Dig it up

 How does your garden grow?

Growing up in the ’70s in Brisbane, Australia in the backyard we had: a vegetable patch, compost heap, an incinerator and of course, a Hills Hoist.  It was a place to play backyard cricket, do gymnastics  or at least headstands, plant vegetable gardens and grow things like choko vines, Passionfruit, Paw Paws and Bowen Mangoes if you were lucky. My Parents love gardening,  when we were young, Mum  and Dad planted the front garden with annuals and roses, making a beautiful display outside and inside the house bunches of cut flowers were plentiful. Dad was always in the garden, he made a square shaped compost heap which provided organic matter for the  whole garden and  the rewards were plentiful, there was so much Parsley he supplied the local butcher with attractive garnishes for the shopfront. Radish were my favourite, so peppery and crunchy, the corn, lettuce, tomatoes and potatoes, growing well, just walk out to the garden so convenient. Watering was done with a garden hose and sometimes a sprinkler which in the summer, we loved to run through.

During the  perplexing COVID19 shutdown, we found a time to contemplate our surroundings and dream of a different way to live, an imminently more satisfying way to provide for ourselves. Spending time on enhancing our sub tropical garden and more time at home lead to planning a vegetable patch,  to grow our own produce has always been dream.

Wicking beds are water efficient gardening, drought resistant and a sort of upside down method of watering.

The hip height bay in our yard to provides a ledge and seating to tend the garden. This is imperative for me, living with  Parkinson's makes crouching down a difficult manoeuvre. Keeping everything at hand and being organised is vital.

Excited learning about new things.

What will we grow?

https://www.wickingbeds.com.au/video/

Kindness Rocks!

Kindness is doing something and not expecting anything in return. Kindness is respect and helping others without waiting for someone to help one back. It implies kindness no matter what.

It is lovely to be kind and to be the recipient of kindness. Kindness is a special concept ready to help you feel that warm inner glow of goodness and appreciation.

Why are people kind? Is it a soft heart? It could be because the need to feel powerful has gone and is replaced with respect affection and friendliness.

When kindness is present, ego is gone and good riddance. Ego is about self and being preoccupied mostly with the issues that affect oneself.

Being generous with ones time and spirit is a gift for modern times and something to marvel over, initially and then to accept what can be. Much too often in times past it was important to be here, there and everywhere.

A new friend finds joy in painting rocks and giving them, she places the rocks in an obvious public hiding spot or directly to the chosen recipient. The beautiful images that cover the rocks’ smooth surface are sweet and endearing. Just imagine finding a rock with a painting of a baby racoon with flowers on its head. What a gift this woman has to spread joy and happiness!

Recently, a painted rock was mysteriously left in my letterbox, it is decorated with magical swirling red patterns. Now the special gift is nestled in my Fairy Garden at the front corner of our house block. It is a wonderful feeling that someone has been so kind to do this.There are good people doing things that matter are all over the world. A passionate and talented creator of patchwork quilts is on a mission to make and donate to people affected in the tragic and horrific bushfires during the summer in Australia. A friend who is talented with computers, with an ear on the NDIS is helping people who are a little challenged with this field, this intangible gift is most thoughtful and appreciated. Helping others, time freely given and patience all make the world go around.This week is National Volunteers Week in Australia, it's the annual celebration to acknowledge the generous contribution of our nation's volunteers let us take the time to show our gratitude to the many people who choose to work for no pay. Check the website for events. www.volunteeringaustralia.org

Kindness Rocks! It is a thing!

Listen to the radio show live  Wednesday 20 May at 19:00 AEST on www.radioparkies.com 

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Lorraine Wilson

Painted by  Lorraine Wilson.

Carol Clupny and Charlie on the Tandem

DJ Madonna's Fairy Garden 

              

The recording of my radio show featuring Carol Clupny, Lorraine Wilson and Andy Butler originally broadcast 20-5-2020, enjoy with abandon.


https://www.mixcloud.com/RadioParkies_au/kindness-rocks-djmadonna-and-guests-on-radioparkiescom-20-5-2020-australia/

Hello is there anybody in there?

Hello,  is there anybody in there?

Just nod if you can hear me...

A knock at the door.

In my house, comfortably numb, preparing for the Wednesday night radio show, without a  thought of the repercussions,  I answered the door.

