wordsfromanneli

Thoughts, ideas, photos, and stories.

Tag Archives: poem


by 55 Comments

Coming for Me

I sat on my deck one day, just after dawn,

Enjoying my coffee and with it  a scone,

A rainbow popped out and shone over the hills,

Dressed up so pretty without any frills.

 

 

I ran for my camera, snapped up a shot,

Looked at it later and saw that I got,

Not only the rainbow, but also a bird,

That was so tiny, it looked quite absurd.

 

 

I zoomed it and cropped it, to look for I.D.

Was it a beetle, or even a bee?

It looked like a bird, but it seemed to be small,

It turned out to be not a real bird at all.

Mosquito bird magnus, it had me in sight.

Hovering closely, and craving a bite.

No friend of my hand, as I snapped up a frame,

He dove down, jaws open, without any shame.

 

Hum, hum, hum,

Hovering, here I come.

Zee, zee, zee,

Fresh blood waits for me.

 

Click, click, click,

Photos are so slick,

Cheese, cheese, cheese,

In the frame I’ll freeze.

 

Snap, snap, snap,

As her hand goes tap.

Whee, whee, whee,

Easy meal for free.

 


by 39 Comments

Raccoon Invasion

It was quite dark when I took these pictures and then I tried to crop and lighten them somewhat so you could see the invasion of masked terrorists entering illegally.

They will take whatever they want: beetles, garden plants, and anything left over in bird feeders, or sunflower seeds that the squirrels missed.

Last week there were first four and then five raccoons. Now there are six! We are overrun with them. Will it ever end?

 

Carping and barking, we all go a-larking,

When daylight has faded enough.

Leaping and creeping, while folks are a-sleeping,

Avoiding a doggie’s rebuff.

 

Scratching the hatching of June bugs we’re catching,

We crunch up the meaty delight,

Smacking  and snacking, no flavour is lacking,

We chew every delicate bite.

 

Clicking and picking, the camera’s tricking

Our groupings to catch us at work,

Crashing and dashing we run from its flashing

Our family scatters berserk.

 

Mewling and fooling around can be grueling,

But masks will keep hidden our face.

Scowling and growling, we carry on prowling,

And hurry to find the next place.


by 42 Comments

The New Pool

It has been so hot that I thought the squirrels would appreciate having some water handy. An old dog dish works fine to hold water.

Dickie, son of Lincoln, spies it, and wonders what to do about it. He decides it must be a swimming pool and goes to put on his bathing suit.

What a gorgeous swimming pool,

Perfect in this heat,

Skinny dipping is the rule,

But I might just cheat.

Are you ready for my suit?

Now I’m feeling silly,

Don’t you laugh and shout and hoot,

Just because it’s frilly.

 

“Nah!” says Dickie.  He’s in doubt,

“Rather have a snack,

Maybe when no one’s about

I will sneak right back.”

“Oh, but look what goes below,

Grizzled and so hairy.

He’s much bigger, that I know,

So I must be wary.”

Maybe next time I will show you what Dickie saw. Meanwhile, why don’t you join him for lunch? Turn on your sound and tell me if you think he’s smacking his lips as he chews with his mouth open.


by 47 Comments

Flossie the Floozie

Have you ever been ignored by someone you care about? You wait, hopeful for conversation, and … nothing.

I told Floyd, “My name’s Flossie. How are you?” But he was so snooty. He just flew to a nearby tree and ignored me. Let me tell you, I was hurt.

I was seriously doubting myself. Having a confidence meltdown. I couldn’t figure out what was wrong. Why didn’t he like me? He was so unfriendly. Just stuck his nose in the air. He was fine as long as HE was talking, but as soon as I said something, he flew off.

Then I had a thought. I … er … I … hadn’t had a  bath in a while.

I checked my pits. Hmmm…. Got myself tidied up and as I sat there waiting, I realized that when I introduced myself, he must have thought I said my name was Floozie, not Flossie.

Well, now we wait … and we’ll see. I should wait a few minutes before I call him back. Wait until my feathers aren’t so ruffled. But still, what a nerve of him to be so rude.

 

Flossie Flicker’s feelings hurt,

Floyd has treated her like dirt,

When he talks about his day,

He expects to have his say.

 

But when Flossie wants to yack,

All he does is turn his back.

Flossie is so insecure,

Not so confident, not sure.

 

Then she spruces up her look,

Waits for Floyd and sets the hook,

“My name’s Flossie! It’s not Floozie!

Goodness gracious! Floyd’s a doozie.”


by 47 Comments

Flicker Baby

Mom told me to wait for her up here. I don’t like being alone.

Oh, my! I hope she hurries. I don’t like the look of that crow.

Mother Flicker dips and glides,

While her baby sits and hides,

Harvesting some lovely ants,

Adds a beetle to enhance,

All the goodness that she feeds,

To her babe and fills his needs.

