"Coves what's had the experience, they know's yer see"

'Good Advice', "Bad Advice'.   There could be some bad advice, mixed with the good advice', and some good advice with the bad advice.  Hopefully we can differentiate.  

There are different types of advice, some loud and clear and repeated so many times you are more likely to remember it, some whispered hurriedly, perhaps to give a third party an answer. 

In my case, advice was often given by my Uncle Frank, my father's youngest brother (born 1904).   I did quite a few droving trips with Uncle Frank, from a few days to a couple of weeks. He was a continuous talker about horses, dogs, shearing sheep and the various stories his ancestors told.  

There is one story he told quite often.  I don't think it was his original - it came from further back. It was really only a short saying:- and this is what it was.  

"Coves what's had the experience, they know's yer see".  

There are probably a few meanings to this saying, including, "If you think he is fair dinkum, listen to what he has to say, you may probably learn something".  

And so it was.  This is how I learnt about life and living on the land in the 1920's and 1930's.

Ian Burkinshaw
12 July 2016