Inspiration comes in waves for me. I can go days, weeks even, without a single idea that seems worthy enough to pursue. And maybe that’s the problem – too quickly dismissing ideas before they have a chance to nestle in and take shape. So, I’m trying to reset my mindset – listening more, noticing more, nurturing more.
One morning this week I went out to fill the feeder and noticed what looked like smoke rising from the squirrel baffle. I quickly put together the fact that the baffle, coated with dew, was chilled during the night, and now the sun was doing its best to warm it up. I learned later that it was indeed vapor created from the interplay of warm and cold, but not before I conjured up visions of garden fairies at play.
Baffling
Sun’s light heating morning dew
on the baffle baffles me.
Vapor forming wispy smoke
rises up into the oak.
Are there fairies underneath
cooking up a breakfast treat?
Or perhaps inviting squirrels
for a meet and greet.
Draft, RoseCappelli2025
This week I also noticed lots of walnuts littering the yard and the trail where I walk, sometimes surprising me with those unmistakable sounds.
Snap! Drop! Plop! Thud!
walnuts flood the forest floor
fuel for fox and jay
Draft, RoseCappelli2025
Linda has the roundup today at Teacher Dance where she’s serving up a little Dickens. Be sure to stop by for lots of poetry goodness.
Imagine the Possibilities 
I love your wondering and noticing. I have not heard of a baffle. But it’s funny to use the word twice in the line. Around here the acorns are littering the ground for critters to eat and store away. They make a similar sound as the walnuts.
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Baffles prevent squirrels from climbing the pole to the feeder. Sometimes they work well, but more often than not the squirrels find a way around them.
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These are delightful, Rose – I adore how you conjured up that mist into some fairy magic! And of a friendly sort, even better. I noticed a pile of halved & empty walnut shells on our little road this morning while walking the dog & wondered whose paws had made breakfast from those?
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Thank you!
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Oh, Rose, I love that you found your muse in the early morning sunshine, fairies cooking breakfast! And the final words, another “noticing”, walnut music! Keep going!
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Thanks, Linda!
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Love the idea of fairies cooking breakfast. So glad you found inspiration and let your whimsical side take flight. :)
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Thanks, Jama!
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Rose, nice inspiration! You are finding ideas in listening, noticing, and nurturing. Love these poems imagining the fairies and squirrels sharing a meal together. I do know the walnut music, as my daughter’s tree in Seattle is messy, loud, and a bit raucous at certain times when I’ve been there.
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I love “the baffle baffles me”!
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Fairy breakfast! Fun! We had the weird experience recently of trying to figure out how to feed young squirrels without the birds taking their food. Very backwards!
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Rose, your imagination grew from mindful pausing. I enjoyed your poems and the double use of the word baffle was ingenious. Squirrels can be a nuisance but fun to watch climbing trees or searching for food.
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I love “baffle baffles” — just wondering if it baffles the squirrels (and what they might have to say).
:)
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I love those moments when my right brain goes, “What the WHAT?” before my left brain has a chance to jump in and provide a reason. Fairies for the WIN!!
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The baffle baffles me! Great line. I love how you notice something so easy to miss and it inspires this lovely poem. Poems are indeed all around us.
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Thanks for both of your charming and delightful poems, especially the fairies 🧚🏼 please send one my way🥰 thanks Rose!
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Bravo! I love the sounds of autumn fruit. I sometimes startles me and sometimes makes me giggle…kinda like when the forest might pass gas. It should say, “excuse me!” I really identify with that feeling of waiting for ideas. Gosh, most of the time I try to write I’m thinking along the lines of …I can’t do this. How did I do that a while ago? It’s so weird and fickle. I keep trying anyway.
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Your observation about the forest passing gas is hilarious!
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I love how you’ve leaned into your noticings and wonderings here. The title of your first poem is perfect! It’s fun to ponder a fairy gathering at your feeder. Thanks for taking us along with your imagination, and reminding me not to dismiss ideas “before they have a chance to nestle in and take shape.” (I love the idea of ideas nestling in!)
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