>In which Chuck’s take-out dinner is greener than mine

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>It was not a dark and stormy night, but it did rain. I was tired and arrived home late (field trips will do that) and I didn’t have the energy or inclination to cook. Amigo likes days like this; we call for pizza. It doesn’t happen often.

Chuck, on the other hand, had to work late as well. He stopped on his way home to pick up Chinese food — Dragon Phoenix, if you’re wondering, which is one of my favorite dishes as well.

Here’s the trash breakdown for the pizza:
Pizza box: recycled clean portions, soaked and composted soiled part
Bag from breadsticks: soaked and composted
Tiny container from dipping sauce – garbage. Sorry. I just couldn’t think of a way to repurpose this weak little item. The sauce, however, joined a tomato sauce I made from garden tomatoes.
Leftovers in refrigerator for Saturday’s Leftover Lunch

Throwaway totals for Chinese dinner:
Cardboard containers (waxy style, containing food residue): compost
Soup container: reused. These are perfect for freezing soup stocks.
Leftovers in refrigerator, as above, for Saturday.
Paper bag for carryout: recycled. It was a little too big to be handy for reuse.
Plastic bag that covers paper bag for carryout: reused
Fortunes recycled
The only parts of this meal that ended up in the garbage: the tiny wrappers from the fortune cookies and the soy sauce packages. Next time Chuck should say “no thanks” to those; we have a bottle of soy sauce at home.

At a glance, the two look fairly equal in waste impact. However, the Chinese food wins in an important way. The pizza order gets delivered on request, costing gas and spewing carbon into the air every time a customer calls. The other restaurant is on the way home; Chuck doesn’t have to go out of his way at all to pick it up. As for carbon footprint, he wins.

As for taste? It depends on your cravings. Both were delicious.

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>Good fiction featuring characters with autism

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>Parents and teachers of children with autism, friends of people with Asperger’s, people who know the ropes and recognize the characteristics will appreciate these books. Some intentionally include characters with autism as major or important supporting characters. Others feature characters that fit so precisely on the spectrum I have to say it.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time
Imagine a novel with chapters numbered in prime numbers. That’s just one unique twist in British author Mark Haddon’s Curious Incidentof the Dog in the Night-time.

The Truth Out There
I read this book aloud to my sixth grade class a few years ago. The computer game element, the potential for alien sightings, skateboarding and other age-appropriate elements all make this mystery a page-turner. Asperger’s Syndrome is an important piece of the puzzle.


Al Capone Does my Shirts
This Newbery honor book reveals the impact of autism on the entire family and the challenge in seeking appropriate educational placements and services. The historical element of the story lends an interesting perspective because autism wasn’t a known diagnosis at the time. The parents just know their daughter needs help; a lot of specialized help.


Rules is another Newbery honor book that depicts the impact of autism on a family. By noted author Cynthia Lord, Rules is written in first person from the perspective of the disabled child’s older sister. An interesting character in this story is another disabled young person, and the plot twists tightly as he find his place socially with the neurotypical and non-disabled students.

The Art of Keeping Cool
Set on the east coast of the U.S. during WWII, The Art of Keeping Cool involves two high school boys, an authoritarian grandfather, and a German refugee artist. The main character’s cousin Elliot shows so many autistic-like traits that I’m certain a real-life Elliot would be on the spectrum. An “aha” moment for Elliot is the day he realizes his actions have an effect on others. Until then, he thinks only of his own small circle, his own perspective on life.


Silent to the Bone
Elaine “E. L.” Konigsburg wrote a thriller in this one. Older brother Branwell loses the power of speech when his baby sister is seriously injured and blame falls on him. This isn’t the part that suggestions autism, however. Branwell’s character traits before the tragedy and his inability to cope suggest Asperger’s. It takes a close friend to see through the silence and find a way for Branwell to communicate and help himself.

The Silent Boy by Lois Lowry features a non-verbal boy as the title character. An asylum for the insane looms in the background as a young girl learns to accept and reach out to the boy in the field, the one who despite his disability loves animals and takes care of babies of all breeds – or tries.

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>Good readings in autism

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>If you bring up Asperger’s Syndrome, someone will probably ask if you’ve read The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime. Read it; it’s good. However, it’s fiction. I’m focusing more on nonfiction today.

