Happy Birthday to our leek

How time does fly,
A year's gone by -
That's fifty two whole weeks,
Since a friend bestowed
A hefty load
Of little seedling leeks.

They were small granted,
But duly planted
They should have grown and thrived.
But sad to say
Most passed away
And only one survived.

We were aware
It needed care,
Lest this should slump and rot.
Dug out and lifted,
That plant was shifted
From veg patch into pot.

Through rain, through snow,
That leek did grow:
It's thin but doesn't droop.
It's ONE this June!
And maybe soon
We'll turn it into soup.

Sort of swimming with dolphins

Welcome to new viewers from Uganda and Lebanon. Your flags have been added to "Hello World".




Dolores and Brenda saying goodbye

Some people have a bucket list
Which may be small or vast,
Of things they want to see or do
Before they breathe their last.

Like to spend a night in Vegas
And to visit all the bars,
Or to sleep out on a sandy beach
Beneath the moon and stars.

Travelling is popular.
The same applies to learning.
Whilst others seek adventure,
For excitement clearly yearning.

I've no desire to parachute,
Am not the daring sort.
I don't want to shoot the rapids
In the name of thrills or sport.

I've a notion to get fitter
(And at one time joined a gym),
And although I'm scared of water,
Thought with dolphins I would swim.

In Cuba last November,
On an organised excursion,
This experience was offered
As a safe-ish sounding version.

So we braved a gritty pathway
(Not conducive to bare feet),
To a shallow large enclosure
And the creatures we would meet.

To the downward steps edged nearer...
Group by group folk took their turn,
Two dolphins were performing
For the fishy treats they'd earn.

They knew commands in Spanish.
("More than I do!" someone joked).
They kissed faces and flipped over
So their tummies could be stroked.

At last we're in the water,
And submerged quite deep enough.
One critter then approached us
And began to do her stuff.

Though I'm not sure I enjoyed this
It's a tick off my agenda.
And I won't forget the day I met
The dolphin who's named Brenda!

Billy the ghost sniffer dog

Freddie had been dreaming
And was feeling rather scared.
He thought a ghost was in his room,
But Mummy was prepared.

She went and woke up Billy
For the small boy knows full well
That terriers are hunters,
With a well-honed sense of smell.

The dog was told quite simply
What his mission was about:
To investigate the bedroom,
And to sniff the blighter out.

The search was then conducted.
Tail a-wagging off Bill went.
He examined every corner,
But of spooks there was no scent.

Any spectre that was hiding
Could not remain un-found.
But no wraith was slyly lurking
As Bill wandered nose to ground.

There simply were no phantoms
In the places he explored,
So Freddie could go back to sleep,
Completely reassured.