!

Sam was a bit put out, and felt she had been pushed aside for a dragon. I reminded her that she was in Spain for 4 weeks, and had her toes in the sand on one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world. She offered to buy me a beer, and open it with the dragon.  Hehe. Bona Tarde from Areyns de Mar.

Each day is a gift, open now.
xo, Suz

Day 99

Day 99

Sam packs for our trip to California.  Meanwhile..."lover boy" hangs around outside.


Each day is a gift, open now.
xo,
Suz



No photos from this blog may be reproduced in any way without the written consent of the blogger and polkadot magpie.

Day 71 Steampunk Sam

Day 71

Steampunk Sam !!  She likes my welding goggles.

Each day is a gift. Open now.
xo,
Suz


NO photos from this blog may be reproduced in any way without written permission from the blogger or polkadot magpie.

Day 69 Sam and Elishewitz

Day 69

Allen Elishewitz, the tactical knife maker gave me a handmade pen that I adore.  Recently a
"Team Elishewitz" challenge coin also. Of course Sam wants it, but NOOO! She's not getting
it!  Check out Allen's website: http://www.elishewitzknives.com/.

Thinking everything is for Sam is reinforced by the gorgeous starstruck silk scarf my friend (should I say "our" friend?) Melissa gave her.  Tying it on her head a la pirate, suited her. :-) Thanks Melissa and Allen!

Today was our first day in the studio together.  I loved every minute of it.

Each day is a gift, open now!
xo,
Suz


NO photos from this blog may be reproduced without the written consent of the blogger, or polkadot magpie.

Day 53 Sam Skeleton 365 Project

Day 53

Cooper and Sam.  I had planned another photo for today, but this one just happened.  Cooper is on the blog for a second time.  He was wearing that cool t-shirt and I said I liked it, and would love a photo of Sam with him in it.  He offered that he had a hat like the one on the shirt and Sam could wear that.
Great idea Cooper, and I love the photo.  

Each day is a gift, open now.
xo,
Suz



No photos from this blog may be reproduced without the written permission of the blogger and Polkadot Magpie.

Day 50 Sam 365 Project

Day 50

Sam is really in the Christmas Spirit.  She has 2 crocheted Tree hats. Both from Etsy.  This one is from--
 http://www.etsy.com/shop/JKCrochet.   She's just getting warmed up.  I snapped a quick pic with my phone.  She's planning on trimming her trees.

Each day is a gift, open now!

xo,
Suz



No photos from this blog may reproduced in any way without the written consent of the blogger or polkadot magpie.

Day 48 Sam 365 Skeleton Project

Day 48

Sam just loves her hats.  This one was given to her by Tom Krein a knife maker from Arkansas.  Thanks Tom!  If you'd like to see some of Tom's work: http://kreinknives.net/


Each day is a gift, open now.
xo,
Suz




No photos from this blog may be reproduced in any way without the written consent of the blogger or Polkadot Magpie.

Day 38 Hanukkah Night 1: Sam

Day 38

Sam and Bob, Hanukkah night one.  She just wanted to eat her Gelt.  Bob happy to have matzoh ball soup and matzohs.  We had a great evening!  Happy Hanukkah!

Thanks for stopping by.
Each day is a gift, open now.
xo,
Suz




No photos from this blog may be reproduced without the written consent of the blogger or polkadot magpie.

A Bird's Flight: Day 3

We woke up to a cloudy gray day.  Our plans of a helicopter ride were iffy.  We drove the concierge at the El Tovar crazy with checking to see if we could fly.  The weather map said clearing by 2pm.  This bird was ready.  Howard, Virginia Lee, and Bob were all as excited as I was.  We took the only taxi available to the airport/heliport.  The sun was peeking through the clouds.  The front desk said it was a go.  We weighed in...yes, one has to weigh in.

The rim

A rainbow going into the Canyon

Clouds ahead.

The duskiness gave the landscape a new look.