Chuck and I were traveling to pick up Amigo at camp when we heard Lianne Holliday Willey on NPR talking about her book Pretending to be Normal. We knew we had to have it. The subtitle is “Living with Asperger’s Syndrome,” and that’s exactly what the book is. Lianne was a resilient child, but a unique and quirky one. She didn’t realize exactly why she was different until her daughter was diagnosed with Asperger’s and she realized she was on the spectrum herself. Pretending to be Normal is insightful and articulate, a peek inside the experiences and feelings of an adult with Asperger’s Syndrome.

Look me in the Eye by John Elder Robison is another memoir that lets people get a glimpse of how someone who appears different can also be highly intelligent and successful professionally. John Elder, as he was nicknamed in his youth, describes living the high life with the band KISS (he was a creative engineer with the band) and living in near poverty in between tours. He marries, divorces, but stays on good terms with his ex-wife and children. His memoir shows how a strikingly creative and intelligent person can run afoul of a rigid school system, develop unique relationships despite social awkwardness, and eventually recognize and seek treatment to come to grips with his autism. Look me in the Eye is fascinating, and not only for the backstage tales of rock and roll special effects.

Unstrange Minds is a tougher read, but well worth the time. Part clinical explanation and part personal story, this book explains the skyrocketing numbers of autism diagnoses better than anyone else I’ve read.

Send in the Idiots, another memoir by an adult with high functioning autism, initially turned me off because of its title. I was glad I read it, though. As Kamran Nazeer sought out his former classmates and described their successes and failures, he also faced his own uniqueness. Some parts were hard to read not because of any weakness in the book, but because being mom to a teen with Asperger’s, the situations made me worry. The title doesn’t actually refer to the students by the term “idiot,” but quotes an echolalic phrase spoken by a classmate.

Each book is worth the time and effort. I bought all four over a span of several years because I wanted to take my time reading each one thoroughly without the constraints of library due dates. Owning books like this also allows me to go back and read portions at my leisure, rereading as needed.

Readers, I focused on autism. Can you recommend other books from the perspective of people with disabilities or people with disabled family members? Blindness, hearing impairment, otehrs…list them in the comments, please! I eagerly await your suggestions.

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>Chicken and Herbs + Vegetables in the Crockpot

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>I didn’t want to cook. I was tired of cooking. I was feeling lazy. I didn’t want to shop, either. Therefore, I dubbed it “Let’s see what we already have in the house that will work together” day. I experienced and blogged this in August, but it could work today, too; I’d just be harvesting from the farmers’ market or the freezer instead of the backyard.
If there were a recipe, it might have looked something like this.

First: 2 chicken breasts and about a pint of chicken stock, both frozen. Dump into crockpot as is, without thawing.
Next: Sprinkle herbs (basil, oregano, thyme) over chicken & stock. Let simmer on low.

(from left: oregano, thyme, basil)

Meanwhile: harvest zucchini. Find small bag of red potatoes in pantry. Search refrigerator for other potential ingredients: dice and add celery. Harvest a few pea pods and a handful of beans. Discover the one last green onion hiding in a corner of the garden.


Slice vegetables thin, remove peas from pods, and eventually layer veggies on top of chicken (when chicken is suitably thawed and beginning to cook, that is).
La Petite doesn’t like mushrooms, so saute them separately with butter and garlic.


Let the whole thing simmer all day.

An hour before serving, add a handful of parsley. Take out chicken breasts; Shred and replace them in crockpot. Stir, then simmer. Turn to warm if fully cooked through.

Serve with long grain brown rice (and mushrooms) and a salad.
Salad: green salad with lettuces and pea pods and shredded carrots.

Amazing. I made a decent supper using lots of garden vegetables and still had the entire afternoon to work on my graduate course’s project. The rough draft of my paper (The Impact of ADHD on the Family) is done. What would I do without my crockpot? No, don’t answer that. I’m sure the answer is unpleasant.

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>Celebrating (Dis)Abilities

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>My community stages a celebration of sorts every year. They call it Celebrating Abilities. The weeklong project includes special events, concerts, presentations, and speakers to the tune of disability awareness.

And I got to thinking. Could I do that? Could I speak to groups about living as a hearing impaired professional? I don’t fit the stereotype of an under- or unemployed disabled person. I don’t sign, although I’ve considered learning. I get more use from strategic use of hearing aids and increasing lipreading skills.

