Albuquerque Coop Tour

We will be on the Albuquerque Coop Tour June 9 10-2pm.

Critter Update

"Maeve" looks right into the camera!

I am pleased to say the the Irish 6 chicks are all doing well.  They get out every day for about 6-8 hours in the yard.  They are a month old, and sweet as can be.  When I come out the door into the yard, they all run toward me!  Peeping like mad: "Mommy!"  Maeve continues to be the boss.  Bridget the youngest and whitest of the girls is always wanting me to hold her. 
Figaro is doing well.  Very subdued, after his health scare.  No more kitten left in him.  He continues to try and BE my laptop.  :-)

Maeve and Shannon

"Did you want to delete that file?"

Google is not asking me for any more money for posting photos.  We'll see. What was that all about?

I am busting my butt for Mothers Day orders, and getting ready for a show.  The garden season is also here, and 3 of the raised beds are planted.  We are eating salad greens, as well as peas.  The big tadoo is getting the irrigation system in place.  My son has been helping me on his day off install it.  He's been a terrific helper, and planner.  He also is inquisitive about growing food.  I promise to get some photos to show soon. 

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

Google's Shakedown

"Maeve" in the middle.

I haven't been writing my blog because recently Google prevented me from putting any photos on my blog without paying them.  I feel a bit of bait and switch going on here.  However, when I tried to load a photo...it worked today. 

I ask other bloggers to send me an email with their suggestions.  I will be back, but you may be getting a link to a different site.  Contact me at:  polkadotmagpie@gmail.com

Thanks for reading!
xo,
Suz

Chickens, Cats, and Dogs, and Autism

First, there are no NEW photos, because Google now wants to charge me for my blog.  I may move to another.  Sorry for no new photos.  This has thrown me for a loop.  :-(

Last year I posted a list of my "Golden Rules" of parenting your child(ren) with autism.  I will post them again at the bottom of this post.  When we got the diagnosis of Autism my son was 7.  For years I had battled with his father to get help.  Secretly I brought him to the Speech and Language Clinic at Northwestern University.  Twice a week I paid out of my hidden pocket for speech.

A gesture/sign language was started for "more, no, stop."  And what was my son's first word asking for more milkshake? "MORE!"  The flood gates opened on that milkshake day, and a new word a day started.  The connection between what he wanted and language was finally made.   One day he told his father we were going to speech, busted I was.  That was the end of that.  We limped along until the school district intervened at the start of 1st grade. I had already researched who  to see.  The school, the pediatrician, and many others had said "Autism."

By now the ex husband wouldn't hear of such a "label" put on his child.   He insisted I made him this way or he would out grow these behaviors. I joked and said if he got me some more yarn, I'd make him another one.  It was either special ed, or get out of the district.  School was insistent, and I was  no longer the bad guy.  We chose "inclusion" because that was the only choice.

We lived on the farm at this time.  My son's chicken perseveration was in full bloom.  He connected to these birds.  He loved to sit on his small lawn chair and watch them.  He talked about them and to them in monologue after monologue.  Clucking at kids in school, us, and strangers. I encouraged this relationship, sometimes wondering if it was such a good idea.  But he was gentle, caring, and loving towards these birds.

As you know, his Father was asked to leave through a court order.  So the cats/kittens could come in the house.  One kitten that my son had loved was a brown tabby: "Sylvester."  At 5 he had given Sylvester a haircut one day with safety scissors.  He had cut all his stripes off, because he wanted "a pwain cat."  A plain one.   Where was I when this happened...I don't remember.  But I do remember my parents were visiting, and my mother was sure he was to be a serial killer because of the haircut. Sylvester was none the worse for wear.  He started sleeping on my sons pillow at night in a crescent shape, cradling his red hair. 

After we left the farm we were down to 2 cats, no chickens.  There was a golden retriever puppy my friend had seen in a local pet shop. The thought of a dog caged for months drove me mad. We went to see her.  Of course we fell in love.  "Rosie" was named by my son.  She was a red Golden, almost the same color as his hair.  Rosie fell in love with him, and he with her.  She was sent for training as a service dog for a month.  When she came back she was his constant companion.  His friend when he had none.

When my son went away to a special camp, Rosie was grieving.  She sat by the front door he had walked out of for 4 weeks ago. Barely eating or drinking.  There were window lights on each side of the door that she kept a vigilant watch from.  When he returned she just about mauled him to death with love.  Really, it was a sight to see.  The joy in both of their faces was exquisite.  Rosie was his friend until she succumbed to cancer at the age of 8.

The day we put her to sleep, he was at the Vet's alone with her.  We sat in the car waiting.  We could hear him wailing from the parking lot.  It broke our hearts to hear him cry like that.  I have never heard him cry the way he did that day.   He has not gotten a dog again for several reasons.  One, he's gone all day at work. Two, most rentals don't allow dogs.  One day he will get another, I know it.   In the mean time he has learned to love through pets.  Chickens, to cats, then dogs.  I know the autism books say this is not possible.  I see the way my son loves and shows affection to his fiance.  So don't believe everything you read.

