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.