Now more than ever, check out a physical novel from your public library and read it in long, big gulps. It's like meditating. It's like putting your bare feet on the grass. It will help heal you.

As an Autistic person the invention of the internet radically changed the course of my life. Sometimes I think about Autistic people who lived before we had a global, virtual communication network-- how did they survive? The loneliness would have been suffocating for me.

Black-chinned then Broad-tailed male hummingbirds at the feeder. Rain on/off all week with chances of Thunderstorms, hope it all helps our drought out a bit. #birds

With temperatures reaching the 80s this week, it seems like spring is truly over for us Californians. I'll be dreaming of rain for the next 6 months or so. I doubt most folks would agree with me, but I honestly think winter is the best season to hike! The forests and hills come alive with rain.

I made this for a friend of mine a few months ago. She's going through some MASSIVE life changes, and I feel like she needed a reminder that she's capable, strong, and most importantly, GETTING THROUGH IT. Sending this out to all of you in case you need a reminder too!

One year ago today 🌿 Echinocereus coccineus coccineus, our Scarlet Hedgehog Cactus, blooming above Cuchara Canyon #nativeplants

Here's some embroidery progress from last week! I get so excited when I get far into a project without having to undo or "frog" anything. Apparently, the term "frog" (meaning to pull out your stitches) is because you "rip it rip it" when you undo your work.

This little pink mushroom is so cool! Loved the way the blurry moss gave this guy a dreamy surrounding. Possibly Laccaria trichodermophora, or is it L. bicolor? #mushroom #fungifriends #mushrooms #nature #naturephotography #photographersofbluesky #mushroomsofbluesky #laccaria 🍄📷 📸🎞 🌿🌱 🟢 🍄 🍄‍🟫

So cute! Love the rainbow gills on the bottom!

The hoops I have to jump through to get my Autistic self to do anything are similar. Sometimes I just do "pomodoro" sessions, sometimes I roll a random task, other times I try to mix challenging tasks and easy tasks. Fighting my own brain every step of the way!

The danger of following Autistic people on social media is that our hyperfocus can change at any time. You followed me for mushrooms? It's alllll fabric arts now!

This looks so great. Undiagnosed Autistic girlhood is such a lonely experience.

Just finished a huge writing project I've been working on (in some form or another) since July of last year. Whew! It's not quite done yet, still has to be illustrated, but man am I excited! I'll tell you guys all about it as soon as I can :) It's all about Autistic community!

One of my recent embroidery projects! I've really been leaning into crafts recently. I thought for most of my life that the only art I could do was writing. It was just what I was good at. But it's SO nice to take steps out of your comfort zone and explore challenging things. It's worth it!

Dropped off some more Postcrossing postcards today! My partner has joked that I'm turning into a bit of an Autistic stereotype-- I've fallen in love with stamps, cards, and all things stationery! It's so fun to decorate things and send them off across the world.

It's so odd to have gone through "a phase" of something. A hobby, a job, anything. Well you see, I used to do Z thing but I don't anymore. That was before you knew me. It creates this feeling of grieving a past that's still kind've present. You still have the tools of the trade, but..it's gone

Interview tomorrow. I wonder how much better life would be if interviews were over coffee or something... A relaxed setting, where everything isn't maximally stilted. You don't have to chat like hitting quicktime events in a video game, you can just sit there and talk like two real people.

Rounding the corner on this new #embroidery.

'A simple (perfect) life' - my spring landscape is finally finished! An apple orchard in bloom, old railway, sheep with their lambs and an allotment being prepared for growing :) Zoom in to see all the other tiny details too... I think this might be my favourite aerial embroidery I've ever done!

I read a thinkpiece once that argued that human beings NEED physical hobbies. That we are neglecting our self-care to ignore skills that produce a real-life object at the end. Sometimes I wonder if this line of thinking would help us Autistics with regulation. Embroidery certainly calms me down!

Hey! A project of mine re: supporting Autistics has been accepted for publication. But! I want to center diverse voices e.g: - POC Autistics - Autistics who are low-verbal/an AAC user - "High needs" Autistics If you identify as 1 or more, please DM or comment if you'd be open to offering insight!

How has your 2026 been going so far? Genuinely, I want to hear it! I didn't expect to be laid off early in the year. My reflection on 2025 focused on how happy I was with my career, but now I'm trying to rebuild things from the ground up. However! Very thankful I can focus on myself for a bit.

Tongues of Fire (Gymnosporangium clavariiforme) a species of rust fungus which alternately infects Juniperus and Hawthorns. Spotted today in The Scottish Wildlife Trusts' Bawsinch and Duddingston Nature Reserve, Edinburgh. More info in ALT. #Fungi #Mushrooms #Mycology @scotwildlife.bsky.social

The last few months have been a whirlwind. Laid off from my position at work, started my master's, and working on a super-secret written thing in progress! It's just funny how fast life can change. One second you're happily employed, the next you're home 24/7.

