wordsfromanneli

August 5, 2025
by wordsfromanneli 46 Comments

Carpet Python

This carpet python in Australia is very well camouflaged. His head is just to the right of the farthest fern on the left. From there, if you follow his curves along to the end of his long body, you will notice that he gets fatter and fatter. I shudder to think what little animal has been swallowed whole.

Carpet Python, photo by Leslie

Imagine walking down the steps to the back yard to put something into the compost and then, on your return, noticing that you must have walked right over a python of over six feet in length.

Luckily, these pythons are not venomous. They eat small animals like mice and rats, birds, and lizards. They can open their jaws wider than we might think, judging by the size of the head, but after an initial bite, they wrap their body around the animal to constrict its blood flow, and once the animal is unconscious, it is usually swallowed whole.

I spied my meal behind a fern,

And slithered close to see,

But Ratty didn’t even turn,

And soon was food for me.

I wrapped my “arm” around him then,

And told him not to fear,

“It’s just so you won’t feel it when

I swallow you, my dear.”

Though Ratty passed out right away,

And slipped right down my throat,

It would be wrong for me to say,

I didn’t smile and gloat.

He kicked a bit when he awoke,

He scrabbled in my gut,

And rather than to lose the bloke,

I kept my big mouth shut.

August 3, 2025
by wordsfromanneli 40 Comments

Blackberry Time

My mouth is watering as I look at these blackberries. You can make desserts with them, but why go to so much trouble? Just pop them into your mouth. They are SO good!

They make the best jam too.

Unfortunately, they are not the easiest berries to pick. As much as I love to eat them, I hate to pick them.

O’ juicy black berry, the sweetest of all,

You ripen so perfectly now that it’s fall.

I reach up to pick you, but you say, “I’ll prick you!

I’ll tangle your sleeve and for help you will call.”

“If that doesn’t work, I will call on a friend,

A wasp or a hornet will gladly attend.

They’ll zing you and fling you, they even will sting you.

Your bullying picking time comes to an end.”

“If need be, I’ll call for more friends, you’ll be bit,

My thorns and the spiders will go for your mitt.

They prickle and tickle, you’ll be in a pickle,

Until you cry out, ‘That’s enough now! I quit!'”

July 31, 2025
by wordsfromanneli 50 Comments

The Common Loon

On a small lake in northwestern Washington State, my friend Sonia was kayaking and had a close look at a pair of common loons. One of them is pictured here. I did some digging for information and found out that except for the difference in their size, it is not easy tell male from female at a glance. So whichever it is, he or she would like to chat you up with a poem. Beware! It may be a bit loony.

I swim on a whim

And I’m good with a dive,

I stay slim and trim,

And it keeps me alive.

Spearing fish as I wish,

Or a scared little crab,

I’ll swish a big dish,

Or a wee, tiny dab.

My feet you can’t beat,

‘Cause they paddle quite well,

So sweet and so neat,

And they never will smell.

If lost in the frost,

Time to leave for the sea,

Or be tossed with such cost,

When the cold comes to me.

At sea I feel free,

And I call to my mates,

My plea, “Come to me,”

Seems to open the gates.

July 29, 2025
by wordsfromanneli 39 Comments

Australian King Parrot

Just imagine what a thrill it would be to have one of these king parrots land on your back fence to ask for a snack. I would probably break a leg running for my camera. This photo was taken by my friend Leslie who lives in Australia. She assures me that she hasn’t broken a leg.

Maybe he’s getting ready for Christmas, wearing his best bright red and green finery.

He’s already looking for his presents in the form of a handout of seeds and any other fruit goodies that may come his way.

Eucalyptus, bolly gum.

These are foods that make me hum,

Berries make some tasty feeds,

Sometimes topped with hasty seeds.

Eating seeds of tuckeroo,

I’m a tough young buckaroo,

Nectar tasty as the seeds,

Yes, this tree fulfills my needs.

Berries of the lilly pilly,

I could eat them ’til I’m silly,

Great bush tucker for a bird,

But there’s more, don’t be absurd.

Apples, pears, bananas, figs,

Mangos have me dancing jigs,

So much fruit is good for me,

I won’t starve here, don’t you see?

But if nature’s food is low,

Always, there’s a place to go.

Folks don’t feed me out of duty,

They all love me for my beauty,

July 27, 2025
by wordsfromanneli 53 Comments

Coffee and Good Pie

Back in 1953 when my family came to Canada from Germany, my dad had a job in a stationery store where they also sold and repaired typewriters. Remember those?

You can see the stationery store front in this photo (which happened to be taken on the day of the Fall Fair parade).

My dad was very good at fixing typewriters and small office machines. He worked hard at his job, and the company he worked for encouraged him to go to night classes to learn English, which he did. He was doing his best to learn the new language.

One day, his co-worker suggested that they go to the New Palace Hotel and Cafe for their coffee break. It was just at the end of the block where they worked, and would be quick.

In this old photo, also taken on the day of the Fall Fair parade, you can see the New Palace, the lighter building on the left.

I just noticed the people on top of the hotel building. They’re there to watch the parade.

