Happy Bench Monday

At least it was my youngest daughters dream from the time she was 11. Sadly, it didn't work out for her. Nor did the marriage. Now she's a single parent of an Autistic son.

Hope you have a great week

Zastori kao zavoji

Posrijedi je umjetnička intervencija kojom se željelo ukazati na sporost i neprovedbu obnove objekata nakon potresa koji je pogodio Zagreb 22. ožujka 2020. godine. Na slici je zgrada Centra za odgoj i obrazovanje »Slava Raškaj« koji se bavi obrazovanjem mladih oštećena sluha, osoba s govrono-jezičnim poteškoćama, autističnom djecom itd. Zgrada je nastradala u potresu i nastava se više u njoj ne odvija. Očito je da nema novaca za obnovu ovog važnog objekta koji i inače već godinama stoji zapušten.

Curtains as bandages

This is an artistic intervention aimed at pointing out the slowness and non-implementation of reconstruction of buildings after the earthquake that hit Zagreb on March 22, 2020. The picture shows the building of the Education Center "Slava Raškaj" (named after famous Croatian painter, who was deaf from birth) which deals with the education of young people with hearing impairments, people with speech and language difficulties, autistic children, etc. The building was damaged in the earthquake and classes are no longer held there. It is obvious that there is no money for the renovation of this important building, which has been neglected for years.

My son, Micah and I went on holiday last week. It was lovely to be away in the countryside surrounded by beautiful trees and having access to a wonderful pool as part of our accommodation. Micah loves water and loves to swim, so this was a perfect getaway for him. The first day we were there, Micah who is autistic and non-verbal was making his happy noises as we were on our way to the pool. Much to my dismay, a group of children rode past us on their bikes and proceeded to make nasty comments about him, intimating that he was a freak and making disgusting copying sounds. I did explain to this group about disability and they seemingly understood however the rest of our stay was marred with adults and children alike ignoring him, splashing water in his face and making demeaning comments. It's with great sadness I write these words as I have never encountered so much nastiness towards him in his 9 years. Where is the understanding, compassion and empathy in humanity going? So much hatred, bigotry, discrimination - I truly hope that there is enough love and light to counter these traits. When did we become the me first generation? We live in a diverse world, not only of colour but also ability. Everyone is human, all sacred, all with intrinsic worth. B x

photo taken from a photo

Waiting to capture the sunset a mother and son sat down on the bench. I didn't want to change my position so I asked if I could include them in the shot, the mother said no problem. She said, she and her son came when the tide was low as her son was autistic and it help him to visualise the different shades and how the sun made the water sparkle. She said her son loved painting but only in B&W so coming here helped him. Nature not only provides us with so much beauty, it helps her son with his painting too, how great is that!

He made these for my autistic brother who found prehistory fascinating

British architectural artist Stephen Wiltshire, who is an autistic savant, has been commissioned by SPH to draw Singapore's cityscape for SPH's 30th anniversary.

You want to feel it right there. That. That feeling. The plan is to infect everyone with HOPE.

One is one and all alone and evermore shall be so….

This shot was taken last week when we took my nine year old grandson on holiday for a few days. He enjoyed the short four day break and a few weeks ago was overjoyed when he found by his height he could go on any fairground type ride in the Skegness area.

Leo is quite emotionally flat in many ways being on the autistic spectrum but was overjoyed at hitting the height where he was allowed to go alone on any fairground ride at Skegness including the roller coaster. I remembered from personal experience it to be quite hair raising. I described to him from memory how it would seem like the roller coaster would appear to be headed for disaster by describing how it would seem the car would indeed crash over the edge as it jutted out over the rails on one corner.

He is just nine years old and social distancing hadn’t been completely lifted so he was sat in the carriage all alone. My heart twisted as his carriage passed by with his tiny figure totally alone. On exiting the ride he announced

“that was the most scariest thing I ever experienced in my whole life “

He was was wearing a smart watch that showed heart was beating at over 120 times a minute.

I was about to tell him I had warned him when he said “ I am going on it again “ “ but you said it was the most scariest thing you ever experienced in your life Leo “ I said

He replied “ but mama thats what I enjoy best “ and on he went again..parents permission granted btw.. 😱

He has since gone alone several times and also on the roller coaster at fantasy Island Ingoldmells. I just don’t get it but if it makes him happy……….🤔

From my archives: on a walk back from the Ifield Mill one day I stopped to talk with a young mum outside her house. She had her autistic son with her and , having an adult son of my own with multiple health issues , we could empathise with each others experiences.

