Something About a Bunny

Thank you Garth Williams for my love of bunnies. He is the author and illustrator of “The Rabbit’s Wedding,” a favorite childhood story of mine. It is a sweet story about sharing how you feel. It actually caused controversy at the time it was published because it featured a white and black rabbit getting married in the story. In an interview Williams denied any racial statement with the book, but I like to think he was making a statement for racial equality but he just didn’t care for controversy. His ability to capture human emotions in his animal character drawings was truly amazing. He is most famous for the characters of Charolette’s Web but it is the two sweet rabbits featured on the book above that instilled a special spot for bunnies in my heart. 

I was disillusioned with what to get our kids for Christmas in 2013 and convinced Jason that instead of the toys that would be forgotten a couple months later, we should surprise them with a bunny. It was a magical Christmas morning surprise but unfortunately quickly taught the devestating lesson of loss when we came home from ski practice to find the bunny dead just a few days later. We don’t know what happened. We tried again and that bunny lasted longer but then it started attacking Birdie’s ankles as she was just starting to walk so we took that bunny back to the farm. We said we would try one more time and brought Monster home. He was a great big bunny. He was super sweet and loved playing with the kids and our dogs.  He and Austin had a special connection. 

He was with us for a while. But then we went on vacation and he become a pro at busting out of his cage and very unfortunately got into some trouble and he too went to bunny heaven. We had a funeral for him in the pouring rain, burying him in our backyard. We decided then that we had tried our best with bunnies and determined that they were best in the wild hoping freely.  

Then a couple years later we were at HAWS humane society and fell for these two New Zealand white bunny brothers that really NEEDED a home. Somehow Austin and Birdie convinced me. 

We named them Max and Ruby. Thankfully they are still with us. During the summer they enjoy having a snack with the chickens.  

And they really enjoy their hutch in the garden especially when they sneak through the fencing separating them from our vegetable garden stealing a bite or two. They have snuck out of the garden a few times too. I have thought if I had a gopro on my head as I chased them through the woods determined to bring them home safely it would go viral for sure. 

They have adjusted to the winter weather and have boxes and hay bales to burrow in. When we come out to collect eggs they always come running hopping over for a tasty treat. 

​We did bring them inside recently due to the polar vortex. I am sure they can’t wait to get back out where they have more room to run and hop. 

I can’t leave Smoky out of our bunny story. Somehow Austin convinced us to add her to our bunny bunch for his 11th birthday. She sleeps comfortably in Austin’s room. We thought we could just add her as a new sibling to Max and Ruby but that didn’t go so well this fall so Smoky gets to enjoy being Austin’s roommate with the fish and turtle. We may try again in the spring to see if Smoky, Max and Ruby can all be friends. But Austin thinks she is just perfect right where she is. 

Though I do believe bunnies are meant to run free in the wild, I also believe they can be the most dear pets snuggling close enjoying their ears scratched. Like all animals they provide us many opportunities to learn from them.  Rabbit’s spiritual meaning is they symbolize fear, anxiety and creativity. It is no wonder to me that we love having bunnies in our lives. They relate to our anxieties and they inspire creativity.