Under a hotter sun; The Emus;

Between autumn and winter the Emus came down from the hills to graze in our paddocks. I did not know how they managed to get into the property. All the boundaries and paddocks were fenced. Did they get in through an open gate, through a fence or over the fence?
They walked and grazed up and down a big paddock.
At this time of year I went over the paddocks with my wheelbarrow to collect manure for my garden. It was very pleasant work, this might sound odd, but it was nice to look around in a leisurely sort of way and collect the biggest of the pads that already had a consistency of peat.

At this time I had not seen the Emus yet and did not know they were already in the paddock. I was on my way home pushing a full barrow, when they spotted me. I had a little rest, pleasantly looking around when I saw the Emus looking at me. Seven Emus stood in one row, like ordered there and not picked up!

I pushed my wheelbarrow a bit faster, looking back to see what they were up to. The Emus had advanced towards me and started to run. I left the wheelbarrow and ran and ran, the Emus behind me coming nearer and nearer. I thought that they might find interest in the wheelbarrow, but they ignored it I was much more interesting I had two legs running. Fortunately I was not far from the gate that I reached just in time to close it. These huge birds with their long powerful legs could have outrun me any time they probably just tried to have a bit of fun with me.

It was late autumn and I was on my knees dividing perennial plants. I liked this work very much. The late autumn sun warmed gently my back and I was softly humming to myself.
This garden bed was on the side of the entrance gate to the ornamental garden. The gate was open. I was deeply concentrating on my task when I suddenly heard a kind of a throaty noise behind me. I was listening with only half an ear and did not take any notice.
Until the noise behind my back got louder and I heard sort of a shuffling. I looked up and fell on my backside straight in front of three big grown up Emus. At first I did not dare to move I was just looking up at them with pleading eyes, don’t trample me.

They did not move, looked at me with unblinking eyes, talked to each other in guttural sounds.

I thought I had to get up other wise I could be trapped for ages. I slowly tried to stand up from my unfortunate position. The Emus came closer. They wanted a better look at this specimen wriggling before them.

Shakily I found my legs and waved my trowel at them and said:”shoo.” The emus did not take notice of my antics. My small, Australian Terrier Ali alias Ali Ben Ali Ben Yussef but just called Ali, must have heard something. He came running, barking, he was so excited he nearly lost his bark, his hair bristling on his neck. The Emus did not know what came upon them they charged out of the gate and ran taking advantage of their long legs, down the paddock. Ali, still furiously barking followed behind them on his short,stubby legs. He ran soon out of steam and I called him back, patted him and said:” my dear Ali you saved my life,” which was probably a bit far fetched but he understood what I meant.
Towards the end of winter the Emus disappeared back into the bush and the hills.
　

Purdy;

Ready for school;

“Purdy”
Marie-Louise saved a homing pigeon at school. It was still a baby, naked without down or feathers. They were going to close all the holes where the pigeons were nesting. All the holes were empty except one had still one nestling. The workers wanted to close it up with that baby in it. Marie-Louise asked the workers to hand her down the pigeon.

She brought the pigeon home and reared it and soon it grew into a beautiful glamorous Pigeon the scrawny bits of it gone and forgotten. That little pigeon was an extraordinary bird. It came flying from anywhere when she was called. Her name was Purdy. She accompanied Marie-Louise riding around the property flying close to her.
When the children were at school she followed me around and waited on the windowsill.
She followed the car when I was driving the girls to their bus stop. She was flying nearby at window height and I was worried a car could hit her. At the bus stop I would bundle her into the car where she perched on the backseat. Sometimes she would follow for a little while and then return home.

With time she would come further and further and I had to lock her up when I drove to Maclean or Grafton, as I was really afraid she could have an accident, as she used to fly right on the side of my car.

Then something terribly sad happened to little Purdy at home where she should have been save. Peter drove down from our gate to our house. When Purdy heard us arriving with the car she flew towards it and one had to be very careful because she would settle right in front of it.. This time she flew towards the car and settled just on the side of it and Peter did not see this. We cried out to him stop, stop, but he did not hear us, it was to late.
We were so very sad when we buried our Purdy.