Book 3: Chapter 5 - Hide and Seek

“We shouldn’t be in here,” whispered Harley.

“Shhh!” replied Derwent, “No one will find out. I just want to help paint the scenery for the play. The kids had so much fun and I wanted to try it out, too. Did you see Jordyn yesterday? He was painted from head to toe!”

Harley looked at Derwent and giggled nervously. He was not sure he should be joining in with Derwent but he wanted to be his friend and wanted to be cool, so he stuck close to him and followed him into the room. Derwent picked up a paint brush and handed one to Harley. He dipped it into the blue paint and began brushing back and forth on the cardboard. Harley held the paintbrush but just stood there, feeling very guilty.

When Hibiscus came in, Harley dropped the paintbrush and gulped. He began to cry and Derwent looked defiantly at Hibiscus and said, “It was me. Harley didn’t do anything. I just wanted to help and I think I did a good job!”

Hibiscus had a chat with both of them and after she had told Harley he would need to help with cleaning all the paintbrushes at lunchtime, she talked more with Derwent. They had a conversation about his actions, why it was wrong and what it means to be a leader and a good friend. Not only would he be helping Harley clean up the brushes at lunchtime but he would also be helping to clean up the art room the following day in his lunch time. Chastised, Derwent went back to the classroom and worked quietly.

It was a beautiful day with blue skies and a warm sun. The students had been doing a lot of work and had concentrated well. In English, they had to think about the characters in Adventures of Dovic and find a place for the clan member to hide. When they had done that, they had to write why that spot was chosen.

Flippy was the first one to be discovered. As this was her first day at school, she was very excited. She flipped over the chairs and tables in the classroom and did flips through the trees outside in the playground. In fact, she lost track of the time climbing and flipping in all the trees. Suddenly she saw a tree that was perfect for climbing! It had green leafy branches and around the base of it was not just old tyres but an old packing crate that could be used for as a ladder. She got on the ladder, reached up for the lowest branch and tried to propel herself along the branch. When she realised she was stuck, she let out a squeal and waited for her friends to come and rescue her.

Richo was disappointed that he still hadn’t found his football. He kicked a stone along the ground and stomped through a puddle that hadn’t quite dried up since the rain. He was bored and he was getting quite hot. He tried finding a shady spot but there were too many people under the trees and when he heard Flippy squealing he decided to go to the other side of the oval. As he reached the goal posts, he swung himself around them and then he noticed something on the end post. He inched his way closer with the sun beating down on him. One of the boys in the class had asked him earlier why he didn’t take off his Richmond jacket and now he wondered why too. He slid under the blue padding and realised it was much cooler in the shade. He ducked down low and waited to see how long it would take for the others to find him.

It was the middle of the day and Ellie was hungry. She had watched everyone running all over the place, looking for a place to hide but she didn’t want to play that game. She got out her lunch and began to eat. She saw a magpie and heard a crow flying overhead. She wanted to explore so got up on the table and tried looking up high. Unfortunately when she pushed her trunk to the side, its weight pulled her and she toppled over on to the ground. She was not hurt but she did feel embarrassed when the girls picked her up.

Simeon was so excited that he was allowed to join in with the Adventures of Dovic. He had been in the classroom all year round, offering cuddles and support to children when they felt disappointed, listening in to the learning, and watching all the students learn. He picked up a Bible and strolled out to the oval wondering where he would hide. He noticed the BMX track and that it was in a shady place. He climbed up onto the bridge and began to read.

Harley was still feeling sad about the incident in the morning. He had tried so hard to be cool but he hadn’t meant to do the wrong thing. He wanted to find a dark place to go and hide when he noticed the go-cart just waiting for him. He clambered on to the machine and took hold of the steering wheel. He did a few spins and turns with Libby, Tilly, Jo and Jasmine taking turns to push the cart while he made zooming noises.  He enjoyed the thrill of riding the go-carts.

When all the Hibiscus clan were found, they retold their stories about their hiding places. They had all enjoyed being out in the sunshine and exploring the school. 

Book 3: Chapter 4 - Ronnie and Bruiser's Special Mission

 No one noticed when Bruiser and Ronnie left the Hibiscus Clan to go off on a special adventure. They were tucked away into a special bag with specific instructions for their mission. On the way to their destination, they conferred with each other about what all this secrecy was about. They wondered if they were going horse riding or perhaps they were going to go bike riding. The suspense and mysteriousness of it all, just made them all the more excited.

