LOVELL'S FLAT. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT )

Otago Witness, Issue 1501, 21 August 1880, Page 22

LOVELL'S FLAT. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT )

August 16th. A few flakes of Bnow fell here on Saturday, and intermittent showers of rain have since continned. Previously the weather had been very fine, and afforded farmers a splendid opportunity for the putting in of seed, which was taken full advantage of by many, consequently a good area has been already harrowed in. This lot of seed could not have been got in under more favourable circumstances, so that £0 far the augur etands favourable to good results. Ploughing has been at a half standstill owing to the early Bowing, but the changed weather will cause it to be again briskly resumed. There is a fortnight's ploughing to be done m the district yet. Gardens are also receiving attention just now. Lambing has commenced ; numbers of the precious youngsters may be seen skipping^ about beside their fleecy dams, particularly in the paddooks of Mr Murdoch M'Lennan. The advent of spriDg offers no further subject ior dilation, there being little of the beautiful in nature here to panegyrise. Our Mother Nature—at this time of the year, does not go in for green mantles and flowers, she perforce has to be content with a covering of the hue peculiar to our favourite grasses— Timothy and Cooksfoot—and that of her own grey tussocks ; as for flowers, the only sort that grows here in profusion is the Scotch thistle ; but although many highly appreciate it, and others have sung loud in its praise, it requires a superhuman effort to ohime in with assonance. # There is quite a businesslike stir about the railway station at present, consequent upon the erection of the goods shed and attendant alterations. I notice our public library occasionally receives a few additional volumes. It now oontains some excellent though perhaps desultory reading. £5 worth of books would nicely supply the missing links. The old Btock of novels too, could be got rid of with advantage. 1 We have had a novel industry started in our midst lately. Mr Ourrie, senior, manufactures Scotch "tattie creels" from willow twigs, and makes a very tasteful job of them. A eight of them is calculated to stir up latent memories of Auld Lang Syne if the following story— the etriot truth of which I vouch for— counts for anything. At a store not a 24 hours' walk from Olarksville some of the creels were on sale. A Bon of Caledonia seeing them one day, excitedly ejaoulated, "What! tattie oreels ! " " sTes," quietly replied the unsympathising shopman, •'they are titcr creels, what about that?" "They are the only ones I've seen in the Colony," said Scqtty, " and oh, mon ! ye little ken how the the sight o' them gars my thoughts hark back to the days of my happy yorth in dear old Scotland, and bathes my faculties in dreamy reveries of the bygone past! Name the price of one," continued he, "and though it is not of the least use to me as I have not got a spare tattie in the world to put in it, I'll buy it to look at." He made the purchase.