Heavenly Beverley : Animal Crackers in Heavenly Beverley

Saturday, 31 January 2015

Animal Crackers in Heavenly Beverley

The House that Rocks has been home to the Three Stooges, the Fickle Fairweather Feline and the Pirate Parrot. This does not include the mobs of magpies, the gaggles of galahs, the twenty eights, the black-shouldered kites, the little olive hoppers, the red-capped robins and the brilliant electric blue wrens that also inhabit our garden. Plus we have had a racehorse goanna and bobtailed lizards frequenting the property from time to time. They all earn their keep by reducing the bug and mouse populations to reasonable levels.

Across the road, at Mount Beverley, live - Sir Trampalot, his mum Spookadook and Princess Chloe. And the galah, Scratchy, who is a constant source of mess and amusement. That’s the inside residents. Outside is an array of large aviaries with geese, ducks and chooks. Most have personality issues and confusion about their breeds.

Next door is Freedom Hollow. The epitome of a disturbed menagerie. There are sheep who think they’re dogs, birds who think they’re dogs, cats who think they’re birds, orphaned babies of every breed who have been rescued, nurtured and restored to health (most of them anyway) by the energetic, indomitable Lorna, human ringmaster of the three ringed circus that is her four and half acres of independence.

As well as sheep, there are permanent kangaroos, as well as horses and pigs that come for rest cures. Geese, ducks, chooks and enough birds for Noah’s Ark all have homes amongst the gum trees. Lorna, at seventy-one, runs the property single-handedly and still works for Home and Community Care, supporting the elderly in their own homes. Needless to say, Lorna would be horrified if anyone described her as becoming elderly…

Then there is Bentley. This magpie is no Little Orphan Annie. She knows a good wicket when she sees one. Bentley’s territory encompasses the House that Rocks, Freedom Hollow and Mount Beverley. She is fed by three households – every day. Currently, she favours a Barfy Burger from us, which is a delectable raw meat patty with added garlic, kelp and yoghurt. I have no idea what delicacies she scores from our neighbours.

Bentley has also caused nervous breakdowns in two of our lot. She took to sitting on top of Red, the Pirate Parrot’s cage, on the back verandah, scaring the living daylights out of him. Red has had to be moved back indoors, as he started pulling out his head and chest feathers, so stressed by the bloody warbling magpie.

Ruby, the Fickle Feline, is seriously jealous of Bentley. So much so, that Ruby deigned to eat some Barfy Burger, from the pot of it at Michael’s feet, whilst he was feeding Bentley. This is unheard of. The cat loathes wet food. This green eyed monster behaviour was purely to impress Michael, who has been Ruby’s slave since he came into all our lives nearly six years ago.

Sascha the Weimaraner is currently sporting a deepish head wound that looks suspiciously like a magpie’s peck. Chloe, from across the road, also took offence at Bentley, chomping a mouthful of magpie feathers in retaliation for suffering a sharp poke on her tender canine behind.

We arrived home yesterday after our road trip to the Big Smoke and Margaret River. I have not seen Bentley at all so far. Part of me is concerned that she has come to some harm. But, I know that the most likely explanation is that she has moved onto greener pastures.

I’ll look for Bentley when I go home shortly from the Gallery. I know, I know. Sucker!