In minutes we were being loaded into the French Ecostar that seats 7, including the pilot.  Headphones on, harness seat belts fastened, lift off.  We flew over the manicured pines to the rim.  Our pilot announced he was going to head a different direction to avoid a large ominous cloud.   My camera work was limited, as I was in the middle back seat.  But my eyes widened when we came over the edge of the canyon.  I could see forever !!!  I could also see lots of dark clouds.  The view changed by the second, depending on the light.  The red rocks and green pines could change to blues and purples when a cloud moved over them.  Our flight was cut short and we had to return to the ground.  I savored every second in the air.  The company refunded ALL of our money to our surprise.

Howard and I wait for the sunset. He took as many photos as I did of the raven!

Next, the Sunset Tour at the Bright Angel Lodge.  On to another bus and a short ride to a point that was known for it's sunsets.  To my delight there was a raven walking on the edge who had spotted a hiker's apple core.  He calmly walked over and picked it up.  Took it to a great viewpoint, ate, and posed in the setting sun as I and many others took his picture.  Then he flew into a pine tree: cooed and fluffed up his feathers.  As the sun set he moved back to the edge. As the ball of light slipped behind the horizon...he took flight over the canyon.  At that moment, as many times before I felt jealous of the ability to soar.  He was my highlight that day.

In all his glory.  (copyright 2011)

Feather ruffling, and cooing at me...such a show off.

This will be for sale in my Etsy shop. (copyright 2011)

More about him next time.

Sunset Grand Canyon National Park

Thanks for reading.
Each day is a gift. Open now.
xo,
Suz

Chickens in the Pool and Buttermilk Dressing

Yes, those are chickens in a pool.  I want to get a hard shell pool for ours.

Just a few random notes today.  I am happy to say I returned my wheel chair.  4 more weeks to foot freedom, I believe.

Alien craft flying to an oven near you!

We continue to eat out of our garden.  7 different greens for nightly salads.  I made homemade buttermilk dressing, of which I will share my recipe.

Buttermilk Dressing

Dinner

7 green salad with home grown tomatoes

Suzi's Buttermilk Dressing
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/8 tsp.paprika
1/4 tsp.dry mustard
1/2 tsp. fresh dill (1/4 dry)
1 tsp. chopped chives
1 Tbsp. chopped parsley
1/2 tsp salt and pepper
Whisk together, put in fridge, keeps for over a week, makes 1 1/2 cups


Bob and I are still working in the ceramics studio together.  I picked up Ethan's pots from his last visit.  Bob's latest humungous covered casserole looks a bit like an alien craft.  Of course he made a tool to make the handles EXACTLY the same.  I have included a photo before firing.

Ethan's latest pots with Elephants...naturally!

And the chickens delight me daily.  Today I spent extra quality time with them...as I was locked in the coop for over an hour!!! Buddy the dog pushed on the gate and I heard the lock slide.  I didn't have my phone, and waited for Bob to come out to the shop to start calling.  This is my second time.  I must remember to bring my phone!  Chicken lovers and keepers keep appearing in my life.  I was sent a photo of chickens swimming in someone's pool.  Also a coop idea made out of a little trailer.

Life is so busy, but so good.
Thanks for reading. Each day is a gift. Open now!
xo,
Suz

The 3rd of July

Star shaped sugar cookies going in the oven.

It's almost here...and this year I said I wasn't having the gathering here this year because of my broken foot.  But I caved and am having a few guests.  All bringing many things.  Knowing people are alone on a holiday is one of my buttons.  I can't help it.  So here we go.  Cookies baked, peach and green chili chutney will be made today to top the lamb burgers on the grill.  I am threatening to make a blueberry pie. :-)

"Bobbles" all feather out with a big rose comb!

"MysterE" has no comb.

It seems that 2 of our Silkie chicks are roosters.  Their combs have bloomed: one did not.  "Bobbles" the non neurotypical chick with tics has grown a comb.  The other little rooster is posturing, and confronting all hens to show them he is the boss.  Bobbles doesn't care about dominance, just surviving.  "MysterE" has not grown a comb, and appears to be a hen.  She is the most talkative hen of the bunch. Constantly muttering to herself, and anyone who will listen.  The bantam buff Cochins hop on my lap every time I am out feeding. They are the sweetest of the flock.