When the car stopped, Bruiser tumbled out of the bag, onto the ground and he was quickly picked up by a boy he knew from the class. The boy’s name was Julian and he looked very happy to see Bruiser. He gave him a hug and said hello, then greeted Ronnie. Julian told them his plans for the day and after he showed them some Maths work he had been doing, they went out to the trampoline.

“Oh wow!” said Ronnie, “I’ve never been on a trampoline before!” and he bounced up and down as high as he could. The more times he bounced, the more confident he became and he did somersaults in the air and spun around. “I’m flying!” he exclaimed, “I’m an acrobat!”

Bruiser watched his friend having fun and shyly sat on the side. He wasn’t sure that he really wanted this adventure and the more he watched Ronnie, the more uncertain he became. He started slinking back and was about to drop off the edge of the trampoline, when Julian caught him and picked him up. He held him as he bounced from side to side and spun around. Bruiser couldn’t help himself. A bubble began in the pit of his stomach. It gurgled around and then came out and he chuckled. Ronnie landed nearby and started giggling and then the three of them fell down and laughed really loudly.

“Oh wow!” they chorused and after they calmed down, Julian helped them climb up to the top of the trampoline net. They climbed all over it and at times, Ronnie turned upside down. It was so much fun! Julian went inside for a moment and Ronnie and Bruiser decided to explore the backyard.

“This is much better than riding a horse!” said Ronnie, “The others will be so jealous when they find out about our adventure!” Bruiser looked at Ronnie and smiled. Suddenly, he saw his favourite fruit, “Strawberries!” he cried with glee and rushed over to the strawberry patch, closely followed by Ronnie.

Ronnie climbed on to the top shelf and when he thought he heard Julian coming, he hid behind the strawberry leaves. He was not ready to go home yet. He could hear gurgling, guggling sounds and he peeped down to see Bruiser smooshing some strawberries into his mouth. Ronnie looked all around the backyard and as he couldn’t see Julian coming back, he picked up a juicy red strawberry and threw it down at Bruiser.

“Oww!” exclaimed Bruiser, “That hurt!” He rubbed his cheek and licked the juice that had landed on his face.

Ronnie laughed and said, “Hope you’re not going to get a bruise…r from that!”

Bruiser looked up at him and considered throwing a strawberry back at him but took another nibble instead.

Julian came over to them and gave them both a hug. “It’s time to go, but I am really glad you came. I miss all my friends at school and I miss Mrs Hibiscus too. Now for one last treat before you go.” Julian took Ronnie and Bruiser over to the dog and said, “I know you didn’t get to ride Shorty and I know you like riding, so you can have a ride on my dog instead.” When Bruiser said he didn’t want a ride, Julian put Ronnie on his dog’s back.

Ronnie held on tightly and tried to use his heels to get the dog to get up and move but the dog just laid there enjoying the sunshine. “Giddy-up!” commanded Ronnie but his dog still didn’t move. Ronnie sighed and rolled off the dog and gave it a pat. “You’re a good dog! I don’t believe you really did eat Julian’s homework!” he said and Julian and his mum laughed.

Ronnie and Bruiser sneaked back into the classroom while the students were outside eating their lunch and playing. They told Ellie, Flippy, Richo, Harley and Simeon all about their adventure at Julian’s and the others all shared what they had been doing that day…. which you can read all about it in the next chapter.

Book 3: Chapter 3 - Horse Riding with Hibiscus

Ellie and Flippy let out a squeal of excitement and Ronnie asked them what was going on. "We're going horse riding!" they exclaimed and Ronnie jumped up and down. "Oh, I can hardly wait!" he said and then Tumbarumba came over and broke the news to him. "It's only Flippy, Dovic, Ellie and me," he said quietly, "I'm sorry Ronnie. You're not coming this time." Ronnie held back the tears and looked on enviously, wondering why Tumba and Dovic got to go horse riding again when he had never had a turn. He stomped around the house and groaned loudly but no one paid any attention to him. He did a somersault off the couch and landed on Milly, the black Labrador but she just sighed and continued sleeping.

