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

Rural Renewal

The day after our chicks arrived we had a wind storm that knocked our power out.  We don't have a generator, or another resource for power.  They need to be kept between 90-95 degrees for the first week.  Each week the temp goes down 5 degrees.  They had been shipped the day before, which is tremendously stressful on their little bodies.  So how do we keep them warm? 

The "heater" after the lights went back on.

In the "old" days...they would put them near the fire.  Not an option here.  Turn on the car, crank the heat and leave it running.  A waste of gas, and resources.  Bring them to a friend who has power...that was an option.  What I did was start the kettle on the gas stove and boil water.  I filled a small hot water bottle, and a lidded casserole that Bob and I had made in ceramics.  They immediately huddled next to the casserole which I refilled every hour until our power went back on.  Farmer Suz rises again.

The other thing that happened was a real eye opener. No internet, no power in the shop, no lights.  So I took the entire NYT Sunday paper and read it by the window.  Streams of visual images came to my brain.  I began to sketch in my sketchbook, as I do every morning during my quiet time.  I felt a calm come over me that lit a light bulb in my consciousness.  So I have decided to not turn my computer on one day a week.  Sundays probably, as I have the Sunday paper delivered. 

Seeds started in Jiffy Pots...new to me.

So let's hear it for "Rural Renewal" instead of "Urban Renewal".   I think our culture is out of balance, and it would do this Homosapian good to unplug from time to time.  Gardening, the chickens, and eating my own grown food was a start.  I loved the satisfying feeling of reading by the light of the window. 

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

xo,

Suz

Chicks Are Here!!!

She fell asleep as I was taking the picture.

They arrived  early,  again.  A shared order with my neighbor, Wendy.  I was almost ready...so Bob and I scrambled to move the nursery in the yard, get the light set and watched the thermometer rise.  The wind instantly picked up.  I caved, and we brought them inside, in the kitchen.  Much easier to maintain the constant temp for these crucial days.  Since they came on St. Patty's Day, I think I will name them Irish lass names.  Please feel free to leave your Irish name suggestions in the comments.  They will be red in color, so how perfect to have 6 red heads on St. Patrick's Day.

Nothin' cuter than new peeps.

Happy St. Patty's Day!  Thanks for reading.  

Each day is a gift. Open now.

xo,

Suz

One Week Till Chicks

Red Star Production Hen

My wonderful chicken loving neighbors and I are sharing a chick order from Murray McMurray. .  I decided to get "Red Star" production hens.  I have never had them, and I want a good source of eggs for my laying flock.

Today I went and bought organic chick starter and tomorrow I clean out the nursery aka rabbit hutch that has served me for many a chick.  They are due the 19th, my grandson is due the 24th for a visit.  I hope at 13 he's still lovin' the peeps. 6 girls flyin' soon.

Can't wait to have chicks, and a new breed.

I'll keep you updated.  My co-gardner Karen will be planning, planting, and working on part of the vegetable garden. It's so nice to have another farmer around. We are seed starting in these Jiffy pop up peat pots for the first time also. I got 12 artichoke plants from a woman in California...I am nervous.  I have lots of photos to take. :-)

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

xo,

Suz

He's Coming Home

He's home!!

A quick update on the "million dollar kitten" Figgy.   We ended up taking him to the Vet Friday afternoon. He looked worse.  We transferred him to pet hospital  so they could keep him overnight on an IV, and providing a "smorgasboard" as the Vet said.  The Vet at this hospital is a Sage in our town.  He took his own films and said he saw nothing, all chemistry good.  This is the same hospital we took our Columbus to when he passed.  So I took a deep breath and whispered over and over in Figgy's Ear: "you're coming home, and getting well."

They called this AM and said he can be picked up later this afternoon!!!!!!!!!!! 
He's eating on his own.  Looking alert.  Woop!

Photos to come.
Thanks for reading. Each day is a gift. Open now!
xo,
Suz