Christina O'Connor | Special to The Roanoke Times

Herman Pearman, an 88-year-old resident of Heritage Hall in Blacksburg, built a complete village out of straws. By tediously twisting the white straws, as well as red ones he said his family brought him, he crafted a log house -- one of his dream homes.

BLACKSBURG -- When Herman Pearman set out a year ago to build a tiny straw village, he didn't use the same type of straw that the Three Little Pigs did.

Instead, the 88-year-old Heritage Hall resident saved unused drinking straws from his meal trays and fashioned them together with pins.

By tediously twisting the white straws, as well as red ones that he said his family brought him, he crafted a log house -- one of his dream homes.

He built a doghouse with a spotted dog and white cat to go with it, plus an outhouse and a swing set. He colored old jelly containers red and green to make a "stop and go" light. Using an old medicine cup, he made a well with a bucket, similar to the one he remembers from his childhood.

He made a straw church with a cardboard cross above its doors and a picnic table with two lounge chairs. He placed cardboard people, meant to represent him and his wife, Ruth, on the porch of the log house.

He also made a tepee from a Diet Coke plastic bottle.

Pearman has lived in Heritage Hall about two years. He grew up in the Prices Fork area and worked at the Radford Army Ammunition Plant. He and his wife have three children.

Heritage Hall activities assistant Michelle Olinger said Pearman is an active participant in craft classes, but this is the first time he, or anyone for that matter, has attempted such a large self-initiated project.

Olinger discovered the village when she visited Pearman's room.

"I think it's extremely creative. It's impressive," Olinger said.

In earlier years, Pearman didn't have time for crafts, he said.

"I had to get my kids shoes," he joked.

But years later, he's discovered a new talent that began as a hobby. With encouragement from former assistant administrator Ben Higgins, and lots of trial and error, Pearman is finally finished with his village, which will soon be on display in the nursing home.

"He's extremely proud of it," Olinger said.