When I taught at an elementary school that housed the program for deaf and hard of hearing students, I found myself in the position of role model. When I showed the class my hearing aids on the first day of school, my three hearing impaired students sat up straighter in their chairs; their teacher was one of them. The lone girl in the group was thrilled to see an adult woman with a hearing impairment – a college graduate and full time professional.

Many years later, I’m teaching in a different school – one where the families and teachers are less understanding of my disability. I’ve been thinking of designing an empathy style activity for students and staff where they get to sample and experience various disabilities.

The empathy piece is important. Children are often more accepting of differences than grownups. A teacher friend used a cane to support her as her MS progressed. She explained her condition to the students, reassured them that it wasn’t catching, and all was well. No one harrassed her for using the disabled parking space, for walking slowly in the hallways, or for using a cane in public.

One principal used to come in and talk to my class each year, cautioning them not to try to get around me because of my hearing. She compared that kind of behavior to knocking a wheelchair down the stairs or kicking the white cane out from in front of a blind person. She was credible: her word was law in the schoolyard and school building. I handled my share of student discipline, but they didn’t dare take advantage of my hearing loss.

I hope that the next generation of students won’t even think twice about taking advantage of a disabled person, teacher or not. I hope that the children I teach now will take it in stride when they know someone with a disability, whether they be a teacher, coworker, neighbor, or relative. Familiarity in this case builds comfort, and comfort builds respect.

If respect for each other increases as a result of celebrating abilities, it’s all right with me.

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>The Governors make a Locavore-style bet

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Wisconsin Badgers played Minnesota’s Golden Gophers Saturday.
The Green Bay Packers play the Minnesota Vikings Monday night.

What’s a governor to do? Make a wager, of course.

Our very own Jim Doyle of Wisconsin wagered a selection of Milwaukee’s famous Usinger’s sausages and specialty cheeses made by Carr Valley Cheese Co. Not to be outdone, Minnesota’s Tim Pawlenty offered Hormel pork tenderloin and Minnesota wild rice. Both packages sounded delicious.

While the teams battled for the long-term rivalry’s legendary Paul Bunyan’s Ax (118 match-ups, people, 118!), the governors watched and hoped for a win for their teams — and their pantries. Are you still in suspense? Wisconsin won. Go Badgers!! Play on, band!

Meanwhile, the ghost of Favre looms over Green Bay and the ghost of Ted Thompson haunts Brett Favre. Governor Doyle, who invoked Brett’s name on announcing his own retirement (“I won’t pull a Favre and change my mind”), is offering a wager of good Wisconsin beers. He didn’t say which beers he’d include if the unthinkable happens. New Glarus, maybe? Point? Minnesota Governor Pawlenty, for his credit, is offering Minnesota beers on his side of the bet.

Monday night, I’ll be ready for some football. Governor Doyle, if you don’t want the beers, I’m sure my beer- connoiseur husband Chuck would be willing to try them. Heck, I might even let him post a review right here at Compost Happens!

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>Be careful what you dream; it might come true.

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>I was tired the night before the field trip. I thought “Good. I’ll sleep well, be rested for the trip.” I didn’t think, “To sleep, perchance to dream.”

In my dream, we were on a trip to the state capitol for a tour. We had plenty of adults along, so I slipped out to get Starbucks for the teachers. Somehow, I got lost on the way to the coffee shop or on the way back. I’m not sure which. When I finally found the others, I was missing my jacket and my shoes. I was freezing and damp; rainy weather.

In real life:
We took a field trip to the state capitol for a tour.
We had plenty of adults around; most were excellent chaperones.
I didn’t slip out for coffee – for myself or the other teachers.
I waited for a student to run back to the bathroom for something she lost or forgot. When she got back, we got disoriented under the Capitol’s dome and ended up going out the wrong door. We walked around Capitol Square and eventually made our way to the museum, our next stop. The classes hadn’t gotten there yet, so we waited outside for the rest. The girl understood why we didn’t go back to circle Capitol Square; she knew we could end up circling and circling while they did the same.
It was breezy and cool, but neither of us lost a jacket. One girl misplaced her jacket on the bus, but found it later. To my knowledge, no one lost a shoe.

Maybe I’ll pull an all-nighter the night before the next field trip. I’m a little afraid of what I might dream before we go to the Civil War reenactment!