I offer a different story and perspective, as no two children are the same.  We had a visitor once who had a son with autism with her. They spent the night, and in the morning the 10 year old child was standing next to our bed with our cat in a plastic bag.  The cat survived, thank goodness.  And another friend's son who as an adult grabbed and squeezed their dog when ever he got the chance.  Their dog hid every time that young man left his room.  She was terrified of him. So you have to be the once to judge if your child is safe with pets.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
1. Don't fall into the "bad haircut syndrome"... the child will not outgrow it.
2. Families are the bottom line. So don't expect the school district to fix it.
3. Address sensory issues. Here is an excellent link on Sensory Integration issues:
     http://sensorysmarts.com/
4.  Teach to the child's/adult's perseverations.  Use your child's favorite obsession to teach real life
      subjects. I laminated chicken pictures and we did "chicken math" to teach arithmetic.
5.  Find a behaviorist and work on your behaviors as well as the child with Autism. Consult with this
     professional as unwanted behaviors arise.
6.  Don't swim in this sea alone. Support groups for parents saved my sanity.
7.  What is so special about Special Ed?  Most programs allow bad behaviors to continue. But real life
     as an adult does not.  This goes back to rule #1.  I had to explain to our school that my son would not
     always be a school aged child.  They were surprised by this news. :-)
8.  Teach the child to learn to live without you.  How?  Over night summer camps.  Although expensive,
      they will give confidence, skills, and a sense of independence that does not come naturally.  Parents
      can recharge their batteries. Which is imperative.  Many have sliding pay scales.
9.  Find a program that matches the child vs. trying to make the child match the program.
10.  They need the most love when they are acting like they deserve it the least.  Love and affection
      will be accepted and reciprocated if you continue to give it.
11.  When the child is capable/ready/mature/wanting: get a pet that is ONLY the child's.  Teaching your
       child to care for this pet will teach compassion, and life skills.  This is a tricky one which is why
       it is last.
  +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

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

National Autism Awareness Month

Happy April!!  Everything is in bloom here.  All the apple, peach, and plum trees I have planted made it though our fairly mild winter. They are filled with the promise of summer time fruit.  The 6 new chicks are doing well.  They are at that "pterodactyl stage" where their feathers are coming in and they are all giant feet and legs and wings.  Photos to follow.

Below is Temple Grandin's website.  She has new book out that I am buying myself this month.  She was my beacon on a dark path.  She was my hero when I needed one.  Her story gave me hope when I had none.  She was a functioning adult with Autism and the first one I ever met.  I wanted my son to have the choices and the life he deserved.  I thank her and her mother for not giving up, or giving in. 

http://www.templegrandin.com/ 

Not that long ago April meant IEP season.  For those parents of children with Autism, you know what I mean.  For those who don't..."individual educational plan" required by law for kids identified with special needs.  The stress of being your child's advocate runs high.  I have had IEP's with the superintendent of the district, their lawyers, experts totalling 30 of them, and one of me.  I had been known to put my son's photo in the middle of the IEP conference table and announce: "who ever has seen this face before, please stay.  Those who have not-- excuse yourselves, as you have nothing to offer in this process."   Imagine the faces of school district employees when I said this! I was well loathed by one school district.  They tried to intimidate, humiliate, and run me out of town.  I did not try to win a popularity contest.  This was my child's life we were talking about.

By the time I had gotten so aggressive at IEP's there had been a lot of mistakes and abuse toward my son. Their idea of behavior management was to have my son's 250 pound aide sit on him during outbursts.  Teach him in a supply closet, or under a stairwell.  Finally they couldn't fight me any longer.  They sent him a 1:1 teacher at home.  Life began to be manageable, his outbursts stopped for the most part, and he began to learn. I tease that I acquired "parental autism syndrome" as I wanted to bang my head at IEPs. 

This was in the dark ages of Autism and "Inclusion."  He is now 24.  He is on the higher functioning end of the spectrum, and has a very high IQ.  The DSM had just included the high functioning people with Autism. Aspergers to be added later.  PDD-NOS the giant umbrella so many fell under who got little to no services.  My son's speech and language was so delayed (4) that he got a full blown Autism diagnosis.  His outbursts were many and severe.  Often bruising me, others, and himself.   Last year I blogged about our story.  Please go back and read those posts:

http://theknifewife.blogspot.com/2011_03_27_archive.html

This year I will talk about teen and adult years.  His father, my ex husband used to say he would out grow "it" like a bad hair cut.  My son currently doesn't think he has Autism.  So I guess in some ways he has outgrown it.  :-)  Ha ha not.  My son is independent, engaged, and truly a master of his own life now.  If anyone is to drive in a car with him, they know he's still got the "bad hair cut."  That subject will be another blog.  But happy Autism awareness month.  Leave your puzzle pieces at the door.  

Thanks for reading. Each day is a gift. Open now.

xo,

Suz 

Best Laid Plans of Cats and Men

Figaro shields his eyes from the light.

I've been sick in bed for days.  I won't bore you with the details.  Just wanted to share some photos with you.  One of Bob and our grandson Ethan shooting a high powered rifle. We all went on a family shooting outing at a big outdoor range.

 

 

I don't know the name of the rifle.  But it gave the boys all bruises they wore proudly on their shoulders.

Fausto and Figaro sleeping between my legs.

Figaro is very comphy!

The others of our kitties keeping my company while I recover.

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

Meteorite, Chicks, and Mad Men

"Bowl of Chicks"

Our 6 chicks are doing well.  Weather had me move them into the kitchen for a few cold windy days.
We will decide on their Irish names when my grandson arrives Saturday. 

Bob and Charles and above the meteorite.  Notice the area that Bob polished.

My pursuit of meteorite brought "the meteorite man" Charles from San Antonio. With him came a 40lb. whole meteorite from Sweden: Muonionalusta. He took it in his carry on bag.  I bet the TSA had a fun scanning that! Bob and Charles just left for Santa Fe to have our friend at Santa Fe Stoneworks cut this on a gang drag saw.  We've enjoyed our time with Charles.  He shared stories of his world travels to buy these exotic materials he sells. Here's a link to the background of this meteorite:
http://www.muonionalustameteorites.com/

I finally got up into the studio and finished some small mixed media paintings on paper in honor of Mad Men starting season 5 this Sunday.

Mad Men piece in my ThePolkadotMagpie Etsy shop

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