General News
28 October, 2025
Man in the Corner: Nature strikes back
A doctor once told the Man in the Corner that to live a long life, he should go outside more.
A doctor once told the Man in the Corner that to live a long life, he should go outside more.
Sound advice, but after last week’s events, he’s beginning to wonder if it’s worth the risk.
Out on the outskirts of Warracknabeal, a local farmer was giving his small block a tidy-up, slashing the long spring grass under a warm sun.
A pleasant enough scene, until the grass started moving back.
Turns out he wasn’t the only one enjoying the sunshine.
With every pass of the slasher, another snake was sent scurrying for cover.
Before long, an opportunistic convocation of eagles (that’s the collective noun, and frankly, the only fancy thing about this story) had gathered overhead, waiting for lunch to be served.
Our farmer watched one eagle swoop down, grab itself a plump meal ticket, and flap back toward the clouds.
But nature, as ever, had other ideas.
The snake, unimpressed by its sudden change of altitude, proved too heavy for the bird.
What goes up must come down.
Unfortunately, “down” in this case was directly onto the tractor.
You can imagine the farmer’s reaction. One moment, he’s admiring a fine bit of aerial acrobatics; the next, there’s a live snake coiled on his bonnet, fresh from the sky.
He exited the cab quicker than a magpie spotting a postie.
Moral of the story? The great outdoors might be good for you, but sometimes, staying inside with a cuppa and the cricket on the radio is the safest form of self-care.