Putting the Homestead to Bed

So, we're very much into Autumn now.  Today is the first day of hunting season in Maine and everyone is wearing their neon orange.  I live towards the end of a dead-end road, way in the woods, so this time of year always scares me a bit.  There's a lot hunters around and it's not uncommon to hear guns firing.  But we're also finishing up getting ready for winter and our projects can't be put off for a month, so I'm forced to be outside.

I love Fall and Spring, especially Spring when I'm somewhat giddy with anticipation of what we'll be planting that year.  Fall is beautiful, with the brilliant leafs and cool air.  I love bundling up in sweaters.  But it's a bit bittersweet as I know winter will be coming and driving me inside much of the time. 

Yesterday I cut down the tomatoes and put away their cages.  We just had a frost, it was very late this year.  The vines still had small green vegetable on them and I decided the chickens would appreciate those.  We mulched the asparagus, blueberries and some of the ornamentals.  I still haven't planted my garlic, I've been to frazzled by other events and forgot so that will happen this week.  The honeysuckle a friend bought me and the kiwis I bought from the local co-op are doing great and I think they'll make it through the winter.

Yes, the year's winding down, but soon it'll be catalog time:  I can't wait  :-)

Xander's Autism Battle

Maybe the title of this post should be "The Swan Family Autism Battle".  Xander's behavior really affects us all.  Every winter he declines a bit, I'm not entirely sure why.  Maybe it's because he is confined to the house more.  Perhaps the dwindling daylight is too much for him.  He has more activities in the winter, such as Pre-school and it might be too much for him.  Whatever the cause, he's getting hard to handle now. He calls us "meanies" and "idiots" -- I'm not really sure where he got these words, he could have picked them up anywhere, I guess.  He hits, pinches, body-slams us, and is a little hyper-active ball of energy.  If he were an element, it would definitely be water, constantly moving and overrunning everything in his path.  And it's just about all the time.  There are brief periods of cuddling and hugs.  Sometimes he's exceedingly sweet and thoughtful.  He'll help his sisters with a project or comfort them when they're hurt and he always thinks of them when we're at a store, insisting on buying them candy or toys.  Then he has a meltdown.  It can be triggered by anything.  Sometimes we can't figure out the cause.  But the reaction is always the same.  He stomps around, hollering, hitting everyone he gets near, even falling to the floor and banging his head.  This can go on for hours.  Traditional discipline doesn't work.  His sisters loose toys, sit in time out or are redirected and this changes their behaviors.  Try these techniques with Xander and he either doesn't care...  Or goes into full melt-down mode.  It's tiring.  We're getting in-home support soon.  They'll help Xander modify his moods and give us new tricks to try that are successful for kids with autism.  We're also thinking of looking into respite care.  Did I mention he's only 4 years old??  I hope things improve soon...

An Introduction

Hello!  My name is Mae.  I'm a mom in Western Maine.  My family and I are homesteading on a small patch of land, trying to become as self-sufficient as possible.  We use a hand pump for water and a composting toilet for.... you know.  Our electricity is a 12v battery which we charge at a friend's house but soon we hope to generate our own using solar or wind.  We use propane to cook with but someday it'll a wood cookstove (a regular one heats our home at the moment).  Everything is a work in progress...

We have a small but growing garden.  We like to focus on heirloom vegetables and save our own seeds.  My kids especially liked picking and eating the tomatoes right off the vine.  We have a flock of chickens that break out of their pen periodically (the kids help them "escape") and roam around, eating bugs, grass and, occasionally, our veggies.  We don't have any rabbits at the moment but I raised them for show throughout my childhood and into my early 20s and am currently looking for Silver Fox and American Chinchilla Rabbits to add to the homestead (anyone want to help me there???).

My middle child was diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum at the age of three.  He's a smart, sweet, silly kid who likes things a certain way and has regular meltdowns, especially when things don't go "right".  He's in great company, though as his brilliant, loving daddy has Aspergers (also on the spectrum). 

The two younger kids also have hearing impairments.  Their losses are progressive and the youngest already hears at 60 dB.  I'm worried that she'll end up with a profound loss.  But they're doing well and will adapt great, I'm sure.

Time to head out for now!  Keep tuned and have a great day!