poem | wordsfromanneli

July 31, 2022
by wordsfromanneli 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.”

July 19, 2022
by wordsfromanneli 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.

July 14, 2022
by wordsfromanneli 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.

July 9, 2022
by wordsfromanneli 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.

June 24, 2022
by wordsfromanneli 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.

June 18, 2022
by wordsfromanneli 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.

May 27, 2022
by wordsfromanneli 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.”

May 18, 2022
by wordsfromanneli 28 Comments

Chipping Sparrow

“Hey, Charlie! Come over here. I think I’ve found some bugs.”

“Yeah? Where?”

“Well … they were here a second ago.”

“Oh! Wait! I think I see him.”

“This is taking way too long. If you don’t mind, I think I’ll go looking for my own again.”

Charlie and Cherry were cruising the patch,

Hoping to find bugs to go down the hatch,

Cherry was choosy and took far too long,

Charlie flew off and instead sang a song.

Cherry, I love you, but as for my dinner,

Waiting for you is just making me thinner,

I’ll find my own meals and you’re doing fine,

You find your own bugs and I will find mine.

April 20, 2022
by wordsfromanneli 18 Comments

The Fat Herring

“Junior! What are you looking at down there?”

“Nothing interesting, Ma. I’m just wondering who’s going to clean up all the mess those seagulls are making. After eating all those herring and the herring roe, I bet it’s pretty slick and hummy on that roof.”

“The squawking and shrieking is ear piercing. They have no pride. Slithering around on that roof as they digest their shreds of herring. But I guess they do a good job of cleaning up the beaches. If only they’d clean up the roof after they … you know …. But wait! What’s that I hear the seagulls saying?”

I heard seagulls squawk a joke,

Hermann Goering was the bloke

That they picked on for his fat,

Not so nice, but that was that.

Herring seller in the town,

Cried his product all around,

“Herring, herring!” he would shout,

“Fat as that old Goering lout.”

Then police took him away,

Told him that’s not nice to say,

Off you go, two weeks in jail,

And you’ll stay there without bail.

Two weeks later he was out,

He was careful what to shout,

He had herring, don’t you know,

Fat as just two weeks ago.

February 1, 2022
by wordsfromanneli 36 Comments

What’s Under There?

Photo courtesy of Pat Gerrie.

No, that is not a frozen lake beyond the tree line. It’s the northern end of the Okanagan Valley, seen from Silver Star Mountain Resort.

Imagine life going on under that massive fog in the valley. People are trying to drive to and from town, to buy groceries, fill the car with gas, visit with friends, pick up kids from school. They’re feeling their way through the fog, trying not to drive into the lake beside the highway. Doom and gloom, like being half blind when you’re right down there in it. Grope, grope.

And here is the fog over the Comox Valley. Below this fog is the salt water. Only boats are groping their way from A to B. Under this fog, the sea lions chase salmon while the salmon chase herring.

Eagles hover over unsuspecting loons, or scoters, or ducks, looking for a sickly one – perhaps one who had a hard time finding food during that last cold spell. They wait for a break in the fog to spy their lunch. Or, they might fly over unsuspecting birds who don’t expect an attacker from the mist.

The fog is scheduled to lift now that a new southeast system is moving in, but it seems that in a surprise about-face, the wind is forecast to bring us one more day of northern air and blow some snow flurries on us – just for a few minutes tomorrow.