Animals | wordsfromanneli

December 5, 2021
by wordsfromanneli 24 Comments

More Than You Can Chew

Have you ever bitten off more than you can chew? I’m sure Lincoln will figure out that he has to chew it a bit at a time, but that filbert looks big enough to choke a horse.

Trouble is, there are three squirrels hanging around here now and the competition is getting fierce. The feeding frenzy is beginning as the temperature dropped and it feels like snow tonight.

The competition’s fierce these days,

I’m not sure what to do,

But in my frenzied eating craze,

I’ve more than I can chew.

By the way, Lincoln says, Don’t forget to look at Anneli’s bargains for her books at https://wordsfromanneli.com/2021/11/21/book-bargains/

The 99 cent sale lasts only through December. Grab the bargains now and add them to your e-reader. Just click on the link above.

*****And also, if you like language or writing, why not check out my other blog at anneli’s place?

https://annelisplace.wordpress.com/

November 29, 2021
by wordsfromanneli 53 Comments

Dim Sum

Sorry. It’s not about Chinese food, although I would love to have some right about now.

The brightness of the sky today got “dim some” when the fog rolled in. After days of heavy rain, the clouds regrouped and pondered their next mode of attack, increasingly darkening the sky as the day wore on.

After a while, the fog moved into our place higher up on the hill, and we lived in a cloud for much of the day.

Even Rufus, the spotted towhee, had trouble finding the feeder until Goldie (the golden crowned sparrow) chirped to let him in on the meal.

Groping, groping as we fly,

What has happened to the sky?

It’s not blue nor full of rain,

Will we see the sun again?

Chilly, chilly is the air,

Need to find nutritious fare,

Build our strength and warm us up,

Need some grains for us to sup.

Foggy, foggy all around,

Where can all the seeds be found?

Goldie chirps and calls to me,

She’s my compass, friend, I see.

Sharing, sharing all the seeds,

She has way more than she needs,

Nice of her to share her lunch,

Think I love her a whole bunch.

By the way, Rufus and Goldie both invite you to check out Anneli’s bargains for her books at https://wordsfromanneli.com/2021/11/21/book-bargains/

A great deal until Christmas.

November 25, 2021
by wordsfromanneli 40 Comments

Night Visitor

Reggie Raccoon came to visit last night. Emma dog was surprised when she went out for last call. Luckily for her, Reggie was a fast climber. I don’t think Emma would have come away unscathed from an interaction with Reggie.

Reggie likes to prowl at night,

Finds it safer without light,

Still he gets caught by surprise,

Up the tree he’s quick to rise.

Little dogs might seem so cute,

But it brings out Reggie Brute,

He can be so fiercely mean,

After all the fights he’s seen.

Up the tree’s the safest thing,

Better than the fighting ring,

Reggie needs to watch his back,

Just in case the dogs attack.

Waiting in the branch’s crook,

Fearful moments while he shook,

Seem a lifetime till it’s clear,

And he can release his fear.

All he wanted was to check,

If the squirrels had left a speck,

They are given so much food,

Thought they’d share if in the mood.

Nothing left though, that was clear,

And when coupled with the fear,

Reggie wonders why he came,

He must find some other game.

In the meantime he will smile,

For the camera all the while,

Long as he can look so sweet,

He can hope they’ll leave a treat.

Meanwhile Emma’s found a spot,

Where she can relax a lot,

Reggie doesn’t want to play,

Maybe try another day.

By the way, Emma says, Don’t forget to look at Anneli’s bargains for her books at https://wordsfromanneli.com/2021/11/21/book-bargains/

November 13, 2021
by wordsfromanneli 53 Comments

Winter Prep

Hi, I’m Crispin. Remember me from a few weeks ago in the maple tree?

I wasn’t much bigger than a Coffee Crisp bar then, and I’m not a lot bigger now, but it isn’t for want of eating enough.

I tried this wood but it wasn’t that tasty. Think I’ll try the walnuts instead.

My older brother Jasper is also hanging around today, but I want to avoid him. He gets annoyed if I try to eat from what he calls HIS plate.

Oh, I think I hear him up there gnawing on the old moose antlers.

Maybe I’ll sneak over to the walnut stash while he’s busy.

I just hope that Steller’s jay isn’t hanging around. He has a sharp beak, like a spear. Maybe when I grow up I’ll take him on, but for now, it’s better to play it safe.

See that beak? This was him last week with the sunflower seeds, but maybe he won’t try stealing the walnuts today…. Fat chance.

I was just about to head for the jar of walnuts when I saw that huge tool behind me. Is that a pick axe? Yikes! Made me lose my footing!

Okay, I’m all recovered now. My mother, Della, told me always to say grace before eating, so here goes. (I don’t think the god of squirrels will mind if I don’t close my eyes. Not a safe thing to do.)

And with that out of the way, I can dive in!

Yummy walnuts from the ornamental black walnut tree.

Many dangers, all I see,

Many dangers threaten me,

Tiptoe lightly as a breeze,

Tiptoe quickly, and then freeze.

Look around from left to right,

Look around, stay out of sight,

Hurry to the walnut stash,

Hurry, careful, do not crash.