Kale and chick peas have been a favorite from our garden.

Happy 4th to you all, whatever your plans may be.
Thanks for reading.
Each day is a gift. Open now.
xo,
Suz

From The Garden To The Table

Onion tarte in a casserole thrown by Bob and glazed by me.

Onions, radishes, chard, peas, arugula, cherry tomatoes, and mustard greens have all been happily eaten. I bogart the strawberries when I am out in the garden.  The ever bearing varieties are bearing...even in 100 degree heat. The fire in Los Alamos looks like it will be contained soon.  Smoke still hangs in the air. 4th of July is this weekend.  Of course only an idiot will set off any fireworks in New Mexico.  I'm sure there will be a few.

Covered cheese dish, that was supposed to be a butter dish! Ethan's blue bowl.

 I have been cooking from the garden.  Onion tarte from days of French cooking has mad perfect use of our gorgeous white onions.  Bob dips radishes in salt and olive oil nightly.  I am using our pottery we have made in ceramics to bake and serve in.  It's really meaningful to set a table with items you have made.  This is something new, and very rewarding.

Thanks for reading.
Each day is a gift. Open now.
xo,
Suz

Runaway Chair

I write this from beneath a cloud of ash. The Los Alamos fire is not contained. The wind shifted directions and all the smoke has come our way.  Our beautiful mountain view and valley are gone. We have a sort of fog...but it's gritty and oppressive.  The town of Los Alamos has been evacuated.  There isn't a prayer of stopping this fire without a downpour from above.  My heart and prayers go out for the residents there. The Red Cross and National Guard are there. A red sun sunset is promised again tonight.

I am wearing Mayan jade beads Bob got in Guatemala.  Special occasions only. Taken after the wedding.

Last Friday, in 100 degree weather I went to a wedding in the South Valley. A man who I worked with in the movie biz was getting married. Joe and Melissa had a traditional Catholic wedding.  Charlie Z offered to help me get there in spite of my wheelchair bound self.  Having this broken foot has given me a new awareness for those who are not foot abled.  I do love the power chairs for grocery shopping, and big box stores.  They have allowed me to go where without these battery operated vehicles, I could not go.

Jesus seems to really be enjoying the latin words sung by the mariachi band.

Charlie and I pulled up to the church just in the nick of time.  Accidents and construction delayed us.  No problem getting the chair out of the car and me in it, Charlie wheeled me toward the church.  When we got to the steps of the church...no ramp.  Stairs flanked by 45 degree angled cement slopes.  Charlie said: "we're going up!"  He backed the chair up to get a running start and pushed me up the steep slope.  The groomsmen saw us coming and were holding the door open.  We reached the top only to catch the wheel in a crack.  The chair started rolling backward and Charlie exclaimed: "oh no!"  I thought we were going to roll back down the hill, with me running over him with my runaway chair. He caught the chair and slowly pushed me toward the crack. A groomsman grabbed the chair and pulled me up and over, Charlie hanging on.  I know how to make an entrance !!

The luckiest woman in the South Valley

The mariachi band started to play as we found our seats.  Joe saw us and came to me, tears in his eyes:
"Susi, you made it."  I don't think he knew about our recent experience.  :-)   The most unusual Catholic ceremony proceeded.  I cried when I saw Joe's chin quiver when he saw his bride. His mother, also a Susie and I really struck up an unexpected friendship at the wedding reception.  Upon leaving the church Charlie Z slowly backed me down the steep slope.  He said he invisioned the chair careening down Isletta Boulevard like some runaway train. 

Muaaah!

My congrats and love to the newlyweds.  Our love for Joe made the extra mile worth it.  My gratitude to Charlie Z for pushing his friend around for the night. 
Thanks for reading.
Each day is a gift. Open now.
xo,
Suz

The Coop Mahal

This chicken village is to much!

