Ice and fog | wordsfromanneli

February 10, 2026
by wordsfromanneli 34 Comments

Ski hill lit up in a magical spell,

Dreamy night setting that suits skiers well,

Silence is broken so gently and slow

By boards that grip sideways and crunch on the snow.

Icy cold particles stinging the cheek,

As windburn sets in, it is not for the meek,

Face feeling fresher against the wind’s bite,

Small price to pay to descend in the night.

Carving a path through the crisp mountain trail,

Chilling and thrilling, a joy without fail,

Swooping and sweeping around in the glow,

Joyfully living and breathing in snow.

That was then. This is now.

Cool breeze arrives on the ski hill next morn,

Rounding out edges to make them look worn,

Moisture seeps into each cranny and nook,

Skiers raise eyebrows with questioning look.

Where are the lights and the softly lit snow?

Who let this fog in, and why won’t it go?

Damp and encroaching, the low cloud just sits,

Making me thankful I’m wearing my mitts.

One thing is good about groping through mist,

Stunts can be tried that I just can’t resist,

No one can watch me or see as I fall

Ass over tea kettle once and for all.

Oops! Should have specified this poem as rated “R.”

(Sigh!) But “Bum over tea kettle” just doesn’t do it.

It would be too much like hearing a macho man say “whoops-a-daisy.”

February 1, 2025
by wordsfromanneli 42 Comments

Frost

I thought I would set myself another goal for my blog posts.

Something easy. Something pretty. Something challenging.

Easy = short – for readers’ benefit.

Pretty = a photo I like.

Challenging = my attempt at a haiku (a poem with three lines of 5, 7, and 5 syllables).

I hope to make it last for the month of February. Will I make it? Who knows?

Here is the first one, and please remember that I’m new at haiku.

Frosty sparkling dress,

Temporary ice wardrobe,

Sun’s power denudes.

December 9, 2024
by wordsfromanneli 31 Comments

Ice on the fennel plants looks pretty, but the songbirds that pick at the fennel seeds are dismayed when they see this. Their food source that would otherwise bring some heat to their little bodies is covered in ice.

The deer, too, can suffer when this happens out in the woods. The small twigs on the shrubs of deciduous trees get a coating of ice, and it is very hard on the deer who rely on the twigs to browse on in the winter. Imagine thinking you’ll get a meal of twigs and you get a mouthful of ice instead.

Only sunshine or a warm current of air and maybe some rain can bring the seeds back to an edible condition.

Here is another version of ice in nature – a frozen creek surface.

While it is a pretty design, it reminds me of how easily animals can get into trouble walking on thin ice. If you have a dog who likes to be by the water, be especially careful not to let him/her go onto the thin ice of ponds or creeks that look safe but can be deadly.

Please keep an eye on your pets near thin ice.

I is for ice – sometimes pretty, but not always nice.

January 16, 2022
by wordsfromanneli 23 Comments