1camera1mom: November 2016

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Let the Blind Lead - Part 1

A special blend of coffee packaged
by the visually impaired.

I became a volunteer reader at Kaleidoscope, formerly known as the Blind Institute, in the beginning of 2010. For the past seven years I have been reading a variety of printed material (like exams, text books, and novels) in a sound room to provide audio aids for the visually impaired and dyslexic. Recently I was a guest at the end-of-the-year function. Every time I go, I am impressed with what they have accomplished in the year and the new things that they're doing.

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Here's a piece from the Kaleidoscope website:

Kaleidoscope is the central hub for blind progression in South Africa, and soon the world. If you’re reading this with your eyes, Kaleidoscope is here to change your perceptions and show you how the blind can become leaders in this world, integrating into the workforce, society and everything in-between.

If you’re reading this with your fingertips, Kaleidoscope is here to help you grow, tapping into limitless abilities and reaching every goal you’ve set. Kaleidoscope is a place of learning, development and progression. For those with sight and without.

We can change how the world sees the blind, and how the blind see the world.

All it takes is a change of perspective.

The Tactile Fossil Trail and Museum make it possible for the visually impaired to learn through touch.

Tactile Fossil Trail

Inside the Museum

The Art Gallery showcases works by the visually impaired and locally known artists.

The Art Gallery -
Ledivia was our tour guide

Art by the Visually Impaired

Outside along the wall are large works of art by artists with text in Afrikaans about Kaleidoscope.

Black and White Art

A new development at Kaleidoscope is the Coffee Department. They have their own special blend called Blindiana that the visually impaired weigh and package.

The New Coffee Department

The Weaving Department is still going strong. The visually impaired produce impressive mats and rugs by memorized patterns with counting and through feel.

Weaving by the Visually Impaired

Check out their newest video!

Related Post:

Institute for the Blind

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I'm also on Instagram.

Ich bin auch auf Instagram.

Tina Morley

All original photographs by Tina Morley
unless stated otherwise. 1camera1mom is
mostly in English mit ein bisschen Deutsch.

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

Kirstenbosch, Cape Town - Part 2

Recently we went with our house church to Kirstenbosch - the botanical gardens in Cape Town. These first two photos are of our girls walking with friends as they explored the gardens together. The place is really big and so it was impossible to see everything in one visit, but we had a lot of fun and we were totally satisfied with all that we did get to see.

Be sure to check out Part 1,

if you missed it!

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Our three girls walking through the
botanical garden with friends.

Watsonia

Protea

Pin Cushion Protea

Cheetah - Sculpture by
Dylan Lewis

Sign: The Marsh Rose with
a living specimen on the right

The Marsh Rose belongs in the Protea family. It is red listed as vulnerable, meaning that it faces a high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future.

Blue Squill or
Scilla Natalensis

Amanda at a stream

Horsetail Restio or
Elegia Capensis

The spot where our fellowship
sat for a picnic.

A Helmeted Guineafowl looking
for some bread that fell.

These next photos of Amanda and me were

taken by Robbie, my husband.

Kirstenbosch, Cape Town - Part 1

*********************

I'm also on Instagram.

Ich bin auch auf Instagram.

Tina Morley

All original photographs by Tina Morley
unless stated otherwise. 1camera1mom is
mostly in English mit ein bisschen Deutsch.

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

Kirstenbosch, Cape Town - Part 1

Boomslang (Tree Snake):
Tree Canopy Walkway

Our family is part of a house church and the manager of our local Karoo Desert Botanical Garden is too. Recently, he invited the house church to the famous Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden in Cape Town (where he used to work) and gave us a fun, informative tour.

We learned that our local botanical garden was originally only a nursery for Kirstenbosch, to provide indigenous plants from the arid region of the Karoo. Later the Karoo nursery also became its own botanical garden.

Kirstenbosch was established in 1913 and was the first botanical garden in the world to be devoted to preserving its country's indigenous flora. They have over 7,000 species in cultivation, including many rare and threatened species. Plants from the Karoo are kept in a custom built glasshouse as they cannot survive outdoors in Cape Town's climate.

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Mother and Chick: Spotted Eagle-Owls

Spotted Eagle-Owl Chick

Baobab: The Upside-Down Tree
inside the glasshouse

Camphor Avenue

The trees of Camphor Avenue are just over 100 years old and were planted by Cecil John Rhodes in 1898. The path along which Rhodes planted his avenue was the old wagon road, probably in use since the late 1600's for dragging timber from the forests.

It is said that he planted the trees to represent the outposts of the British Empire to honor Queen Victoria, hoping that she would visit the Cape, but unfortunately she never did. Beautiful Clivia flowers from Southern Africa grow happily under the camphor trees from China.