jp

On Tuesday I posted to our Facebook page a welcome to our recent new followers. I was thrilled to view the page statistics and see that we have personal Likers from around the world: Australia, United States of America, Canada, United Kingdom, Italy, France, Malaysia, Turkey, Iraq, Portugal, Cameroon, Greece, Thailand, India, Aruba, Pakistan, Ireland, Egypt and Libya. Although our number suggests a small group, as a collective we represent many. I know some followers are home carers, some are artists and photographers, some are professional carers and therapists, there are more experiences I'm sure amongst our followers and some, I know, are my family

When I read all the countries' names I remembered the little flags of the world that I collected when I was a girl - way back. It was the 1950's and I'm guessing it was 1956 to coincide with the Olympic Games that year in Melbourne, Australia. I'm not sure how I managed to get so many, surely they hadn't come in cereal packets as I was raised as an only child. I've always had a healthy appetite - but not that good - lol!  Maybe the flags were a weekly purchase at the local news-agency. They weren't collector cards. They were tinny reproductions of each flag. The material was fine, like an organza from memory. The flagpole was light wood, like a toothpick. Your person in care or facility residents will no doubt remember them and give you more information than I can. Especially where they came from. They will tell you some of the countries too no doubt. Perhaps they had dolls from different countries. I didn't but I so enjoyed a doll collection one of my little girlfriends owned. She had shelves of smiling dolls wearing beautiful costumes. It was, I remember, a strictly look and don’t touch experience. A further chat time with memories of the Flags of the World may include the old movie Around the World in Eighty Days.

I chose the above photo of the Rosa as it is a recognizable, common, universal flower. Although our Facebook Likers represent many different countries we all obviously have one thing in common - an interest in activities for people in aged care and support for carers and people with Alzheimer's disease and dementia. Thank you for following both my Blogs and Facebook page.

Photo: Film Still from the DVD movie A Flower Medley

When I was a girl, my Grandmother's gardens were beautiful, and very large from a child's perspective. Her fernery was a secluded area at the top of the yard. It had a tiny rock-trimmed path that wandered through the foliage and did a circle at the end under a large fern and brought you back to the beginning. It seemed to be a magical garden for elves and fairies. If I had been an especially good girl (LOL...rare occasions from memory) I was allowed to go to the front garden and pick myself a miniature pink rose. Flowers have always been an important part of my life, my home, my paintings, me. We all just love them!! But that's not the main reason behind my choice of logo for Share-Time Pictures.

During 2006 I was exploring names for my business. It was to be Therapeutic Arts but I wanted something more expressive of the sharing concept. Therapeutic Arts may also have been interpreted as Art Therapy which is a very different practice to my work. I drew many logos of two people seated in different positions. I drew them representationally. I drew them abstractly. I computerized the designs. Nothing seemed to be right.

SAY IT WITH FLOWERS

Then one day my partner gave me a bunch of daisy chrysanthemums. I had to photograph them! When I viewed the images later I immediately saw my logo! Two daisies quietly nestled together. We give flowers for all sorts of reasons. Sometimes, nothing else really needs to be said does it. Maybe we give or receive a smile, or the coy shrug of a shoulder, or a kiss. Those quiet unspoken actions that I have been talking about these past weeks. Because my movies and books are based on non-verbal communications saying it with flowers just seemed appropriate. I hope you agree.

I'm posting early this week as I have something to share. We watched a beautiful program on Compass this week. This is a heartwarming and inspiring story. The iView link will only be open until the 16th March. Under Programs at http://www.abc.net.au/iview/#/abc1   - click on the COMPASS image with the Program title: The Smile Within

The website is:http://thesmilewithin.com.au/

Well, this is my first Blog, and I can't believe it has been such a daunting process - a little like getting your first car but not having the experience to drive anywhere. Hopefully there won't be too many hiccups as I'm still sorting out some of the intricacies of a new web program.

A sneak peek at some of the subjects I will discuss in the weeks ahead:

• Television ~ its use in aged care and Dementia Specific Units


• The use of my photography/filmstills to support the viewing experience of the DVDs


• Some of my experiences as an A.I.N, Carer and artist working in aged care and conducting Diversional Therapy activities

If you have any queries about my work  that you would like me to talk about (such as my DVDs, artwork or topics from my reseach) then please feel free to email me at: judi.parkinson@sharetimepictures.com.au I will refer to the writers' names unless asked for an anonymous reference.