 

Junior waits while mother works,

Hoping that no danger lurks,

Crows and merlins and the like,

Waiting for a chance to strike,

Junior always eyes the skies,

Watching everything that flies.

 

“Come on, Mama!” Junior cries,

“Bring those insects, bugs, and flies,

I’m so hungry all the time,

Don’t you hear the lunch bell chime?”

Nervous baby can relax,

Mom is back and she brought snacks.


by 43 Comments

Guarding Lunch

Usually, animals guard their food from the competition, but this is the first time I’ve actually seen one sitting on it.

 

 

Sometimes finding food is hard,

Instinct tells you to stand guard,

But when there’s no room to stand,

Sit down, let your big butt land.

 

No one else can get your food,

You don’t care if it seems rude,

Once you only stood and hovered,

Now you’ve really got it covered.

 

 


by 38 Comments

The Takeover

Whoah! Will ya look at that? Who knew all those poppy seeds would take over the garden?

 

 

When the garden’s full of weeds,

We give thanks for poppy seeds,

Once they grow they cover up

Every weed that’s coming up.

 

But the rain has flattened them,

Looks like someone sat on them,

Soon the flowers have to go,

Or the veggies just can’t grow.


by 39 Comments

Squirrel Talk

Lately, the squirrels have been noisier when they get fed. I don’t know what they’re saying to each other, but it seems as if they can’t stop talking. Didn’t their mother teach them not to talk with their mouth full? Be sure to have the sound on so you can hear their conversation.

 

It’s a funny spring this year,

Filberts, there are none, I hear.

Even fir cones haven’t grown,

Unlike other years I’ve known.

 

I’m so thankful for these seeds,

They will sure fulfill our needs,

You eat yours and I’ll eat mine,

Then we’ll get along just fine.


by 41 Comments

Father’s Day Flowers

One day a year we remember to honour our fathers. You may say, “My dad died years ago. I can forget about Father’s Day.” But don’t we owe it to our fathers to think of them for one day out of 365, even if they are no longer with us?

I understand that there are many unfortunate people out there who had a father that was less than ideal, but if we think hard, there is probably something in all our growing up years that is a good memory of him.

The bottom line is, without them, we would not be here.

Just in time for Father’s Day, my Oriental poppies opened up …

as well as one of my favourite irises …

to keep the old standard blue irises company.

 

Father, so proud of his children each day,

He will protect them in every way.

Sometimes he seems to be quite out of touch,

With things important, that matter so much.

 

Wait a few years and revisit the scene,

Often we see just how wrong we have been.

Fathers have been there and made those mistakes

That now his child out of stubbornness makes.

 

Sometimes old fashioned, and sometimes too stern,

Still he’s insistent that his child must learn,

Grow up with values so decent and right,

Though foolish children put up such a fight.

 

No, it’s not easy to parent a child,

Easier being too meek and too mild,

But it’s the strict laws that Father lays down

That make us thankful with smiles, not a frown.

 

If your dad’s with you, give thanks for his love,

Think how he kept your hand warm in his glove,

Caring, admiring, so proud of his child,

Little he knew just how much you ran wild.

 

Love unconditional, that’s what he gave,

In any danger, your life he would save,

Think of him kindly, and don’t criticize,

You did no wrong in his sweet, doting eyes.

 


by 34 Comments

Bonnie and Benny Bunny

A new load of firewood waits for someone to move it into the shed. Doesn’t seem like a big job unless you consider that each piece of firewood must be picked up and set down again. If there are 300 pieces of firewood that means I have to bend down to pick up or put down wood 600 times. My back hurts already!

If I thought this prospect was daunting, how do you think young Benny Bunny felt when his hiding place was discovered after only a short time and he came bouncing out from under the firewood? Now he will have to find another place to hide.

 

“Don’t fret, Benny,” said Bonnie Bunny. “As long as we have each other, we can snuggle up together tonight. But for now, let’s get out of here. Quick like a bunny!”

You can see how tiny Bonnie is compared to the piece of firewood she’s sitting beside.

 

“Bonnie, see these sunflower seeds?

These are all a bunny needs.

I know we prefer the lettuce,

And the carrots I will get us.

 

 

“Even though the garden’s poor,

What I’ve noticed on my tour,

Is that still the weeds can grow,

Found some good ones that I know.

 

 

“All these seeds are empty shells,

They’re the ones the squirrel repels,

Leave those sunflower seeds alone,

Better eat the greens I’ve known.

 

 

“No more hiding in the wood,

There’s a place I know we could,

Enter in the veggie patch,

All new sprouts go down the hatch.”

 

 

Hipping, hopping, off they go,

To the place that Ben will show,

Ducking through the garden fence,

Once inside they’re not so tense.

 

“One important thing,” says Ben,

“Don’t eat more than eight or ten,

If we put on too much weight,

Can’t squeeze through the garden gate.”

 

 

Though they barely made it through,

They were thrilled to chew and chew.

Bonnie says, “I’ll just eat seven,

And I’ll come back to this heaven.”