Animals | wordsfromanneli

August 9, 2024
by wordsfromanneli 31 Comments

The Apple Thief

The MacIntosh is “Oh my gosh,”

The loveliest of fruit,

If Adam ponders at its wonders,

Who can blame the brute?

I don’t see trouble in the rubble,

Just a pail of yum,

The sneaky nibbles taste like kibbles,

Hope no one will come.

You shouldn’t cheat, you shouldn’t eat,

Those apples that are picked.

But never fear, I’ll stay right here,

And then I won’t get nicked.

I just don’t care, I’m on a dare,

These apples are so good,

And anyhow, it’s too late now,

To stop me if you could.

So juicy sweet is apple meat,

It runs right down my throat,

Why don’t you grab a little dab?

And don’t just stand remote.

Come on and join, and let’s purloin,

Another tasty treat,

We’ll get right down onto the ground,

The flavour can’t be beat.

I’m in the mood to not be rude,

And spoil the missus’ work,

You go ahead, but filled with dread,

You’ll see you’ve been a twerk.

You make me feel like such a heel,

I thought you’d have some too.

I feel so bad, now don’t be mad,

My actions I do rue.

I hope you’ve learned, a page you’ve turned,

Those Macs were not for you,

Your ear is floppy, tongue is soppy,

Learn from what you do.

July 28, 2024
by wordsfromanneli 42 Comments

Lightning, Thunder, and Rain … at Last!

I know it’s been dry and you want it to rain,

But I saw a flash in the sky,

You tell me it’s safe and it won’t cause me pain,

But take me inside where it’s dry.

I heard a loud boom and a rumbling growl,

It sounds pretty scary to me,

I’m trying my best not to let loose and howl,

To be what you want me to be.

What flashes of light and that fierce rumbling boom,

My courage is fading so fast,

Let’s sit on the couch, just move over, make room,

We’ll snuggle until it is past.

July 15, 2024
by wordsfromanneli 34 Comments

Hello World

You may remember the junco who guarded her nest in an unusual place.

My poor hanging basket had to go without its usual amount of water.

I didn’t want to drown the eggs in the nest the junco had made in the flower basket.

Today I thought I would check its progress and had a surprise. This little guy looks exhausted but he’s here.

I pecked and pecked for hours and hours,

And hoped it was not time for showers,

I know the flowers have to live,

But it’s a nest and not a sieve.

I slept and slept and snored and snored,

My mother left when she got bored,

It took so long to crack that shell,

But now I’m doing very well.

I panted, panted, smiled and smiled,

I have a brother, oh, how wild!

I’m not alone, in this big world,

Can’t wait to get my wings unfurled.

July 6, 2024
by wordsfromanneli 39 Comments

This Place is for the Birds

This spotted towhee has been living here for quite a while.

His wife is somewhere nearby but she’s more camera shy.

She looks much like her flashy husband, but her colours are slightly muted.

They have been nesting on the ground inside my fenced garden, usually under the thick rosemary bush. But this year I cut the rosemary back quite a bit, not thinking I was making the usual nesting area less inviting.

So the towhees chose the messiest corner of the garden where I had not weeded, and put a nest in the mess. I let the poppies grow up in the raised bed, thinking it would hide the weeds until I could get to them. Little did I know I was also helping hide a towhee nest.

I sneaked in there with my camera and got a picture of one towhee baby still in the nest. Mother had flown out when I came close but she went right back after I left. Now I’m hoping the baby will make it through the next critical days and weeks.

There’s no question of catching up with my weeding in this part of the jungle now.

Please click on the links below if you would like to take advantage of smashwords’ e-book sale. My e-books are 50% off during July.

July 1, 2024
by wordsfromanneli 38 Comments

Sorry, Sorry, oh, so Sorry!

Yesterday, I watered my hanging baskets, and, for the second time, scared up an Oregon junco, who flew up into the nearby firs and scolded me.

“How dare you pour water on me?” she chipped.

Today, I had a closer look. Yes, the junco flew out for the third time that I have disturbed her. But when I parted the flowers and looked into the base of the pot, I felt just sick to think I had been pouring water on a little junco nest of five eggs.

I felt terrible to think of what I had put her through, and that I might have hurt her eggs. I thought nesting time was over!

And now, I’m wondering how I can save my hanging basket if I don’t water it.

*****

P.S. The Smashwords sale begins today with my e-books being 50% off.

Go to the smashwords link https://www.smashwords.com/shelves/promos/ and type in my book titles in the search box at the top of the page. You can find the titles on the sidebars of all my posts.

Sale is on for the month of July.

June 30, 2024
by wordsfromanneli 23 Comments

Watering

I’d found a perfect hiding place,

With flowers all of gold,

It sheltered, and provided snacks,

And kept me from the cold.

I slept there cozy, safe, and warm,

For breakfast there were bugs,

It once was so idyllic ’til

The dreaded water jugs.

The lady said, “A drink for you!”

And poured a deluge down,

The gush of water covered me,

I dashed out with a frown.

“Chipchip! Chipchip!” I scolded her,

At least she looked contrite,

And yet I felt I had to shout

And stand up for my right.

She’s done this to me two times now,

Perhaps she didn’t know,

But now that I’m the cleanest bird,

It’s probably time to go.

June 14, 2024
by wordsfromanneli 35 Comments

Gettin’ Down and Dirty

Harriet is rooting around for the last of the hidden hazelnuts from last year’s stash. It’s getting harder to find the remaining ones and her fur is a mess every time she surfaces after “diving” under the old tree stump.

If you make the videos full screen you’ll see better as Harriet is quite small.

But as you will see from the video below, she did finally have some success. (Apologies for the last couple of blurry seconds when I tried to zoom in. I should know by now that it often doesn’t work for me.) The hazelnut she finds still has the shell on it, but she makes short work of that.

Watching Harriet, Junior (who will soon be named) tries his best to follow suit, but so far he hasn’t figured out where the nuts are buried. After all, he wasn’t even born yet when Harriet hid them.

Playing in the dirt is fun,

But those nuts are on the run.

Maybe they have rolled away,

So they live another day.

Never mind the mess I’m in,

Or how frustrated I’ve been,

Next time I will find a nut,

And I’ll put it in my gut.

June 8, 2024
by wordsfromanneli 42 Comments

The Hunter

I heard him stalking through the brush,

But Mama told me, “Always hush,”

He muttered, “Come on out, you dopes,”

So, he had found me, dashed my hopes.

“There you are!” The voice of doom.

But his gaze had found the shroom.

Oyster mushrooms on a tree,

Maybe now he won’t kill me.

Busy picking, he ignored me,

But at last he looked toward me.

In his pocket was a gadget,

I was glad it was no hatchet.

Staring at me, still and lone,

Whispered “Smile” and clicked the phone.

He seemed harmless, clicked again,

Cameras don’t cause me pain.

I suppose I should have smiled,

But as critters go, I’m wild,

I’m not one for vanity,

That would be insanity.

***** All photos, courtesy of my friend Pat.

June 5, 2024
by wordsfromanneli 33 Comments

A No-Name Squirrel

Crispin and Harriet (of Tom, Dick, and Harriet fame) have had a baby – possibly two, but the baby (or babies) has been scampering around so fast that it’s hard to tell who’s who. For sure we have one whom I’ll call Junior for lack of a name just now. It’s just a step up from No-Name.