[Nfb-krafters-korner] models

Thu Jun 30 20:22:02 UTC 2011

I love Mr. Edd, too!  Wonder if it is on anymore?

Terry P.

-----Original Message-----
From: Becky Frankeberger [mailto:b.butterfly at comcast.net] 
Sent: Thursday, June 30, 2011 4:05 PM
To: 'List for blind crafters and artists'
Subject: [Nfb-krafters-korner] models

Dick part of the joys of being blind is getting that wonderful sense of what things look like by touching models. My dad tried to describe what a tree looked like.  To me and my limited vision it looked like a round ball on a stick.  Funny how when I touched a small tree how that tree suddenly had depth to it, branches, leaves.  It was no longer a big ball of my childhood but a living plant growing, dropping its leave after they changed color.
Wow, that is still so miraculous to me.  But now I understand how trees change.  My Uncle also helped as he hated climbing trees to pick the apples he loved to eat and sell.  So he planted four trees low and into the ground.
I then could touch that big ball and feel how the branches twist up on themselves, grows off from a bigger branch, and I a little person could learn when to pick an apple.

Did you know you can tell what type of tree you are touching by the way the bark is shaped and modeled?  It is true. The fur trees in my yard indeed are
far rougher and modeled more than the cedar trees in my yard.   The red
maple feels different than the others also. 

When I was in DC they had models of the capitol Building, White House, Washington Monument, and some other important buildings. That gave me a good idea of what they looked like.  I remember touching a model of a horse, and then I had a good idea what Mister Ed looked like.  I still can't figure out how he talked lol.  I guess if you can talk, you can dial a phone with a pencil, lol.  I still love that TV show.  I never touched a gun until into my fifties.  I have touched all sorts from shot guns to Glocks. Hey it is a lifetime of learning for all of us, smile. 

At seven Willy is fascinated by Dinosaurs. They are all shaped differently thus he can identify them.  The same with old cars, if that is an interest.

You could build forts with blocks to keep the Dinosaurs outside. Build a house just for the Dinosaurs. Make then sink into the mud, giggle.  Build a landscape for the Dinosaurs with clay, so they can eat each other, 'r'rr'r'rowl! (I spelled that last word wrong on purpose, as I made the speech roar.), smile.  WE like having fun also with each other.

We met a sweet little girl at the bank one day.  She became aware that we had guide dogs.  She never touched a real dog before.  So she got to touch ours.  My husband had at the time a huge chocolate labby, and I had a sweet golden retriever.  She found out that labbys kiss a lot and have velvety ears, and goldens are really soft with long hair.  She only got as far as the harness and that was good for fifty questions.  She was so great we could have talked with her all day, smile. But we had a bus coming and her grandma looked like she was getting board or something.  

Touching animals is so cool. Then taking the clay and try to remember how the animal felt and was shaped is cool also.  I have good hand memory, meaning I can touch something and make that shape with clay or yarn.  Some people don't.  I think partly it has to be developed.

Warm hugs,

Becky and Jake    

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