Liquorice tries to help us in many practical ways. Like carrying firewood from the shed to the house with me. Mind you I take the heavy “slabs” and logs while Liquorice only carries kindling in her mouth, but it’s the thought that counts. Eventually Liquorice will graduate to carrying the 3″ and 4″ diameter logs for us like her predecessors. However since she is still a “little” baby one cannot expect too much lest I be accused of child labor and exploitation! Another way she delights in helping out is by delivering the local paper from the footpath to our home about two hundred yards away. The paper is dropped off to where our mailbox would be, on the side of the road, if we had one. In our rural community the letterboxes are situated on the edge of the road so that the mail contractor can deliver them easily through the window of her vehicle, however we still collect our letters from the local shop. Liquorice must like collecting the newspaper since, on our walks, I find that she has picked up other people’s newspapers as she passes by. And does so with such consummate skill that she does not break her stride so I may not know of her “good deed” until we have covered some distance. That leaves me to discover the rightful owner and return the newspaper complete with Liquorice’s slobbery good wishes. She always gives me a quizzical look not knowing why I do not allow her to complete her mission. However she knows that there are plenty more for her to collect. Yesterday Liquorice showed rare deductive reasoning powers in her quest to find new ways to be helpful.
August in Sydney, Australia means strong winds for most of the month. This year’s supply have been particularly strong leaving a “carpet” of twigs, leaves and bark from the native eucalyptus trees across the paddocks and lawns. So forceful were the winds that Liquorice, who normally loves the feel of the wind on her coat, insisted on being inside. Possibly she did not like the debris carried by the harsh winds or maybe she thought that she too might be blown away. Despite the wind, all the signs are there that after a particularly mild winter we will have an early spring. The Mulberry trees have lush new foliage and are covered in veritable feasts of fruit for my little darling. Other deciduous trees are bursting forth with new growth and even the birds are having arguments over the “brushings”, which I leave out for them, from Liquorice’s morning and evening grooming sessions. The little birdies must prize Newfy hair highly and Liquorice for her part is doing her best to meet their demand. My little darling can be so considerate! Another sign of approaching springtime is the number of flies that are seeking refuge in our house from the wind. In Australia one becomes expert with the flyswatter. It is a natural talent just as the Great Aussie Salute, that wave of your hand across your face to chase the flies away, or more correctly, to rearrange them. (It is said that the sheep shearers of old used to cut a hole in the seat of their trousers to keep the flies away from their face!) Anyway Liquorice has been watching us closely as we send flies back to their creator using the flyswatter. She has always displayed a keen interest in insects be they butterflies, ants, spiders, moths or whatever. So picture if you will my dear old Dad sitting in his lounge chair in front of the fire, sound asleep. His rhythmical snoring had attracted Liquorice to sit by his knee, like an attentive audience listening to a musical prodigy. Young Liquorice knows instinctively to be gentle with her “oldies”. She was gazing up at him in awe although I do not know why since Liquorice can snore with the best of them. Possibly she was just studying a master who has devoted well over eighty years to reach perfection in his chosen field. After a time though, it became apparent to me that my father’s snores were not the only attraction, so I moved slowly closer. I was right. Liquorice had discovered a fly wandering around calmly enjoying itself on my father’s chest. Liquorice was watching it with such intensity that I allowed the fly to go about its business in peace, while I watched my little darling. Liquorice must have been concerned that the fly would awaken her granddad from his dreams. As I have said before, Liquorice is most considerate. Drawing on the observations she had made of her humans when confronted with a fly, Liquorice made the logical decision. She raised her massive paw up high and swatted that fly for all she was worth, bringing her paw down hard on my slumbering father’s chest, dragging the paw back down his stomach and off his leg bringing it finally to rest by her side once more. And the fly drifted away to find new, and safer lodgings. It happened so quickly that there was not a thing I could do. My father, abruptly wakened from his dreams, was totally confused, and not believing that a single fly had landed on his chest. He looked down and saw on Liquorice’s innocent features an expression of self-satisfaction. That look that comes from knowing you have been proved correct. That fly DID disturb her granddad’s sleep!
Arthur Witten
Liquorice – I knew it!