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>The Daisy Reality show: The one featuring the good and not-so-good day

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>Director: Now get a close-up of the lunch bag.
Assistant: You must be kidding. A brown bag lunch? That’s not exactly dramatic TV.
Director: It’s not just any brown bag lunch. Daisy usually takes a lunch with reusable containers, flatware, and cloth napkins. Today she can’t because she’s going on a field trip. She’s compensating by re-using a bag from Atlanta Bread. The sandwich is peanut butter and homemade apple butter. The apple is from the farmers’ market. Leave the pretzels out; they have no meaningful back story.
Assistant: So?
Director: Back story, kid, back story. Gotta have it.
Assistant: I’m just glad the day’s over.
Me: YOU’RE glad it’s over? You only had to watch!!

I arrived at school early (as usual), without coffee (not usual), because I was headed out to a full-day class/training session. The district had acquired funding for teacher training, and I jumped at the chance to sign up. It meant writing sub plans for class days (extra work and worry) but meant I didn’t have to arrange for quite as much after-school care for Amigo. The trade-off was worthwhile. So…back to the story.
Early arrival at school: good. No coffee: not so good, but okay. My plan was to drive through Jo to Go between school and class. A 16 oz. hazelnut was calling my name.
Checked my mailbox in the office: not so good. Maintenance guy was mopping the office floor, and I slid. No injury, but a tense back from the near fall.
At my desk, finished and printed sub plans, gathered big monitor and hooked it up for science video: good. Ready in advance of sub: good. Time to get a few other things done.
Breakfast bell rang: sub hadn’t arrived yet. Not good.
Called office: am I on the subfinder list? Yes: Good. Anyone we know? No: not so good. Hope it’s not a rookie. The minute the sub arrived, I planned to hightail it out for coffee and class.
Sub arrived with about 8 minutes to spare: not good. I ran down to the office with a few papers, gave sub a chance to skim plans. On the way up, I confirmed volunteer arrangements with regarding a high-needs student: good.
RING!! Kids came in shouting “Eric and Derek are fighting!” Need you ask? Bad. I separated the bully and victim: good. But bad, too; another delay. I needed to write this up for the principal. Bullying doesn’t wait; this incident needed immediate follow-up.
Finally, I was off – but late. No time to stop for coffee.

Director: So now that you’re in class, the day starts. We’ll get the camera set up and the microphone on you.
Me: Starts? I already had a day’s worth of drama. Did you miss it?!
Assistant: Daisy, you look kinda wired. I don’t think you really need coffee. Uh, Daisy?
Me: (pounding head on table)

To cover everything that happened between the start of my training class (sans coffee) and the end of evening tasks (making my lunch for morning), it would take another episode of the Daisy Reality Show. Stay tuned!! Or not – this bumbling assistant might not be so far off. The class itself, while a fascinating piece of teacher training, would make rather dull TV. And that, my friends, is good.

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>Sustainable cooking: can a suburban/city type do it successfully?

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Brighter Planet announced a contest; a collection of tips and ideas and stories from regular folks (and bloggers, too). They call it Mastering the Art of Sustainable Cooking.

I started with a picnic entry. For a picnic on the road, I couldn’t beat this post: our evening snack on the hotel deck overlooking Pike Place Market. It’s not your typical picnic, not a pack-a-cooler in the car’s trunk kind of plan, but a picnic it was. Emphasizing local food and drink was part of our plan, and we did so while in a city far from home. Great fun, great food, and another great memory from the trip. A great tip for sustainable cooking? Maybe. Go ahead and check it out! When I can figure out how to upload pictures to the site, I’ll see if I can make my contest entry look even better.

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>How much garden still grows?

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Call it leftovers, call it a fall crop, call it the end of summer. Call it whatever you wish; to me it means that school has started and summer gardening is nearly done.
I neglected the broccoli and it flowered.

The beans are hanging on, producing a few more handfuls for the steamer, and even putting out a few small buds that might ripen if the warm weather holds.

And of course the zucchini continues, even after I cut back the vines to prevent the powder mildew from spreading even farther.


The kitchen has green tomatoes ripening on every windowsill. If you’ve ever seen my kitchen, you know that means on both (small) windowsills and probably beside the sink. I’m going to keep visiting the farmers’ market until it’s over; when the fresh vegetables and fruits are gone, I know I’ll mourn.

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