THE season for flannelled fools is just over but the crickets are still with us.
Chirruping away in the grass, they’ve added their cacophony that tends to drown out the birdsong at eventide from our feathered friends who pay us a daily visit from the nearby golf course.
Because of an easement down our driveway and the slant of our block, there’s more moisture in the grass and the crickets, with dusk approaching, begin their raucous mating chorus.
Until I opened the dictionary I didn’t realise that the male cricket is the songster, producing a insistent clatter by rubbing together his feathery forewings.
It’s a short, busy life for our crickets. They mate in late summer, lay their eggs in autumn and, about now, the parents take a rest — permanently. The eggs hatch in the spring, just in time for another noisy interlude!
Mayor a cheer squad for youth
Our youngsters sometimes get — unfairly — a bad rap. But Greater Dandenong mayor Angela Long begs to differ.
She says youth are helping out with the council’s school holiday activities, running the FReeZa Muso Network and Meltdown event committees and taking part in the Young Leaders program.
In this month’s issue of the council magazine The City, she is warm in her praise. “Over my many years as a councillor I’ve been honoured to meet with a wide range of young people in the community. I never cease to be amazed at their enthusiasm, dedication and impressive abilities at such an early age.”
Yes, mayor, and not to mention juggling their volunteering with schoolwork and part-time jobs.
New page for history buffs
It’s time for the historians to write a chapter about themselves — Dandenong and District Historical Society is approaching its golden anniversary.
A super-edition of its magazine Gipps-Land Gate will be published, a lunch party held on June 15, and a schools photo competition run over the next three months.
The winners will be announced at a Then and Now: 1963-2013 exhibition on September 20.
The society’s executive committee is enjoying an exciting new year with members moving to their previous rooms in the heart of Dandenong — in Foster Street East’s Houlahan Centre, just up from the primary school.
“Getting our rooms back in order after renovations took us two days and my thanks go to all our members who came back before the reopening on February 6,” society president Chris Keys says.
“Now our house is back in order and there are numerous requests from people knocking on our door with a mountain of research requests. Please feel free to pop in and see us on a Wednesday.”
More than 35 items are on the agenda at the meeting next Wednesday.
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