Charlie and me had a surprise visitor around our bird feeder the other day. I’ll let Charlie tell you about it.
No Ordinary Vermin
By the window, Ida asked me
“What the heck is that?”
Racing ‘round the driveway like some
Crazy kind of rat?” 
I came to look, and saw this bugger
Dashing to and fro
Chasing after all the birds
His coat as white as snow
“Is that some kind of weasel, Charlie?
That would be my vote”
Yup, I says, you nailed it, Ida
That’s what’s called a stoat
See that little tip of black
He’s got upon his tail?
Now and then we see ‘em
When we’ve stopped along the trail
Make no mistake, that little guy’s
No ordinary vermin
Those who wear ‘em round their necks
Refer to them as “ermine”
“Ermine, what? You mean like furs
That fancy people wear?”
Yup, I says, on movie screens
You sometimes see ‘em there
“It would take an awful lot
Of them to make a stole,
And depriving all them stoats of coats?
Well, that’s a heartless goal
“If anyone, it’s he,” says she,
“Deserves his winter coat!”
Amen, says I, and on that note
I’ll end my stoat-ly anecdote
That’s it for now. Catch you on the flip side!
Hear Ida Tell It: A SurpriseVisitor