Finally, The Old Wise One came over to Ronnie and asked him why he was acting in that way. When Ronnie started complaining, TOWO listened without interrupting. When Ronnie finally stopped speaking, he took a deep breath and looked around the room. He saw Flippy, Lulu and Ellie working on a new dance routine, he saw Tumbarumba looking through photos of the brumbies in the Snowy Mountains and he saw Bruiser, Richo and Harley playing outside with the footy.

The Old Wise One asked him, “Are you happy for your friends that they are going on an adventure, even though it is without you?” Ronnie gulped. He was happy for them but it was so hard to be missing out on an adventure. TOWO put his paw on Ronnie’s shoulder and said some more words, that were just between them both and then they went and looked at the photos with Tumbarumba.

As they drove up the mountain, the four could barely contain their excitement. “I can’t wait to meet Shorty!” exclaimed Dovic. “I hear he’s not so short,” said Tumbarumba. Flippy was imagining all the flips she could do while she was on Shorty. She had watched a video clip of stunt riders and thought it would be epic to try hand-standing on Shorty. She had downloaded a picture from the internet and she kept it hidden away in her pocket.

When they got to the farm, they toppled out of the car and waited while Hibiscus got the halter and lead rope. She pulled out some grass and called out to Shorty and while he ate the grass out of her hand, she put the rope around his neck and gave him a good pat. Hibiscus explained that Shorty doesn’t like apples or carrots as a treat. One time she had tried to give him liquorice but he had snorted and flicked it out of her hand.

While he stood still, the four climbed up on to his back. They had a special tie to hold on to and Flippy was the last to get up. Tumbarumba sat at the front and looked all around him. ‘Wow!” he breathed out, “It’s so beautiful up here!” They walked around a few steps and they all held on very tightly. They saw the other horses grazing in the green grass and heard the donkey braying in the next paddock.

Flippy slid down the tie and held on while Shorty moved. He stopped and looked at her as if to say, “What are you doing, Flippy?” She wanted to do a flip and hang upside down but when she looked down, she got scared so she climbed back up again. A kookaburra sitting in the old gum tree laughed when he saw Flippy hanging on the side and Flippy blushed.

After they all got down, Hibiscus gave Shorty a handful of chaff and thanked him for being such a gentle giant. She led him back to the paddock with the other horses and took the halter off his head. As he trotted off to join the others, he gave a little dance of joy that he had given so much fun to Hibiscus and her clan.

Book 3: Chapter 2 - Home To Begin New Adventures

 

Dovic and his companions found out that today would be their last day at school. They had enjoyed their brief visit but now that the students had heard the Adventures of Dovic; Book 1 and 2, and had requested Book 3 be written, it was time they had some new adventures. Dovic, Lulu, Ronnie and Tumbarumba sat eating their fruit and talked about how much fun they had had being in this new classroom. They were looking forward to getting home and seeing the rest of their clan and began making plans for what they would do together.  As they talked, Lulu managed to get banana in her hair and on her dress. She was a little bit embarrassed and quickly brushed the food off herself and on to the floor, hoping no one would notice. Tumbarumba wondered why Dovic got to eat jelly and Dovic showed him the pieces of fruit in it. It was delicious.

The students gathered up their notebooks and pencils and after they found a couple of trundle wheels, they went out to the oval. They were designing their own farms and to help them understand about length, area and perimeter, they went outside to measure other areas of the school. They estimated and measured, walked around the perimeter of the oval, and counted how many steps it was from one end of the goat pen to the other.

The Hibiscus 4 went out to help them and although Ronnie went out to help, he got distracted. He climbed a tree and persuaded Dovic to come with him. Ronnie did a handstand on one of the branches and Dovic jumped up on to a lower branch. He looked up at Ronnie and around at the students measuring and decided they should really get back down again. He called out to Ronnie to come down and waited for him.

