June 30, 2024

Acts of dogs


A couple of canine issues have had some members of my local community exercised lately, and I’m advised it got rather heated on the Facebook page. So heated in fact that the admins decided to take the respective posts down. That in itself is a pity given we’ve been a close-knit and supportive bunch for many years and are unused to abusive comments about neighbours. Development approvals have seen that friendly relationship shift a little of late with many more homes being built and an influx of new residents. Without a local café/shop anymore, that provided a valuable community hub and meeting place, some of that former social cohesion has been lost.

 

But with more people there are also more dogs, and as anyone who’s ever owned a dog knows, they can bark. Often, and for lengthy periods, and sometimes at night. Barking dogs is one of the issues that’s a problem. Dogs bark if people walk past the property – and ours is a semi-rural suburb. That’s understandable and it usually stops once one has walked past. It’s when the barking doesn’t stop that problems can arise – even when the owners are at home. And that’s been at the root of the latest conflict. It’s to be hoped the situation can be resolved without the need for Council intervention, but it’s a sad reflection of the growing lack of consideration some people have towards others.

 

This lack of courtesy extends towards a failure on the part of some dog owners to’ pick up after their dog’. Piles of dog poo on the roadsides has become an unpleasant sight, and they’re on the increase. My response was to pen a poem which I posted on the Facebook page. It remains to be seen whether it will make a difference, and prompt any anonymous recalcitrants to remember to stuff a poo bag or three in their pockets before walking their pooches.

 

I've said it before, now I'm saying it again,

when walking your dog - whether women or men,

before leaving home, please check that you do

have bags in your pocket to pick up their poo

I know it's a message that's been said before

but dog poo's a health risk - the science is sure

it's also unsightly, and unpleasant to see

much more obvious than when your dog does a pee

so please, dog walking neighbours, always check to be sure

your pockets hold some poo bags

before you walk out the door.

 

 

 

 

 


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Magni

Fiona's gift

By Anne Layton-Bennett • June 14, 2026
It’s taken far too many months for this marvellous model to grace the dedicated desk space in my office. When Fiona comes to visit next she will be very surprised, and hopefully gratified, that her amazing creative talent is finally on display. We’ve known each other for a very long time, and during the insanely busy time when I was helping to run the flower farm, working part-time in a school library, doing a spot of journalism on the side, and fighting the proposed pulp mill that is the subject of the manuscript I’m hoping to get published, Fiona cleaned my house each week. There’s only so much a person can do after all, and it has to be said cleaning our house during those manic years was fairly low down on the list of my priorities. But Fiona is a woman of many talents and she certainly possesses one that I so don’t have: sewing and dressmaking. So over the years she’s also made a few garments based on the pattern of a favourite garment that I was particularly fond of, and she’s also done some clothing alterations for both of us. My skills with needles and thread are limited to sewing on buttons, and taking up hems on John’s too-long pairs of jeans. Anything else is beyond me. But this fabulous model is the pièce de résistance – along with the beautiful crocheted knee warmer she gave me last year. This was when winter was approaching and so determined was I to finish writing the book, I decided to get out of bed at the insane hour of 5am and get in a solid hour’s writing in before dog walking and the demands of the day took over. Fiona was also one of many Tasmanians who needed to be circumspect about her opinion of the pulp mill. It was a project that polarised people, including families and friendships. She was one of several who passed on snippets of useful information, but on the basis of anonymity so it couldn’t be sheeted home to her.  Needless to say Fiona will be one of those whose contribution will be acknowledged – when this book is finally accepted by a publisher.

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