Anyway, her beautiful cat was gracing her garden wall and being a cat-lover myself too I asked if I could take some pics - his name is Badger.

My camera at that time was an Olympus Stylus 1 - just a basic that I used on auto .

Did a bit of the usual post processing in my PSP ....

"Our difficulty is that we have become autistic. We no longer listen to what the Earth, its landscape, its atmospheric phenomena and all its living forms, its mountains and valleys, the rain, the wind, and all the flora and fauna of the planet are telling us."

-Thomas Berry

Gaia waits for us to listen once again to the world that sustains us. Let us hope she does not wait in vain.

As for me, I'm tired of sad news and human deafness. At least for tonight. Perhaps the morning will bring some sense of renewal.

If you know how to touch the rainbow, you know.

Trying to make line symmetry for all kinds of autistic people -like myself :-) I hope to make it right this time.... HMM!!

From people who originally only picked up a camera to help our autistic son to landing jobs covering large events, thank you all for your support! much appreciated.

www.beecraigsfestiveforest.buzz/

Hundreds of brightly-coloured brollies have been suspended in the air above the market and beyond in Newark, to raise awareness and acceptance of neurological conditions.

The project was officially launched in partnership with the ADHD Neurodiversity Foundation. About one in ten people have dyslexia, one in 20 have ADHD and one in 60 are autistic and together with other conditions that makes up about a quarter of the population of this planet.

Quote….“In our culture, historically we have often considered those people as being less intelligent and less able, but we know that isn’t true. Over 30% of chief executives, entrepreneurs and self employed people have ADHD or dyslexia.”

The umbrellas have been installed by Newark Creates, a three year cultural programme in Newark and will remain in place until September.

Transition into new dimensions, the old ones are falling into the sea.

Can you feel it beginning to happen? I can feel it beginning to happen. Breathe, it will come to you too, imminently.

"Atomise all of it."

Many called it the longest summer since records began.

And yet you lean on the lever so. Why is that?

It's as easy as AB487EPXUGGYFUSS

You remember forever?

“If the trees and the plants are brothers, if the birds are my sisters, then cats are truly my kin.”

― Andrew Miller, Dub Steps

Soundtrack : www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bc_b-qE9gl8

MEET TIGGER

Christmas is a joyful time

especially when you have cats

I have eight and all of them

watch me wearing my silly hat

they play with all the boxes

they play with all the paper

but do they want the toys I bought

no they don't; what a caper

Harry hides beneath the tree

something caught his eye

a dangling little nutcracker soldier

Harry stalks him; wonders why

what he's doing in his house

looking straight at him

“I'll have you if you turn to run”

Harry says; paw up and then

a sudden breeze; the soldier moves

Harry is swift and swings a punch

“just as well I had some chicken”

he licks his lips and thinks of lunch

Harry is autistic

every day is new to him

everything even things most familiar

are strange and scary and on a whim

he pounces on something unexpected

something only he can see

he remembers some things better than others

and I'm glad he always remembers me

when he was just a tiny kitten

well he's not much bigger now

the vet thought that he would be blinded

but I didn't agree and I knew somehow

as he scurried about like a little mouse

with so much energy and love to give

the vet said it would have been kinder to leave him

to end his life; not let him live

he was born with a shot jaw; it was hard to eat

and his mother; another stray; had abandoned him

together with his sister Chloe

who had the same problems and more within

well, I never went back to that vet again

I took them both somewhere else

a second opinion was all they needed

and love and care to restore their health

they had not learned to wash themselves

so I washed them in the Butler's sink

eyedrops for Harry to clear a bad infection

Bubbles decided to brave the stink

he became the mother they barely knew

he still curls up with them now

they burrow their heads into his warm fur

they make me smile; they make me vow

to keep them safe and free from harm

to love them all their lives

to give to them all I have to give

to make sure that they live and thrive

I carry them around like little babies

these two little mites who showed such fight

they are so loving; so sweet and small

I reassure them every day and night

they never will be very big

but they are big in other ways

big the love they give to me

big the joy they bring my days.

Their shot jaws corrected themselves over time so that now you don't really notice and they both have very healthy appetites! : 0)

- AP - Copyright © remains with and is the intellectual property of the author

Copyright © protected image please do not reproduce without permission

Do not ask us to rest, to observe silence or to particpate in the conceit, the final erasure of solidarity.

