It was one of those mornings that I had not been feeling well and all my “energy” was spent by the time Liquorice’s am grooming completed. Aching back and joints meant that, sadly, I was unable to play with my little darling. Even throwing the ball was not an option as when Liquorice was quite young she taught me that I should not throw her toys away unless I was prepared to fetch them. Liquorice’s frolicsome entreaties meant she was not to be satisfied with only neck and rib rubs or ear-massages, more was required. Alas, it was not in me to comply as I went about my chores. So Liquorice made her own amusements.
I watched as Liquorice, full of interest, walked toward a pair of green grass parrots consuming what, for all appearances, seemed to be a romantic breakfast, heads almost touching, and oblivious of the giant sized black form that had stopped only four yards away. Liquorice looked on at this tender scene with that air of total understanding and contentment that so characterizes the Newfoundland breed, until at length, she was noticed, and, as if not wanting their inner most secrets overheard, the loving couple took their leave.
I wandered over to the shed detouring by a large branch that had fallen from one of the large gum trees in the recent violent winds. I had already sawn it into smaller pieces for next winter’s firewood and the smaller branches and leaves had been mulched for the gardens. On each trip to the shed I would detour and gather up an armful of “green” firewood to add to the woodpile under cover. The ground still looked a mess with leaves, leafy twigs, coarse pale yellow sawdust and various sized logs scattered around. Liquorice picked up one of the leafy twigs, more rightly the property of the mulcher, flung it around, to and throe, in a joyous frenzy almost as though swatting an unseen annoying fly. Or possibly letting her human know that this was playtime, not work time. After depositing my small load in the shed I continued to the veggie garden above our little orchard to do some morning chores.
Liquorice kept nudging me to play and as I squatted down to tie up some tomato plants with my little darling trying playfully to push me over. As I raised my hands to keep balance she became instantly distracted. Once I had steadied myself Liquorice focused her attention on the back of my hand where a small scratch from the firewood had oozed a couple of drops of blood. My little darling’s nose twitched, her entire face a vision of great concern, and then Liquorice dabbed at the scratch ever so lightly with her tongue. The taste apparently confirmed her fears that her Dad had been “horrifically injured”! Ever so tenderly Liquorice then dabbed with her tongue a few more times until none of the red fluid was visible. Then she proceeded to lick the affected area with great care. As I tied the tomatoes to their stakes Liquorice kept poking her large black nose into the spot when I was tying knots, either inspecting my handiwork or checking that my hand had bled no more. Before long though there were other activities of greater fascination to be attended to. Such as the raspberry bushes, checking the tiny green berries for any hit of red, or for rabbit scents under the Mulberry tree or among the pumpkin vines. One bunny hopped from some long grass and sitting up, like a “prairie-dog”, stared at my little darling as she snuffled along enjoying her search. Even when Liquorice eventually looked up and saw the rabbit it just returned her gaze in a relaxed fashion before each went their own way. I doubt that Liquorice realizes that under the soft brown fur resides her favorite meal!
One of my morning chores is to seek out the “green loopers” that munch on the cabbages and broccoli we have planted. Their name is quite appropriate as they take the same color of whatever leaves they are eating, their size varying from a quarter of an inch long to two inches in length as they grow. They move along, walking their back legs forward first causing the middle section to “loop” up before walking forward with their front legs. It is incredible how much damage they can achieve in their short lives, and those lives are even shorter if I catch them. Liquorice no longer takes an interest in my search and destroy activities. She came over for a deserved pat and cuddle, my little darling always deserves pats and cuddles, then proceeded to the end of broccoli. I squashed the few green loopers that I found and, in time, became aware that Liquorice was watching a broccoli with great interest. Slowly I made my along the row and then saw the sight that Liquorice was observing. It was a black bull-ant, an inch long, holding a largish green looper in its mandibles! The looper, about an inch and a half long, clearly wished to decline that bull-ant’s invitation to breakfast and held fast to it’s own leafy repast. That bull-ant struggled, pulling this way and that but the looper was defiant. This life and death struggle was the scene that captured the attention of my little darling. Whether she understood that scene or was simply curious at a new sight I cannot say. Eventually the bull-ant won as the looper’s grip gave way. Then that poor overloaded bull-ant had to overcome the topography of the curving broccoli leaves to return home with his “catch”. We watched the stumbling bull-ant in silence for a few more minutes before making our way down to the orchard to pick some apricots, collecting an empty bucket along the way. Rather I picked. Liquorice simply sat, using those dark brown eyes that could melt stone, she required that I should pick the ripest and most succulent apricots for her immediate consumption. And she did enjoy her apricots. For two weeks now Liquorice has been sitting expectedly under those trees whenever Dad or I have been near willing us to ripen the orange orbs faster so that she may enjoy them sooner. Liquorice has never had apricots previously, except dried ones, so how she knew they were edible, and for her consumption, is beyond my comprehension. Only when I felt that she had eaten enough did she deign to eat those on the ground that the fruit bats dislodged the previous night. Once we had each all the apricots desired it was back to the house, I with my harvest and Liquorice with hers.
By then my energy levels were returning, you see, I had “sneaked” a couple of apricots for myself when Liquorice was not looking! So we went for our morning stroll down the road and, on our return, breakfast, for my little darling!
Arthur Witten
Liquorice – Aw Dad! I wanna play! Any more apricots?