Thank you cousin Susan: Making mats from palm leaves

Looking back on this now it was something very special to me because I was just a child then, probably around six or seven years old.

It was cousin Susan who taught me and she was so very patient then and such a good teacher.  She painstakingly showed me how to place the leaves and then to weave them in and out of the spaces.  The first few tries were difficult and cousin Susan was not daunted by my lack of sight.

I did learn how to do it and she was so encouraging; constantly egging me on and congratulating me each time I did something right.  We sat on a bench facing each other and she and I spent so many wonderful hours together.

Cousin Susan was older than me and treated me like her little sister.  We went for walks together and she taught me a bit of Spanish and she always made sure that I went swimming among the rocks.

Great memories for a lifetime.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advisor, wishing you a terrific day.

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What happens when leaves fall?

Fall is the time when leaves usually give me the biggest of challenges. These leaves that look so colorful on the trees usually give me the most difficult time when they litter the ground, sidewalks, driveways, backyards, and so on.

If they are dry, then I need to use my cane to carve a path on the sidewalk for myself. It is not too difficult for me once I strategize. First, I locate the sidewalk. Next, I determine the physical relationship between leaves and sidewalk. Next, I determine how I want to carve my path. Unlike dealing with snow or rain, it is a matter of determining where I want to put my feet and where I am going to walk.

If the leaves are wet, then here is where the challenge is. Wet leaves stick to my cane and make it difficult for me to use it. Wet leaves are messy and stick to my shoes and I have to find ways to avoid them at all cost.

I’m Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and encouraging you to go out there and tell others about how falling leaves affect me. Visit www.afb.org to learn how blind persons are taught how to deal with falling leaves.