Parkinson’s Disease
Arts & Movement Weekend

June 24 – 26, 2011 Adelynrood Conference Center, Byfield, MA

Sharing Memories

Welcome!

We shared a wonderful weekend of art: creative art and the art of movement. Here are our photos, poems, artwork, ideas. Here, too, to introduce our collection of memories as well as some post-weekend creations, are the words of Kurt Vonnegut:

“Go into the arts. I’m not kidding. The arts are not a way to make a living. They are a very human way of making life more bearable. Practicing an art, no matter how well or how badly, is a way to make your soul grow, for heaven’s sake. Sing in the shower. Dance to the radio. Tell stories. Write a poem to a friend, even a lousy poem. Do it as well as you possibly c an. You will get an enormous reward. You will have created something.”

Sharing Memories

Irene’s photos:

Irene traveled the furthest, checking in a day early to get settled. On Friday, she’s waiting for her fellow participants to arrive.

Irene moved through Workshops with her fellow Ladybugs.

Art with Suzanne…

…Photography with Jed

…and yoga with Renee

Whole-group gatherings included adding to the Mandala,
Singing and sharing poetry, insights and laughter:

Francis and Jane sing and laugh.

Sharing Memories & Poetry

Friday afternoon with Angel Card words

From the BIRDS

by Diane

Explore within the gift of Grace

Relax and know the Simplicity of life.

The Awakening of things put before you will bring forth the Creativity you've hidden.

Relax for a moment and hear the silence and Simplicity of the sounds of the birds

and your Resilience will bring you back to the gift of Grace

From the FISH

Gratitude, Balance, Celebration, Harmony, Flexibility, Purpose, Compassion  are 7 words that describe what I hope to experience this weekend and in my future.

When I have balance and harmony, I feel gratitude for the life I've been given.  I am very compassionate about life and it is a celebration to get out of bed daily.

Achieving balance is the hardest. Compassion I have. Purpose I have. Gratitude and Flexibility I have.  But Harmony & Balance go hand in hand and I am still searching for them.  I will celebrate when I find them

Flexibility brings Balance in all things, gives us Purpose to step out boldly.  Compassion leads me to Harmony of mind, body, and spirit received with Gratitude.  Let the Celebration begin!

I take great Celebration for the Harmony of being in Balance with Flexibility, and Gratitude, with Purpose and Compassion

Linda’s Poems:

UNTITLED

The sun will come up,

and bring the dawn

(as usual)

When I awake to a constant shake

(as usual)

Try my best to get more rest,

with no success

(as usual)

As I step to the floor

Carefully walking to the door

I hesitate with my gait

Putting me in a freeze state

(as usual)

Enter a new day, struggling on

The same way

(as usual)

OVER THE RAINBOW

Somewhere over the rainbow way up high

On request, research will complete the test,

to ensure a cure.

When results unfold, and the truth be told,

We have found our pot of gold.

It's a fact, Parkinson's is a balancing act.

More ways than one has spoiled the fun.

Having a good time and it slips your mind

To take your pill, may land with a spill.

Keep all stages of PD away as we enter a new day.

Tone up the face. Putting the mask in another place,

as we cope, let's hope soon be free of PD.

Diane’s Poems:

Following is the poem I wrote to go with the quilt panel that I did for NPF.  (I am assuming that you know about the quilts that PDF put together for their Congress in Scotland)  The quilt panel was divided into four sections - one tulip standing straight, one falling over, the third wide open and the fourth the three together

A RED TULIP FOR HOPE

I am a TULIP with HOPE! How straight I stand.

I am strong and healthy with a future to plan.

Retirement, leisure, traveling, and more,

What lies ahead is sunshine on the shore..

The stance I once had is no longer there

"You have PD" are the words that I hear.

A mysterious disease to my family and me.

What to do? Where to go? Who to see?

My eyes have been opened and now it is clear

I can continue with my dreams and diminish the fear.

Reaching out, I touch those with PD.

And they in return do this for me.

We learn from each other

And share our hopes and concerns.

Although there is suffering and sorrow,

We stand together and look for tomorrow.

There are those with PD and those without:

              Who fight for the cause and HOPE for a cure.

- June 2010

A WALK TO MY GARDEN

I see the stairs and I must go down.

Where will they take me?

What lies ahead? I fear the unknown.

What will I find? What will I see?

I know I must go down.

One step at a time.

There is no turning back

From this long downward climb.

I’ve arrived at the bottom

With closed eyes and clasped hands

Am I ready to face my challenges?

The future – the past – it’s buried in the sands.

I feel a touch, a warm loving touch.

A soft voice whispers and I hear

“Open your eyes go forward and believe.

Continue on your path for there is nothing to fear.”

I open my eyes and begin to look!

There before me are the flowers and birds, butterflies and bees

Beauty surrounds me and joy fills my heart

With the stairs behind, I follow the path before me.