Ronnie heard Dovic but climbed up to an even higher branch. He looked down and could see Dovic looking up at him, he looked up and could see branches reaching to the sky and he looked out across the oval and saw Lulu and Tumba helping the students. He did a handstand to show off and tried getting a grip on the bark pieces so he could climb up even higher. His hand slipped and he could not go higher. He tried reaching around with his other hand and his foot slipped. He grinned because he loved having an adventure and he felt like this was taking an exciting risk. He looked down and could see Dovic looking worried, so he gave up and started climbing down. As he reached out to the next branch, he froze in fear. He could not look down and instead, he moved closer to the trunk of the tree and put his face against the bark. He inadvertently gave out a little whimper. Dovic saw he was stuck and called out to get some help. Patrick came quickly. He climbed up the tree and helped Ronnie get down.
After that adventure, the rest of the students took them in their arms and taught them how to measure.

Meanwhile, back at Hibiscus’ house, the other members of the clan were bored. They tried playing with Lego, tried reading a book and sat around wondering what to do next. Richo suggested they go outside and play in the backyard and Ellie reminded him that with all the rain, it was much too wet to go outside. Harley said they could use the gumboot as a boat and float from the back porch to the back fence but Flippy reminded him they didn’t have any life jackets. Bruiser tried to help Richo find his football and gave up after only five minutes. The Old Wise One and Ellie climbed up and sat on the top of the couch, looking outside at the cars that went past. They saw a magpie hit the window and when it flew off again unharmed, they sighed with relief.

Suddenly, Ellie let out a squeal of delight. “They’re here!” she exclaimed, “They’re home!” and they all ran to the door. Once inside, after all the hugging was done, they sat down and Dovic, Tumba, Ronnie and Lulu told them of all the things they had seen and done at school. Ellie sat close to Lulu and when Ronnie heard that Flippy had done somersaults off the bike, he bragged about how high he had climbed the tree. The Old Wise One listened to all their chatter and it made him glad to see all the friends being happy together. He closed his eyes contentedly and fell asleep.

Book 3: Chapter 1 - A New Chapter Begins for the Hibiscus Clan

 It had been a very wet and cold November and everyone was ready for summer. Last weekend it had rained the whole time and some rivers had been flooded. When school started on Monday morning, there were only 4 students in Hibiscus’ class as the others were still on their way. Their transport had been delayed by fallen trees, flooded roads and detours. Although everyone had wished for 2020 to be over, 2021 also brought on more lock downs, restrictions, remote learning, masks and vaccinations. It had been a tough year and it seemed like nothing was turning out in a fair and fun way.

 When the students returned to school after yet another remote learning time, Hibiscus decided to take out The Dovic Adventures story and read it to her new class. She and her clan had moved to another place where there was bush and beaches nearby and they were enjoying this new chapter in their life, despite the global pandemic. When her students heard the last chapter of Book 2, they asked if Dovic could have new adventures. Hibiscus looked at their eager, young faces, thought about how hard this year had been and agreed that it was time for Book 3. Dovic, Lulu and Tumbarumba had already been to the school and had been spending time with the new class while Book 1 and Book 2 was being read.

 That afternoon, The Old Wise One (TOWO), Harley and Richo went to their favourite seat that looked over the plains, the Mitchell River and the walking track. They ate a Freddo Frog and breathed in the fresh air. Richo spoke first, “I miss Dovic. I know he and Lulu have only been gone for a week at the school but it feels like forever.” He fiddled with the lid on the lolly jar and The Old Wise One remained silent and waited. Harley spoke up, “Hey Richo. What happened to your footy? I haven’t seen it in months!” Richo mumbled, “Footy season is over. Richmond didn’t even make the Grand Final this year and I can’t find my footy anyway.” Harley finished eating his chocolate frog and was silent.  

They sat and listened to the magpies singing and watched someone walking their dog along the road. They saw how wet the paddocks were down below and looked at the flashing sign that said “Water across the road”. The Old Wise One wondered what it would be like to walk along the track he could see off in the distance, while Richo tried to count how many weeks it would be until footy season started again. He was really hoping that Richmond would come back ready to win in 2022. After they finished off the last Freddo Frog, they walked back to the house and found Flippy, Ellie and Bruiser sitting on the bike. They joined Bruiser in the basket while Flippy hung off the handlebars and Elly squeezed into the water bottle holder.

“Where have you been?” asked Bruiser and while Harley answered, Flippy did a cartwheel over the handlebars and landed upside down. Ellie squealed with delight and told her that she was more nimble and graceful than Ronnie. Harley laughed and remarked that he didn’t think Ronnie would ever be graceful despite the dance routines he’d learned with Lulu. Flippy grinned and did a 360^o turn on the other side of the handlebars. “Now you’re just showing off!” said Bruiser and he winked at Flippy to let her know he was only kidding.

