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A Bunny Named Blaze

Monday, July 20, 2009


We have a lot of rabbits. I like rabbits. I like to watch them. I have to say I hate what rabbits do to my gardens, especially in early spring and summer—mowing down tender transplants almost the moment I plant them. I have to put everything in baskets, on benches, or on pedestals, and even so they still thwart me, climbing up to mow things down. It’s been years since I have been able to plant a geranium in the ground. For someone who loves geraniums as much as I do, that’s a significant sacrifice.

Rabbits are amazingly catlike, the way they groom themselves and lay around, the way they spar and tussle and fight. They’re cool animals. I wish they didn’t kill geraniums and salvias, portulaca and lobelia and BASIL—they ate all my kitchen garden basil this year! That's why I grow most of it in the fenced garden. No wascally wabbit gets my summer pesto.

However. Every once in awhile a rabbit comes along and steals my heart despite it all. One such is Blaze. I first saw him as a newly-fledged baby, and I did a triple-take. What the heck is that on his face? A blaze. Oh, how adorable. Eastern cottontails usually have a dash of white between their ears; Blaze just took it farther.


A few days later I saw Blaze in the company of a large old rabbit, who I guessed might be his mom. I don’t know—they might not have been related at all, but Blaze was hanging around this animal as if he knew it. Rabbits fledge very small, and they’re on their own and eating clover while they’ll still fit in the palm of your hand.


The big rabbit took off, and Blaze followed.

But rabbits grow very fast. I didn’t see Blaze for a couple of weeks when wow! There he was, still hanging out beneath the studio birches. All grown up, with a clover flower hanging out the side of his mouth, being typewritered in, chchchchchch.


What a fine bunny Blaze has grown up to be. And so far he has stayed out of my flower beds.

I love this picture, even though I took it through my studio panes.

FYI I don’t let Chet Baker out when Blaze is in the backyard.

I'm posting (sort of, well, trying to post) from the Asa Wright Nature Center in Trinidad, which is a magical island twelve miles off Venezuela's coast. We are in Bird Heaven, learning how to digiscope with fabulous Leica equipment. Thank you, Leica, for bringing us here, together, just me and Bill and some wonderful company. Today: bearded bellbirds, white-bearded manakins, and beardless tyrannulets. Happy sigh. But putting up a picture heavy blog post here is like squeezing a cow through a transom. It ain't easy, and it takes a lot of time, and time is what I don't have. Too many cool birds to ogle. So there may be interruptions in the flow. At least this time I'm having fun.

14 comments:

Blog hiatus encouraged ! I hope you both have a fabulous time.

Keep having fun.

Have a fabulous time!! Be sure to see the oilbirds, and the scarlet ibises, and the manakin lek--so wonderful! One of my favorite places--such great critters. My kids are still talking about the rum in the pancake syrup--quite a surprise!

I think I can hear your contented sighs from here. Enjoy!

We had a bumper crop of bunnies this season, one of which I began throwing bits of carrot to early on. Now, when he sees me he actually walks up to me for his treat, and the other bunnies look on thinking he's either crazy or very very brave.

Blaze: cute name for a memorable rabbit. Glad the little critter has become a regular visitor.

Enjoy your trip!

What a fine bunneh! I wonder -- is the blaze likely to disappear as he gets older?

I hope the weather, island, birds and optics stay magical. You deserve it. (BTW, I can say without exaggeration that my Leica binocs changed my life.)

What a wonderful mark for easy ID-ing. The closest I have ever come to having an easily identifiable bunny was one with a notched ear--no doubt a battle scar.
I hope Blaze provides a few more posts.
Enjoy your Trinidadian respite.

I forgot to mention -- that last pic reminds me of a Beatrix Potter illustration.

Love Blaze.

Did you take a watership down to Trinidad or did you fly?

:)

So cool that Blaze is still around and growing up so nicely. :c)

Have fun in Trinidad and know that we are fully looking forward to all those digiscoped images!

I echo DebM, but there is always one you have to go back for. Took me 6 times, but Rudahl finally got a Piping Guan for us right from the van!

Bunnehs are not wimps. Ours boxes the ears on the big gray squirrels!

I could use a few rabbits in this neck of the woods. Too many predators I suspect (coyotes, red fox, bobcat, and owls amongst others).

Rabbits have alwasys seemed so peaceful too me! I love their flight vs fight response to danger!

Nice blog, and have a great time!

Bill;www.wildramblings.com

Ah, so you have to have your garden in bondage too? It's the rabbits and ground squirrels here in the desert. Love your blog.

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