Cloudcatchers Ginko #58 (winter)

Bangalow Weir, Far North Coast NSW
Thursday 30 July 2020

There was some hesitation regarding whether we could assemble during these times of social restrictions, but we found a way. Our winter ginko was held at an inland waterway (to avoid the chilly winter winds by the beach) and we were blessed with gentle sunshine.

There were seven of us who practiced social distancing. Each brought a folding chair, and we sat in the sun around a picnic table. No hugs, no touching, no books exchanged, no nibbles passed around, plenty of hand-sanitizer, and each brought her own food and drink so we could lunch together. (Strict social distancing was only relaxed for the taking of the photo.) Apart from sliding onto her back-side in wet mud by one of our members and another who went to her aid (there was no harm done) it was a perfect day.

This is Cloudcatchers’ eighth visit here (since 2007), but it is amazing how many fresh images were captured. The remnant structure of the old swimming pool is here, the pool created early last century by the damning of Wilson’s Creek, the waters now released to rush under a footbridge. The playground offered touching moments of family members with little ones, there were the majestic Maritime Pines, a duck or two flying upstream, and plenty of dogs fetching balls for their owners or taking a dip in the creek.

After the forty-minute silence for observation and compilation of notes, first drafts were shared by reading aloud in turn. Minimal comments were offered at this time. The subsequent Round Robin has now been distributed, when we can re-live the ginko through the words of other poets.