wordsfromanneli

Thoughts, ideas, photos, and stories.

Category Archives: Animals


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An Omen of Change

 

It helicoptered from the tree,

This golden flaky leaf,

It’s happening, and I can see,

The maple is in grief.

 

The summer days are sadly gone,

Those romping times were fun,

But autumn’s here, we must move on

From lazing in the sun.

 

Without the maple’s leafy dress,

Her long arms will be bare,

No hiding places for the squirrels

Who used to scamper there.

 

It’s sad to see the warm days go,

And we’ll be soused with rain,

The leaves will swirl, the wind will blow,

As autumn comes again.

 

But as the summer weather sours,

Rambunctious days retire, 

I’ll find a way to pass the hours, 

Chew slippers by the fire.

 


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Maisie’s Return

 

You may remember my  poor Maisie the Mouse who got caught by Emma, was rescued, and then bit her rescuer.

If you want a refresher, visit this link:  https://wordsfromanneli.com/2023/08/29/whoever-said-life-was-fair/

Well, it seems that Maisie would not stay away after her lucky escape that time.

For about three days, Emma the English cocker spaniel had smelled something enticing in the kindling box outside the back door. It was not woodstove weather yet, so the box had some left over plant starter pots in it, but Emma kept dragging me over there. She wanted to investigate.

I was not interested in rooting through those old pots and have giant house spiders run over my hands so I kept Emma away from the box.

Finally, the Captain said, “Let’s check out what’s in that box.”

“You first,” I told him.

Rooting around in the bits of kindling and starter planting pots, the Captain searched for only a few seconds.

“Here it is! I wonder if it’s the same mouse that bit you. I should kill it or it’ll just end up chewing the wiring out of the truck one of these days, just like the last family of mice did.”

“Awww … no ….. It’s just a little mouse.”

“Well, okay.” He picked up the box and brought it over to the garden in front of the house. Maisie (I’m sure it was her) jumped to try to get out of the box but couldn’t get up high enough.

The Captain tipped the box on its side and Maisie ran out. She headed for a spot where I had dumped a lot of hazelnut and walnut shells, and snuggled into them. I think they must have been warm from the sun. Then she lay there and didn’t move except for the occasional twitching of her ears.

It’s oh, so warm and cozy here,

My last three days were cold.

No ray of sunshine did appear,

I feared I’d not grow old.

 

 

No drink of water, and no food,

And I could not get out,

I lost my usual happy mood,

Survival was in doubt.

But now I’m soaking up the sun,

It’s warming me clear through,

As soon as I feel I can run,

I’ll find something to chew.

 

*****

You see all those nutshells? I was the one who cracked them, as I do every year, but this time the nutcracker irritated a part of my finger right in the spot where Maisie bit me a month ago.  It swelled up and the redness started to spread, so I went to see the doctor, and apologized for bothering him with such a small thing. He said, “You did right to come. You’ll need some antibiotics.”  The spreading redness has receded now and I’m relieved.

But I still can’t get over how Maisie tried to kill me for rescuing her from Emma.

The Captain says I survived a wild animal bite. Sounds ferocious, doesn’t it?

 


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Whoever Said Life Was Fair?

Look closely and what do you see hanging out of Emma’s mouth?

She had just been over to a stack of landscaping ties that she had been visiting constantly over the last few weeks, and I saw her lunge at something.

She got what she lunged for, but then stood there not knowing if she should swallow or spit.

Whoever said that life was fair?

Didn’t I catch that mouse? 

Good clean catch was fair and square.

Snatched her by her house.

Meanwhile Maisie Mouse was cast into darkness. I couldn’t see what she was doing in there, but I feared the worst.

Oh my goodness! It’s so dark,

Wet and warm with slime,

That black dog is like a shark,

Got me good this time.

 

But Emma is so obedient. She knows that when I say, “Thank you,” she should give up what’s in her mouth.

After many, pleading “thank yous” Maisie was dropped onto the grass.  I had to then protect her from another onslaught of Emma-attacks. Maisie ran up onto my shoes and then onto the cuff of my sweat pants. Luckily they are elasticized and she had no access to my bare leg (or anywhere else). I took a tissue from my jacket pocket and picked her up – not an easy task with her skittering here and there. But as soon as I got hold of her, the ungrateful girl sank her chompers into my finger.

Did I let go? You’d better believe it. I had to quickly distract Emma while Maisie made her way through the grass to the edge of the trees and disappeared.

 

Tiny little needle knives

Sank into my skin,

Thanks I got for saving lives, 

What a fool I’ve been.

 

I’m glad Maisie survived, but I’m still waiting for a Thank You note from her. It could be a while. Oh – wait! Here’s Maisie.

 

 


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Pileated Woodpecker Visits Again

Folks, I want you to know that this year it has been great to visit Anneli’s garden. It’s quiet (she’s hardly ever out here), and it’s so-o-o-o … shall we say, to be polite … it’s “au naturel.”

She thinks it’s a mess, but to me, it looks better than ever. Bugs are hiding everywhere, under weeds she hasn’t cleared away. A smorgasbord for me!

