Date: Thursday 9 February (summer), 10am
Place: Victoria Park, Alstonville, NSW
With Covid restrictions over, and weather limitations now abating, the summer ginko was organized with enthusiastic expectations. It was our ninth visit to this stimulating venue since our first in December 2006.
Continue reading “Cloudcatchers Ginko #68”
1st Place
neap tide
the moon’s tug
on our blood
Marietta McGregor
There was an interesting mix of entries for the seasonal kukai. When reading through the poems, I’m always looking for those that resonate and have elements of shift and link, as well as those in which the two parts of the image and words merge into something stronger together. With Marietta’s haiku we are tantalised with a word that is not all that well known – neap tide – a period when moderate tides occur, usually seven days after a spring tide. The wonderful moon’s tug connects us with the universe and celestial bodies – the tug on our blood and the flow of tide all governed by the moon. Such a powerful poem resonates on many levels with the image and I’m thankful for the poet’s deep seeing.
Tricky weather and various personal issues among our members pushed the spring ginko into the very last few days of the season. This time the sun shone, and though we numbered only five, it was a gratifying event.
Continue reading “Cloudcatchers Ginko #67 (spring)”Alstonville NSW, Thursday 25 August 2022
Once again health problems of some of our older poets limited travelling further afield, and once again the Cloudcatcher winter ginko for 2022 was held at the Alstonville home of Quendryth Young. There were five poets in attendance, with three others joining us in virtual participation from their own homes.
Continue reading “Cloudcatchers Ginko # 66 (Winter)”
Alstonville (northern NSW) on Thursday 2 June 2022
Because of constant rain, with no hope of a fine day on the horizon of the weather forecast, the autumn ginko was pushed into the first week of winter. As all of our favourite local sites for a gathering were water-logged, knee-high in grass and debris, or otherwise not suitable (pot holes, or water over the access road) we met at the home of Quendy Young in Cedar Court, Alstonville.
Thursday 24 February (summer) 2022
Home of Quendryth Young, Alstonville NSW
Present:
Laurel Astle Coffs Harbour NSW
Robbie Braithwaite Tregeagle NSW
Nathalie Buckland Lismore NSW
Helen Davison Lismore NSW
Quendryth Young Alstonville NSW
Norma Watts Ballina NSW (part-time)
Angela Smith Byron Bay (virtual ginko)
Somehow it had been difficult for the Cloudcatchers to settle on a suitable date for our summer ginko this year, but eventually six of us were able to gather on the last Thursday of the season, with another joining in by participating in a ‘virtual ginko’ at that time.
Here on the Far North Coast of NSW the weather has generally been kind this year, with no long stretch of heat, and no bushfire warnings. However the dreaded summer rains descended this week, with rising waterways and flooding, but fortunately none of our members was water-bound.
Virtual Ginko (in our own homes/environs)
Thursday 28 October 2021
Once again illness and the family situations of some members prevented the group from conducting the preferred outdoor seasonal gathering. And once again Robbie Braithwaite stepped forward to organise and conduct the proceedings of a virtual spring ginko, held on the Far North Coast of NSW, on Thursday 28 October 2021.
Eight of us, from seven different locations, thought of everybody else taking part at 9.30 am, and proceeded to maintain silence, to observe and write for at least an hour. A Round Robin followed, with writers submitting haiku for comment. Responses were redistributed by Robbie, with feedback being both positive and constructive.
The photograph below was taken by Robbie, who lives in the Tregeagle area of the Northern Rivers of NSW. Perhaps it is the same all over Australia, but this year, in this area, the display of jacarandas in bloom has been stunning.
Quendryth Young
Australian Haiku Society 