This is my handsome sidekick, Ben. He’s 83 lbs of muscle and a big baby! 6 years ago we found him abandoned in a desolate area near our home, a area known for people dumping dogs.

I’ve always had hounds so all I knew about Pit Bulls was the stereotype but our other dog immediately bonded with Ben so we took our cue from Jack. Ben is loving, gentle, great with the elderly, autistic children and other dogs but scared to death of plastic bags, thunder and the paper shredder.

This year my boy started having Grand Mal seizures. We’re doing everything possible to keep him comfortable, safe and happy.

Did you think that all this time, we were being rhetorical? Did you think we were exaggerating? Did you project your own deceit; whose guilt are you covering for?

Is it blue blue, or green green for you? Or bleen. Or glue.

The best way to measure a person is by what they project onto marginalised people.

Just in time for soundcheck.

*Working Towards a Better World

❤️ ❤️ ❤️❤️ ❤️ ❤️❤️ ❤️ ❤️❤️ ❤️ ❤️

Marc is Autistic and is presently suffering from uncontrollable rage, darkness and frightening hallucinations that he has been battling with. His parents are loving and always attentive, but it is hard to have to watch and feel rather hopeless. They do all that they can but the medications are not working at present. Please join me in sending prayers, good vibes and thoughts their way so that a better medication can bring him relief and peace, enable him to enjoy his life again.

This goes out to all Autistic people and their families, may a cure be found to stop this dreadful illness.

Sending love to Marc and his family and all the other families confronting this demon.

❤️ ❤️ ❤️❤️ ❤️ ❤️❤️ ❤️ ❤️❤️ ❤️ ❤️

Thank you for your kind visit. Have a wonderful and beautiful day! ❤️ ❤️ ❤️

Distance, multiplied by time, divided by magic.

Blue Heart Event, is a project whose origin goes back a few years ago, product of my experiences with autistic people in RL.

If Blue Heart Event made someone put their hearts in people with Autism, their needs, their problems ... I feel enormously happy, to have lit that spark. The work continues ... it is HUGE and any help may be imperceptible, but it counts ... and it must be done, in order to generate changes little by little.

Today I want to say THANK YOU, to all the designers, models, bloggers, collaborators ... to all the people that in one way or another united selflessly in this fight. All help is a treasure I will keep in my blue heart.

Eye, eye.

Blue Heart Event, is a project whose origin goes back a few years ago, product of my experiences with autistic people in RL.

If Blue Heart Event made someone put their hearts in people with Autism, their needs, their problems ... I feel enormously happy, to have lit that spark. The work continues ... it is HUGE and any help may be imperceptible, but it counts ... and it must be done, in order to generate changes little by little.

Today I want to say THANK YOU, to all the designers, models, bloggers, collaborators ... to all the people that in one way or another united selflessly in this fight. All help is a treasure I will keep in my blue heart.

Yes, you could (probably). "But I am old, slightly autistic with a serious narcissistic stretch and, also, I know nothing." Don't worry, people worse than you have become Prime Minister or President of the US. "But would I not lose my marbles or make decisions I don't even understand?" No problem, just surround yourself with some trusted friends. "What if they dig up some dirt way back in my past?" Happens all the time, we know how to deal with this. "Then, I could do it?" Yeap, you are totally qualified.

Fuji X-E3.

Magic not delivered upon one's self, but delivered to each other's arms.

Ons lokale tweedaagse festival. Vroeger hadden we Forever Young met meer mijn/onze muziek, maar het is het enige evenement dat we nog hebben. Er is zelfs geen Grootebroekse kermis meer. Dus hier hoor je bij te zijn. Mijn dochter komt er speciaal voor "over".

Het was goed weer, dus ook een goede sfeer. Vooral vandaag had niemand zin om naar huis te gaan, het liep dus aardig vol. Veel van jullie weten dat mijn dochter autistisch is, het was toen tijd voor ons om naar huis te gaan. Even tellen leerde ons dat we evengoed al 6 uur op de been waren geweest.

Our local two-day festival. We used to have Forever Young, which featured more of my/our music, but it's the only event we still have. There's not even a Grootebroek fair anymore. So you have to be there. My daughter is coming over especially for it.

The weather was great, so there was a good atmosphere. Especially today, no one felt like going home, so it filled up quite a bit. Many of you know my daughter is autistic, so it was time for us to go home. A quick count showed us that we'd still been on our feet for six hours.

