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...March newsletter 2006... |
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Introducing Vida. Vida is our Labrador. She is 12 years old and officially belongs to number two son, David, currently in London. Vida is the diminutive form of Davida, the feminine form of David – all mean ‘beloved’.
If you come to visit us she will be the first to greet you. She has got used to the normal tour routine and if forced to wait for a late arrival she ‘talks’ and tells us to get a move along.
She is one of the lines of defence against possums and rabbits. She barks short high pitched barks, not continuous but spasmodically as a signal that a possum is on the prowl, in the trees around the house, above her kennel. So Bill, usually tucked up asleep in bed gets up, gets dressed and armed with torch and the keys to the gun cabinet prepares to do battle. Well you should see her then, she goes ‘turbo’ as the kids say, with excitement and anticipation.
As a younger dog she would chase rabbits. We would be walking along when suddenly she would freeze, jump straight up in the air as if on pogo sticks, then she was off. But time and experience has taught her that large rabbits get away. Now she confines herself to rabbit holes and young rabbits. She regards Bill as part of the team. He stands one end of the shelter tree line, she hunts up the other between them they usually get the young rabbits.
Bill describes her as magnificent, her whole body intent on the chase. She lunges and flips over in the manner of a wild cat as seen on an African wild life programme on TV. Then she rolls all over her prey, finally carrying it to Bill triumphantly held in her mouth. She presents it to him to carry or to put in the trailer.
Another line of defence is shooting. Rabbits are usually hunted at dusk. When shot we put their bodies out for the Harrier hawks. Possum shooting occurs later around midnight. Bill also lays baits for possums, rats and mice. It is a daily task especially at this time of the year and all through harvesting. Rats can totally devastate a crop if not controlled.
Vida also loves the river. She loves fetching sticks and encourages us to throw again and again. She is a real character and much loved.
Archive If you would like to read previous newsletters, please click on one of the following links:
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March
enews 2006