As I walk down the path which leads to My Garden,

I am touched once again by that Angel from above

Who comes with a message for me to hear

A message that tells me of HIS special love.

As I approach My Garden the gate opens wide

And I sit on my bench and ponder and think.

What does He hold in the future for me?

I wonder? What does HE think?

The answer I receive comes to me day by day

For I know in my own very special way

That the future will carry great wealth of good friends

And through the light and the dark I will be okay

Strange as it may seem

I can honestly say

PD has enriched my life

In such a very special way.

The people I have met,

The times I have shared

Not only gives me hope,

But friends that care.

How can you share and not take with you

The sounds and the silence that others have felt?

The confusion, the caring that sadness has brought

The seeing of self and the growth it has wrought.

There is HOPE .I pray that all who read these words will be blessed and know they are not alone.

- Diane D. , February 2009

Sharing Memories

Judith’s photos:

Judith on Saturday evening

A sampling of art

Carol and Becky during a break in the activities

Becky and Renee listen to Jed’s photography workshop

and Jane in conversation

Jane and Carol enjoy a moment

Despite the cold rain, the grounds treated us to gardens full of blooms

Sharing Memories

Renee’s photos:




Friday afternoon’s ball-toss name-game
Laurie and Jane enjoy breakfast


Pam and Tod enjoying the Saturday evening entertainment




More flowers, and a room with a view
The Facilitators poster with schedule for the Flip-flops, Birds, Fish & Ladybugs

Sharing Memories & Ideas

Dina’s photos and thoughts:

These three photos are what I understood the assignment to be from Jed's photo workshop on that wonderful Arts and Movement Weekend:

To look for images that we would normally not shoot.

I tried to keep the focus out of the center and have fun!

After some deliberation I decided not to write a poem or story to go with these pictures, but rather to suggest some ideas that come to me while looking at them that could be made into a poem or a play or short story.  

So I'm putting these out there.

What do other folks see?

Maybe we can make stories together ?

Picture #1:

Picture #1:  19th century journalist/writer Margaret Fuller wrote that the Indians she met and stayed with in the Mid-west referred to trees as "The Standing People."  Look closely. You can see some vines that look like a hangman's noose.  

This picture puts me in mind of a war council… Or maybe something even more ominous such as a KKK gathering…

Picture #2:

Picture #2  In my mind's eye I see The Land of Oz all Green and in soft focus,
 its "Toll Gate" entrance marred by a heavy,  crude wooden fence made of logs.

Picture #3:

Picture #3:   I thought about Shakespeare's  “A Midsummer Night's Dream .”  I could see Bottom and his fellow play-makers entering the gate of branches  into Tatiana's world of magic and love and music… 

Sharing Memories

Cindy’s photos:

Laughs mixed with total concentration in Suzanne’s art workshop.

The napkin cubby – remember which one was yours?

Snacks. Snacks are good for us. Good thing, since there were plenty of them.

A cozy room at Camp PD.

Sharing Ideas

Irene’s creations:

The Dancer

Two Can Be:
Stanzas 1, 2 & 3

Retreat Into Wholeness

Ready or not to meet you, Lord, we’ve assembled today,

Every mind cluttered, every soul burdened, each body weary,

To seek clarity, release and rest.

Rearrange and reorganize the tangle of our brains, Father.


Worry keeps crawling around in there spinning its web of negativity

and pessimism. But Lord, you are powerful and can sweep away

the evil web. We ask you to do this while we are here.

Reveal to us our hopes and dreams long forgotten.

Expecting fully that your Spirit will hear the groaning of our spirits,

we look forward to communing with you. And because you

are merciful, souls will be comforted and spirits set free.

Awaken the athlete within us that stiff knees might bend, slow feet

dance, arthritic arms reach high and faint voices cry out mightily

in praise of you who makes the weak ones strong. You will

stretch us; you will heal us; you will be our breath of life.

Take these three then, mind, soul and body. Teach them to get along,

to act as one on your behalf. They are, after all,

the pleasures of your creation.

Body of Lies

Hey, Hercules!

Like, who do you think you are, man,

some kind of Atlas wannabe?

Back-breaking

myth-making

truth-faking fool?

If I told you once,

I’ve told you a thousand times,

there’s no gain in pain!

Give those ol’ shoulders a shrug so

the world can get back to spinning on its own, and

believe the good doctor when he says:

Let it fall and don’t heed all those busy folks who chide;

be aware, be strong, take care your feelings not to hide.

What life’s about is letting out opinions hard to tell.

Choose honest words so you’ll be heard and understood as well.

Words like okay and maybe and later

make you seem generous of heart,

but if what you truly mean is no,

then say so from the start.

This isn’t the end.

It’s the start of space to share more photos, poems, memories, ideas . . .