The Bunnies We Know

 Rabbits have been visiting less often. Today, we took some water outside for the trees, and a large silent thing launched itself from a tree. It was a hawk with a tiny thing in its claws. It was definitely a baby squirrel. You cannot persuade me that it was a baby rabbit. The squirrels have been a bit agitated recently, throwing things, screaming at Melissa. We forgive them, of course. We love birds of prey but we would also like to see our rabbits again. No photos of the hawk -- we froze in wonder as it flew over us less than 30 feet over our head.

 We saw Rusty again this morning. We saw it before it reached its spot. Later, Rusty left. According to this video, rabbits like a steady, regular morning routine . So what happens if we greet Rusty every morning between 7:30 AM and 8 AM -- and then, daylight savings arrives on Nov. 2, 2025, and we arrive an hour later. Would that upset Rusty, or would Rusty adjust? 

 Where has Daily gone? We do not know. Rusty is visiting regularly, staying all day. I watched a video called 14 ways to tell your rabbit you love them . It said that domesticated rabbits like a schedule, like peace and quiet, and like you to respect their space, leaving them alone when they want to be left alone. We have done that with Rusty and Daily. Sometimes if we visit Rusty several times in one day, Rusty seems to say okay that's enough -- but just with mellow body language. Today, we were walking home, and saw Rusty and Brindle together. It appears that Brindle had her kits -- she's thinner. Rusty chased Brindle away and settled into its new spot in the shade of a pussy willow.

 Last night, when I said hello to Rusty, it took two exaggerated welcoming hops towards me. Which begs the question: how should I have responded? I took two tiptoe steps towards Rusty, but my steps were not exaggerated or welcoming. Interspecies communication is complex. Rusty is wonderful. I don't think the dance step called the "bunny hop" would work. I'm not good at it. It's for human communication, not interspecies communication. This afternoon, we saw Daily and Brindle. Melissa thinks that Brindle is pregnant -- certainly larger in the middle.  Daily let Melissa get very close. Brindle stayed further away. No photos today. They have not been edited yet, but there were lots of photos. 

Rabbits are always on alert and can even sleep with their eyes open. There's a lot in the modern world that they cannot understand.  We have not seen Daily for several days after streetwork set the ground vibrating. Melissa says that Daily was shaking in fear and ran away.   Rusty has taken some of Daily's spots and is currently snoozing (or not, with eyes open) in a bush.  The photo below is from August.  Melissa writes, "Attached is my favorite photo of Rusty greeting me on August 22. It was less than 4' away. Before saying "hi", Rusty was eating grass between the garages, near the fence. It hopped over, looked at me for about a minute then proceeded to eat Creeping Spurge near my feet." Rusty greets Melissa

 Yesterday morning, Daily was completely blissed out asleep.  In the afternoon, we saw Daily and Rusty. Both had run from the driveway into the shaded lawn because a small dog was straining at the leash to go after them. Then Rusty chased Daily who ran towards us before it saw us. It stopped, looked at us, and started eating, closer to us than it had been before. Rusty ate grass near Daily's favorite spots. In the evening, we saw three rabbits in the neighbor's lawn. This morning, Daily was at its usual spot until the rain came. Rabbits don't like water. They seem to get the water they need from the grasses and other greens that they eat. Here is Melissa's photo of a bedraggled Daily eating Japanese Spirea :

 Daily arrived today at about 8 AM. At about 10 AM, Melissa said she was not sure whether Daily was still there. I went to take a look and Melissa came out. I put a finger over my mouth in the "be quiet" gesture. In all the weeks of Daily's visit, we have never seen it this thoroughly asleep. Daily bunny sleeping Rabbits are prey animals. They are always alert, and have to be. Seeing Daily asleep in our yard feels like trust. Rusty Melissa photographed Rusty twice today. The first time was shortly after noon. The second time was around 3 PM and I was with her. Rusty was eating the grass in the driveway. Melissa took a step towards Rusty and the camera slipped on her arm and made a noise and Rusty fled. We hope to see Rusty again this evening.

 In the morning, Daily arrived again between 7:30 AM and 8 AM. It lets Melissa get close to take photographs. It keeps coming back to the same spot on our lawn. Melissa likes talking to it to keep it calm as it rests. It goes on alert for unusual sounds, but daytime should be sleep time for rabbits. Daily bunny -- alert on arrival and then relaxed Then at 3 PM, Melissa found that Rusty was in the driveway. I want to apologize to Rusty ever since the watering incident when Rusty felt I claimed the front lawn (or, Melissa says, Rusty thought I waved a snake-like hose at it). Rusty goes to our driveway but has not returned to our front lawn.  Rusty took several steps towards Melissa when it saw her.  Melissa had cut some carrot peels so that I could apologize to Rusty by giving it something. I put down my carrot peel. Then Melissa put down a carrot peel and Rusty ate the peel that Melissa gave.  We did not see the rabbits this evening. .