So proud of Antonio and how far he has come since he started at the new school in September 2021. I have been trying to get him out of mainstream since he started school, he has struggled so much with fitting in, being bullied and not thriving due to him not being taught the right way for him. I have had to pull him from 2 different schools due to severe bullying and the teachers being unable to deal with it. Anyway, for his last year in secondary education, he finally got a place in a wonderful special needs school, and is doing brilliantly. Despite having a year off during lockdown he is set to do his GCSE’s and is applying for a course in ICT in college. His confidence is soaring, he is doing amazingly in his studies and most importantly he looks forward to going to school for the first time and doesn’t get bullied.

Daniel and I attended parents evening recently and we received nothing but high praise from all his teachers, and they absolutely adore him. I’m the happiest proudest Mum ever.

He will always have challenges throughout his life but he has proved he can thrive if he is in the right environment. The college he will be attending is in the same building as his school so he is already familiar and comfortable with the environment. Photo taken by my amazing boyfriend, Daniel who’s support means a ton, we both love you loads.

Due to the strength shown by Antonio, I’m now under assessment myself at the grand old age of 40 something😂, something I should have done many years ago, but wasn’t aware I may be autistic! The process will probably take a long time but it will be nice to have some clarity.

Have a wonderful weekend, dear flickr friends. ❤️😘

The project has commenced.

▪️Beidh ar dhéagóir Palaistíneach uathach a chuir i leith na ngardaí agus na bpríosúnach ionsaí gnéasach a dhéanamh air filleadh ar ais chuig an bpríosún Iosraelach céanna inar mhaíonn sé gur tharla an t-ionsaí.

▪️Caiff bachgen awtistig o Balesteina a gyhuddodd warchodwyr a charcharorion o ymosod arno yn rhywiol ei anfon yn ôl i'r un carchar Israelaidd lle y dywed i'r ymosodiad ddigwydd.

▪️An autistic Palestinian teenager who accused guards and inmates of sexually assaulting him is sent back to the same Israeli prison where he claims the attack happened. open.substack.com/pub/dropsitenews/p/un-security-council-...

▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️

Ross Castle, Killarney

autis ama kereta ato narsis... xixixi

I very seldom post anything that is personal. This is an exception. I am very proud of the strong woman my daughter has become. The past five months she has been stricken with a syndrome called MALS. This is a very debilitating condition in which the median arcuate ligament presses too tightly on the celiac artery. MALS occurs most frequently in females aged 40 to 60 with a duration of symptoms ranging from 3 months to 10 years. Common symptoms include nausea, vomiting, and postprandial epigastric pain leading to an aversion of food and resulting in severe weight loss.

Along with her strength of fighting this condition, she finds enough heart to be a wonderful mother. My daughter has two incredible children. Her daughter is 11 years old with a lot of sas and a 9 year old autistic son. Even with the challenges of parenthood she is still able to apply her law degree as a para legal at the Utah State Attorney Generals office.

When I showed her this picture she told me how beautiful it is and how amazing the arch is. So with the sky having so much purple in it I chose to name it "Heather's Delight". Since purple is her favorite color.

Autistic withdrawal

As dark as it ever gets, the answers will come.

🎶 musically inclined . . .

an early interest in music led her down a musical path . . .

she was only three years old when she first experienced a guitar, now ten years later she plays many instruments including a ukulele & bass guitar,

she is autistic and finds her solace in creating music . .

it is such a beautiful thing to watch & listen to her play,

a real treat for your heart & soul

[posted for November's Explore Takeover - theme B&W]

No, it doesn't say what you want it to think it says.

When you "collect" things to make themes for Macro Mondays... they eventually hide from you. Like this wooden Siena ball that landed in a box of transistors.... limited disorder is healthy for us semi-autistic people :-)

To Aug 15 ~ Summer Challenge # 173 ~ Colour Slide! ~

www.flickr.com/groups/759740@N22/discuss/7215769276505340...

Cube is a 1997 Canadian science-fiction horror film directed and co-written by Vincenzo Natali.

Without remembering how they got there, several strangers awaken in a prison of cubic cells, some of them booby-trapped. There's onetime cop Quentin (Maurice Dean Wint), scientist Holloway (Nicky Guadagni), young math genius Leaven (Nicole de Boer), master of escapes Rennes (Wayne Robson), autistic savant Kazan (Andrew Miller) and architect Worth (David Hewlett), who might have more information on the maze than he lets on. The prisoners must use their combined skills if they are to escape.