Ellie spoke up, “Did you all see Hibiscus’ new bike? She even took it to school to show it to her class. They wanted her to ride it on the BMX track at school but she said she didn’t want to because she didn’t want to get hurt!” Flippy asked, “Do you think we will get to ride on her new bike? It doesn’t have a basket.” Ellie replied, “I saw her trying to fit the pink basket on the front, but it doesn’t fit. I don’t think we will get to ride it unless we are in her backpack.” Flippy sighed and Richo mumbled, “It’s not the same as riding in the basket and feeling the wind pull your fur and ears back, anyway.” They all climbed down the bike and went inside so that they could play with Lego and do some quiet reading before lunch.

 A bit later on, Ellie and Flippy were sitting on the bench when The Old Wise One came along and asked them what they were talking about. They were embarrassed and didn’t say anything at first but then Ellie blurted out, “It’s not fair! It’s been a horrible year! We go in and out of lock down, we have to wear masks, and we are in a new place where we have to make new friends. It’s always raining and always cold and it’s meant to be nearly summer. I am so cold! Hibiscus has been on lots of walks and rides and she has been leaving us behind. Today, she got another medal for completing a Conqueror challenge virtual distance and this is her 7^th one! Why doesn’t she care anymore? Why is she being so mean? It’s been the worst year and I’ve had enough! And now, Lulu isn’t even here and neither is Dovic.” Ellie burst into tears and Flippy put her arms around her and was silent.

 The Old Wise One was quiet. He had found it to be a challenging year too and he had even lost a bit more of his fur. His joints were a bit stiffer and he was finding it harder to move around. He had been to school earlier in the year when the class had been learning about the History of Toys in their Integrated Studies unit and even then, he hadn’t stayed for very long because he was so fragile. Finally, he spoke up and was very gentle in his words. He told Ellie it was OK to not feel OK and to feel hurt and lonely with all that this year had brought on. He reminded her of all the good things she had in her life and told her that she was always loved. He said some more words to Ellie and Flippy listened in too. When he finished talking, Ellie looked up at him and smiled, “Thank you for listening… and thank you for being with me Flippy. I do feel a bit better now.” Flippy did a flip off the bench while Ellie helped The Old Wise One climb down. As they went inside, Flippy and Ellie sang, “You can count on me like one, two, three and I'll be there. And I know when I need it, I can count on you like four, three, two And you'll be there, 'Cause that's what friends are supposed to do, oh, yeah”. When they sang, "Oooh, oooh, ooh, ooh" their voices went high and they giggled, then collapsed on the floor, laughing. The Old Wise One smiled and then sighed. He wondered when the others would come home from the new school. He really missed his old friend Tumba.

Book 2: Chapter 12 "The Case of the Missing Hibiscus Clan"

Tumbarumba, The Old Wise One and Hibiscus drove to school early one morning and Tumba was very excited. The window was down, the wind blew him around and he eagerly anticipated catching up with his friends in the classroom. As they got closer, he suddenly had an idea and asked Hibiscus, “Would it be OK if I stayed near the car today, please? I just want to sit out here and enjoy the sunshine. It’s been such a long time and I feel like I’ve been stuck inside forever!” 
Hibiscus acquiesced and assured him she would say hi to the others for him and bring back photos of what they were all doing at school.

As Hibiscus entered the classroom with The Old Wise One, she had a sense of foreboding. Something wasn’t right! She looked around and the classroom seemed to be missing something. As she neared the tractor stool at the front, she noticed that all the other members of the Hibiscus clan were not where she had left them. She looked at The Old Wise One and his face mirrored her own. Both were shocked and a bit worried. She saw a note on the stool and picked it up, “Good morning Hibiscus” she read out loud and she turned it over, but nothing was written on the other side.

She placed The Old Wise One on the stool and they were both quiet. “What should we do?” wondered The Old Wise One who had never heard or seen anything like this before. Hibiscus reassured him, reminding him that it would all turn out and opened her IPad to the Showbie app and sent a message to her class. She did not want to frighten them, but she needed their help.