It's the best time in 25 years to go mushroom hunting in California, and yet I haven't been out hiking once. So incredibly sad. Anyone taking advantage of this last storm to hunt? #fungifriends

I've been wondering lately how Autism and addictive behaviors interact. For me, with food, I'm really connected to texture and taste- and that mixes in with emotional eating, seeking immediate stress relief. It's difficult to disentangle whether I'm: - Hungry - Stressed - Or limited by sensitivity

Apricot Jelly (Guepinia helvelloides) is a salmon-pink, ear-shaped, gelatinous fungus and always reminds me of rose petals. Rubbery in texture, is edible, and may be eaten raw with salads, pickled, or candied. Fruit in the late Summer and usually after a heavy rain. #fungifriends #photography

This is my first year not visiting my family for Thanksgiving. Wow, it's so relieving. No expectations. No having to grin and bear it. Just me, alone in my apartment, taking some time away from work for myself. Highly recommend it.

Leotia viscosa aka Chicken Lips. Newfoundland, Canada. #fungi #fungifriends #hiking

#fungifriends Dyers polypore!

Do any other Autistics get the equivalent of a "runner's high" after a full week of work? I come out of it feeling like I pushed myself to the limit and barely came out unscathed. Like the aches and pains are there, I'm just SO HAPPY that it's DONE that I can't feel them yet.

About a month ago I interviewed for my boss' position. The interview went badly; I immediately assumed my Autistic ass had failed the social interaction. Well... guess who just got hired?! I'm so over the moon about it. This is the next step in my upward trajectory and I couldn't be happier!

I know when I was a younger Autistic I struggled with learning to drive. It was an overwhelming activity-- and my instructor was loud and pushy. I ended up getting my license at 25 years old. I wrote this article for folks still learning to drive! What other advice would you give? bit.ly/3LwvKNG

I found some mushrooms! 🍄📷

Y2(are you o)k? My friends and I made a FREE art zine about the 1990s and 2000s! We accepted art and writing in July, now it's here!! It’s available on our website: bit.ly/4orwt1g We tried to capture a lot of the essence of the old internet-- let us know if we got it right! #zine #zinesky #art

Hey Autistics– what’s a random sensitivity you have that others don’t seem to have? My ex couldn’t stand the sound of styrofoam. Like, if you bought a new coffeemaker and it came in styrofoam packaging he would have to leave the room. I don’t like loud bass in music. It rattles me, in a bad way.

This book is a champion of civilian science. I LOVED it. It says so much about how the average, everyday person can engage with nature (and science as a whole) in their backyard. Accessible art about science is so cool! True science communication. I didn’t know birds were so interesting either!

Such a fun(gi) day! 🍄‍🟫 We’ve had so much rain that there were mushrooms everywhere I looked. 🍁 #fungifriends

Happy #Writevember all writing folks! This November I'm going to dig deep into my resources website for Autistics. And possibly mushroom facts posts again. We shall see... Anyone else have any writing plans for this month?

One of the best things I’ve learned as an autistic person is that I don’t *have* to live by neurotypical rules all the time The pressure can be immense. But it’s possible to slowly change that narrative I’m gradually allowing myself to rest more, socialise my way & find joy in my autistic traits ❤️

3,000 uploads to @iNaturalist as of today. My favorite mycena: Bleeding Fairy Helmets. The fall mushrooms are popping! 📷🍄 #FungiFriends #Mushrooms #Shroomsong

The best part of learning a physical art, like embroidery, is having the ability to make presents for people for Christmas! Sewing a present for my boyfriend atm. It's just a typical beginner's embroidery kit, but I think he'll love it. I'll show y'all as soon as I can! He follows my bsky so 🤫

A fungus photo a day: Saw the first toothed jelly fungus/Pseudohydnum of the season yesterday. Pardon my dirty finger. Another photo of nearby ones to follow. #fungifriends #fungi #mycology #naturephotography

"Autpunk." This is a word I've heard in Autistic spaces without an in-depth review of what it means. A good example of Autpunk is wearing the clothes that are comfortable to you without caring about your appearance. Are you familiar with Autpunk? I'd love to hear from you. Writing an article atm.

This is the same mushroom. The picture on the left is from yesterday afternoon. The picture on the right is from this morning. Isn't it amazing how different things can look from day to day. Nature is always teaching us if we take a moment to listen. Happy Mushroom Monday. 💚 #FungiFriends 📸🍄

Mushrooms are quietly fighting climate change 🍄🫶🌍 Fungi help forests store carbon by breaking down organic matter and linking with trees underground. These networks also boost plant health. See a mushroom on a fall hike? It’s part of nature’s climate toolkit. 🌱

My best advice to try to get a handle on shit right now? Make something. Don't care what. Don't care if it's good. Don't care if it's just a big ass house you made in Sims 4, just lose yourself in something for an hour or so. It' s like flushing the brain toilet.

Finished another embroidery! Starry Night is very special to me. For the past 10 years I've had it tacked above my bed. When I was unmedicated for Bipolar Type II, looking up at the beautiful brushstrokes and hopeful imagery (the stars are so BRIGHT) calmed me down. #EmbroiderySky #handembroidery

This mushroom is extremely cool!! Apparently this species is bioluminescent AND it also contains an anti-tumor protein. So neat!

I’m amazed and delighted that after 36 years at Wisley, 19 as a paid employee and 16 (so far) as a volunteer, I still come across plants new to me. This beauty is Isodon longitubus Kutani. 🌱 #flowersonFriday I’m off to Brighton for lunch with special friends.