 It's been over 100 degrees here for the last week.  I keep a vigilant watch on my flock's  water, and have put up more shade cloth in the last month than I could have ever imagined.  I have 2 fans blowing from the east end of their yard.  I am really considering getting one of those small children's wading pools and putting a few inches of water in it, and see if they would splash around.  I think I am going to plant a shade tree next on the southeast corner (the only place to put one).  I imagined hot Albuquerque weather, but I never imagined how bad I would feel seeing them panting.   There's only one word for what I am experiencing: codependent. :-)

MadeABQ has the coolest chicken tractor, and in several sizes. Kenji who owns FabLab in Albuqueque is the man who does my letter laser cutting. Imagine my surprise when I walked in his shop and saw this!

My fave...amazing design!

I have been planning the final coop with nesting boxes.  Originally I was going to match our house roof line and make a mini me coop.  But now that I have lived with them in this spot, I know it has to be one I can walk in.  I don't want to bend over, or crawl on my hands and knees to clean it.  So it will be 4' x 8' and just over 7' tall.  There will be a door I can open and clean out their droppings.  The internet is full of chicken coops and plans.  Design Swan had a blog about modern coops. I put the link below.  There are some amazing ones.
http://www.designswan.com/archives/creative-modern-chicken-coop-designs.html 

Backyard poultry are common place today as they were in the depression. My Dad told me that many of his neighbors on the North side of Chicago kept chickens  for eggs mainly, but in a pinch for stew.  When I had my farm my Dad would get a lawn chair and sit and watch my chickens.  He loved their interaction.  I would catch him taking a couple of slices of bread and putting them in his pockets, and I knew he was headed out to watch my birds.  This made me happy.  As happy as when my Grandson was here, and loved watching them too.
http://localecologist.blogspot.com/2010/01/chicken-cribs-where-city-chickens-roost.html
http://www.chickencoopmaker.com/
http://www.twinlocustbarnsinc.com/coops.htm

I added a few more links of coop sights.  There are literally thousands of them on Google images. The Amish even have their own coop company.   I call it "farm porn".  I could look at these web links for hours.  $300-$10,000 per coop.  At that price you won't be saving much money on eggs. I keep chickens because I love them like pets. Our dog and cats don't lay eggs.

It will be something like this one with nesting boxes on the side.

We will build the "coop mahal" in sections and assemble the sides, and roof out in the yard.  3 or 6 nesting boxes...that is the question at the moment. I'll take some photos of the drawings.
Thanks for reading.
Each day is a gift. Open now.
xo,
Suz
 

Sunsets and Elephants

facing west at 6pm

The huge Arizona fire that started 10 days ago is still raging out of control. We get these plumes of smoke and ash when the wind kicks up.  Advised by the NWS to close windows, turn off coolers.  The sky gets to be a strange color and the sun and the moon turn orange.  It's a bit post apocolyptic looking.  The heaviness of the ash in the air, and the mountains and valley disappear from view.  I have only had my phone on me when I have seen these red sunsets.

Nicholas

Ethan and Nicholas in the pouring rain.

I haven't had a moment to write a proper elephant blog. However, I will share a few pics from our trip.
Thanks for reading.
Each day is a gift. Open now.
xo,
Suz

4 More At The Door

Australorp chicks

Last night I got an email from a chicken farmer in the East Mountains of Albuquerque.  I had contacted him in March about getting some of his Australorp chicks.  He was out of them but said he'd have some mid May to late May.  I wrote back saying I needed them before of after our trip to see the elephants.  However, I never heard from him again.  I also left several voice mail messages.  Imagine my surprise when he emailed me!  

Full sized Australorp hen.

So here we go again.  I now have a broken foot, and am in a walking cast. So I can't do the things I normally can do.  I will enlist help of Lloyd and Ethan to move the nursery back into the walled patio area.  There will only be 4, so that is much less clean up or work. They are a large breed, and will grow fast.  Eventually they will be commingled with our flock.  Of course Ethan is thrilled to have chicks again.  