She wrote, “Members of the Hibiscus clan have gone missing. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to find them, take a photograph of them and tell us where you found them, what they were doing there and how they got there. Write a short story so that it can be included in the next and final chapter of "The Adventures of Dovic".

The class were all astir when they heard the news. They knew they would find Gazza in the library with Ms Lauren and Aiden was reassured to know that Tumbarumba was safely sunning himself on the red car, just like his family do in Tumbarumba. The Old Wise One stayed on the stool as he was getting too old to be playing hide and seek and he needed to be loved and taken care of. Over the next few days, the students unravelled the mystery of the missing Hibiscus clan.

Xavier was the first one to report about the missing Lulu. He stated, “Lulu was dancing and prancing around when she tripped and landed on a tub on the shelf. She thought it was cosy and decided to stay for awhile and fell asleep.” Lulu was so happy to be found she immediately got up on her toes and did a pirouette and a twirl.

It didn’t take long to find Ronnie. He had climbed up to the ceiling and was standing on his head. When a few of the students commented that if he didn’t go upright, the blood would run to his head, Hibiscus reminded them that he’s full of stuffing, not blood and guts. After a while it was time for him to come down but he froze and didn’t know how to get back down. Hibiscus waited until all the students had left and retrieved him. How she did it, was never revealed but the observant students may have noticed the ruler was not where it usually was kept.

When Owen went to get his Maths book out, he was not surprised to find Bruiser amongst his books and pencils. He let him stay there for awhile but later was concerned Bruiser might get lost and brought him out to sit with The Old Wise One.

In Period 3, the students headed off to library expecting to find Gazza somewhere amongst the books. They took The Old Wise One with them, not willing to leave him behind in case he went missing too. He was much too old to be going on an unexpected adventure. When Gazza was found reading a book, Lincoln gave them a chance to talk before the class headed over to the computer lab and Miss Michelle showed them how to access good research sites that would help them learn about the country they had chosen for Geography. Later on, when it was time for reading, Josh shared a part of his book with the Old Wise One and Oscar also made sure he was comfortable in the library.

When Amelie went over to talk to Gazza, she was disappointed to find that he was “very busy reading and he couldn’t talk to me.” She was happy to see him a few days later, reading another book with a group of the wild creatures milling about around him. It was decided he would stay there for as long as the library needed him. He looked like he really belonged there.

Richo had tried to hide amongst the coloured paper shelves. He thought if he hid in the yellow sheets, he would be camouflaged but alas, the eagle eyes of students spotted him there and pointed him out to the others. 

When Abby saw Ellie, her eyes lit up because Ellie was one of her favourites. She immediately got on to the task of reporting her find to the Showbie newspaper. “Ellie is hanging on the curtains. She looks like she is enjoying it and is relieved that she won’t get in trouble this time for climbing on them.” Hibiscus raised an eyebrow at this and asked why Ellie shouldn’t get in trouble. Abby smiled and gave Ellie a reassuring hug.

It took a lot longer for Dovic to be found. Reminiscent of his days back at Teddy Bear Treasures, he had managed to find a small box at the back of the room. He climbed in, closed the lid over him and fell into his deep, hibernating sleep. Unaware of all that was going on in the classroom, he dreamed about the time he had first met the Hibiscus clan, the adventures he had had and the friends he had made. He stirred a little and, in his sleep, gave a little snort of laughter. Evan noticed there was something weird about the box and opened it up. “Hey look everyone! It’s Dovic!” Dovic opened his eyes and sat up for them all to see.

“Oh boy, oh boy!” he exclaimed and Lulu said, “That’s Gazza’s line, not yours!” When The Old Wise One saw Dovic looking around for Gazza, he said quietly, “Gazza is in the library reading.”

As the year comes to a close, the Hibiscus clan know that their time with the class of 2020 is also coming to a close. “But can’t they come back next year?” complained the students but to no avail. It has been a challenging year, one that was unprecedented, unexpected and unusual. It’s been a tough time having to be in iso and learn from home via zoom and it’s been good to be back for this term. As restrictions are continuing to ease, and as the school year finishes up, it is good to look back on what we have been through together, what we have learned, what we have achieved and to be thankful for our homes, our families, our friends, our school, our teachers, being able to learn, being safe and for so many other reasons.