Grab some nutmeat and abscond,

Grab the food of which I’m fond,

Nibble some and hide the rest,

Nibble fast and save the best.

Winter chill is coming soon,

Winter winds, perhaps typhoon,

Be prepared for hungry days,

Be prepared, these are my ways.

November 6, 2021
by wordsfromanneli 31 Comments

Spotted Towhee

This towhee and the eastern towhee both used to be called rufous- sided towhees, but to differentiate it from the eastern towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus), it is now called a spotted towhee (Pipilo maculatus).

Rufus is trying to figure out the best way to get into Lincoln the squirrel’s food.

“Have you ever been undecided, and had a foot in each camp?” he asks.

He finally decided to just go for it. Showing off his acrobatic skills.

No, he didn’t get put in jail for stealing Lincoln’s sunflower seeds. He’s just hiding here in plain sight. Nothing can get him here behind this maze of twigs.

“And no,” he says, ” I didn’t pull an all-nighter. My eyes are always red.”

October 30, 2021
by wordsfromanneli 45 Comments

Harris’s Sparrow

Brr! That’s a cold wind. I think it’s coming from the north, from Canada. Might be bringing Montana snow soon.

But wait! What do I see over there? A door in the side of the hill? I wonder who lives there? Might they put out a bird feeder?

I’d check it out, but it’s awfully close to Halloween…. I hope it’s not a goblin hideout.

Harris sparrow braves the breeze

Teasing up a feather,

Tolerates the cold with ease,

Any kind of weather.

Food is easier to find

On the warmer days,

Winter is by far less kind,

He must change his ways.

Roots in cellars could be good,

Oh, to peek inside,

But the cellar’s sealed in wood,

With a door so wide.

Maybe it’s a lucky stroke,

Harris sits and thinks,

Really this is not a joke,

Something in there stinks.

Spooky, hidden, hillside cave,

Holds a vampire body,

Harris finds he’s not so brave,

Flies off chirping, “LAWDY!”

After midnight he’ll be bound

For a place serene,

While the ghouls go dancing round,

Spooky Halloween!

October 10, 2021
by wordsfromanneli 46 Comments

Thankful

The robins who flew down from the snowy hills a few days ago are having their Thanksgiving dinner. They may eat a few worms and bugs for meat, but the “robins’ version of cranberry sauce” for their dinner comes from these pyracantha berries by our house. Wikipedia says the berries are not poisonous although they contain miniscule amounts of a cyanide-like compound (heavy on the like, I hope). The berries are probably not harmful or I would see dead robins all over the place. They certainly gobbled down a lot of them, as they do every year at this time.

“Sure not much left on my plate,” he says, judging by all the emptied stems.

“But I think I spy a fat, juicy one down there.”

“Is it Anneli’s camera, or is this berry a bit fuzzy? … Never mind. It tastes pretty good just the same.”

“Ahh! That hit the spot.”

“And what are the rest of you Canadians having for your Thanksgiving? I hope your dinner was as good as mine. In my case, it may be just berries, but don’t we have a lot to be thankful for, even in these troubled times?”

October 4, 2021
by wordsfromanneli 32 Comments

Lincoln is Bullied

Ooh! Look at the stash of sunflower seeds Anneli put out for me today!

Darn it all. There’s that nasty Estelle the Steller’s jay. She’s got quite a beak on her. I’ll just watch her out of the corner of my eye.

I’m being cool, having a drink of water, as if I’m not worried in the slightest. That’s the only way to keep those bullies at bay. You have to pretend they don’t scare you at all.

But oh my gosh. It’s going to be that kind of day. Look who’s hovering around. That Emma looks sweet, but she can be vicious when it comes to us squirrels. Still, I’m not scared of her … very much. I’d just bite her in that cute nose of hers.

Come down here and say that, Lincoln. I dare ya.

Oh no. I see Estelle edging closer … and that mutt is still hovering. Things are just getting a bit too hot around here. Think I’ll have to abandon lunch and come back later.

You had this all to yourself, Lincoln. Time you learned to share!

And don’t stand there gawking at me while I eat or I’ll fly up there and peck you in YOUR nose.

Yikes! It’s getting just a wee tad uncomfy around here. Think it’s time to skedaddle.

“I’ll be back … ya bullies!”

September 14, 2021
by wordsfromanneli 27 Comments

Pigs, Music, Books

We know that pigs are smart.

I read somewhere that pigs like music, especially Mozart’s compositions. While this piece is not by Mozart, it is a German song often sung by community choirs, so maybe that inspired the pig to learn to play it. It is called “Komm, Trost der Welt” (Come, Comfort of the World), and refers to the night and how it brings consolation, respite, and relief to many who work hard all day long and have a lot of cares.

You can see that I used the music sheet that the pig is playing from as part of the cover of my novel “Julia’s Violinist.”

The pig is not a character in my book, but once he learns to play the song, I’ll teach him to read so he can enjoy “Julia’s Violinist.”

You can buy this novel for less than the price of a hamburger at amazon if you have Kindle, or at smashwords.com if you have any other kind of e-reader. Just click on the image of the book on the sidebar of this blog.