“They make the best pies,” he said.

“Yes, but mein English…. I not know vaht to say.” My dad’s face scrunched up with worry.

“No problem,” said his buddy. “You just say, ‘Coffee and good pie’.”

“Okay.” My dad nodded. All the way to the coffee shop he practiced. “Kaffee and kood pie. Kaffee and kood pie. Kaffee and kood pie.” He was already imagining how good it would be.

In the New Palace Cafe, they sat in a booth, and when the waitress came over, my dad said, “Kaffee … and kood pie.”

A few moments later, she came back with the cup of coffee. She slammed it down on the table, and stuck her nose in the air as she spun around and flounced away.

My dad sat there, stunned. “Vaht heppen?” he asked.

His co-worker winced. “I think she thought you said, ‘Coffee! And goodbye!'”

July 26, 2025
by wordsfromanneli 30 Comments

Before and After and After

Earlier this spring, I was bragging about how many blossoms were on our transparent apple tree.

Later, many of these blossoms turned into apples. If you’re not familiar with transparent apples, you might think it would be great to just take a big chomp of one of these apples and enjoy the juicy freshness. You would be disappointed. It would be juicy and fresh, but it would be mouth-puckering sour. The very ripe ones are okay for eating, but the best are the just barely ripe ones that are crying out to be turned into a pie.

Notice that the apples weigh a lot more than those pretty white fluffy flowers. We had to prop up the branches so they wouldn’t break under the weight of the apples and the tree is already leaning from the load.

I picked a bunch of the apples to lighten the load. In the house, I peeled and cut them and put them into a bowl with a mixture of brown sugar, cinnamon and a couple of tablespoons of flour.

Then the food processor made the job of making a pie crust easy, and as they say the rest is history. Well, the pie was, anyway. I was lucky to get this photo before it all disappeared. Funny how apple pie just seems to evaporate whenever there’s a cup of tea or coffee around.

Apple blossoms, apples high,

Up on branches to the sky,

Pick them, peel them, apples all,

No sense waiting ’til they fall.

Long awaited, now they’re ripe,

Just be patient and don’t gripe,

Apple pieces in the pie,

Taste so lovely, my, oh, my!

July 23, 2025
by wordsfromanneli 49 Comments

A Stupid-People Fire

Looking out from my house a couple of days ago, I saw what turned out to be a 4.5 hectare wildfire near Comox Lake, which is up in that forested area (the water in the lower part of the photo is salt water).

Luckily, the firefighters who respond to wildfires were quick to get up there, and after a while they got the fire at least to stop spreading. If not for them, it could have been very bad.

Man made, they think. These fires so often are. If it isn’t arson, then it’s carelessness and stupidity.

Campfires made where they should not be made at this time of year, and not put out properly.

A carelessly tossed cigarette.

Broken glass left lying around where the sun (scorching hot these days) can magnify and start a grass fire.

I don’t know what the cause was this time, but there’s a 99% chance it was preventable.

I worry about the poor little birds and animals who have to flee for their lives, if they can. So many of the tinier ones have no hope of going far enough away to escape the flames.

July 22, 2025
by wordsfromanneli 28 Comments

Crossbill

The red crossbill (Loxia curvirostra) is one of six species of crossbill, three of which are found in North America. I was surprised to find out they belong to the finch family. Their crossed bills are especially helpful in picking out the seeds in the cones of spruce, pine, and Douglas fir trees. A few summers ago I had a pair of them come down from the firs to visit my birdfeeder and I was able to get some photos.

Their feet are also rather unique. It’s almost as if they are what we would call “pigeon toed,” turning inward slightly so they have a parrot-like walk.

The photo below reminds me of those hidden pictures they have in children’s puzzle books. Find the female crossbill hiding in the rhodo.

*Hint: It’s near the middle.

They didn’t stay long. Maybe they were on their way to somewhere on a holiday and just stopped here for a few days. I wish they would come back. I loved having them here.

Come out of hiding, Lady Love,

Enjoy this feast with me,

I’ll watch for danger from above,

So we can quickly flee.

July 18, 2025
by wordsfromanneli 36 Comments

Tough Little Tony at the Beach

“What the heck is that I see,

Over near the shore?

Looks like twice the size of me,

Should I check some more?”

“Found some courage after all,

Show I’m not afraid,

If in trouble, I will call,

For my family’s aid.”

Tony lived across the street from us. He had a good long life there. For a while now, he has been reminiscing about his happy life and looking down on us all from doggie heaven. He is missed a lot.

July 16, 2025
by wordsfromanneli 16 Comments

Hungry Heron

It seems that herons spend a lot of time standing on one leg with their neck pulled in. This guy looks like a grandpa with his hunched over posture and his beard.

Most likely, though, while he soaks up some rays of sunshine, he is thinking about where his next meal will come from. He is quite capable of standing perfectly still, conserving his energy. He will step off his rock patio when he gets hungry and stalk that frog he’s been watching. The frog will most likely think the heron is just another rock or a shrub of some sort because it hasn’t moved in so long.