Friday 25 March – Early afternoon
A lone surfer floats on the swell at Burleigh early on Friday afternoon. By mid-afternoon the waves rolling on off the point were small but perfect and the number of surfers increased with the increasing height of the waves.
Tall thin women in varying shades of beige silk and taffeta accompanied by men in dark suits attended a formal wedding in the park. A gaggle of seagulls and boardshort and bikini clad locals lazed under the trees, enthusiastic witnesses.
Saturday 26 March - Morning
Burleigh beach is crowded, the ocean molten as glass under a hot clear sky.
Sunday 27 March -Sunset
The sea at Burleigh rises and falls in a lazy rhythm carrying sun sodden body surfers shoreward. Children run naked on the sand in the late afternoon breeze.
Monday 28 March - Dawn
Six months ago I did the dawn walk through the Paddington streets and each morning marvelled at the abundance of flowering trees on my route. These March mornings are cloaked in a multitude of shades of green. Only red berries light the tunnel of ficus that covers part of the footpath. Green umbrellas of jacaranda show not even a memory of the riot of mauve that covered bare branches six months ago.
Tuesday 29 March - evening
In Paddington a possum leaps from the now dead pomegranate tree. She rattles her way across the gate into the loquat tree. She hesitates before dropping onto the verandah railing from where she climbs onto the tin roof to join her companions for a thumping good night.
Wednesday 30 March - morning
A butcher bird fills the Paddington morning with her song
Thursday 31 March - afternoon
Mackay is awash. We fly over the swollen Pioneer river, the Gooseponds spreading across the flood plain. Every declivity is full of water. The light soft, silvered in the rain.
Friday 1st April - morning
The peewee is still in the Bucasia backyard, pacing in the rain.
Saturday 2nd April – sunset
Lorikeets screech along the bank of the Pioneer river seeking night roosts above the mangroves.
Sunday 3 April – Midday
The biggest wet in Mackay since 1948 continues. The roads are collapsing into the water table which is flowing fast beneath the shell of bitumen, washing the gravel road base seawards.
Monday 4 April – Lunchtime
Ibis nest in trees beside Lake Apex in Gatton - white blobs against the green of the trees. Ducks, waterhens, egrets and herons line the shore or float on the water.
Claire Wood
email: JustClaireWood@gmail.com
Daily blog: http://www.JustClaireWood.blogspot.com
Longlines blog: http://www.longline8.blogspot.com
5 April 2011
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