A cute little girl in a Frozen costume, her brother also wearing a frozen costume with Grandad and Grandma beaming brightly in the  front yard. They are all smiling and happy, the grandma is a recognisable Stafford identity. The group is obviously enjoying Halloween in Stafford, Trick or Treating in a neighbourhood where it is not really done. For the last 25 years it has been an older persons area, we were the young family. Years ago when my kids wanted to do Trick or Treating, I gave a warning to the elderly ladies around the corner, and a sneaky packet of wrapped lollies also.

Uh oh!! It is the 31st of October and in many places around the world this is happening. On the streets around here, the responses appear varied, a few houses are decorated in the Halloween colours of orange green and black with a liberal dose of store bought spray on cobwebs and a bit of crime tape. Where does that come from?

In general, the idea is if you want Trick or Treaters to visit, you turn your front light on, round these parts anyway. People actually sit in the darkness so as not to be visited by these types. Okay so I'm a nice lady, but a little forgetful sometimes, we had no wrapped candy, lollies, chocolates, eucalyptus, Fishermans Friend's nothing, zilch. Except fruit


https://www.mixcloud.com/RadioParkies_au/dj-madonna-radio-show-31-102018-on-radioparkiescom/

Never Alone

These two words feel so comfortable and cosy. I read them many times each week, my friend 

DJJimmy was the first one I know to use them. Such a powerful message when struggling with anything but especially when living with a chronic degenerative neurological disease. So what's it like? It's often being unsure, losing confidence, forgetting threads of conversations, stumbling along when everyone else is gliding like swans, feeling like a stiff robot, shaking like it's freezing when it's just a little cool, sweating like its a heatwave when it's just a little warm. It's also having renewed empathy and understanding because the news of diagnosis has knocked you for six. The state of being vulnerable, which has always had negative connotations is now about being authentic and honest. Life is hard and when living with Parkinson's it's often difficult to do ordinary things easily and in a normal amount of time. Bradykinesia is the name given to the slowness of movement that PWP often have. Anhedinia is the name for the apathy that can make everything worthless and who cares anyway. Dystonia is the term for the most terrible muscular spasms you can imagine, the body taking on a contorted, painful and weird life of its own. Dyskinesia is abnormality or impairment of voluntary movement. This is the tip of the iceberg and everyone has different symptoms. 

All the above are the reasons that over 4000 people are registered for the fourth World Parkinson Congress in Portland. Top international health professionals, carers, people living with Parkinson's, and many more are coming together to share hope, news, ideas, and inspiration. Scientists and health professionals want to share with their counterparts. Creative and passionate people will share and we will embrace. But collectively, we are all wanting better treatments and improved outcomes for PLWP. Mostly the people with Pd just want to hang out with the friends they have made on social media support groups, partake in the activities, be inspired by the talented and listen for ways to make life easier for us and our families. The elusive cure will most probably not be announced. But we will enjoy what is now and that in itself is a gift to be cherished. 

Radioparkies will be represented by many DJs and associates in the Exhibitors Hall booth 820, come by and say hello. We love to meet new people and share our love of the radio station and shows that are produced by people with pd. 

Djmaddyb is in da house!

Testing testing....123

Every week I broadcast two radio shows via the web based radio station  www.radioparkies.com
It's the only radio station in the world powered by people with Parkinson's for people with Pd, their friends and family. Radioparkies.com is about entertainment and information for people living with Parkinson's and it's based in Belgium. The music broadcast is 24 hours/7days and scheduled DJ's present radio shows at specific times.

My shows are on Wednesday 20:00hrs - 21:00 Australian Eastern Standard Time and Friday 08:00hrs, special guests on the show, give a short insight into their lives, perspectives and adventures as People Living With Parkinson's or people associated with Parkinson's i.e. health professionals, PD organisations CEO's, researchers, Professors. Would you like to be a special guest on my show? Send me a message or email.

I like many styles of music, anything and everything from Soul, Alternative, Reggae, Rock, Blues, Jazz, Indie Folk Music and present the shows with different themes. Previous themes have been: Family's of Music, Show Tunes, Reconciliation Week, One Hit Wonders, UK music of the 70's...

News of Parkinson's events local and global, information and chat

Join me this week for....

Wednesday 20:00hrs - 'Double Whammy Wednesday' and special guest Dave Morse.

Friday 08:00hrs - 'The H List' Songlist is all beginning with H or artists beginning with H.

Listen live  www.radionomy.com/en/radio-parkies

Contact me djmadonna.radioparkies@gmail.com

Let Your Voice Be Heard