Edogawa Japanese gardens

DECEMBER 10: OUR MONTH TO BE AT PEACE WITH THE WORLD by Colleen Keating

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Saturday 10 th DECEMBER

Day 10

You are encircled by the arms of the mystery of God.   ~ Hildegard of Bingen

These words of Hildegard came to me when I saw the duckling being protected across the bridge . If a mother and father ducks protect their babies like these two did how much more would are we protected by a great Spirit of love? (Father is just ahead, leading the way)

 

Peace is not a noun;

it is a verb.

It re- quires us to spend ourselves in its pursuit. 

Our seasonal walk called a Ginko. Today it is the second Saturday of summer and we gathered as a group of haikuists to walk in the Japanese gardens in East Gosford  and write down our reflections and share our observation and drafts  as we work them into haiku. Our group called White Pebbles included meeting, coffee, walking and then our work together. This is the 10 th day of my birthday month and it was lovely the group sang Happy Birthday to me and surprised me with a birthday card. (How Beverley remembered I am not sure).  

The Edogawa Commemorative Gardens and  Gosford Regional Gallery is the venue for White Pebbles 

December is unfolding as a very special birthday month. Every day is special.

garden

harmony of  magpie song

and sözu

 

     

A sōzu is a type of water fountain used in Japanese gardens.

It consists of a segmented tube, usually of bamboo, pivoted to one side of its balance point.

At rest, its heavier end is down and resting against a rock.

A trickle of water into the upper end of the tube accumulates and eventually moves the tube’s centre of gravity past the pivot, causing the tube to rotate and dump out the water. The heavier end then falls back against the rock, making a sharp sound, and the cycle is repeated.

These fountains were originally intended to startle any herbivores, such as deer or boars, which might be grazing on the plants in the garden, but shishi-odoshi are now a part of the visual and aural design of gardens, and are used primarily for their aesthetic value.

 

Spring Ginko with White Pebbles Haiku Group by Colleen Keating

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Spring ginko

spring fever
paths for us to walk
bridges to cross

tinkling of water
from the bamboo pipe
magpie singing

white azaleas
bees bow to new buds
a buddha listens

sound of birds
warm sun on my back
azaleas blooming

teal ducks
float on pink azalea’s
reflection

magpies carolling
myriad of colours
nesting time

Saturday 10 September 2022

Thanks to White Pebbler, Gwen Bitti, for recording our Spring Ginko.

White Pebbles spring meeting was once again held at the Edogawa Commemorative Japanese Gardens and Regional Gallery, West Gosford. Present were Beverley George (convenor), Marilyn Humbert, Kent Robinson, Michael Thorley, Colleen Keating, Verna Rieschild and Gwen Bitti. First order of business, a casual catch-up over a hot beverage.

In sunshine and birdsong, surrounded by fragrant azaleas in all shades of pink, we headed off on our ginko. Each member decided on their own direction in which to muse — across an ornamental bridge to a roofed Japanese pavilion that overlooks a koi pond; along a paved pathway to sit under a budding wisteria vine; or down a gravel trail that runs alongside a dry-stone beach. Remaining in ikigai, each one composed a three or five haiku sequence.

A half hour later, we assembled at our indoor round table. In the weeks prior to our meeting, Beverley had sent out a worksheet. She requested that we complete a sequence of three haiku, on a topic of own choice, based on something we were experiencing, seeing or hearing in the now. Absent member, Samantha Sirimanne Hyde had sent in work. Beverley read it aloud and invited members to comment. Remarks were recorded and would be forwarded to Sam. Following that, we shared and workshopped delightful, creative and diverse sequences crafted during our ginko, and also the ones that we had completed at home.

Deb Robinson, our kind and regular photographer, was on hand as usual to capture the moment.

Photo of group members with azaleas
From left: Michael Thorley, Marilyn Humbert, Beverley George,
Kent Robinson, Gwen Bitti, Verna Rieschild, Collen Keating

Our next ginko is scheduled for summer, and regardless of how the weather chooses to present then, we will be there to enjoy nature.

Gwen Bitti

White Pebbles, Autumn Meeting 2019

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 White Pebbles, Autumn Meeting 2019

The poet of ‘season of mists and mellow fruitfulness’, John Keats, would be proud of our group of Haikuists taking an autumnal walk around the Gosford /Edogawa Gardens on the Central Coast this past Saturday 9th March 2019.  We were aware of the concept of ichi-go ichi-e, the Japanese idiom ‘treasuring the unrepeatable nature of the moment.’

Our happy band meets four times a year for our ginko; with Beverley George our leader and present were Kent Robinson, Verna Rieschild, Marilyn  Humbert, Maire Glacken. Samantha Hyde, Colleen Keating with an apology from Gail Hennessy

Beverley commented how lovely to see our group growing and developing over the past year.

white pebbles march 2019
L to R: Marilyn Humbert, Kent Robinson, Maire Glacken, Beverley George, Verna Rieschild, Colleen Keating, Samantha Hyde

We began our morning with a welcome coffee and catch-up on the café patio sharing some newly published work and thoughts from our ‘homework,’  – a handout that Beverley emailed earlier to help us prepare.

We spent about forty minutes contemplatively moving around the garden, walking, sitting, pondering, jotting down thoughts and ideas for haiku writing; some of us lucky enough to have a haiku readily unfold to us.

beverley in park

A quiet moment, Beverley George

Lovely to sit in the open tea room overlooking the white pebble beach, the koi and ducks performing in the pond as usual. Cheeky peewees and plovers and a solitary whip bird added to the delight of our morning.

We are privileged each visit to enjoy a quiet working space in the Art Gallery precinct and we gathered at a great round table to share our writing. We marvelled at the rich and varied takings from our observations.  I feel sure we all feel encouraged and affirmed from our sharings.

We left inspired in our haiku writing and look forward to our next winter meeting.

Some stayed to enjoy the choices from the delicious lunch menu in the café.

Report by Colleen Keating