Dovic adds, “Thank you for letting me be a part of your class. It was good that I got to meet you all and that we were able to have adventures together. Thank you.” And with that, he takes the paws of the other Hibiscus clan members and raises it as a cheer to the class of 2020.

 

The End…. Or is it?

Book 2: Chapter 11 On the Farm

It was Tuesday morning and after a relaxing weekend, Dovic waited for Hibiscus to gather her things up for school. Tumbarumba came over to him and explained that it was Melbourne Cup Day which was a public holiday so there would be no school. Dovic wondered what having a cup day was about and looked puzzled.

“There are horses racing this afternoon and so people dress up and go and see them. It’s been going on for years and years and is on the first Tuesday in November” explained Tumba.

“Are we going to see the horses race? Is Boston in the race?” asked Dovic and Tumbarumba laughed and explained a bit more. “No, Boston isn’t in the race. It’s for special, fast horses who are trained and raced and are very important. Boston is Hibiscus’ horse, but she doesn’t race him.” Ronnie heard the two talking about horses and piped up, “Remember that time that I pretended Milly was a horse and got to ride her for a bit?” and they all chuckled at that memory.

Tumbarumba, Ronnie and Dovic were put in the back seat with Milly and they went for a drive to Lyrebird Park where Boston was agisted by Uncle. The sun was out shining, the sky was blue and it was a perfect day to spend at the farm. When they first arrived, they sat down and had some morning tea with Uncle. They ate their vanilla slice and licked the icing off their fingers while cows in the paddock mooed loudly, kookaburras laughed, and the sheep grazed in the front paddock.

When Boston came to greet them, Hibiscus handed him a carrot and he ate it quickly and tried to look through her pockets in case there were any more. She patted him and spoke quietly in to his ear and then Uncle gave them a seat to watch the horses play. Tumba was delighted when Uncle put him on Boston’s back and gave him a ride. He gave out a “Whoop, whoop” and cheered. Ever since he had seen the brumbies on the snowy mountains, he had wanted to ride a horse.

After Dovic and Ronnie had had their turn, they went down to the dam and climbed into the tree. Uncle would throw a stick into the dam and the dogs would dive in, retrieve the stick and swim back to the bank and drop the stick so it could be thrown again. When Milly shook her water out all over Hibiscus, she squealed and Dovic, Ronnie and Tumba were glad they were safely up in the tree where they couldn’t get wet.

During the morning on the farm, they went for a walk, climbed over the rocks, played hide and seek in the long grass and used up a lot of their energy. The dogs tried to help Hibiscus find Dovic, Tumba and Ronnie. (Can you find them?) When they were in the haystack, they rolled all over it and Ronnie did a headstand, accidentally burying his head in the hay. At the next dam, they sat watching the dogs go for a swim and shrieked when Milly shook herself all over them. Hibiscus laughed but because it was a warm day, they dried out in no time.

As they explored the bush, they came across a skull. “Oooh,” said Dovic, “What is it? Is it a wombat, is it a kangaroo, is it a possum or is it a rabbit?”

“Look at it’s teeth!” exclaimed Ronnie as he turned it over.

“It looks like a ghost when you turn it this way,” commented Tumbarumba and when he looked at Dovic, he added, “You look like a ghost! You’ve gone pale. Are you ok?”

“I’m fine,” replied Dovic and he did not want to admit to being scared of the skull.

Up ahead, they climbed the fence and sat looking out over the paddocks. Uncle pointed out the direction of the school to them, although they couldn’t see it as it was over the hills and far away. All too soon, it was time to head back and they chased the dogs down the hill, although Ronnie mostly tumbled and rolled down the hill.

At one of the parts of the rope course, Uncle gave Dovic a swing on the rope. Ronnie and Tumbarumba looked on and wished they could have a turn but they ran out of time. Before they left, they picked a few lemons, some lettuce and snowpeas and looked at the aquaponics system Uncle had installed to help the vegetable garden grow.

On the way home, Dovic, Ronnie and Tumbarumba curled up next to Milly and the four fell asleep for the trip home. They couldn’t wait to tell the others about their adventure at the farm.

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Thanks to Warren Williams from Lyrebird Park for the use of his property and his assistance in the photography for this chapter. https://lyrebirdpark.com.au/