wordsfromanneli

Thoughts, ideas, photos, and stories.


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A Waterfowl Meeting

Mallards, widgeons, fill the sky

Each one calling out their cry,

“Wait for me,” and “Watch my space,”

Desperate to keep up the pace.

 

In the lee by stands of trees,

Sheltered swans it seems to please,

In a line of purest white,

Feeling safe, to their delight.

For the ducks, a numbers game,

Many of them look the same,

Feeling safe amid the crowd, 

They don’t mind if they are loud.

 

In this field of scraps they find

Food enough to feed their kind,

So much harvest overlooked,

Ducks don’t mind if it’s not cooked.

 

 

 

Look quite closely, you will see

Old potatoes – one, two, three,

If these spuds are not fermented,

Hungry ducks won’t get demented.

 


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It’s a Cruel World Out There

The geese are moving in from places farther north where they have enjoyed warmer weather until now. They sense that the season is cooling off and have come to visit the fields of southern BC to fatten up on leftover grain, bits of corn, and anything else that looks good. Once they have met up with their friends in ever greater numbers, and they have rested and feasted and done little test flights during this staging time, many of them will fly farther south where the winter is not as harsh.  A few smaller flocks will settle in to spend the winter here on Vancouver Island, in the hope that the coldest weather will be bearable and not last too long.

The eagle watches and waits. He will take advantage of any stragglers or injured birds to supplement his diet. Once the spawned out fish carcasses are cleaned up by scavengers like seagulls, crows, and eagles, it will be time for a new food source. For the eagles it will often be crippled waterfowl of many kinds.

This bald eagle has a good view of a cornfield that often attracts ducks and geese. If any of them are not able to keep up with the flock, they will make an easy target for a predatory bird.

Little songbirds like these chipping sparrows will be targeted by hawks who sit silently in the nearby trees, waiting for an opportunity to swoop down and scoop up a little snack.

This broad-winged hawk would be happy with a songbird or even a careless squirrel. Patience and alertness are what it’s all about.

The merlin doesn’t mind picking up a songbird either. He’ll happily take down a flicker that might be almost the same size as him.

The red-shafted northern flicker had better be alert. It’s a dangerous world out there.

The general rule for non-predatory birds, especially in the autumn, is “heads up or be eaten.” It’s the raptors who are the meat eaters, while the gentler plant- and insect-eaters need to fear them.

And I haven’t even mentioned the owls yet. Rabbits and mice beware!

 


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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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He’s a Fun Guy!

If I have him identified correctly, he’s a fun guy, but he’s a bit of a schwein, a pig. I think this fungi’s name is Phaeolus schweinitzii. Sounds like a sexy pork schnitzel, but in fact, it is not for eating. It will make you very sick or maybe kill you if you eat it.  But we’re okay. We’re just looking at it and it shouldn’t make us go blind.

I read on Wikipedia that this fun guy can rot the butt of a fir tree. Not a nice guy, this fungi.

Here is “Baby Bear,” just beginning to grow in my yard.

Here is “Mama Bear,” just a bit bigger.

And here is “Papa Bear.” I thought it looked like a layer of slightly burnt pancakes, but the grass had me wondering – did the grass grow through it, or did the fungus grow around it?

So if you can’t use it, what’s the good of it?

Well, apparently, it is also called “dyer’s polybore,” and mixed with the right mordant (fixative) this fungus makes rich brown dyes that can be used to dye wool.

I’m going to rush right out and try that.


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Kokanee Glacier Park

These photos were sent to me by a friend who was visiting Kokanee Glacier Park. He and friends stayed in a nearby cabin and did some hiking and biking.

Below is a glimpse of part of the glacier. Located north of Nelson in beautiful British Columbia, it is a relatively small glacier at 1.7 square kilometers, and getting smaller all the time, as it gradually melts away.

A hike took my friend much closer to the glacier itself.

Time to relax by the lake to take a breather from a bike ride.

A 9-km hike with a 1000-ft rise in elevation gave the group a good workout. If you click to enlarge the picture you can see two red spots in the middle of the picture below; two of the hikers  climbing up ankle-threatening rocks.

All this suffering (just kidding – they call it fun and good exercise) for a closer look at part of the glacier. It looks like it has been melting quite a bit in the last few years.

Back to the cabin for a quick rest and then another climb in the other direction and a look down into the surrounding Selkirk Mountains.


I feel exhausted just thinking about all that hiking and climbing, and I did briefly wonder why they did it. But why does anyone climb a mountain?

Because it’s there!


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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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Apple Time

It’s apple time again.  If you’re lucky enough to have an apple tree, it’s practically your duty to make a pie or two.

Here we go:

Peel and cut up the apples into a big bowl. Save your peelings for the compost.

In a small bowl, mix up some brown sugar (maybe two to four tablespoons – depends on how sour the apples are), two tablespoons of flour, and a generous sprinkle of cinnamon.

Add the sugar/cinnamon mixture to the apples and stir to coat the apples.

In a food processor, put two cups of flour, a cup of butter, a pinch of salt, and a quarter cup of sugar. Pulse it a few times to blend.

In a measuring cup put one egg yolk and add cold water to make about 3/4 of a cup.

Mix the egg yolk and water with a fork and add to the food processor. Pulse it just a few times to mix it and then put the dough onto a board for rolling out.

Put the egg white in a dish and add a dash of half and half cream for brushing the top of the crust before baking (so save that for a bit later when the pies are almost ready to put in the oven).

Handling the dough as little as possible, press it into a big lump. Cut it in two (for two pies) and cut each piece in two once more (for the bottom and top of each pie – so, four pieces).

Roll out the pieces of dough, doing the bottom layer first so you can put half of the apples in each pie dish. I’ve found that an easy way to move the dough from the board to the pie plate is to fold it in half, lay it on half the dish, and then unfold it.  Don’t worry if the rolled out dough has rough edges. Those will be trimmed off after the “lid” is put on.

Brush the top of the pies with the egg white mixture. Cut some slits into the pie crust to allow steam to escape while it’s baking.  Have the oven preheated to 450. Bake for 12-15 minutes until the top crust begins to brown. Turn the oven down to 350 and bake for another 30-35 minutes, until you see juice bubbling as it tries to get out of the crust.

It’s best to let the pie cool a bit before trying to cut it and putting it on a plate, but once it has cooled slightly, it will hold together better. That’s the time to serve it up and enjoy!