As a matter of fact, I think I might have one of those little critters on me. “Well, surprise, surprise, little bugs. There’s no free ride on me! You will be on my dinner menu. Heh, heh, heh, haaa-hooo!”

Messy garden, 

Perfect place,

I have dinner,

Leave no trace.

 

Bugs that crawl

Look fine to me,

On the ground

Or in the tree.

 

When the garden’s

Gone to h—,

I see bugs 

That suit me well.

 


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Thirsty Squirrel

Lincoln’s grandson, Crispin, was as small as a Coffee Crisp bar when I first saw him. He has moved into the woodshed and gets fed most mornings. Unsalted sunflower seeds, hazelnuts, and walnuts are some of his favourite foods.

But in these weeks of drought we’ve had, the most important thing is to have water handy.

I thank you for the sunflower seeds,

Its flavour none can match,

But now my throat is parched and needs 

Some liquid down the hatch.

I think there’s water in that tub,

Enough for several sips,

No need to dive in like a sub,

Just need to to wet my lips.

 

I’ll take one long last look around,

To watch for owl and hawk,

To be scooped up if I were found,

Would be an awful shock.

 

So quickly now, I steal a slurp ,

Then check again for trouble,

Another slurp and then a burp,

And head out on the double.

 

But first I have to greet my gal,

Who brings me all this stuff,

I’m lucky she is such a pal,

I can’t thank her enough.


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Temptation

When apples ripen in the yard

And fall down from the tree,

If no one’s looking very hard,

I’ll steal one just for me.

 

But now they’re picked and in the house,

I wonder if I dare,

If I am quiet as a mouse,

You think they’ll let me share?

 

I’ve tasted these and even though 

They’re ripe as they will get,

The taste is sour, I should know,

My cheeks are puckered yet.

 

I know it sounds like sour grapes, 

Because they’re out of reach,

But see my tongue hang, face that gapes, 

I’m very hard to teach.


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In Broad Daylight

It’s nowhere near dark, but Ralph Raccoon felt safe enough to come check out our yard.

Just then, the Captain brought Emma (our English cocker spaniel) outside for a pee and in no time the barking and growling started. Luckily, Emma was on the leash because she has a pulled muscle in her leg and we don’t want her tearing around the yard just now.

With one last growl, Ralph clambered up the tree for safety.

Once Emma was out of the scene, Ralph wondered what to do.

“Should I stay here where I’m safe,” he wondered, “or should I come down while I can and get out of here before some crows find me and try to peck my eyes out?”

Turn on your sound and watch what Ralph decided to do.


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Mother and Daughter

Again, I was in a rush and didn’t get wonderful, clear photos, but you’re all so good at using your imagination and that’s what I’m counting on today.

The woodpeckers were back. It was Pam and what I thought last week was her sister. I’ve had my eyes opened because I got a better look at the “sister.” Turns out, it is most probably her baby, not her sister.

Pam is near the bottom of the tree here, and Junior is above her.  Junior’s topknot is not a brilliant red yet, most likely for her own protection. She won’t be such a target for her enemies.

Pam is working hard, pecking open the bark to look for bugs. Junior is still afraid of giving herself a headache so she lets Mom do all the work.

Pam stops mid-peck and looks around.

“Do you see her, Junior?” she asks.

“See who?” Jr. says.

“Whom.”

“What?”

“See whom, not who? … Oh, never mind. Do you see the crazy lady with the camera? She’s always hanging around near the back door, and I thought I heard it open. I don’t mind her, but that black cocker spaniel is always wherever she is, and that dog LOVES birds – and before you say, ‘Oh that’s good,’ let me tell you, ‘No. That mutt likes birds, but not in a good way.'”

“But don’t worry, Junior, we’re safe. Just open your beak. I’ve got a treat for you to make you forget all about that killer dog.”

 

“LOL! Gimme a break,” says Emma. “Me? Kill a bird? … Well, not a woodpecker, anyway … not today….”


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Pam the Pileated Woodpecker

The pecking of beaks on wood just past the fence of my yard sent me running for my camera. I was surprised to see not one, but two pileated woodpeckers.  They were a bit shy and one of them disappeared around the back of the tree. I had a glimpse of that bird just long enough to guess that it was a sister of the juvenile pileated woodpecker I could see on the opposite side of the tree. Do you see them there on the tree that is farthest to the left? One on each side of the tree; one about a foot below the other, partly hidden by a leaf.

I know her name is Pam, not Paul, because she doesn’t have the red cheek slash that the boys have. Notice how long her toenails are. Great for hanging on and for hopping up and down on the trunk of these Douglas fir trees. Can you do that?

She was finding little bugs in the bark. I watched her eat some as she came across them. I bet they were surprised to be found, thinking they were safe in the maze of coarse bark.

You can watch Pam at work in these two short videos she allowed me to take. It gave me a headache watching her slam her beak into the bark over and over again. If you watch carefully you might see her nibble at a bug she discovered between beak slammings.

In the next one, watch how she hopped around the bark so easily, hanging on with her sharp toenails.

See you around the neighbourhood, Pam, and thanks for helping keep down the invasion of insects.