wordsfromanneli

May 28, 2025
by wordsfromanneli 27 Comments

My feathers are scruffed up today,

The breeze has teased them ’round,

I guess what I am trying to say,

I feel like “lost and found.”

But take a look here at this roof,

It’s old and quite a mess,

It’s seen some weather, see the proof,

It’s ratty, I confess.

In soft, old wood I find a bug,

For when I want to eat,

It only takes a good quick tug,

To spear it nice and neat.

May 27, 2025
by wordsfromanneli 27 Comments

I don’t know if any of you followed Barb Beacham’s blog “Life in the Foothills,” but I got to know her a little bit through her posts. Way back, more than ten years ago, she sent me seeds of these hollyhocks from plants in her yard in California, which I planted in my garden here on Vancouver Island. Sadly, Barb died of cancer in November of 2015, but her hollyhocks live on and I think of her each year as I watch her flowers bloom. She had a great sense of humour and I admired her creative writing. I still miss her.

The hollyhocks are strong and fine,

They bloom so straight and tall,

They like to stand up in a line,

And stay until it’s fall.

The flowers are like megaphones,

But silently they stand,

They like a group, but standalones

Do fine and look so grand.

May 26, 2025
by wordsfromanneli 19 Comments

Blue Grouse

I should be way up in the hills,

But it’s still cold up there,

The snow was giving me the chills,

I’m here for finer fare.

And anyway, I’m on a search,

To find a lovely mate,

She can’t just leave me in the lurch,

That cannot be my fate.

May 25, 2025
by wordsfromanneli 24 Comments

Chrysanthemum

Chrysanthemums live on and on ,

With minimum of care,

They’ll bloom long after we are gone,

With memories to share.

This particular chrysanthemum was blooming on my mother’s deck. I brought it home to live with me after my mother died in 1982. It’s still going strong. Amazing plants, aren’t they?

May 24, 2025
by wordsfromanneli 18 Comments

Eurasian Collared Dove – Bird Talk

Just wait! I’m bringing you a snack,

It’s really tasty corn,

If it’s not good I’ll take it back,

As sure as you were born.

Oh wait! Don’t run away so quick,

You’d think I want a date,

I like you, but it’s not a trick,

If you would only wait.

Well, look at me, I’m such a man,

You’ll see what I can do,

I’ve learned to dive because I can,

And all this, just for you.

Can you believe this guy up there?

He must be simply nuts,

But on the other hand I swear,

He’s got a lot of guts.

May 23, 2025
by wordsfromanneli 29 Comments

Sunflowers

Be happy and be full of cheer,

My sunny petals say,

The bee is giving me no fear,

He comes here every day.

And when my petals dry and fall,

My seeds have tasty crunch,

They seem to be the dinner call,

For little birdies’ lunch.

*See the chickadee in the middle photo and the nuthatch in the bottom one.

May 22, 2025
by wordsfromanneli 30 Comments

Flicker

From up here in the walnut tree,

I keep you in my sight,

I’m pretty sure you won’t hurt me,

But then again, you might.

The sun is warming in the spring,

But if it gets too hot,

The leafy tree is just the thing,

For all the shade it’s got.

May 21, 2025
by wordsfromanneli 26 Comments

Oriental Poppy

I come from Turkey and Iran,

But live in other places,

I bloom as early as I can,

Put smiles on many faces.

My blooms are huge and orange red,

My buds are fuzzy green,

Enhancing every flower bed,

Because I am the queen.

May 20, 2025
by wordsfromanneli 27 Comments

Young Eagle

My feathers sure are looking drab,

Not striking like my dad’s,

He says it’s so no one will grab

And hurt us younger lads.

That’s right, son, when you grow you’ll see,

Your feathers will be fine,

You’ll turn out handsome, just like me,

The girls will stand in line.

May 19, 2025
by wordsfromanneli 26 Comments

Newsflash

I don’t usually do two posts in one day, but this one is important.

The Captain heard a ruckus nearby and saw two robins divebombing a little squirrel who clung to the bark of a large fir tree with all his terrified strength. I suppose it had come too close to a nearby nest.

It took a few seconds before the Captain realized that this was a very small squirrel and that it had only a short tail, the kind that baby squirrels have.

We’d almost given up on seeing any baby squirrels this year, so this one was a surprise. I wonder if it’s the only one. I’m sure he is Crispin’s baby.

I also wonder if he survived this cold night. It has been windy and rainy almost as if it were winter. Some sunflower seeds in the woodshed might help it along.

The baby squirrel clung to the tree for several minutes. It gave me lots of time to get the camera and snap a few pictures, but I worried that he was so exposed to predators for so long.

Finally he decided to make his way down the tree and back into the woods.