I could have told him no.  But these are a favorite gentle breed of mine.  And for another week, I have a 13year old farm hand. :-)

Thanks for reading.

Each day is a gift. Open now.
xo,
Suz

A Round Peg In A Square Hole

"The Golden Brain"  

I continue with my list for those dealing with Autism.
9.) Find a program that matches the child vs. trying to make the child match the program.


There are many programs today for kids with Autism. With 1 in 89 boys, or 1 in 150 kids education has been trying to catch up.  When my son was young, there was nothing in our state. We had a choice of full "inclusion," or a "warehouse" program that I think was called "Multi Categorical."   "Inclusion" was just the opposite of what the word means.  Regular Ed teachers really did not want special needs kids in their classes.  In their defense, if they wanted to teach Special Ed they would be Special Ed teachers.  The warehouse programs held the kids all day, and taught nothing.  Puzzles, water play, shape sorting were about the only activity.  Neither of these classes were appropriate for my son.  We chose inclusion with a 1:1 aide.


In first grade my son went through several aides.  I was so thrilled we had won the battle to get an aide written into his IEP (individualized educational program-mandated paperwork).  When I asked Dr Lavigne if there were "trained" aides.  She actually laughed.  :-(   Truth be told, most of them worked at Walmart as their last job.  Which doesn't provide training in autism.  Occasionally there is a person who is a retired teacher, or getting their degree in education and those were the best.   In my son's elementary school (which shall not be named) they felt the best aide would be one who could sit on him when he was having a tantrum.  And she did.  


Eventually I got wise and realized inclusion was not for him at the moment.  They hired a 1:1 teacher and he went to her house, or she came to ours.  And so went 4-6th grades.  The stress in all our lives decreased once he was out of the public grade school.  His program was designed by me for socialization, and then the 1:1 teachers for his academics. Rock climbing, working on a tv repair shop, running bingo at a nursing home were some of the activities he did every week for 4th grade.  Each one of these teachers were incredible human beings in their own right.  They taught him things I could never even have thought of academically and socially.  I refer to them as his Angels.  I am so grateful for their spirits and hearts. 


Sadly, he had not learned to read higher than the 1st grade level by the time Jr. High/Middle School arrived.  I knew this district would never teach him to read. We moved to a district with a magnet school.  He learned a lot at that school.  He had a 1:1 aide to scribe and dictate.  However, they were not addressing the reading or writing issue.  I began to search for a private school that taught dyslexic kids.   I found 3 in the USA that used Orton Gillingham, or Wilson methods with normal to above normal intelligence kids.  I chose the one in Albuquerque because it was the most affordable living, and I had been to New Mexico many times with him.


So I packed everything I HAD to take, sold lots of stuff, and left everyone I knew and loved in Chicago to head West.  DLD Sycamore School  was a gamble.  But if he didn't learn to read and write, he'd be left standing on the curb.  I spent my last $$ on private tuition for 18 months.  The gamble paid off.  Those women worked with him, and he was not a willing student.  He didn't really want to read or write.  But he did, and they did.  I owe them a huge debt for all their diligence.  Today he reads and writes well enough to run an vacuum shop.  He texts constantly!  Imagine. I don't know if he will ever be a book guy.  But he certainly reads web pages, magazines, and types quite well.
http://www.dldsycamoreschool.com/

High school was in Santa Fe.  That is another blog in itself.  Not everyone would cross the country alone as I did.  When I look back at it, I am amazed I did it.  Of course that was almost 10 years ago.  The time has flown by.  I am married to a man now who has become a father to my son. Something even his own biological father could not be. I get all "verclempt" when I think of how much my son loves Bob, and Bob him.  Our lives today are something I could not foresee when I left Illinois.  All because I was looking for a round hole for a round peg kid.


Thanks for reading.
Each day is a gift. Open now.
xo,
Suz