Animals | wordsfromanneli

February 19, 2026
by wordsfromanneli 17 Comments

Good morning world, it’s time to wake,

And see what’s been donated,

I don’t expect to get a cake,

But scraps are ‘preciated.

Oh goodness me! A note I see,

It says, “Go check the middle.”

But ratty got there before me,

I know, I smell his piddle.

And also I can tell his script,

His writing is atrocious,

His spelling’s bad, his letters flipped,

I know ‘cuz I’m precocious.

But oh-h-h-h how awful are his words,

They’re crude and so disgusting.

And what of all the little birds,

Who surely will discuss them?

That dirty rat messed up my den,

And now I’ll have to paint it,

I hope he won’t do that again,

It’s really mean, now ain’t it?

No need to have a heart attack,

I’ll get a drink of water.

I’ll hang on with my toes in back,

I hope they hold, they oughter.

That’s better, and within my means,

This cone is good, don’t doubt it,

Or like in gangster movie scenes,

I’ll just fuggedaboudid.

February 18, 2026
by wordsfromanneli 41 Comments

Please watch this clip and see the ways,

I work so hard to try,

To feed myself in hungry days,

To make sure I don’t die.

The maple bark was way too clean,

It came apart with ease,

But nought was there for me to glean,

No breakfast bite to please.

I flitted to a nearby fir,

You see the different bark,

Its bumpy, roughness won’t deter,

My beak will find the mark.

Oh dear! I must take much more care,

To eat bugs ere they fly,

Right in my armpit, he did dare

To bite me. “Now you’ll die!”

Elusive little bug, you are,

But mind my bendy neck,

I’ll find you, and you won’t get far,

I’ll eat you with one peck.

February 15, 2026
by wordsfromanneli 33 Comments

My eagle eye inspects the sky

To ferret out the chill,

And now I’m left to wonder why

The snow came down at will.

I know it’s colder in the heights,

And all the air was wet,

So pondering that, I knew by rights,

That snow was what we’d get.

I’ve fluffed my feathers up a tad

To keep the warmth inside,

I’ll check the depth of snow we’ve had,

And take a chilly glide.

I hope you’re hibernating, all

You creatures of the hills,

You must have known this snow could fall,

It’s testing all our wills.

But worry not, the rain will pour,

And wash the ice away,

Then soothing days will evermore,

Bring sunshine every day.

February 12, 2026
by wordsfromanneli 46 Comments

I’d almost forgotten the wonderful glow

That sunshine can bring to the world after snow,

Natural therapy soaks into me,

Warming my spirits, survival is key.

I should have flown south, but decided to stay,

And when it got colder, each day after day,

I doubted the wisdom of staying in place,

Depending so much on the humans’ good grace.

The sugary feeders they offer get cold,

And often I knew that I had to be bold,

To drink icy syrup and fluff up my down,

Just trying to hold any heat to be found.

But wait, what is this? It’s a feeder with heat,

The nectar is warm, I should stretch out my feet,

To rest them and thaw them, to get through the day,

But simply to drink soothing warmth is okay.

Today I was lucky and felt oh so good,

As sunny rays warmed me while perched on this wood,

It can’t be much longer before it is spring,

And whirring so freely, I’ll joyfully sing.

February 8, 2026
by wordsfromanneli 46 Comments

Now and Then

Against all odds, the cluster of daffodils that pops up near the fir trees every year, has decided to make a dash for the light of day.

For each of the flowers, the bigger photo is now, and the smaller photos at the side are what they will look like later this spring.

It’s our job to welcome spring,

We’re the first to do our thing,

What a let down it would be,

If there were no daffs to see.

Irises popping up.

Iris and her girlie gaggle,

Push the dirt, don’t want to straggle,

Iris girls put on a show,

Can-can dancers in a row.

Oriental poppies beginning to grow already.

Oriental poppy leaves

Grow in spurts, the ground upheaves,

Happy that they’re fenced right in

See the misery of their kin.

Below are the not-so-lucky ones.

Poppy Sisters, maimed we see,

Just outside the fence so free,

Bunnies come along at night,

Eat them up, bite after bite.

February 6, 2026
by wordsfromanneli 38 Comments

Harry and Harriet are hairy woodpeckers who live in the trees near our house. Sometimes they come closer for a visit to check out the bird feeders, but what they really like to eat is anything that is small and moves, usually under the bark of trees, rotten or otherwise.

They’re not that fussy. Fruit, berries, and nuts make them happy too. They’re generally not seedeaters, but I was wondering if Harry was interested in that sunflower seed he has wedged in between the boards just by his right foot.

Harriet has one by her foot too, but it’s hard to say if she put the seed there or if a nuthatch was working on it and Harriet came over to check it out.

I sang a song for Harriet,

I like to call by trilling,

So far, she hasn’t noticed yet,

I’d hoped she’d find it thrilling.

I said, “Let’s check the feeders out,

We might just find a morsel.”

She gave me an indignant shout,

“I have to watch my torso.”

February 4, 2026
by wordsfromanneli 30 Comments

Leaving the Hills

Hi! I’m Robbie Robin. I want to explain why I’m down here at the lower elevations.

It got darn cold up in the hills where we’ve been hanging out for several weeks. When a dusting of snow covered the ground and froze, it was harder to get the bugs and worms out of the ground. Most of the berries were already long gone.

So we decided to come down closer to sea level and check out the gardens and people’s back yards.

Did you count us? It’s a bit blurry but see how many of my friends you can find.

I’ve been here before so I got right down to it. I know the worms hide under the leaves that mulch the garden. Check it out and you’ll see how I find them.

Flicking dead leaves all around,

Until yummy bugs are found,

Eat them quick before they stray,

As they rush to get away.

January 31, 2026
by wordsfromanneli 25 Comments

Frosty Food

Fields

Of frost

Crunch under

Our cold, webbed feet

As we nuzzle plants

To find their juicy roots.

Icy air drives us to eat

From dawn to dusk to keep our heat.

Memories of balmy spring breezes

Help us survive the harsh winter freezes.

January 30, 2026
by wordsfromanneli 38 Comments

You Quack Me Up

Is love all it’s quacked up to be? You betcha.

Back off, boys!

I’m a har-har-harlequin,

Funny little duck,

If you’re look-look-looking for

A girl you’re out of luck.

She’s a sweet-sweet lady duck,

And she is all my own,

Best little sweetheart

I have ever known.

No one comes between us,

She’s mine, mine, mine,

To woo, woo, woo her,

You’d better get in line.

January 28, 2026
by wordsfromanneli 21 Comments

Australian Wood Duck

Another photo from my friends’ holiday in Australia.

Is it a duck or a goose? It seems to have features of both and its Latin name has been adjusted somewhat (from chen to anser?) to cover both features. Not sure about the Latin names, but there is definitely something goosey about this wood “duck.”